• Published 15th Oct 2019
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My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic (Season IX) - DakariKingMykan



Evil creatures try to destroy all love, and Celestia unleashes Daybreaker

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Episode 9: Farewell Fare Friends

EPISODE NINE

Buddy checked the mailbox one afternoon, and he found an official letter from the Starfleet Academy, addressed to DD. As her guardian, he had every right to open it and look at it himself, especially since it concerned Starfleet.

“Oh, my...” he said with a gleeful smile on his face.

Treehugger was sitting on the porch swing holding Seedling in her arms.

“Something good, hon?” she asked.

Her husband chuckled, “More than good I’d say. I think DD’s dreams are about to come true.”


The last day of school was tomorrow, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were at their tree fort, which was starting to get a little cramped for them due to their growing bigger.

They were putting together a special gift for Cheerlee and Mykan, wanting to thank them for all they had taught them.

“I can’t believe we’re finally going to middle school.” said Sweetie Belle.

She wasn’t really excited, and the others didn’t seem so excited either.

“Do you think we’ll all be going to the same school?” asked Applebloom for the umpteenth time.

“Even if we do,” said Scootaloo “Things will be different. We’ll be going to different rooms for different courses, which mean we we’ll have a different teacher each time.”


DD sighed “I bet they won’t be as nice or as cool as Ms. Cheerliee or Mr. Stevens.

We’ve got to make this poster extra special for them!”


The girls were making a collage poster to commemorate all that their teachers helped them with-- math, spelling, geography-- they even added extra special bits for Mykan’s part, for his teaching them about the Human World, and especially the time they were the Super Cyber Data Squad, and defended the world from the evil forces of Megadox and his computer viruses.

Yet the more they worked on it, they felt sadder inside than proud.

A small speck of water fell from Applebloom’s eye and onto the poster.

“Hey, watch those tears.” said Scootaloo.

“Tears…? I don’t have any tears.” Applebloom denied, but really she and all the other girls could barely hold it back.

It wasn’t just the fact they were going to be moving on and leaving their beloved teachers, they were worried of something else altogether-- the thought of being separated from each other.

Maybe they all wouldn’t go to the same school, and if they did, the odds are they wouldn’t all be in the same classes in the same periods.

“This can’t happen to us!” cried Sweetie “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders. We always stick together.”

“…And we can.” said DD “Even though we may not be in the same school or classes, we can always hang out at lunch, and after school, like we’re doing right now.”

The girls started to feel a bit better.

“She’s right.” agreed Sctooaloo “We’re just worrying over nothing.”

Applebloom nodded, “We’re crusaders, now and forever!”

The girls each put their hands in the middle and saluted.


Suddenly, Buddy called out to DD from outside. “Cadet Daphne Dill, front and center!”

DD knew that sound, it had to be important.

She approached her cousin and saluted, “Sir.”

Buddy then smiled and handed her the letter. Her eyes lit up like the sun. “I don’t believe it.”

Her cousin smiled at her, and he hugged her warmly and she hugged him back.

The other Crusaders came down wondering what all the excitement was about.

DD showed them the letter, “Next Fall I’ll be attending the Starfleet Academy in New Canterlot.”

“Say what?!” cried Applebloom.

“No kidding!” exclaimed Scootaloo.

Sweetie was confused, “But you’re only twelve years old. I thought you had to be fourteen to attend.”

Buddy explained, “Normally that is the case, but every now and then an exception can be made, and frankly, I’m not surprised they want DD. They could’ve asked for all of you.”

He went explaining that the girls were well-known all over the planet because of their past heroics and accomplishments, having saved the planet on more than one occasion.

Their cutie marks were all earned for their heroic teamwork-- though DD just had an ordinary tattoo as she was a space pony and could never get a cutie mark.

“…Still, they’ve seen what you’re made of, and they’re letting you come in early.”

DD was incredibly stoked. She had dreamed of joining Starfleet and becoming a fighter just like her cousin. She could avenge the deaths of her parents, and really help make a difference.

“DD, I’m so happy for you!” cheered Applebloom.

“Group hug!” hollered Scootaloo, and the girls all came together.

Buddy smiled, and left the girls to have fun, but no sooner had he gone did the girls suddenly look sad again, because they knew the academy was a boarding school, and training there lasted for a minimal period of four years.

“We’re going to be separated for sure now!” cried Sweetie.

“We won’t be able to see each other as often!” added Applebloom.

Scootaloo started to tear up again, “Look, we should be happy. DD’s dream is finally coming true.”

“Yeah, it is…” agreed DD “We should all be happy… ecstatic…!”

…Who were they kidding, and they all began to weep miserably.


They were so lost in their woes, that they didn’t notice Scarlet was watching them

“Aw, boo-hoo for you, but oh joy to me.”

Dearka appeared next to her, “Don’t make me laugh. You intend to target those minors to serve in our plot.”

