My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season V

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 11: Bed Bug's Bite

EPISODE ELEVEN

All of the New Crystal Empire was aware of Shining Armor’s abduction, and all felt horrible for Princess Cadance, especially since the birth of her foal was nearing, and naturally some ponies blamed Starfleet for the inefficiency they showed.

The gang merely ignored this, especially Lightning; for he had way too many more important things to worry about now.

With Cadance bedridden, and Shining Armor gone, Lightning was, under regulations from their majesties, by his rank as Supreme Allied Commander, to, again, assume the role of acting regent of the entire New Crystal Empire; a job he was once again was not thrilled of having due to the circumstances surrounding it.

He never forgot the time he was forced to assume command when Shining Armor was suspected of treason, and incarcerated, which devastated Cadance too badly for her to focus.

Now it was far more serious than ever, and Lightning still felt responsible, seeing it was him that Pinsar initially wanted; but as to why, he still had not a clue. No one did.

Now he was working harder than ever, doing paper work, bills, taxes, rebates, organizing events for the Empire, and having meetings while Cadance rested.

He hardly stopped to rest or even eat.

Starla was with him as his assistant, but she was growing really worried. “Lightning, you have to slow down.” she told him for the umpteenth time.

“I don’t have time, honey.” he said “I still have to finish these tax documents, then the supreme staff council is meeting in an hour, and I still have to organize when the pegasi should bring forth that rain shower this afternoon.”

He rushed off before his wife could say another word.

Starla was really growing frustrated with him, but she couldn’t blame him.

Lightning felt he owed the Empire this much, and was determined to keep things running on schedule for both Cadance and Shining Armor.

Cadance was also another one of his number-one priorities; making sure she remained healthy and didn’t let her sadness gets to her. Stress was no good for the baby.

Cadance was still feeling very miserable, missing her husband. All she ever did now was stare at her wedding picture of her and Shining Armor, wishing and praying he’d come back to her.

“My love…” she cried as she clutched the photo to her chest “Please be alive, I can’t bear if I lost you too. I’ve lost too much already!”

She referred to all her loved ones that she had lost especially Twilight and Fratello.

There was a knock at the door, snapping her out of her trance. “Come in…” she called.

It was Starla. “Thought I’d check and see how you’re coming along?”

Cadance smiled sadly “A little tearful, but I’m holding. How’s Lightning doing?”

Starla looked sad and worried, and told her everything.

“Sounds like he really feels guilty about this whole thing.” said Cadance

Starla sighed “It’s these things; I suppose only a wife notices and feels. I really want him to take it easy before he hurts himself even more.”

“I have the problem with Shining Armor all the time.” said Cadance, it made her a little sad talking about her husband, but she whispered something into Starla’s ear.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Starla.

“It always worked for me.” replied Cadance.

Lightning finished his paperwork, had the meeting with the supreme council, but he still had so much to do and was feeling dangerously exhausted.

“Come on, wake up!” he groaned as he slapped himself awake.

That’s when Starla came along with a cup of water in her hand. She held out to him “Thought you’d be thirsty.”

Too tired to care, Lightning practically gulped it down, only then to realize the distinctive taste in the water. “Starla…! You didn’t…”

His wife nodded “This is for your own good.” she said, but Lightning was already starting to drop off and could hardly hear her. He just plopped onto the floor sleeping like a baby.

Starla sighed in relief that he was finally asleep, and she brought him to their room and tucked him in bed. She also instructed the guards not to let anyone disturb him.

“Finally, some peace and quiet…” Starla said.

Meanwhile, after the two days, Shining Armor was still being treated to the brainwashing.

“What’s taking so long?” Pinsar thundered.

“It appears that his memories and pureness are stronger than we thought, Sire.” said Slick “We’ve increased the level of brainwashing, but it will take time yet.”

Pinsar gripped his staff tightly in frustration “I can’t wait much longer. I’ll have to send Spinner back to United Equestria, perhaps he can finish the team off himself.”

“An excellent idea, sire.” said Slick but may “But might I suggest that our agent, ZZ goes with him?”

Pinsar liked the idea “Yes, of course. ZZ’s powerful powder can put anyone who comes into contact with it into such a deep sleep. How can the ponies possibly stand to battle if they’re asleep?”

He snickered wickedly.

“Pinsar…” Ladybird said, as she poked her head through the door. She sounded very down. “Is there any news yet about Phoebe?”

Pinsar’s sadness began to haunt him again, and he shook his head “No, my dear, nothing yet. I’ll tell you the moment I hear anything.”

His wife nodded softly and then left.

“Pheobe… where are you?” Pinsar muttered softly “How can you make me and your mother worry like this?”

