My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season VIII

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 21: Part 1: The Master's Plan

EPISODE TWENTY-ONE

Bells were ringing, and creatures were applauding as the newlyweds stepped their way down from the chapel.

En Shi felt so happy, as she looked over at her groom, “Oh, Swift Star…” she cooed “This is like come true for me.”

Swift looked back at his bride with love and said deeply, “This is no dream, my darling. I promise to be loyal and loving to you always.

Take my now, my love!”

En Shi practically melted as she pulled him down on top of her, and they actually went at it in front of all those creatures…

…And that was when she snapped herself out of her fantasy.

Clenching her fists to hold back the anxiety she felt day in and day out, she thought deeply about Swift. Seeing his face everywhere she went. “I must make him mine!” she said to herself “No matter what anyone says, I know we are meant to be. If only I could make him realize that!”

She was not the only one deeply in thought.

Tan Shi had long-since served her punishment, and she was now fully healed and recovered and ready to get back into action… were it not for those images that flashed in her mind-- of Kara Shi sacrificing himself to save her from being captured by Starfleet.

“Why did he do it?” she kept wondering “I was never nice to him. I’m not even sure I even liked him much, but he spared me.”

She never felt so frustrated, as if she was actually starting to feel she had judged all men a little too harshly, but still she stuck with it and didn’t want to let sympathy interfere with what was to come next.

Stammadon was training alone in the dojo, without Ka Hotake giving him instructions. He was merely punching and kicking the air, followed by occasionally leaps and flips, and unleashing powerful flaming aura into the sky as he roared-- KAPOW!!

He stood where he was, panting heavily and clenching his fists. “I am nearly ready!” he said to himself “My power is reaching its pinnacle! Nothing Starfleet has will be able to defeat me!”

“Master?” Rai Shi called “I could not have helped but see your awesome power. Are you alright?”

“Of course I am!” thundered Stammadon. Rai Shi snapped back. “Forgive me…” he said “Perhaps I had no right to intrude.”

“No, I should apologize.” said Stammadon, “Perhaps I have been reacting a bit too harshly to you and to the others.”

“Wait!” he suddenly thought “Why am I thinking like this?”

Then he suddenly gasped and clutched his head.

“Master, what is it?!” cried Rai Shi, but his master just shoved him hard “…Out of my way!” and disappeared into the temple still clutching his head and groaning.

Once again he was falling victim to the struggle of Striker’s inner spirit. “No!” he groaned, “You… get… back… down there!”

“Give me… my body back!” demanded Striker, but once again he was powerless to stand up to Stammadon’s mighty strength and was forced back into the shadows.

Stammadon was really aggravated-- still being the subject of Striker’s inner spirit.

Ka Hotake came along, “Stammadon, are you alright? I heard you groaning.”

“I am fine.” replied Stammadon “I am just overly exhausted.”

Ka Hotake approached his student and patted him softly on his back, “You have a come a long way, now you should rest. The great battle is upon us, and you must be at the peak of your strength.”

Stammadon agreed, and sat on his throne to rest.

What he didn’t realize… was Ka Hotake was putting his own plan into action-- when he had patted Stammadon’s back he had stamped him with a special seal of his own. “It will not be long now.” he thought sinisterly “You and I will have much to do when you wake, and once I am through I’ll dispose of you and your pathetic followers.

Everything gained from this excursion will be mine!”

Swift was having a formal education at New Canterlot Palace, he was being taught by both Professor Brain in sciences and technologies, and a well needed ancient history lesson of knighthood and honour from Captain Shadow Coat-- the old pony knight from one-thousand years ago, who was found frozen by Lightning almost a year ago.

Reason being, Lightning was busy training with his entire team-- a training that was meant only for official Starfleet fighters, that he himself could not participate in.

Still, he was having trouble paying attention-- he knew that Lightning was training to be prepared to face Stammadon, and thinking of that made him think and worry about Striker.

“Ahem!” Shadow Coat said, snapping him out of his trance. “I hope I did not disturb your chain of thoughts.”

Professor Brain shook his head in dismay, “Really, young man. That is the third time you have zoned out on us.”

Swift sighed shamefully, “Forgive me, sirs, I just really don’t feel my mind is at it today.”

“Yes, we have noticed.” grumbled Brain.

Shadow Coat sighed, “You are still worried of your cousin, aren’t you? I know how you feel-- in my time it was no secret when a knight in-training fretted over a loved one or someone who was close to them. It always showed on their faces.”

