//------------------------------//
// Episode 19: Race for the Truth 
// Story: My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season X 
// by DakariKingMykan 
//------------------------------//


EPISODE NINETEEN


Swift was out early the next morning on his patrol rounds; keeping the peace, making sure the citizens still up working from the nightshift or just going to work very early were all in line and all that… but he really couldn’t seem to concentrate.

Starlight Glimmer was still on his mind, and no matter how much he tried he could never shake the images from his head, nor could he shake off with the desire to help her understand that she was taking the wrong course.

Even when he stopped off at the Cake’s café for his morning muffin and cocoa, he was thinking so much he hadn’t had a sip or a nibble.

“Not feeling to up today, Swift?” asked Carrot Cake.

Swift couldn’t deny it. “No, I’m not. I think I’m really losing it here.”

He decided to change to subject to try and get his mind on other things. “How’s Colonel Pinkie doing?”

“Oh, she’s coming nicely.” Cup Cake answered from the counter “The doctor says just a few more weeks.” She paused and giggled “Just think: a new baby to be like family to us.”

Swift showed a small smile, feeling happy for Pinkie and Apple Spice, but it didn’t last.

“I just wish I knew who to ask to help my problem.”

After his breakfast, he left to complete his patrol rounds, and as he passed by New Ponyville town Square, he noticed the large board of bills, flyers, and notices. One of which was an ad for Zecora and how her witchcraft was used to help those distraught with life or seeking advice which normal doctors and shrinks couldn’t give… as long as clients would pay of course.

Swift’s eyes began to light up. “Of course…! Why didn’t I think of her before?”

Then he suddenly remembered something about Zecora that Lightning once told him; that she would need at least a thread of hair, or a skin-flake, and scale, or anything from the individual or something like that.

Swift made plans for after his patrol rounds. He knew what he could do and hoped it would help.



Onboard Spider-Base…

Titan had called Starlight, telling her he was on his way to regaining his power again.

“The time draws near for the ultimate game to commence.” he announced. “Once my power reaches full, all will be in perfect order.”


Starlight could hardly pay attention, as she still had Swift Star on her mind.

She could see him standing in a bright, blurry, but sparkling background, and he winked at her with his teeth giving a small shimmer.


“…Starlight!” Titan bellowed snapping her out of her trance. “Are you even listening?”

“Yes, sire!” she quickly responded.

Titan was hardly convinced, but carried on.

“I am growing concerned-- my forces are dwindling faster by an unknown force, and I suspect it holds a tie to what it was that weakened me, and I also suspect that Starfleet knows something of this that we don’t.

I want you to find out what this is, what our enemies know and try to stop it from your position.”

Starlight bowed, “Consider it done, My Lord.”

Titan vanished and was gone leaving Starlight to ponder.

“SPECTER!!” she called. Her voice echoed through the ship, and all three of her henchmen appeared in almost no time.

Specter stepped forth, “You called, Miss?

Starlight turned round to face him. “You’re coming with me on a little assignment.”

“Hey, what are we… invisible?!” complained Razor.

“Why does he get to go and not us?” asked Waverline.

Starlight gave them both a deathful stare, “Because I called for him, not the two of you! Is that a problem?!”

The two henchmen winced at her yelling, and Specter shook his head at them, but sad to Starlight, “I am ready to go.”

Starlight walked past the other two henchmen warning them, “Stay out of trouble!”

Then she and Specter were gone.

“Humph!” grunted Waverline. “Just give me one good opening with her, and I’ll wave her inside out!”

“I’ll slice her into strips!” grumbled Razor. “Still, I wonder what she’s so hyped up about.”

Waverline got a cheeky look. “Let’s find out.”

Razor agreed with her and they tuned in to the monitors.



At New Canterlot Palace, Lightning, Starla, and Krysta were with their majesties in the briefing room trying to discuss ways to find and capture the Enticorn so Lightning could find him and merge with him again.

Swift was not invited as he was only a mere Cadet, and this sort of stuff was up to supreme Starfleet Staff.


Lightning came up with just the idea.

“Are you certain this is wise?” asked Grand Ruler.

