//------------------------------// // Episode 22: Daring Devils // Story: My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic (Season IX) // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// EPISODE TWENTY-TWO Lightning had sent Krysta back to United Equestria to inform the others of what was happening. He and his team decided to remain on Vistula for a while longer in case Dearka should return. Grand Ruler read over the letter again. “So, Dearka knows the truth, but I, too, doubt whether he can accept it after all this time.” “In the meantime,” Celestia said to Krysta “We’re glad you’re here because we have a special assignment for you to give to all your fairies.” “I’m all ears…” said Krysta. While they all talked… it had been a long, long day and it was getting around nightfall so all the remaining fighters had gone home. While in Shining Armor’s suite, he had agreed to watch over Agapi, as she still had Cadance’s body, but little Flurry Heart was crying almost uncontrollably, but for obvious reasons, she missed her mother. Agapi approached the crying infant attempting to soothe her, but it was no use. Flurry just fussed and backed away from her. “It’s no good.” said Shining Armor “She’s knows you aren’t Cadance.” Agapi anticipated this, being an expert on love, she knew, “Even a mere infant is able to tell who their true parent is. It is unbreakable bond.” Even though she wasn’t the mother, she had one trick up her sleeve. She folded her hands together, shut her eyes, and softly began to hum softly but deeply, casting a soft faded light onto the baby, and in almost no time, she was sleeping peacefully. “How did you do that?” asked Shining Armor. “Love can be a very warm and soothing feeling. I may not be her mother, but that does not mean I cannot soothe her.” Shining Armor was relieved, but only slightly. He looked out into the night still worrying about the well-being of his wife. He decided to just crawl into bed, while Agapi decided to just rest on the sofa. Meanwhile, Apple Spice was out, pulling a farm wagon along, since Applejack was still not home yet, he had helped do some of her deliveries, but his last stop was at New Sugar-Cube Corners to deliver sacks of flour. He knew Pinkie wasn’t home, because Applejack wasn’t home, and all families were alerted when an officer went off into space. “Thank you very much, Apple Spice.” said Carrot Cake. Cupcake then offered him a free milkshake, “Just our way of giving you more thanks.” “Thank you.” said Spice “You’re all really nice you know, just like the Apples are.” Cupcake giggled, “Oh, go on with you.” “Well, just you wait,” said Carrot Cake “Soon you and Applejack will be married. In fact that’s why we need all this flour, so we can be ready to cater for your wedding feast.” Spice looked uneasy and he clenched his fist nervously. “Is something wrong?” asked Cupcake. Spice didn’t bother to tell them the truth behind his true feelings for Pinkie, not that it would make a difference while he was still bound by the contract. “If only there was a way out.” he thought “And if only I could tell Pinkie how I feel.” Meanwhile, Starla was staying with Rarity to keep her company, since both their husbands were away. Twilight was asleep in her flame-proof cradle, and Shining Light slept in the playpen. Rarity thought they children were just adorable, sleeping without a care in the world, yet she really wished Spike was home. As for Starla, she was looking out the window with her hand telescope, aiming in the direction of Vistula. She couldn’t see it of course, and was merely looking to see if Lightning was on the way home. “I know how you feel,” said Rarity “I, too, am worried for Spike and the others, but we must have faith in their strengths and skills.” Starla smiled softly and agreed, “I just wish I could be there with them. We’re getting so close to finally bringing down the Devils, and that’s usually when it gets the most dangerous, the most frightening.” Rarity poured some tea, and passed her a cup. “Just the same, I wonder what those dastardly Devils are up to.” Dearka had not returned to the Devils’ World, but Scarlet had reported the situation to Von Devilor. “So Dearka has learned of the truth has he? I always feared that he would.” “It appears that he may be on the verge of deserting us entirely, sire.” said Scarlet. She was about to try to talk him into considering promoting her to Top General, when he seemed rather enraged and hissed softly but sternly. “I do not tolerate deserters, Scarlet! Find Dearka and bring him back here!” “But Sire… he-- I mean I--” “GO…!!” Scarlet almost leapt out of her skin. “Y-Y-Yes… sire! Right away…!” She quickly turned and ran down the path, and her inner anger was flaring. “Even when he’s not here, Dearka gets in my way! No more Ms. Soft Devil. I’ll find that faker, and when I do I’ll get