Pheobe was so exhausted from her wandering the desert; she literally slept for two whole days, but was finally starting to awaken.

“What… What’s happened? Where am I?”

“You are in my tent.” said a male voice “I found you collapsed in the desert, very close to death. So, I brought you here.”

He was simple humanoid alien, with red and black toned skin, and he wore desert garbs with armor plating.

“Well, thanks, but I don’t need help.” snarled Pheobe.

The man could sense her frustration as well as her attitude. “My name is Jetar.”

“I don’t care, huh…? Wait, you mean the great intergalactic bandit, Jetar?”

Jetar nodded “I see my reputation is more well-known than I thought.”

He prepared some herbal tea and some warm soup from foods and goods he had stolen.

“It is true…” Jetar said “All my life I have robbed people across the cosmos of their goods and supplies, try as they may, they have never apprehended me, and those who dare to challenge me meet with their eternal reward.”

“Really?” said Pheobe “I’m slightly impressed, but if you’re really that good then why are you living out here like a peasant?”

Jetar sniggered “Don’t be so quick to judge. I’ve stolen more than enough treasures and goods to have settled down and retire long ago, but I could never give up the thrill, the game, the fun in it all. My reputation is well known throughout the galaxy, and I could never throw it all away.”

Now Pheobe was really impressed. “Wait, if you’re all that you claim, then why did you decide to help me? You could have just left me to perish.”

Jetar grinned sinisterly. “Because, I can tell you’ve been through a lot, and that you seek more, just as I do. I can help you become greater than you ever dreamed possible.”

Pheobe was stunned, and unsure whether to accept this offer or not, but then again she owned him her life, and would really pay off to learn from an expert like him.

“Show me.” she said.

Jetar sniggered softly.

Meanwhile, Spinner appeared in the New Crystal Empire.

His presence frightened the ponies, and they began to yell and scream in panic. Starla could hear all this from the palace, and sounded the alert, and also sent for reinforcements.

Spinner just stood where he was, while all the ponies around him continued to run in panic as they headed for the nearest shelter, but suddenly, they all began to quiet down and just fell right to sleep in the streets.

…This meant a great deal of civilians were still outdoors and unprotected by barriers around the buildings.

A whole army of guards and sentries charged straight at Spinner, but as they got closer to him, they, too, just fell to the ground, sound asleep.

The entire area was full of sleeping ponies, much to Spinner’s delight.

“Spinner!” shouted a voice.

Spinner turned round and saw Starla, transformed, standing behind him. “Only one, this time…? And here I was expecting a bigger reception.”

Starla was already more than furious, and began to charge at him, when her visor began to warn of something unnatural in the air… but too late. “Hey…” she groaned “What’s… happening… I feel…” and she plopped to the ground.

That’s when Spinner was joined at his side by a common fly-like Insecto: ZZ, and she was most pleased with the results of her pheromones, but she made sure to wear a mask herself to protect herself from the effects.

“Out like a light…” she said “It never fails.”

Spinner loomed over Starla. “Perhaps King Pinsar will like it most if we delivered to him another pony as well.”

“Don’t bet on it!” shouted Buddy Rose.

The bugs turned and saw he, Applejack, Rhymey and Fluttershy, all transformed. They were the only ones available as the rest were busy back in New Ponyville securing a lockdown from the danger.

All the ponies gazed angrily at Spinner “Give us back Shinin’ Armor!” snarled Applejack.

“I’m afraid we can’t do that.” said Spinner.

“Actually…” said ZZ “I can make you see him… in your dreams! SLEEP POWDER!” and she spewed out a small cloud of her pheromones.

“Look out!” cried Fluttershy as she and the others leapt out of the way. She didn’t even have to scan it to recognize what it was. “Watch out, don’t breath in that cloud, you’ll fall into a deep sleep.”

“I think we all get that already, Fluttershy.” said Buddy Rose.

ZZ fired again, and the gang dodged.

“Let’s get our respirators on.” suggested Applejack, but Rhymey disagreed, having scanned the Sleep Powder…

“If it touches us at all,
Then to sleep we’ll fall.”

“You are correct…” hissed ZZ “And of course, Spinner and I are immune to this, so don’t bother trying it on us.”

Spinner then spun his webs at everyone’s feet, locking them in place again.

“Oh, no…! Not this again!” groaned Buddy Rose.

“Time to say night-night….” Spinner teased, and let ZZ step forth.

“SLEEP POWDER!”

“No!” screamed Fluttershy.

Rhymey had an idea that would help.

“DRILL QUILL!” and fired his feathery quills in a gust of wind, blowing the cloud of powder away.