“There’s no other way.” admitted Lightning. “We have no way to detect the Enticorn or determine where he’ll be, and even if we did, there’s no way we could launch and get to him in time before he fled the scene.

So the only option we have: We’ll have to draw his attention and make him come to us.”

The three royal alicorns pondered over it and reluctantly agreed.

“How do you intend to do this?” asked Celestia.

“Well, we don’t plan to bring him here to United Equestria.” said Starla. “If he goes off on a rampage he could cause damage and injury, and he’s not easy to fight, even for our strongest forces.”


Luna looked at a map of their own sector of the galaxy, “Which suggests we set a trap somewhere in a secluded area.”

Grand Ruler and Celestia agreed and they all talked it over to choose either a barren planet, or a moon to set the trap on.

“Now we have to figure out how to get his attention.” said Krysta.



Meanwhile, Swift had gotten off his patrol, and the split second he had, he dashed out to the river, to the abandoned cabin where he healed Starlight before.

The cabin was already boarded up with “Condemned” signs posted all around. Demolition was to be started soon, but was put on delay in view of the war so buildings could assist in any and all damages.


Being here brought back those moments of Starlight, and he could see her standing in the flower fields with her mane blowing in the breeze.

This only made him more determined to succeed in his mission, and since the cabin had not yet been tampered with, and with no one around, he crept inside and looked around on the old beat-up sofa.

…He found what he was looking for-- a few threads of Starlight’s mane, exactly what he needed for Zecora to help him.

“I hope this works.” he said to himself, and he left the cabin and dashed off for New Everfree.


With his super speed, he made it to the forest in less than a minute, and he paid her a sack of gold bits from his last payment, and every coin was worth it to him.

Zecora set her cauldron to a boil, mixing the right herbs and liquids, and then requested the hair threads Swift had found.

She threw them into the mixture, and… POOF… a large puff of smoke burst from the cauldron, and they made odd shapes, like a small building with a halo over it, a few trees resembling a forest, a couple of arrows pointing to it, and a set of foot prints.

“What does it mean?” asked Swift.


Zecora spoke in her usual rhymes…

“The spirits have shown images in the air
You must travel to a shrine, somewhere out there
A place where spirits of those died are forever remembered and honored too,
There the answer is lying and waiting all just for you.”


With looked at the smoke images, which soon faded away.

“A shrine where spirits are remembered…?” Swift pondered. “Wait a minute, I remember during study at the Academy…”


In a Flashback, during his first year at the Starfleet Academy, in Geography, the instructor showed images of a small shrine…



“The Shrine of Remembrance” It is a shrine built by Starfleet, initially to honor the spirits of those who died in battle
 
When United Equestria was formed, its use was revised to allow anyone to come and pray for the souls whose lives were cut short.”
 
There is also a legend that if you come and pray to the spirits, you just may be answered by them if you feel lost or don’t know which way to go.”
 
A young Swift Star raised his hand to question. “Would it simply not be easier to visit the graves of those who died instead of a shrine?”
 
To which the instructor would reply, “Some beings just aren’t graveyard brave-- they can’t bear to bring themselves to such a somber and frightening place, and some who were tragically killed have no graves at all, as they were never buried, or their loved ones were never able to erect a monument.
 
Still, I for one feel that it is all the same either way… a prayer to the spirits, and as was discussed, this, if you pray just right at this shrine, you may get answered.”
 

The flashback faded, and Swift thought deeply about the shrine. 

He knew it was located in New Canterlot, deep within a forest northwest of the royal palace and the village.

“I’d heard of the legend before, but I never thought it was actually true- that spirits could actually speak to you if the reason was all that right and pure.”


Zecora told him…

“If the spirits suggest this,
Then this chance you must not miss.

If you want the answer, you should go,
It’s the only way to what you wish to know.”


Swift was sold and prepared to leave.

“Thank you very much for everything.” he said to Zecora.

Then he left leaving Zecora to pray for the spirits to guide him, and to give thanks for the good amount of gold she was given for her services.

Swift dashed back to New Ponyville. “I’ve got to get to New Canterlot and fast!”