rid of him make it look like an accident!” Back on Vistula, Lightning was at the outpost with Hawk, helping tend to invalids and make up a plan to find Dearka, when Krysta finally made it back to the planet. She told Lightning the idea their majesties had proposed to her, and she already had her fairies on the job. “I have to say, it’s a big crazy idea, but it may just help us.” said Krysta. Lightning agreed, but he had problems of his own to worry about right now. He was more than convinced that Dearka would not have returned to the Devils’ World after taking in the truth his betrayal. “He could be anywhere, he might not even be on this planet.” said Krysta. Lightning sighed, “Yes, you’re right, and we can’t scan for him either, so it’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but there’s still a chance he could be here on this planet, or he may show up again. It’s just a wild hunch.” He walked over to where Hawk was going over his plans and paperwork. “Are all your soldiers maintaining lookout, Major?” “Not all of them, sir.” replied Hawk “Some are still assisting in helping invalids and assess damages, but I’ve got several good lookouts.” “Right… Well, make sure they maintain constant watch if Dearka should appear, I’m going to start a search of my own.” “Aye, Aye, sir.” Lightning and Krysta were soon flying around the planet. “Hey!” Spike called as he caught up with them. “How goes the search?” asked Lightning. “Not a thing,” replied Spike “I still think it’s crazy to be searching the entire planet like this.” “Well, we’ve got to keep trying.” said Lightning “The safety of the whole universe may depend on our success.” Krysta agreed, and then she asked “By the way, where are Pinkie and Applejack?” “I asked them stay at the palace with Princess Calista, to help comfort her and to watch her in case Dearka shows up again.” “Well, I hope we do find him soon,” said Spike, he didn’t bother complain any further and didn’t want to show so much that he was feeling homesick. “…It’s okay, Spike. I feel the same way.” said Lightning “I miss home and my family too, and I want to get this over with myself.” So, the trio continued their search together… While at the royal palace, Pinkie Pie made some of her special “Happy Time Tea” which she always carried on her. “I tell you, one sip of this will perk you right up.” she chirped. While Applejack was not convinced, she didn’t mind having some. “Whoo-wee, that hits the spot.” Calista sipped her tea, but her lips remained in the sad and sorrowful frown much to the girls’ dismay. “Oh, do forgive me, ladies,” said Calista. “There ain’t nothing to forgive,” said Applejack “You’ve had a nasty shock, and no one can blame you for feeling low.” Pinkie nodded sadly and decided to confess, “I was a little in love with him myself.” Calista looked up in surprise. “Or maybe it was more a crush. But he was just so handsome, and even when I tried to show him mercy and compassion, he outright crushed my heart.” She referred to how she saved his life from the weather factory… “You worthless creature…! …I HATE YOU!!!” She held her heart softly. “Oh, my word…!” cried Calista “I can’t believe what’s happened to him now even more.” “Well it happened.” said Applejack “Poor guy’s been through a lot, and crazy as it is, we’re trying to earn his trust so he can help us against the Devils. …If we can find him.” “Yeah, but where could he possibly be?” wondered Pinkie “We can’t even try to look for him as easily, and he doesn’t give off energy readings.” Calista suddenly began to remember something. “This may sound like wishful thinking, but I believe I think know one possible place he could be, but the only way I can show you is if you escort me out of the palace.” “Whoa, girl… Not a good idea.” said Applejack “We got our orders to keep watch over you, and it’s too dangerous to be heading out there.” Pinkie was with Calista. “Applejack, if we can find where Dearka is, isn’t that the main reason we’re all here?” Applejack sighed, “You always have ways of convincing to go along with your crazy schemes, but I ain’t doing it, especially when it comes to breaking orders.” …In the end, she caved in, and the ladies snuck out of the palace, and Calista, riding on Applejack’s back, guided the ladies to where she believed Dearka had gone. Dearka was indeed still on the planet; he didn’t have any place else to go. He had been wandering aimlessly, but he didn’t seem to notice or really care where he was going. His head was positively spinning with confusion. “I can’t believe this,” he said to himself “Would King Von Devilor truly and deliberately wreck my life to gain my trust?” He couldn’t stop thinking back to The Ultimate Challenge, and how the obstacle just seemed to suddenly shift, or malfunction so that he lost. He remembered being taunted, hooted, and regarded as a failure