“Way to go, Rhymey!” cried Applejack.

ZZ was outraged, but she and Spinner were far from distraught. “We don’t actually need to put you to sleep.” ZZ said.

“Indeed not…” added Spinner “The old fashioned way is always best.”

The gang struggled and pulled to break free from the webs, but it didn’t work, until Fluttershy and Applejack thought of something that would. “You ready, girl…?”

“Um… I guess.”

They both concentrated hard until their cutie-marks began to glow brightly, and they shouted “VALKYRIA!!” and donned their Valkyrie forms.

The bright lights form the transformation heated the webs and shattered it around themselves and the others.

…Even Starla was free, though she was still asleep.

Now Spinner and ZZ were getting angry. “You’re little resources won’t save this time.” snarled Spinner “Stingars, rise!”

The swarm of Stingars appeared of nowhere.

“You girls get those overgrown flies.
We’ll deal with the other two bad guys.” said Rhymey.

“Right!” said the girls, and the team split up.

With their swords and shields, and skillful training, the girls made quick work of the Stingars.

“Take this!” snarled Applejack, as she slashed at two of the bugs.

“And this…!” added Fluttershy as she hit two more.

The remaining Stingars tried to fire their stingers at the girls, but they raised their shields blocking the attacks and sent them right back again.

While the guys fought against the insects.

ZZ, although not very big and burly like Spinner, was pretty slick and dodged Rhymey’s sword slashes, and she kicked him hard.

As for Buddy Rose, he managed to use his whip to tie up all eight of Spinner’s arms, but Spinner just gave a huge yank, pulling him in, and bashing him hard with all eight fists at once.

“Whoa! Talk about packing a punch.” he groaned.

“You’re beginning to look a little tired.” teased Spinner “I think it’s time they took a long nap.”

“Yes…” hissed ZZ “SLEEP POWDER!”

“LEAF SWARM!”

“DRILL QUILL!”

Rhymey and Buddy Rose both launched their attacks to try to blow the cloud away.

“ACID VENOM!”

Spinner launched his venom to melt away the attacks, letting the cloud get through, and the boys began to drift off to sleep.

“Boys!” cried Applejack.

“We’re coming!” shrieked Fluttershy.

Spinner then leapt in front of them and knocked their swords from their hands, and then their shields, and then shoved them down hard.

“SLEEP POWDER!”

The girls instantly fell asleep too.

Dark storm clouds were coming in, and only Spinner and ZZ now stood amongst a crowd of unconscious ponies.

“That was almost amusing.” said Spinner.

“In any case…” hissed ZZ “I’m ready to proceed and put the entire planet into a deep sleep. Once is accomplished, King Pinsar should conquer this world with ease.”

Spinner agreed “The both of us will be made heroes among our fellow Insectos.”

The two shared an evil laugh, when suddenly it began to rain all around them. “Rain?!” cried ZZ “Oh, no!”

“What?! What’s wrong?” asked Spinner, but he soon got his answer as the ponies began to stir in their sleep; the water was washing all the powder away, and helping them regain consciousness.

Starla was the first to come to. “What… where am I?” she groaned, but it all suddenly came back to her, and she realized the rain falling “It’s the rain shower Lightning arranged.”

Soon her friends began to awaken, as well as all the other ponies in the street.

“I cannot believe this!” growled ZZ. “In all these centuries I never imagined simple water would stand up to my Sleep powder!”

“Will you be quiet!” snarled Spinner “They’re starting to come to.”

“Wrong!” snapped Starla, and she was seen standing with the others “We have… and this time, we’re taking the both of you out.”

“Ha!” snapped Spinner “We’ll show you who takes out whom.”

The team and the bugs rushed forth, but even still, though ZZ could no longer put any of them to sleep, they still had their fighting skills and strengths to use.

“STICKY WEB!”

The team dodged the threads.

“This isn’t working. They’re both too strong.” cried Fluttershy.

Spinner fired another web, which the team dodged, and that gave Starla an idea, and she lunged straight at Spinner alone.

“Starla!” cried Applejack.

“What are you doing?!” hollered Buddy Rose.

She stood gazing at Spinner and put her dukes up. “Come on!” she grunted.

Spinner hissed at her, and threw his fists like crazy. Starla managed to actually block and evade all eight of them.

“You’re beginning to try my patience!” growled Spinier “STICKY WEB!”

“Now!” snapped Starla and she leapt right up, and out of the way, causing the web to miss, and head straight for the others. “Look out!” shouted Fluttershy, and she and Applejack quickly raised their shields they had recovered.

The webs bounced off the shields and zoomed straight back at the bugs, ensnaring them.

