//------------------------------//
// Episode 18: Two-Timing Temptation 
// Story: My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season X 
// by DakariKingMykan 
//------------------------------//


EPISODE EIGHTEEN



The very next morning, the inquiry was held. Swift was standing before all three of their majesties, along with Lightning, Starla, Cadance… and even Shining Armor who was out of bed and fully recovered.


The entire case was reviewed on paper, and then questions were asked.

Swift was also sitting in a special chair magically linked to a memory machine which would reveal all images from his memory to show that he wasn’t lying about anything.

“And you couldn’t send a report or signal due to lack of materials?” asked Grand Ruler.


“Yes, sir.” replied Swift. “And I couldn’t just leave her due to the code of Starfleet to help out, and she could have escaped while I wasn’t looking. I had to keep her under close watch.”

The memory machine screen revealed everything exactly as it happened.

Celestia cleared her throat. “Regardless, Cadet Swift Star, you were responsible for letting Starlight Glimmer escape-- You took your eyes off of her for a split second. Did you not?”

Swift nodded, almost shamefully. “I was answering to Commander Lightning’s call.”

Lightning vouched, “It’s true. I had ordered him to open the door. I had no way of knowing what was happening.”

Their majesties considered everything, and they all agreed.

“Cadet Swift Star…” said Grand Ruler. “You nearly had captured the sworn enemy of this planet, but you allowed her to escape and thus, costing us valuable information we require.”

“Yes, sir…”


“However,” Grand Ruler continued “Given the circumstances, and your lack of equipment, and to the fact that you were indeed following strict procedure to the best of your abilities…

…This inquiry can find now course of action to charge you, or hold you.

You may return to your duties, Cadet.”

He and the others all stood up, saluting to him, and Swift saluted back with pride, but deep down he was truly ashamed of himself for letting Starlight get away, and more so that he was still thinking about her and wondering what she was up to now.


Onboard Spider-Base,

Starlight had been training hard to prepare for future battles in the ship’s dojo.

She was punching and kicking the air to work on her movement, and firing magical blasts at columns set up as targets.

Suddenly, right before her eyes, she could see an image of Swift’s face on one of the targets.

Outraged, she fired a blast at it, and while the column was destroyed, the image remained where it was, and then it faded off.

Starlight growled angrily, trying all she could to concentrate on her moves, but she couldn’t get Swift off her mind for the way he cared for her, treated her, and healed her.

“No one’s ever been that kind to me before.” she thought.

She remembered while training with Titan-- how he would push her night and day to toughen her up and develop her powers.

She would tirelessly train and take abuse from her master, and any slacking or failure resulted in beatings and scolding, and harder, longer training hours with hardly any breaks or food-- which he assured would help her grow in strength…

Still-- Swift… 

…While he was intending to bring her in, and he only healed her as part of his duty, she hadn’t forgotten those eyes, and how they looked into hers, and that moment when they fell down the hill and they almost…!


It seemed no matter how hard she tried to put Swift out of her mind, the more and more she thought about him.

“I won’t let him do this to me!” she grumbled to herself. 

That’s when she got the idea, “I’ll ask him to meet up with me later, and then I’ll destroy him, and he’ll be out of my thoughts for good.”


She walked down the hall, passing by Specter who was on his way to talk with her.

“Miss Starlight, sorry to interrupt but--” was all he said when he saw she didn’t even notice him and just went out of sight.

“Now what is she up to?” he wondered.


Meanwhile, Lightning had already received a report from Buddy Rose and Applejack, and he, Starla, and their majesties were incredibly astounded.

“So my Enticorn is on the loose.” said Lightning “How is this possible?”

Grand Ruler read the report as well. “It’s absolutely incredible, but I think it all boils down to one thing…”

He explained his theory of how when Starlight first appeared and turned himself, Lightning, and Celestia into children, Lightning got in the way while in his Enticorn forum.

“Ah, I see…” said Starla “And when Starlight gave your powers to Titan, the Enticorn must’ve slowly rejuvenated himself.”

Celestia pondered over the idea. “It’s a very wild thought, but nothing could possibly explain.”


Luna observed the report herself. “If this is true, then it confirms this part; where Titan has lost power, and now his forces are scrambling to gain more energy from planets for him, but it still is unclear why other than to restore his power and life force.”