before he was shot into space, and returned years later thanks to Von Devilor. After his family rejected him, and Calista ordered him executed, he had no choice but to ally with Von Devilor, and make everyone suffer for tormenting him. “But Calista…! She’s alive, and she…!” He thought back to what she had said to him… “When you were taken away, my heart was devastated! I never stopped thinking about you, nor did I ever not pray to the stars that you would return someday, to your home… to me!” “No!!” shouted Dearka “I can’t believe all that!!” In his stumbling and throes, he slipped down a steep slope, and fell deep into a forest. He was most aggravated as he stood, and all the animals nearby ran from the frightful sight of him. Dearka looked up and around, and the woods seemed rather familiar to him. He walked along further, and further, until he came across a large rock wall scaling up a small cliff. “This place…” he murmured softly “I know this place.” He then came to a thick load of brush and began to hack away at it with his claws until he had uncovered a large hollow log that could be crawled through like a tunnel. Without a second thought he quickly crawled through the way, emerging in a beautiful grove, surrounded by trees, rock walls, a beautiful opening for the sky above, which showed the stars shining brightly. In the center of the whole setting was a small fire pit with a piled of unburned logs sitting in it. Dearka couldn’t resist, and with tiny spark of his lightning bolts, he had a roaring fire going. Then, as he sat down on a flat-topped boulder, he felt tiny grooves in the rock. He looked down and saw a cute little carving in a heart shape with an arrow through it, and in the center of the heard were the names… “Dearka & Calista” “I remember this…” He spoke so softly that even he could barely him himself. This was a special secret place he had found and made for Calista when they were together-- a place where they could be alone together, and get away from the crowds, and their duties. He remembered years ago, they were both sitting in this very place with a lovely fire roaring, and he had carved their initials in the rock. “Princess…?” he would ask, only for her to put her hands on her hips and give him the look, “I’m sorry… Calista…” to which then she would reply “That’s better…” “I must ask… what made you choose me?” “What do you mean?” “Just in the case of humor: Why would you fall in love with me?” Calista seemed stunned that he would ask that, but kept herself civil and honest. “You are a wise and noble creature, Dearka. You educate our children, you help those in dire need, and you have the most amazing ideas to solve problems. How could I not fall in love with you, just as any woman would? And I knew form then, that if I could have you by my side, we could rule Vistula in a golden age, maybe change things for the better, and start a new way of life for our people.” Dearka felt flattered. “You really mean that…?” Calista nodded, and began to him sing a loving song, which she professed “I’m Gonna Love You.” She even presented him with the locket she had made for both of them, containing their pictures, as a sort of engagement ring. As the memories faded, the song continued to play as Dearka looked down at the charred locket in his hand. He was trembling ever so hard, and his eyes were starting to fill with tears behind his visor. He did his best to try to fight them because he couldn’t risk taking his visor off, but all these memories…! The many feelings he had forgotten…! He could still hear Calista singing… …Because she was indeed singing, as he turned round and saw her standing by the trees, with Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She slowly approached Dearka, and then softly touched his gloved hands as she finished the song. Lost in her eyes, Dearka finally clicked inside, and before he knew it, Calista had wrapper her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. Dearka was so shocked he couldn’t seem to embrace her back, but rather just sat there stunned and actually feeling warm inside. Pinkie wiped a tear from her eye, both because of the beautiful moment, and that she ultimately had to let go of her crush on Dearka. Applejack thought the moment was sweet as well. Calista then pulled back, and reached for his mask, intending to take it off and expose his face to her—intending to kiss him for the first time in a long time as well. …But Dearka softly held her wrists. “No!” he said softly “You mustn’t remove my mask. I can’t breathe the air here. We Devils are conditioned to dark atmospheres. The love and light of this world harms us.” Hearing this for the first time only made Calista feel worse for him, but she embraced him again, “I will help you… somehow.” Dearka was most perplexed, “After everything I have done, you are showing me, a