Swift sighed again, “I just can’t take it anymore. I want Striker to be free of that evil that’s controlling him. He doesn’t deserve to be like this, but I can’t help but worry…” he paused “…what if he can’t be saved?”

The two elders hesitated to answer, and they didn’t really have to-- Swift, like all the cadets at Starfleet Academy were taught that sometimes the enemy would have to be destroyed, regardless how anyone felt.

Swift was trembling softly.

“We understand how you feel,” said Brain “…However, should the situation call for it, you must be sensible. Stammadon is a most dangerous creature, and the longer he exists, the more danger our world and the many worlds beyond shall be in.”

“The professor is quite right.” agreed Shadow. Swift understood all this, “…I just really don’t want it come to that.”

Lightning and the entire team were training hard in the outside dojo.

Rarity and Fluttershy were there for real, not their droids. They placed their babies in the playpen, which was under the watch of their majesties along with Shining Light, but Twilight had her own special flame-proof playpen and sat in it alone-- it just wasn’t safe for her to hang around the other babies, for fear she would sneeze or belch flames and hurt them.

Still, the playpens were close, and Celestia and Grand Ruler watched over all the babies. Their five year-olds, Castor and Leilani were permitted to play with the babies, but not tease them nor get into the playpens.

“Peek-a-boo.” cooed Leilani, and the pony babies all laughed and giggled. Still Castor preferred to play with Twilight, and he made cute playful dragon noises that made her giggle.

The parents smiled lovingly at their children.

“Mother, Father, why aren’t you training?” asked Leilani.

“Oh, we’ve been training a lot, dear.” answered Celestia “We train usually when you’re both napping, or at playgroup, or even after your bedtime.”

“You see, children…” said Grand Ruler “Just because you don’t see something happening doesn’t mean it isn’t happening at all.

…In fact, look at Lightning and his friends.”

The fighters were all at the top of their game-- all wearing their super armor as well. Thanks to the extensive using of the armor in day-to-day life, the team had grown more and more accustomed to the weight. Now they could stand up tall, jump up high, fly…!

Now they could enter battle with a little extra strength, but it still had to be used wisely, or putting all the pressure to sustain them would strain them a little, and they still had to train to use their weapons effectively.

Even so, without the armor on, their strengths and speeds from handling the weight had increased immensely. Now they could attack and defend, run and jump a whole lot faster and with greater resistance than before.

This gave Rarity and Fluttershy a much needed boost from their lack of training due to their maternity leaves, but why were they even training at all if they were supposed be taking care of the babies?

The one move everyone was having trouble master was that of the Pure Inner Strength-- the one move they desperately needed to develop and understand to have more a hope to beat Stammadon for good.

They had all spent time translating and studying the scroll from Queen Mowaza, and it read and depicted…

“One must find and know a proper inner balance of emotion, thought and power, and only the use of good allow one to exhibit the great force.”

“What exactly does that mean again?” asked Rainbow.

Lightning wasn’t sure, but he looked at Starla and Applejack, whom both used the Pure Inner Strength. “What were you two thinking about when the power came alive?”

Starla thought back, “I remember feeling outraged at Tan Shi, the way she put down all men, and wanted to harm them and the women who were allied with men. Hearing how she killed her own family for her sick grudge reminded me of my father’s death, and how he didn’t deserve it.”

She remembered then that she started to glow and unleashed the power.

Applejack thought back, “Granny Smith passed and I was more bummed than a dog without a bone, but seein’ all my friends about gettin’ crushed-- I didn’t wanna lose more folks I cared for.”

That’s when she unleashed the power which not only helped them capture Zenia, but Kara Shi too. “I never felt anythin’ like it before.”

“Hey, it totally saved us all.” said Buddy.

“Yes… it did.” agreed Lightning, and he began to think back when Swift Star used the power--remembering how he was worried about his cousin, Striker, and furious at Stammadon for possessing his body. That was when the power ignited and Swift managed to save Lightning from certain doom.

“So, the scroll was right,” said Lightning “We need to feel inner-balance-- Love and Hate, Light and Dark.”

This reason was why Fluttershy and Rarity were training with them in-person, because this power could not be transferred through their droids as droids did not feel.

“Okay, let’s try again.” said Lightning.

He and everyone sat down on the ground and concentrated hard on all their thoughts to balance them, and hopefully unleash the power.

Starla and Applejack tried to replicate exactly what they felt when they unleashed the power. They felt it, but unfortunately the power did not ignite. None of the others could seem to ignite it either.

“This isn’t working, Lightning.” said Dyno.