Scarlet gave him a strict look, “So what if I do plan it? Just look at them, all sad, and weepy because they can’t bear to be separated from one another. The perfect ideal form of friend love just waiting to be converted.”

Dearka hated when he was unable to argue. “Just make sure you know what you’re doing. King Von Devilor expects nothing less than results.

…Don’t blow it!”

He vanished and was gone.

Scarlet scoffed, “The only thing I’m going to be blowing is the biggest infection kiss ever.”

She didn’t plan to do it right away, for she had a more cunning plan that would allow her to gain even more energy.


The next morning…

Applejack pulled up Applebloom’s curtains. “Rise and shine, Applebloom, it’s the last day of school and you know what that means-- you’re graduating today to middle school!”

Appelbloom sat upright, and she looked terrible; her eyes were red and her hair was all fuzzy and messy. She had hardly slept too well all night.

She groggily got out of bed and slumped miserably to the bathroom, just as Apple Spice was coming out, and she slammed the door behind her.

“What was that about?” Spice asked.


Applebloom felt a little more awake after her morning wash up, but as she sat down to breakfast with her family, she didn’t even touch her food and just stared down blankly at her dish of scrambled eggs.


“Trouble sleeping?” asked Bright Mac.

“Eeyup.” groaned Applebloom.

“Excited about the last day of school?” asked Pear Butter.

“…Eeyup.”

Applejack, Big Mac and Apple Spice felt different.

“You feeling okay?” asked Applebloom.

“…Eeyup.”

Big Mac was more than convinced now if that was all Applebloom would say. “You feel like talking about it?” he asked.

Applebloom didn’t answer this time, not that she had time too. Despite it being the last day of school, she still couldn’t be late. So she merely grabbed an apple from the table to take to school with her and walked sadly away.

No one said a thing, as they all felt worried for Applebloom.


Soon, Rainbow and Rarity knocked at the door.

“Is Applebloom alright?” Rainbow asked.

“We thought she may be downhearted, so we came to see.” added Rarity.

Applejack was astounded, “How did you figure she was upset?”

Rarity looked downhearted, “Sweetie Belle went off to school with a face bluer than the bluest of sapphire emeralds.”

“Same with Scootaloo.” said Rainbow “I saw her walking all the way to school instead of flying. She looked as if she could barely lift her wings.”

Buddy came by, “The other girls too?” he asked “I just sent DD to school and she looks like she lost her comrade on the battlefield.”

The ladies were all really concerned. “What’s got them so down?” wondered Rainbow “It’s only the last day of school, they’re graduating to middle school, and DD’s going to go to the Starfleet Academy like she always wanted.”

Applejack sighed “They grow up so fast, don’t they.”

Rarity smiled deeply, “Only yesterday it seems Sweetie Belle was a little filly just learning her letters and now, and now she’s all big.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she blew her nose in a hankie.

Buddy looked up, remembering when United Equestria was formed and when DD first met the girls, and even though she could never get a cutie mark, she was still part of their team, and together the girls seemed inseparable.

…That’s when it hit him. “Of course!” he said softly.

The ladies turned to face him.

“…They’re sad of being separated from one another.”

The ladies couldn’t argue with him.

“Oh, poor Sweetie.” cried Rarity “I can’t bear to think how she must be feeling now.”

The others felt the same for all the girls.


On their way to school the girls stopped off at the tree fort to collect their big poster gift for their teachers.


They all stood together looking at it, smiling.

“So many wonderful memories.” said Scootaloo.

Sweetie sighed, “I’m starting to wish this day wasn’t here. I mean, I know it had to come eventually.”

Applebloom hung her head low “…But why did it have to come so soon?”

“It’s all part of growing up, I guess.” said DD.

Her tears began to show and she wiped them away and tried to hold back, for she was a soon-to-be Sarfleet trainee, and it was really uncool for Starfleet ponies to cry.

Her friends all had tears too.

“I’m going to miss learning from Ms. Cheerilee and Mr. Stevens.” said Scootaloo.

“I’m going to miss the old school house.” said Sweetie “It wasn’t too big or fancy, but just right for all of us.”

“Makes you kind of wish we weren’t graduating.” suggested Applebloom. “We’d probably do some crazy stunt like flunk on purpose and then they’d hold us back and we could be together for another year.”

The girls all shared a laugh. That did sound like something they would do.

“It’s a little late for that now.” said DD “We already finished all our exams, and our report cards are… well, astounding.

Besides, we know better than to come up with crazy schemes anymore.”

The others agreed, and that’s when their sadness caught up to them again.

“I’m really going to miss you girls when I go away.” sobbed DD.

“Oh, we’re going to miss you too!” cried Sweetie.

“Promise you’ll write us every day!” said Applebloom.

“And drop by during holidays too.” added Scootaloo.

“I promise!” sobbed DD, and she and the girls all huddled together for a big cry.