Devil, compassion, kindness?” Dearka asked. Applejack approached the couple, “Well, we can’t ignore what you’ve done, but we also can’t ignore what happened to you.” Pinkie nodded and added “You were manipulated, driven mad. It can’t really be blamed for what you did.” Dearka feel silent. “Aww… how touching?” hissed a voice within the shadows. Pinkie felt mega shivers run down her spine, and Scarlet stepped out into the light. “How did you find this secret place?” sneered Dearka. “Puh-lease… Anyone within a ten-mile radius could hear you, but then again, your Devil power is easy for me to pick up. …And now I can destroy you… traitor!” “What?!” snapped Dearka. Pinkie and Applejack both stepped in before Scarlet. Scarlet only snickered “This is going to be fun!” The girls both transformed… “HARMONY HOUR, FRIENDSHIP POWER” Scarlet was shrouded in dark aura and ready to fight, and she rushed straight at the girls, and they charged at her, but at the last second, she zipped out of sight, completely uninterested in fighting them, and she reappeared right before Dearka. Calista screamed, but Dearka quickly leapt up high just as Scarlet took a swing for them. “I won’t let her hurt you!” he said to Calista. Calista really felt the old Dearka she knew and loved was really returning. Scarlet leapt up to attack, and powered up to blast them, while Dearka skillfully leapt along the trees and the rock-walls to avoid her. “Can’t you just teleport us out?” asked Calista. “No! If I do that the darkness will poison you! I’ve got to get you out of here!” “You won’t get away from me!” shouted Scarlet, and she powered up for more blasts, but got tackled by Pinkie and Applejack, and they held her back. “Run Dearka!!” shouted Pinkie. “Go on!” added Applejack. Deeply astounded they were fighting for him now, but still sharp as ever Dearka leapt up, and up, and up along the rocks, heading for the large opening overhead. …But King Von Devilor saw the whole thing from his lair and snickered. “Where do you think you’re going?” His monstrous eyes glowed red and he conjured up a large vortex, and just as Dearka landed way outside the forest, he saw the opening. “Oh, no…!” Calista whimpered nervously! Lightning and the others weren’t too far away and saw the vortex opening. “Over there!” cried Lightning. “Let’s move!” Fast as they could, the trio arrived on the scene almost instantly, but too late as the vortex blasted both Dearka and Calista hard with powerful dark shockwaves. Calista screamed in agony as the bolts pierced right through her! “CALISTA…!!!” Dearka shouted. “Oh, no!!” cried Lightning. KAPOW!! There was a huge explosion, so bright that everyone had to cover their eyes as it wiped out half of the forest. “What was that?!” cried Applejack. “Dearka!!” shouted Pinkie. Scarlet only snickered, and used this chance to smash the two fighters into each other, and then throw them both hard into the rock wall behind her. Lightning and the others were thrown down hard by the explosion. Dearka recovered quickly, but just ahead of him, his beloved Calista was lying badly injured on the ground. “No…! No…!!” he cried as he dashed over to her and scooped her up in his arms. “Calista…!” Lightning and the others struggled to get up themselves, but what they saw up ahead turned their bloods cold. “Oh, no…! She got hit!” cried Spike. It didn’t take even a half-wit to realize it was hopeless for Calista. “Calista…! Speak to me please!” cried Dearka. She opened her eyes just barely, and was breathing in short, raspy breaths, and she spoke in a very weak and dying tone. “De…ar… ka…!” “Calista! Please, hang on! I won’t let you be taken from me!” A single tear fell from her eyes, but even she knew it was hopeless for her. “I… love you… Dear…ka! I… love… you!” She then expired, and he hand slipped to the ground flat. That’s when her body magically seemed to levitate off the ground as Dearka called to it… “CALISTA… …NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” …KAPOW!! The body exploded and was gone-- exactly how Vistulans died. Krysta began to weep softly. “She’s… gone…!” said Spike “Just like that!” Lightning was quivering with extreme fury, and too upset to say anything. There was nothing he hated more than seeing someone innocent die like that! As for Dearka he picked himself up off the ground, and clutched his locket. “Calista… my only love… I’m so sorry this happened to you! It’s all my doing!” His anger began to flare up… “I will fight to avenge you, and my family! I swear it!!” He looked straight up through the vortex where he could hear Von Devilor laughing maliciously. “King Von Devilor, I curse your name! I will never again lift a finger for you! …I AM NO LONGER YOUR WARRIOR!!” Von Devilor only scoffed, “You think you can just walk away from me, the darkness, and the hate?! No! You are my Devil… now and