“This has got to be the tenth time we’ve tried it.” added Myte

Pinkie Pie began to shout at her own body, “Hello in there! HEY… PURE STRENGTH… WAKE UP ALREADY!!”

Lightning sighed.

“What do you think we’re doing wrong?” asked Starla.

Lightning consulted the scroll again, “…And only the use of good allow one to exhibit the great force.”

“What are you thinking?” asked Krysta.

Lightning wasn’t sure himself, but he had a thought, “…Perhaps the power can only be called upon in the right place at the right time-- like being actually in battle.”

The others all agreed with his theory, which meant there was no point in training endless hours.

“Let’s take a break.” suggested Fluttershy.

The others all agreed.

Meanwhile, Ka Hotake saw Stammadon resting on his throne, all alone.

This was it-- Ka Hotake was ready to make his move and he concentrated hard as he began to mutter ancient words that would activate his special seal on Stammadon’s back.

The seal began to glow, and Stammadon’s eyes snapped wide open, and he stood up slowly as if he were in a trance.

Ka Hotake grinned and approached his new mind-slave, “Come, we have much to do.”

“I hear, and I obey… Master.” replied Stammadon.

Ka Hotake snickered.

In almost no time, the three Shis could hear a long of stomping, growling and chattering echoing all over through the temple.

“What’s going on?” asked En Shi.

“How should I know?” growled Tan Shi.

Rai Shi led the ladies out to the dojo, and were they ever surprise-- There were so many different monsters from their army all released from the walls, and were assembled before Stammadon and Ka Hotake.

“And now, my forces of strength and evil,” Stammadon called to his army “The time has come! We shall invade United Equestria and finally destroy Starfleet for good!”

The monsters all hollered and roared in cheer.

Stammadon continued his speech, “Once our enemy is crushed, we shall gain new resources, new powers that will enable us to extend our wrath further into the galaxy than ever before. Bit-by-bit we will crush every race, eradicating the weak elements of existence so that only the strong and the mighty remain.

The natural order of law will finally be recognized, and followed, and WE shall be the head of it all.

…The galaxy shall be… OURS!!”

The monster army cheered and roared and Stammadon sent them on their way to begin the attack.

Ka Hotake grinned wickedly, but the three Shis were confused.

“Something is not being right here.” said Rai Shi “Stammadon always informs us first before he makes any big decisions as this.”

The ladies realized this too. “And why didn’t he invite us to the briefing either?” added En Shi.

Stammadon noticed them standing there, “What are you three just standing there for?!” he bellowed “GET GOING WITH THE REST OF THE RANKS!!”

“Yes… master…” said Tan Shi, then she grumbled to the others “He’s really not being himself.”

Nevertheless, the Shis obeyed, and followed the last of the monsters going right past Ka Hotake. “They don’t suspect a thing.” he thought wickedly. He was controlling Stammadon like a puppet on a string thanks to his magic seal mark. “Come,” he called to Stammadon “We have a long battle ahead of us.”

“Yes, Master.”

Ka Hotake snickered.

Dark clouds formed all over New Canterlot, and the alarms sounded.

“Stammodon!” growled Lightning.

The others agreed judging by the darkness swooping in.

The babies all began to cry, and even Castor and Leilani ran to their parents in fear of the skies darkening above them.

“There, there, children.” said Celestia, and Grand Ruler called to Lightning and the others, “We’ll keep your children safe. All of you get out there!”

Rarity and Spike, Fluttershy and Rhymey, even Lightning and Starla were rather nervous about running into battle and leaving their kids, especially since the mothers didn’t have their droids on call, but they trusted their majesties to care for them.

“Let’s go, everyone!” shouted Lightning. Everyone agreed, and it was time to transform.

“STARFLEET MAGIC!!”

“HARMONY HOUR, FRIENDSHIP POWER!!”

“Dragon Power!”

Once all transformed they flew up and over the huge castle walls just as the barriers activated around the palace and royal guards took up their battle stations on battlements.

Swift Star was watching everything from a high window. He knew he couldn’t go into battle, especially not with Professor Brain and Captain Shadow guarding him. “Something tells me, this is going to be a big one.” he muttered.

His tutors agreed.

Lightning and his team flew to the New Canterlot boundaries, where there they could see the vast army of monsters materializing.

“Would you look at all that?!” cried Rarity.

“Stammadon’s really pulling out a big one this time.” agreed Spike.

Lightning could see the team would need back up, “Krysta…”

“I’m on it!” she answered right away and teleported off to fetch more Starfleet fighters.