Much as every felt it a small relief to know this, as it gave Starfleet an outside chance to beat the enemy; knowing the Enticorn was out there, and on a huge rampage was nothing short of distressing.

“I don’t get it.” said Krysta “Why is it so angry? Why is it attacking everything it sees?”

“He isn’t…” said Lightning “At least he doesn’t mean.”

“What do you mean?” asked Starla.

“I mean…” Lightning explained “Because the Enticorn and I are separated, he doesn’t have my gentle soul and spirit to contain him, and control his rage. He only attacks anything and everything that might pose as a threat…

…In other words: he’ll only react defensively to those who try to attack him, and he can neither be contained no captured. He’s just too strong.”


Grand Ruler agreed with this and sent word to the message to send out the word to every outpost, every soldier, every unit in every system.

“The question remains now: What do we do?”

Lightning already had an immediate answer. “We find my Enticorn. We find him, and confront him.”

Before anyone could question, Lightning brought up the report from Buddy and Applejack—the part where the Enticorn kept snarling and shouting “Must unite.”

“…He’s looking for me, so we can combine into one again.”

Everyone happened upon the same bright idea Lightning had. This was probably what they had been searching for.

“If you and your Enticorn merge,” said Starla “You could be restored to your true age?”

“I don’t know,” replied Lightning “But there’s only one way to find out, and that’s to catch him.”

“I fear that is far easier said than done.” Luna pointed out. “We haven’t the slightest idea where in the galaxy he could be.”

That made everyone’s confidence drop.

“He probably can’t find his way back here, to United Equestria.” Celestia suggested. “Even if any of the other forces spot sight of him, it will be too late to leave and go after him-- He’ll already have gone someplace else.”

Starla and Lightning both felt they couldn’t just leave the planet anyway; not with Starlight Glimmer still out there.


Speaking of whom, Swift headed to the royal nursery, still thinking of Starlight, and somewhat ashamed of it.

He came to the nursery where he knew Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were helping care for the babies, and visiting Flurry Heart at daycare.

He cleared his throat, revealing his presence.

“Hello Swift.” said Cadance.

“Can we do something for you?” added Shining Armor.

Swift nervously approached Princess Cadance, “Your highness, I was hoping to have a word with you… about something very important that only you would understand.”

Cadance blinked once in confusion, but could tell he seemed a little distressed.

“Okay…” she said, and excused herself from her husband.

“Hmmm… I bet I know what this is about.” Shining Armor said to himself.


Swift and Cadance went a quiet area by a window where they could talk in private.

“What’s on your mind?” asked Cadance.

Swift let out a huge sigh. “I can’t talk about this with Commander Lighting; he’s busy now with their majesties. Plus, I know he’ll flip his lid if he finds out. I’m surprised he hasn’t already.”

Cadance gawked at him with concern.

“I’ve got these… really bad, unwanted feelings brewing up inside of me.”

Now she understood. “You’re growing feelings for Starlight Glimmer.”

Swift cringed deeply, and nodded regretfully. “I can’t deny it, and I’m very ashamed. I know it’s wrong, and I shouldn’t have all this, but… I… oh…!”

Cadance didn’t even need to use her magic to sense his feelings were growing bad, and how badly they were twisting his emotions.

She had her suspicions since the inquiry, while watching the scenes from his memories, including the part where he and Starlight rolled down the hill, and--

“Starlight Glimmer is the enemy of this planet, but it’s true that people can’t help who they love sometimes.”

Swift looked up at her, “So you’re saying there’s no way I can let go of this?”

Cadance closed her eyes, trying to choose her words wisely. “Whether the feelings are real to you or not, it depends on what you want from them.

You know where your loyalties lie-- with Starfleet, so whatever you decide will be entirely up to you.

But I should warn you, how do you know if Starlight feels the same about you?”

Swift really didn’t know, and it only twisted him up even further.


He decided to leave the palace and take a walk out into the open country to try and search through his emotions.

“She’s beautiful, but she’s evil. 
 
She’s beautiful, but she’s evil.”

He kept saying that in thought over and over again, and he knew it was already seemingly hopeless. “She’s tried to destroy Queen Celestia, and that can never be forgiven legally.”
 
He even heard from Lightning, a while back, Starlight’s reasons for being who she was and swearing vengeance on Celestia-- for supposedly being responsible for the death of her parents.
 