He couldn’t use a warping fairy; that was for Starfleet Business or extreme emergency, and even then, as he was a mere Cadet, he couldn’t use the access without written authority form his superiors, and he was in a desperate hurry to get that answer for Starlight.

Hopping a train wouldn’t help either-- it would take too long-- leaving him with only one option and that was running with all his Starfleet might.

He knew he could do it. He was willing to do it, and it would help him get some exercise and training too.

“Well… Look out, New Canterlot… HERE I COME!!” and he dashed off through the town, and out into the wide open spaces.



(Skip to 0:40)


The fields were long and wide, with trees, big rocks, and even fences which Swift dodged, and leapt over and kept right on running. Thanks to his Starfleet training, he didn’t feel that tired, and his determination fuelled him to keep going.

The railways were nearby and a passenger train carrying passengers to New Canterlot was coming in sight, Swift was able to out-maneuver it and dash ahead of it in almost no time.

Some of the passengers saw something zoom past through their windows. It was too fast to really get a good look at, but the passengers all figured…

“…Must be a Starfleet guy in a hurry.”

“I wish I could run fast like that.”

Swift dashed through the field and came to a small chasm, which he easily leapt over, and kept on dashing, clear off into the distance.




Meanwhile, the plans were coming along nicely.

“Do you think it’ll work?” asked Celestia.

“It’s our only chance.” said Grand Ruler “I’m going to send alert to other outposts of our plot. The entire fleet must be made aware of this, and report any sightings of the Enticorn.”

Lightning then looked a little disturbed.


“What’s the matter?” asked Starla.

Her husband looked up, “…It’s just that, even if we do find my Enticorn, how can I even get to him in the first place? It won’t be smart to leave United Equestria even more defenseless.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” replied Grand Ruler. “I’m making the perfect arrangements as we speak. All will be just fine.”

Lightning felt a bit better, and Starla pecked him on the cheek. She was really hoping the operation would work, if it meant having her husband back to his normal state.



…Suddenly, the alarms off!

Captain Shaina ran into the briefing room.

“Report, Captain.” said Celestia.

“Your majesties, our sensors have detected attempted intrusion… by Specter.”

Everyone practically leapt out of their seats.

“Captain!” called a guard “We’ve got more detections from all corners of the palace! Specter is still trying to infiltrate us.”

“Engage the barriers. All soldiers to-arms.” ordered Grand Ruler.

Lightning and Starla nodded at one another ran off to assist, and their majesties split up as well to investigate.

“Why would Specter want to try and break into the palace?” wondered Krysta “He knows our sensors would detect anything that comes our way.”

Lightning and Starla suspected a plot at hand.


They ran into Cadance and Shining Armor in the hall.

“Hey, we’ve spotted Specter.” hollered Shining Armor, and Cadance added “He’s down in the field. He’s sending several small shadows towards the palace from different angles.”

“Let’s get down there!” said Lightning.

The others all agreed, and they all headed for the nearest window and leapt out, transforming on the way down.

“STARFLEET MAGIC”

“Go-Go Ninja”

“Mask of Saber”

They landed in the fields below.

“All right, scout around. He’s got to be here somewhere.” said Lightning.

“No need!” shouted Specter, and he stepped in the open, and rather than fight them directly, he stomped his foot on the ground hard, unleashed several other small, flowing shadows towards the palace.

“How do you like my latest sneak-attack? Starlight Glimmer has granted me the power to send these mini-shadows. Destroy them if you will; you can’t stop me from sending more.”

“We’ll just see about that!” sneered Lightning, and he called to the others, “Let’s get him, but don’t let those shadows get to the palace.

Cadance and Saber agreed and went off to help the guards protect the palace, and they scattered about just as the barriers engaged to protect the palace.


The guards began to fire their magical beams or blasts from their weapons at the shadows, actually blasting them to bits.

The guards smirked, but their smirks soon faded as more shadows came towards them.

“STRIDENT SHOCKWAVE”


Saber zapped at a swarm of shadows, which scattered swiftly, dodging the blasts.

“Whoa! They’re fast!” remarked Saber.

Cadance was fast too thanks to her ninja speed, but just the same, every shadow that was destroyed, another one appeared almost instantly thanks to Specter’s power from Starlight.