“Let’s go!” shouted Lightning “…CHARGE!!”

The team rushed forth, and the army of monsters came rushing in too.

There were many different monsters-- Some were muscular, some had horns, some were swift and fast, some were armed with weapons-- swords, spears, mace clubs, and plenty of shooting weapons like cannons and lasers.

Lightning rushed in, and did a leap and a split kick, knocking two monsters in the face knocking them down like that.

Starla had five monsters coming at her, one behind another. “You should never rush a lady like this.” She teased and she got out her bow “STARLIGHT ARROW” the arrow shot clean through all five monsters, one through the other, and they all went over like trees.

Rarity punched and kicked every monster that came her way with ease, and then a monster tried to grab her from behind, but she used her magic to levitate the creature and herself off the ground at the same time, and then come crashing down hard, with Rarity stepping on the creature’s back. “Never creep up on me like that!”

“Good one, honey.” Spike remarked, and then he swung his sword knocking the sword of his enemy away, “DRAGON FLAME-WHEEL” and he bashed him hard knocking him into other creatures knocking them down. “STI...RIKE!”

More and more monsters seemed to be rushing forth. Even the ones Lightning and his team had already knocked down were starting to get their second winds and were up on their feet again…

…But help was not only on the way, it already got there-- Krysta and her fairies teleported more fighters from around and even some guards from the palace to aid in the fight.

Soon a little bird could look down from the sky and see battling in so many places, and all this fighting was ever increasing the darkness in the skies.

“We’ve got to finish this fight and fast!” hollered Fluttershy.

“Right,” said Rainbow “Stand back everyone, and she soared way up high, promoting the other fights to break for it! Many monsters foolishly looked up at the sky, and were more foolishly standing all huddled together as Rainbow came crashing down, “SONIC RAINBOOM!”

KAPOW!! What a colourful explosion, many of the monsters close by went flying about from the force of the explosion, while many others were knocked off their feet by the shaking of the ground, which also knocked some of the fighters down too.

“Watch it, Rainbow!” Applejack called.

Still, the battle was starting to tip… monsters were starting to disappear-- being captured.

“CAPTURE BLASTER”

“GALACTIC PROJECTILE”

“WHIPLASH STRIKE”

“SUPER STAFF SPIN”

“THRASH SLASH”

“BOOM-BOOM FLARE”

“DRAGON KNIGHT SABER… IGNITE”

Other fighters did whatever spells and used what weapons they had to perform their own finishers to help.

Explosions, explosions and more explosions flowed all around as the monsters were imprisoned in spheres.

“That’s about all of them.” said Pinkie “We’ve won this fight!”

Rhymey looked up at the eerie skies,

“Something seems to be wrong,
the darkness; it’s growing strong.

He was right! If the battle was truly over, then the darkness would be breaking up instead of growing stronger, and soon it was shown why as Stammadon was heard laughing as he stomped his way onto the field with his minions and Ka Hotake.

“You took my bait, like fish to a hook.” Stammadon hissed.

Only then did it actually click to the fighters,

“Those monsters were a decoy!” snapped Dyno.

“…Si, he made us fight them all so we would tire ourselves out!” agreed Myte.

Lightning clenched his fists “A clever trick.”

“…Yes, it is.” said Stammadon. He then growled like a beast, his eyes blazed with fire.

The many fighters and ponies all stood together, to take on the villains, but there were still many more monsters on the loose. Lightning ordered the rest of the fighters to hold the monsters back, “…Me and my team will take care of these guys.”

“YES SIR!” the rest of force complied, and off they went.

Lightning and his team glared down the evil villains, and they all glared back.

Ka Hotake was amused as he thought silently, “They still haven’t a clue that this is really my battle. I control Stammadon’s every movement thanks to the vast amounts o energy he emits from his hated. I can make that fool do or say whatever I need.

I will use him to wear these miserable ponies down, and even if he is fortunate enough to survive, I shall then have the honour of destroying him and his worthless followers.

Then, everything will be mine for the taking-- all the treasures, all the power, all the land I could ever want! I am such a master thief!”

He looked towards Stammadon, “Shall we begin?”

Stammadon agreed and then threw off his cape, and cracked his knuckles.

“Get ready, everyone!” said Lightning, and his entire team stood ready, yet all of them feeling a bit nervous because their visors couldn’t possibly scan how powerful he was now.

Far away in the palace, Swift could see everything from a far, “Striker…” he felt his nerves shaking, wanting to go out there and try to help his cousin, but Brain and Shadow placed their hands on each of his shoulders trying to calm him and ensure him they wouldn’t let him leave.