 
“She’s filled with too much anger and hate, and she fights for the wrong reasons. Maybe I can try to help her; make her see reason.
 
Then again, maybe I can’t. Princess Cadance is right; how do I know she even feels the same?” 


Suddenly, without much warning, something struck the ground just a few inches away from his feet-- sharp kunai, with a black parchment attached to it.

“What the---?” Swift gasped as he looked all around, but he couldn’t see anyone in the area.

He hastily took the note, which read:


“I really need to see you again.


 


Come to the clearing in New Canterlot Forest.


 


…Come alone!


 


XXX: Starlight Glimmer.”


 


As if he was already in a mix of twisted emotions; Swift was completely frozen on the spot with shock, unaware that he was being watched by the very sender of the note!

Starlight was hiding behind a lone tree, and keeping well out of sight so as not to be seen by a patrol.

“I know he won’t be able to resist.” she said to herself, “His destruction is assured.”

She then left, vanished, to prepare for her rendezvous.


As for Swift, he finally managed to regain himself, but he was still having a hard time believing Starlight would actually send him a note like this.

The three X’s sure would have had any other stallion leaping for joy, but as a trained Starfleet official, he already had suspicions, especially the part which read “Come alone.”

There was still no concrete proof if this was legitimate or not, but Swift knew what he had to do.

“I just hope I’m doing the right thing.”



Later on, he arrived in the clearing New Canterlot Forest, with a bouquet of beautiful flowers in his hands.

Surrounded by trees and the sky overhead by the opening above, Swift felt nervous, but he kept a sharp eye open.

“Starlight Glimmer…” he called. His voice echoed along the woods. “I’m here. Come out… please.”


She stepped in hard.

Swift turned to face her, and she looked rather stern.

Then she saw the flowers in he was holding. “Oh, how sweet…” she mocked “The two strangers meet in the woods, and the birds begin to sing.”

She quickly blasted the flowers out of Swift’s hands, burning them to ashes, which confirmed Swift’s suspicions.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked.

Starlight simply smirked and said, “…Because I can.” and she fired a shot at him, forcing him to dodge-- roll out of the way.


Swift tried to reason with her. “Look, I just want to talk to you.”

“Talk to the hand!” yelled Starlight, and she unleashed another blast, which Swift dodged, causing the force to slam into a tree and knocking it down, injuring birds and squirrels who lived in it.

Swift could see now she meant business, but he had to flee and at least get them out into the open before any more damage was done to the forest, and began to run for it.

“Oh, no you don’t!” snickered Starlight, and she teleported… right to the edge of the forest, before the open fields; appearing right before Swift, making him halt right before her.

“Starlight, listen to me.” he said, still trying to reason with her.

“I’m done listening, and I’m done thinking about you all the time.”

Swift’s eyes widened. “You’ve been thinking about me.”

Starlight felt silent, and tried to hide her blushing, which sparked a tiny speck of hope for Swift.

She quickly brushed it off. “My loyalty is to Lord Titan, and always will be.

You may have saved my life, but, sadly, I can’t return the favor. The sooner I’m rid of you, the sooner I can stop thinking of you and get back to what truly matters…”


“…Yes; your downfall!” called a voice.

Starlight turned and saw Lightning and co-- Starla, Cadance, and Shining Armor as Saber—along with a small swarm of sentries.

Lightning looked over at Swift and nodded at him.

Starlight was infuriated. “I knew you couldn’t to bear to come alone. You would have sold me out anyway.”

“You’re not one to talk!” protested Swift “I was right to report in when I got the letter, because I’m loyal to Starfleet, and to my friends and superiors.”

Starlight could see she was vastly outnumbered, but was too enraged to make a retreat.

“Starlight, please…” said Swift “Give yourself up and we’ll try and help you.”

Starlight was unmoved and laughed while scoffing, “You’re the ones who’ll need the help. I can take you all on.”

Suddenly, her henchmen appeared, with a swarm of Darquines.

“Miss Starlight, we’ve come to assist you.” called Specter.

Starlight was far from grateful, and balked, “I can handle this myself. You all go back!”

The henchmen scowled at her disrespect, but refused to back down, and Specter ordered the Darkquines to attack.

Lightning snapped his fingers at the sentries, telling them to charge, and the sentries did as they were told to make short work of the foot soldiers.