The guards still refused to let those shadows anywhere near the palace, even with the barriers up.


Lightning and Starla charged at Specter hard, with their auras glowing.

Specter stood ready, and he dodged their oncoming punches and kicks swiftly, and finally he zigged when he should have zagged and got double-punched hard in the chest sending him tumbling up and over backwards…

…Exactly what he wanted. “Take this!” he shouted as he flung two more shadows, which clasped onto the fighters faces, covering their visors.

“Hey!” shouted Lightning.

“I can’t see a thing!!” wailed Starla.

The tried to pull the sinister beings off their faces, but they were latched on real good.


Specter laughed wickedly, but he didn’t act cocky. He knew Starfleet was trained to fight without sight by sensing and hearing movement.

“DARK WALL OF WIND” he encased himself in his wind sphere.

“See if you can outmaneuver me now.” he called to the fighters, and he blasted upward.

“Try to sense where he is.” called Lightning, and both he and Starla kept their senses wide open.

Starla’s gave a twitch when she heard the rushing sounds of the wind, letting her dodge easily as he passed.

“Missed me!” she shouted at him.

Suddenly, Lightning could feel the presence of someone else—Starlight, and he could hear the sound of her powering up and energy attack.

“Look out!” he shouted.

Starla could hear the power-up sounds too, and both she and Lightning leapt up high into the air, just as Starlight fired her shot, and missed, hitting the ground with a huge explosion.

Specter came zooming in, but Lightning and Starla were still able to evade him.

“You can’t avoid us forever!” Starlight called to them, and she fired another blast, but Krysta came in and used her wand to warp Lightning and Starla way up higher to safety.

“You guys okay?” she called to them.

“Yeah!” replied Lightning “But we’ve got to get these things off our faces!”

“Let’s power up our aura.” suggested Starla “The bright lights may dispel them.”

“Good idea.” agreed Lightning, but they still hadn’t a chance to do so, for Specter burst up through the clouds and charged at them, forcing them to get evasive again.

“We need space to power up.” hollered Lightning.

Krysta prepared to transport them again.

“Not this time you little pixie!” Specter shouted, and from within his wind sphere, he launched several shadows at her, forcing her to go on the evasive as well.

“Krysta!” cried Lightning.

Krysta would dodge the shadows, and zap them with her wand, but those shadows just kept right on coming, and Lightning and Starla still found it hard to dodge and fight Specter, especially while he was still behind his defenses.


While down below…

Cadance and Saber were still helping the guards fend off the shadows, when Cadance saw Starlight and motioned to her husband.

The guards assured the two fighters…

“We’ll defend the palace…”

“…You two get over there and try and get her.”

The couple agreed and dashed over.

“Hold it, kid!” shouted Saber.

Starlight narrowed her eyes at him, and fired powerful blasts, forcing them both to dodge.

Cadance threw her shurikens at her, but Starlight back-flipped several paces backward dodging them all, and on a fourth flip she shot a beam from her horn at the fighters, making big explosions and knocking them over, but they got right back up again and charged at her.


By this time Swift had finally reached New Canterlot from running the hundreds of miles, and he was still going!

Blissfully unaware of the battle as he didn’t run near the palace, he ran clear around the entire village, and made his way northwest, out into the fields, heading for the forest... and it was there that he final stopped-- grinding himself to a huge halt.

He was hot, sweaty, and panting loud and heavily. His legs felt like aching, wobbly molds of jelly. “Talk about… Free Travel…!” he groaned to himself.

At least he was here, at the forest edge, and he walked slowly down the trail-- he still had strength and he felt a little better now that he was taking it slowly.

Before too long, there he was at The Shrine of Remembrance.

It was a simple, small stone building, about the size of a small cabin, and inside, carved out of the solid rock was a small room about thirty feet wide-- actually big enough to make a campsite.

And on the back wall, carved into the rock was a design of a five-pointed star, and glazed with golden coating, and right below it was a small stone altar with writing engraved on it.


“This Shrine is dedicated to all those lost in battle or to tragedy.


 


May the spirits speak to you as you honor them in prayer.”