Stammadon roared, and Lightning and the others all rushed forth.

“Now!” shouted En Shi, and she and her colleagues charged, but Stammadon had already rushed past them all, rather forcefully and plowed right through the team like a charging bull, ramming them all hard.

“Whoa! Someone’s been training tough!” groaned Artie.

“He’s coming round again!” cried Pinkie.

The team stood ready to take him on, but the three Shis leapt in. “You forget about us?” sneered Tan Shi.

Rai Shi clenched his fists “Long have we been waiting for this!” but before he or the other two, or even the fighters could do anything, Stammadon had charged up his aura, “BLAZE OF THE FLARE KING!”

“LOOK OUT!” shrieked Krysta, but the flaming force was so massive, no one had time to react, and everyone was hit in a colossal explosion that shook the lands.

Even the palace shook softly in the distance.

“What was that?” asked Princess Luna.

“It came from outside!” cried Celestia.

Grand Ruler didn’t like the feel of that trembling one bit.

Swift saw everything too, “He attacked his own minions?!”

Brain and Shadow were horrified that he’d do such a thing.

The fighters all lay about feeling rather sore, and the Shis could not believe what had happened, “Master?” cried Rai Shi “You attack us as well?!”

The ladies were wide-eyed and confused, but Stammadon just glared at the Starfleet fighters and rushed in to battle them fiercely, not even bothering to explain.

Lightning grabbed him in a fist-lock, “You attacked your own minions?! How could you do such a thing?”

Stammadon still didn’t answer and roared at him loudly, actually unleashing sonic sound waves that hit him hard and threw him back.

“Lightning!” cried Starla.

“Let’s get him!” shouted Buddy.

One-by-one, all the fighters jumped right in and attacked their hardest, but Stammadon blocked their every punch, every kick and struck them back making sparks fly.

The Shis couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Is he… actually… winning?” asked Tan Shi.

The others agreed, but Rai Shi still felt they should help, “Come!” and he and his comrades rushed in to attack some of the fighters.

“Oh, no you don’t!” sneered Applejack, and she lassoed the three with her rope, but Tan Shi slashed it with her claws and tackled her to the ground.

En Shi then met with Spike in a fist-lock and Rai Shi battled it with the Spanish Twins, who grabbed him both.

Ka Hotake, still making no attempt to join the fight just snickered softly to himself and he thought “This is going better than I planned.” and he gave his staff a small tap on the ground, which signalled him to attack again!

Stammadon leapt up really high, and aimed straight down at all the fighters and his own minions, “STRIKING FORCEWAVE!” and unleashed his magical blasts at the ground, making a big explosion that knocked everyone in different directions, the Shis too.

The fighters were starting to look beat-- their armor suits were all dent and covered with dust, and their faces were looking a bit bruised and burned, all of them could barely get up now.

The minions felt exactly the same, “He… he attacked us… again!” groaned En Shi.

“Something is very wrong!” said Rai Shi.

Ka Hotake finally spoke up, “You’re correct-- I’m the one controlling him now.”

Everyone gawked at him.

“Oh, yes… I taught him everything he knows now, and he has become quite the skilled fighter… a skilled fighter who now answers to me and every command I give him!”

He demonstrated by waving his staff around, and surely enough, Stammadon flipped, jumped, rolled around, and even punched the ground; he even hissed “I hear and I obey, Master.”

The minions could hardly believe this, “I knew there was something I didn’t like about you, Ka Hotake!” growled Rai Shi.

“Exactly as we feared…” muttered Lightning “Ka Hotake’s finally betrayed Stammadon, and plans to use him to do his bidding only without care or regard to whom he does away with.”

Ka Hotake only chuckled, “I am a thief. You can never trust a thief, but too little too late! Stammadon is mine now, and so are all of you useless weaklings. Once you’re all out of the way, conquering this planet and all of its riches should be easy pickings for me.”

He then tapped his staff again “Destroy them all, now!”

Stammadon’s eyes blazed once and he began to stomp his way towards Lightning and the fighters. “Prepare to be destroyed!”

To Be Continued…!


(Promo)

In our next episode: Hope there is still for Starfleet as they gain their second wind as well more allies-- including those of Stammadon’s minions to help save their master, but in all the dangers, Swift Star, once again defies orders and wishes to get back out there to try and save his cousin from disaster.

Which side will prevail-- the heroes or the villains?

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

(Next Episode: “Part 2: Amazing Alliance”)

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