The henchmen jumped forth to do battle with Cadance, Saber, and Starla, Leaving Lightning to leap over to Swift and face Starlight.

“You just don’t when to quit, do you little colt!” taunted Starlight, which serious enraged Lightning, that he powered up with his aura glowing.

Starlight powered up too.

“Get behind the trees, Swift.” said Lightning “And don’t try and get involved.”

Swift agreed and did as he was told.


Lightning lunged at Starlight, and she zipped out of the way, and then proceeded to kick him form the side, but Lightning zipped off again and attempted to punch her, but she kept swerving and dodging his every attack, and when she tried to attack him it was the same thing.

“I see… you’ve been… training well.” she called to him while still attacking.


“Better… than you… realize.” retorted Lightning; and he zipped off again, and didn’t reappear.

Starlight look around, trying to anticipate his attack, but then she thought of making it look like she would attack the forest and setting it ablaze, and to hit Swift while she was at it.


She powered up, and looked ready to strike, forcing Swift to come out of hiding and run for it.

“Got’cha!” she hollered, knowing he would leap out from hiding, and prepared to blast him.

Swift braced himself, but that’s when Lightning appeared before Starlight and socked her hard in the face sending her skidding along the ground.

Lightning then looked back at Swift and winked at him.

Swift smirked and nodded back at him. “The old switch and bait.” he murmured. 


Before his meeting with Starlight, he had spoken to Lightning and the others to devise witty plots to catch the villains off guard.


Starlight quickly bolted up right and seemed more outraged that hurt. “You call that a punch?!” she growled, and she looked ready for more.


“Go, Swift, get out of here.” shouted Lightning.

“Right!” agreed Swift.

At that very moment, Krysta appeared. “Come with me, I’ll get you to safety.”

Swift nodded, and then teleported away with her, back to the palace.



Starlight attempted to blast him, but Lightning zipped around and swung his arm to deflect her every shot.

“Ugh!! If only I had my Enticorn power!” he groaned, but he could only continue to do his best.


The others all faced the henchmen down, and were faring pretty well against them. They managed to punch, kick, blast, and slash at them, but having had received several hits themselves.

“Let’s do it, now!” cried Razor.

“You actually have a good idea… for once.” teased Waverline.

Specter agreed, and he and his fellow henchmen powered up for their combo attack.


“Not this time…!” teased Starla. “Super Mode, Activate!” and she donned her sparkling, stronger armor, and charged up her aura.

Cadance and Saber stood ready as well.

“You injured before, but not this time!” Saber growled, and he leapt forth.


“FLY CUTTERS” Razor unleashed his cutters.

“DISTORTION FORCE” Waverline prepared to power them up.

“DARK WALL OF WIND” Specter began to encase himself in his defensive sphere.


Cadance leapt in and threw her ninja shurikens at the blades, knocking them all down, and then she proceeded to swiftly kick Razor down.

Saber threw his chain at Waverline, lassoing her and causing her to miss her shot before she was slammed hard on the ground.

“STARLIGHT ARROW” Starla shot at Specter before he was completely covered up, and her Super Mode made the attack even stronger; blowing Specter back hard.

The henchmen were furious, but far from beaten.

“You think you can stop us that easy?!” snarled Waverline.

The henchmen all powered up, shrouding themselves in dark aura.

“No more holding back now!” growled Razor.

Specter snickered as he looked pumped up and ready.


“So they were holding back all along.” cried Starla.

“We can’t let them scare us.” said Saber.

Cadance nodded in agreement.


The battle continued, and both sides seemed perfectly matched.

Saber slashed his sword as Razor parried him with his blades.

Cadance dodged Waverline’s every blast and attack, and Waverline blocked and defended herself from.

Starlight and Specter exchanged the same blows.

Starlight struck Specter with a huge blow to his face, and he gave her huge kick to the gut, but her Super Mode still weakened the pain, but it wouldn’t be long before her power ran out.


As for Lightning, he was starting to grow weak himself. No matter how well he trained and how powerful he seemed to get; he was still a boy, and it would always hold him back.


“This cursed body!” he panted.

Starlight then fired many blasts from her hands and horn, forcing Lightning to dodge. He tried his very best, but got grazed by a few of the shots, and finally he was struck hard by a big blast to the chest, blowing him back hard.