 


 

This was Swift’s first time ever visiting this place, but it all seemed too familiar to him from all the pictures and images shown in his studies.

Keeping in mind what Zecora’s reading had told him, he got down on his knees and began to pray at the altar and the star.

“O’ mighty spirits of the past, I am on a quest of aid and knowledge for someone… very special to me. Please… tell me-- whatever happened to make her end up this way for true?”
 
At first nothing seemed to happen, and Swift concentrated so hard to the point that he gave himself a headache and felt dizzy.

He looked up at the star and was ready to admit defeat, and stomp off in rage that it was all a big flop, when the winds suddenly started billowing inside the shrine, and a bright, shimmering light suddenly emitted from the altar.

Then, there before him, appeared none other than the image of…

“…Twilight Sparkle?” Swift could barely believe his eyes.

She looked down at him with a well-meaning expression and said to him, “Your heart and spirit are true. You seek the aid of the spirits for pureness and for the good of all.”

Shaking off from his initial shock and awe, Swift asked “Can you help me?”

Rather than answering him directly, Twilight folded her hands together, and in a magical glow, a large green crystal about the size of a ring-box materialized, and levitated into Swift’s hands.

“What is this?” 

Twilight explained to him “This a Spiritual Stone; an item known to be passed down only by the gods and spirits to those worthy and needed of carrying.

This stone contain the essence of the spirits of Starlight Glimmer’s fallen parents. It will show you nothing less than the message and the answer you wish to give Starlight.

See for yourself.”

She instructed him how to activate the stone and call on the spirits, all he had to do was wave his hand over it once.

“…May the spirits guide you in your quest.”

Then her spirit vanished, and all was quiet in the shrine.


Swift could only look down at the stone in his hands, and just as Twilight told him, he waved his hand over it a single time, causing the stone to glow, and two tiny spirits of two ponies appeared.

Like Twilight, they were white robes, had golden angel wings, and halos hanging over their heads.

“Are you the parents of Starlight Glimmer?” he asked.

“We are.” answered the male. “I am Firelight.

The other spirit added, “I am Starpoint.

Please, you must tell our daughter what we are about to tell you. It may be her only chance for salvation of the evil that has poisoned her.”

They began to explain to Swift the truth behind their deaths…


…While back in the fields by the palace.

The guards were growing exhausted, but the shadows still wouldn’t back down; not as long as Starlight and Specter still stood.


Saber leapt up, swinging his sword, his chain, and his extra arms at Starlight. 

Starlight swerved, dodged, and blocked the attacks as best she could, until Cadance threw more shurikens at her, finally striking her in the arm, and Saber then gave a huge swing with his sword slashing at her, making a big explosion that blew her back hard and sent her rolling along the ground.

“Let’s get her!” said Saber.

Cadance nodded, and rushed with him to attack again, but Starlight zipped away causing them to both to slam the ground, missing her completely, and allowing her to crash down hard onto their backs with her feet.

Then she leapt off of them with such skillful style, and zapped them both with a blast from her horn.

She landed on the ground glaring at them, “This is what happens when dealing with idiots.” 

The fighters felt insulted, but still wouldn’t back down.


While up in the clouds, Lightning and Starla were still blinded by the shadows on their faces, and they still hadn’t any room to power up and shed them; not while they and Krysta were being swarmed by Specter.

And worse, Lightning was starting to grow tired from his child body battling for so long.

Starla could hear him panting, and feel his exhaustion. “Lightning?!” she called out.

Her husband panted and groaned, “I… can’t… keep this up… much… longer!”

Hearing the sound of his voice, Starla rushed over in attempt to help her husband, only for Specter to rush up in his sphere, blocking her, and he bashed her hard, knocking her through several clouds.

“Starla!” cried Lightning.

“Look out, Lightning!!” shouted Krysta.

Heeding her call, Lightning managed to dodge again, but Specter stopped and zipped back, bashing him hard into Krysta herself, and the two began to plummet to the ground, with Krysta sticking to Lightning’s backside.

Starla could hear Krysta shouting, which helped her find the two, and she soared in and scooped them up, taking them safely to the ground, feeling how close it was by the noises of the battlefield below.