forever!” “What?!” “No turns away from me, especially when they seem to exhibit vast amounts of energy that I can use. Just look at yourself! You lost your pride and honor, you lost your family, and now that you’ve lost your precious Calista, I can feel the anger and hate just coursing through you… …And like it or not, I will use that power as I see fit to crush my enemies and conquer the universe!” Dearka was trembling with rage, and took everything he said as a confession to ruining his life for his own goals. “I will never give my powers to the likes of you!!” Von Devilor laughed, “You actually think the choice is yours? There is nothing you possess that I cannot take whenever I desire!” With that, he extended his tentacles through the vortex, intending to zap him. “No!!” shouted Lightning as he rushed forth and kicked the massive tentacle hard up, hardly fazing the evil king. “Stay out of this!!” he bellowed and took a swing at Lightning, but he zipped out of the way. “Krysta, get Dearka out of here!!” Krysta agreed and rushed in, only to get shot all around by Scarlet’s power. “This does not concern you!” “Says you!” growled Spike as he charged with his sword at the ready, but Scarlet dodged his every swing and knocked him away. Pinkie and Applejack came onto the field and grabbed Scarlet again, holding her down! “Don’t you two ever quit?!” she growled. “Never!!” shouted Applejack Pinkie had fire blazing in her eyes, having seen what happened to Calista, “YOU’RE GOING TO PAY!!” With that, her inner aura flared up as she called on her new magic, “AGAPI’S LOVE” The bright light began to shock Scarlet painfully and severely weaken her! “Nice move, Pinkie!” said Applejack, and then, using a little of her own power, she gave Scarlet a very strong punch to her face, sending her sailing back hard and crashing on the ground. Scarlet was furious and roared as she got up, but before she could attack. “Surprise…!” Spike shouted as he rushed in, with his sword glowing with Agapi’s Love, slicing off her mask and its feed-tubes. With her mask knocked off, Scarlet began to choke and gag as her flesh began to burn! “I’ll… get you for this!!” she shouted before making a hasty retreat through the vortex. Lightning was still fending off against Von Devilor’s massive tentacles. “UNIFORCE” Von Devilor fired a massive burst of dark energy at the force, actually matching it. “You really think you can overpower the King of the Devils?!” he called to him “More power!” His force began to push back against Lightning’s, and Lightning made no attempt to pour on more power, and actually let the blast get near him and blow up, sending him sailing back hard! Lightning looked up with a spiteful smirk. “Just what we needed…!” Von Devilor then realized that while he was distracted, Krysta had made off with Dearka. He roared in outrage! “Your days are numbered, Von Devilor! We’re coming for you, and we will defeat you finally and forever!” With that said he and the others retreated, zooming away, leaving a furious Von Devilor to seal the void and retreat back into his own realm. For the rest of the night, there was no other course of action… With Calista gone and Von Devilor madder than ever, the only solution was a planet evacuation, to ensure the Vistulans would be further protected from anymore Devil attacks. All the villages were cleared out, the royal palace, and all the civilians gathered at the outpost. One-by-one, they march in a line through a portal Krysta had conjured and took them to one of Starfleet’s safe planets. Hawk and his entire force would watch over them. “Abandon base!” Hawk called out “All hands, abandon outpost!” The soldiers gathered up whatever things they could and headed through the portal themselves, and at that point the entire planet was evacuated, all except for Lightning, his team and Hawk. “Major,” said Lightning, and he shook Hawk’s hand “…Good luck, please take care of them.” Hawk nodded proudly, “I will guard them with my life sir.” He knew his job wouldn’t be easy, especially since the people still didn’t know their princess was dead, and they would not take it well. Nevertheless, he leapt into the portal and was gone. “That’s all of them.” said Krysta “We better get back home.” Lightning agreed, as did the others, and Dearka was more than willing to accompany them. “King Von Devilor will pay for what he did to Calista! I will get revenge if it’s the last thing I do!!” (Promo) In our next episode: Everyone is preparing for their venture forth into the Devils’ World, and while Artie and Sunset decide to immediately marry, Pinkie Pie finally learns the truth about Apple Spice’s feelings, but it’s wondered what to do about the marriage contract. Are the heroes truly ready to venture forth into the Devils’ World? Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!” (Next Episode: “Ready or Not”)