They growled and fussed about trying to get free.

“Well I’ll be a…” said Applejack.

“They’re both bound under wrap.
…Caught in their own trap.” chuckled Rhymey.

Starla smirked.

The two bugs desperately struggled to break free.

“You see what you’ve done?!” snarled ZZ.

“This is humiliating!” growled Spinner.

The ponies all rushed in and began to hack, blast, and beat the bugs down to size, until they were weak enough to capture.

“We got this.” Buddy Rose said.

“Nothing to it
But to do it.” added Rhymey, and they both charged up their finishers.

“WHIPLASH STRIKE!”

“THRASH SLASH!”

They slashed at the two bugs hard, and the monsters exploded in a huge BOOM, and they both then reappeared in the capture spheres, only to be destroyed seconds later by Pinsar, but the sphere’s still managed to gather what little information from the minds of the captives as they could.

“Ye-Haw!” sheered Applejack.

“We did it!” cried Starla.

BOOM!! Thunder shook the skies.

“Um… do you think we can get out of rain now?” asked Fluttershy

Pinsar was not pleased that the plan had failed, not to mention so incredibly poorly because of a little rain. “Great ones are surrounded by idiots. I am no exception.” he growled to himself “But then again, once Shining Armor is fully prepared… the real battle will commence.”

He had no idea that Stag was spying on him, secretly looking forward to the day. “Yes, Pinsar, a pity you won’t be around too much longer.”

Meanwhile, Phoebe had just completed her first day of training with Jetar, and she was exhausted. “No, more…” she panted “I can’t… keep up you.”

Jetar was not impressed “You call that a fighter’s attitude? It’s no wonder you were overcome so easily. A true fighter struggles through all the obstacles waged against them… and thrives to go back for more each day. You need to forget about your looks and pitiful things if you want to toughen up to impress your father.”

Phoebe didn’t like how he was speaking to her. “If my father were here now…”

“Well the fact is, he isn’t!” snapped Jetar “I had to learn how to survive on my own. My father, also a thief like me, was captured and executed when I was very young, and my mother died of heartbreak, leaving me to fend for myself. I wouldn’t expect a princess like you to understand that.”

Phoebe wanted to argue, but she couldn’t because he was right. “Still, at least you didn’t have to grow up with your father always neglecting you, and brushing you off, and treating you like you didn’t have what it takes.”

Jetar was silent for a moment, and then he said “Perhaps… or perhaps you are confused.”

“What makes you so sure?”

Jetar looked up at the starry sky, and said very deeply as he looked deep inside himself “All true parents care for their children.”

Those words really affected Phoebe and made her rethink her thoughts about her father’s ways.

Meanwhile, the rain had passed, and it was getting close to nightfall when Lightning finally woke up. He felt much better after having a good rest, and now he and the gang, even Cadance were sitting down to dinner and they told him all about things.

“So, you guys actually saved the empire from a double Insecto attack, I’m both pleased and proud, but still not so thrilled about you drugging me, Starla.”

“Don’t you start with me about that again.” said Starla.

Cadance agreed with her I’m happy for all the things you’ve done Lightning, and I know you mean well, but you don’t have to hurt yourself for it.”

The others all agreed as well.

“You really need to learn to take it easy once in a while, Lightning.” said Buddy.

“I work my tail off on the farm each day, but even I know when it’s time for a break.” said Applejack.

Rhymey nodded…

“I have a heavy schedule too,
There’s many things that I do.
Every other day, I manage my café
And I help Fluttershy through and through.”

His wife agreed “We’ll get Shining Armor back, but until then, we all have to be brave and keep ourselves together.”

Lightning nodded “You’re right. You’re all right.”

Starla pecked him on the cheek.

After dinner, most of the others decided to turn in early, they had a very hard day. “Wait? What am I supposed to do?” asked Lightning “I’ve been sleeping all day, I’m restless.”

“Sorry, honey, but we’re all wiped.” said Starla.

“Goodnight.” said Fluttershy.

Then they were gone, off to their rooms.

Cadance had to go back to bed too, even though she didn’t feel sleepy. “It’ll be okay, Lightning.”

Then she was gone, leaving Lightning alone.

“Oh…” he sighed “…It’s tough being me.”

(Promo)

In our next episode: Spike and Rarity decide to elope to New Las Pegasus for a quick and easy marriage, despite their friends’ protest.

But Black Dragon Knight sees this as the perfect opportunity to set up the final confrontation with herself and Spike, and also reveals who she really is and what she desires.

Will Spike and Rarity be able to successfully get married, and just who is the Black Dragon Knight really?

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

(Next Episode: “Part 1: Here comes the Pride!”)