“You two okay?” she asked fretfully.

“Define… “Okay”…” groaned Krysta.

Lightning held what he knew what his wife’s arm, thanking her for catching him, but he was really wiped.

Specter’s laugh was heard as he came down, landing on the ground softly and finally shedding his barrier and he mocked, “Even those who are naturally blind can put up a better fight.”

Suddenly, the palace began to glow bright like the sun!

“Huh?” Specter yelped.

Starlight saw it. “What’s this?!”

The light became brighter and stronger.


“What’s happening?” cried Starla, but all of a sudden, the brightness made the shadow on her face dissipate, and it vanished, thus exposing her eyes to the brightness, forcing her to cover her eyes.

“Lightning, keep your eyes shut!”

He did as she was told; everyone did as the brightness vanquished all the shadows, and Specter himself could hardly stand the light.

“Let’s get out of here!” Starlight called to him.

“Yes, Miss…”

They both vanished before any officer could do anything, and they were gone.

That was when the light faded, and all was quiet.


“Is everyone alright?” called Grand Ruler as he and Celestia appeared in the field.

Saber and Cadance de-transformed.

“It was you two who did that light, wasn’t it?” asked Cadance.

Celestia nodded and explained, “We saw the shadows, and we knew they meant trouble. We felt, that the only way to dispel them would be to cast them in a great glow of light.”

Grand Ruler then added, “So we both combined our powers by meditating silently to charge up energy, but it took much longer than we thought because of our small bodies and limited strengths.”

“Thank goodness you did.” said Krysta, but then she noted “Those two sure left in a hurry, and they didn’t seem to put up too much of a fight.”

“Come to think of it, they didn’t.” agreed Shining Armor. “It’s like they weren’t actually trying to fight us, but rather find out something.”

A hush fell over everyone considering the thought.

“You think maybe they were after something else?” asked Starla.

“It’s possible…” said Grand Ruler.


“Hey!!” a voice called, and Swift came running up to the group, having left the shrine and the forest and seeing everyone.

“Swift?” asked Lightning, and though he was still a bit weary he was able to stand. “What are you doing here?”

Swift held up the Spiritual Stone, which surprised Celestia a great deal.

“Is that what I think it is?” she asked in astonishment.

Swift nodded, “I think I finally have what we need.”

Everyone gazed in awe and interest with what he had found.


While back on Spider-Base…

Upon returning, Starlight immediately headed for the consoles.

“So what’s this all about again?” asked Razor.

Specter gave him an angry sneer. “Those shadows which I cast were part of our plot.”

The images shown Lightning and Starla with the shadows stuck on their heads, and the spell that Starlight had cast on the shadows was to absorb information from the fighters’ minds and tell them what they wanted to know.

“If it was all that good, why not get all information about Starfleet?” asked Waverline “Then we’d know all their secrets and security, and be able to bring them down with ease.”

“Because their resistance is stronger and more resistant than they seem...” Starlight said while she downloaded all the info. “That’s why it took so long for us to even get the slightest and most recent view of their plots.”  

Razor then scoffed at Waverline. “You know as well as I do that Starfleet knows how to fight and resist mind probing, and even if we did get all the info, they’d just come up with new plans.”

Waverline folded her arms sulking.

“Even still…” said Specter “The only information we truly want is what concerns Lord Titan, and I think we’re about to get it.”

At that very moment, on the screen, the villains could see thought images Lightning and Starla had…

His Enticorn…

A plot to catch it…

… And Lightning reuniting with it.


“So that’s the whole story.” hissed Starlight. Her lips curled into a wicked smirk as she snickered, “…We must inform Lord Titan at once. The game is about to heat us.”

The henchmen all felt intrigued, but this still did not change their inner thoughts and secret plots, as Specter thought silently “…And soon your game will be over.”

His comrades thought the same.


(Promo)


In our next episode: Titan calls Starlight back to the Shadow Planet to begin preparations for a new plot, while at the same time the Enticorn has been spotted on a familiar planet and a two-way plot is made by both Titan and Starfleet, each with the same goal in mind.


 


Who will catch the Enticorn first?


 


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


 


(Next Episode: “Homecoming Heist”)