“Lightning…!” Starla cried when she saw him, which gave Specter an opening; he crashed into her hard with his protective sphere and knocked her right to where Lightning was, causing her suit to run out of power.

“Starla…!” Lightning groaned as he struggled over to his wife.


“Oh, isn’t this sweet.” Starlight mocked as she approached them. “Though you are both mates, you look like a mother and child.”

She then looked enraged as it brought on the pain she felt when she had lost her parents years and years ago.

She furiously glared at the couple and aimed to blow them to pieces.

“No!” shouted Saber, and he lassoed her leg with his chain, yanking her away, slamming her into all three of her henchmen.

The villains all bounced back onto their feet, only to find they were surrounded by the sentries--having already defeated the Darquines.

There were more sentries on the way, charging in formations, and led by Swift.

“Swift…!” called Lightning.

“We better get out of here while we can.” cried Razor.

Starlight barely heard him, as she found herself gazing at Swift from afar, and the way he looked so proud running with the sentries.

Specter noticed this too, confirming his suspicions. 

He grabbed Starlight and teleported away with her and his comrades just as the sentries finally reached the group.

“Ugh! Too late!” growled Swift. The sentries were outraged as well, but relieved that the group was safe.


Swift helped Lightning and Starla up.

“I thought I told you to stay of the battle?” scolded Lightning.

Swift explained, “Pardon me, sir, but I didn’t intend to fight, I just rallied more sentries to help you. I was only leading them here.”


Lightning actually realized this from the start, and apologized for snapping at him. He was just overly tired from the battle, and because of his child body.

“I understand sir.” said Swift. Then he looked up at the sky wondering about Starlight.



…She was furious with her minions, and was fuming as she blasted at them hard.

“I did not order a retreat!”

She fired another blast.

“But we were out-numbered, and our strengths were starting to give.” whined Waverline.

“Please, see reason, Miss…” said Specter “I was only trying to look out for you. We were better off retreating than facing a fresh set of soldiers.”

Starlight roared furiously and looked ready to blow up the whole ship.

“AAH, REMEMBER LORD TITAN…!!” wailed Razor.

Starlight immediately powered down, knowing Titan would not tolerate such insolence, and the fact she actually still needed their help.

…And with that, she just stormed off.


Razor was incredibly ticked! “I don’t know about you two, but I’m about this close to slicing her in half.”

“And we will, soon enough.” hissed Specter “Especially now that she seems to be showing a weakness to that pitiful Starfleet cadet.” he referred to Swift.

Waverline snickered smugly, “As evil as she is, she’s still not like us; suffering from acts of love and kindness which we are impervious to.”

The henchmen decided to wait it out for another proper chance to dispose of Starlight for good, without a single fear or concern of what Titan would think.

 …It was as if they knew something that Starlight didn’t!



As for Swift, he stood on a palace terrace still looking up at the sky.

In his hand, he clutched Starlight’s letter.


Lightning and Starla, having recovered from the battle, were watching him with Krysta from inside. 


“He’s been like that ever since you all got back here.” said Krysta. “As soon as he got back, he and I began to rally up the sentries to assist you.

Sorry we didn’t make it sooner.”

“It’s nothing to be sorry about, Krysta.” said Lightning. “Swift did the right things this time, which proves his loyalties are with us.”

Starla was still concerned. “Still, it can’t be denied, he’s actually falling for Starlight, and he still seems determined to try and help her.”

Krysta didn’t know whether to scoff or sigh. “I just hope he keeps his head on tight. He nearly got blown to bits today.”

“Maybe,” said Lightning “But I can’t hold him in contempt for at least trying to help, even if it may be hopeless. I just hope he can accept that.”


Swift looked up at the clouds, and swore he could see Starlight’s pretty face; feeling somewhat ashamed for still thinking of her like this.

He still wasn’t deterred and still wanted to try and help her.


(Promo)


In our next episode: Swift sees Zecora to seek an answer for Starlight Glimmer’s anger, which leads him on a long journey to a sacred place. Meanwhile, the search for Lightning’s Enticorn continues, as a plan is devised to lure it in.


 


Can Swift ultimately find a cure for Starlight’s anger, and will Starfleet’s plan work to capture the Enticorn?


 


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


 


(Next Episode: “Race for the Truth”)