Scarlet, who was watching them, peeked out from behind a large tree, figured this was her chance. “Once I infect them, I’ll send them off to school where they’ll infect all their precious schoolmates.”

She snickered and then put her fingers to her lips, “SMOOCH OF INFECTION…

…MMMMMwa!”


Her magical lip smear crashed right beneath the girls feet.

“What?” cried DD.

“What’s happening?!” shouted Sweetie.

All the girls felt weak and tired as the darkness began to infect them where they stood, and they all collapsed for a small moment.


Scarlet walked out from behind the tree, snickering. “Up you come, my new pawns.”

The girls all rose up, with their eyes glowing with dark aura.

“We obey you!” they all said.

“Good, now go, you know what to do.”

The girls, in their evil trance, began to march off.

Scarlet grinned wickedly, “And if Starfleet tries to intervene. We’ll be waiting for them…” she paused and turned to look behind the trees “…Right, my pet?”

A monster’s eyes glowed eerily followed by a soft growl.



*Mykan’s POV*

It was such a beautiful day, and there was absolutely no work to be done at all. All the students had cleaned out their cubbies and collected their personal belongings.

So, we all decided to have a big picnic party outside.

Cheerilee and I had ordered a good amount of sweets and foods from New Sugar Sub Corners, which Pinkie had delivered herself, and was invited to stay for the celebration.

Over the schoolhouse was a large banner which read: “Congratulations and Farewell Grad-Students”


Cheerliee looked up at the banner, and while she was proud of her students, she was feeling rather sad deep down.

I felt the same way as I approached her side.

“It’s heavy isn’t it?” I asked.

She looked at me and nodded, and looked out at all our students playing in the playground. “I’ve taught them all well, and you helped wonderfully.

I’ve grown to love them almost like they’re my own children.”

I nodded at her, “Most children grow up and eventually leave the nest, but I know how you feel.

You all gave me a purpose when I came to live in this world. I don’t know where I’d be without you all.”

We both looked out into the playground, and while some of the children were playing and having fun, others bidding their sad farewells to their friends.

Even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were sharing a tearful goodbye.

“It’s not fair!” cried Diamond “Why does my mom want me to attend some fancy private school and you have to attend a grimy public school?”


“I know…” sobbed Silver “I complained to my folks, and they say it’s all they can afford for me.

I just know I’m, toats, going to miss you!”

“Oh, I’ll miss you even more!”

The two girls wept like babies.

Snails and Snips were both going to the same middle school, so they didn’t have much fear of being all that separated, and they were just playing happily on the jungle gym.


Pinkie Pie was a mix of emotions herself. She was proud of the students graduating, but she felt sad for them leaving friends behind.

“I remember when I graduated, I was so happy that I was moving up in the world, but saying goodbye to my fellow classmates… it just… broke my heart.”

She remembered how she would go back and forth between bouncing with glee, to blubbering like a baby.

She almost felt like doing that now, but instead she just ate a cupcake to soothe her woes.


Cheerilee looked out and all over the playground, “Where are the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

I couldn’t see them anywhere, and it was already mid-morning. They were never late for school, not even on the last day.


Suddenly, I looked up, “Look, there they are.”

The girls were walking in perfect sync with their footsteps-- marching with strict looks on their faces.

“Good morning, girls,” Cheerilee called to them, but the girls only gave her strict and nasty glare, and we then watched them hold up the poster they had, and shredded it into several pieces, letting them fall on the ground!

“Surrender!!” the girls all hollered.

The children all screamed.

“They’ve been infected by The Devils!” cried Pinkie.

Cheerilee and I gasped.

“Everyone get inside quick!” I shouted, but no sooner had the students begun charge for the schoolhouse when a huge monster landed on it-- giant dark spider, and it began to spin a web of darkness, covering the building like a net, and making it impossible to get inside without becoming infected.

Pinkie and I could see this was real trouble, and Pinkie quickly sounded the alarm, and she transformed, “Harmony Hour, Friendship Power!”

As for me, I called for my weapons.

“SWORD OF PURE SOUL…

…SHIELD OF REIGHTEOUS COURAGE!”

Now we were both ready.

Pinkie told me to keep everyone away from the schoolhouse, while she tried to make things better until help arrived.

I complied and led Cheerilee and the other students across the field, when we suddenly ran into Scarlet.

“Going somewhere?”

The others all trembled with fear.

“Get behind me!” I called to them.

“Ha!” laughed Scarlet “…You’re not even a real Starfleet fighter.”

“You want to bet on that?” I growled, and I charged up my sword firing magical pulses at her, which she dodged with ease-- zipping out of the way.

“She’s gone?” cried Snips.

“Where’d she go?” asked Snails.

Cheerilee huddled the students close to her, all of them staying around me, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders were marching their way towards us all.

“Join us!” hissed Applebloom.

“Give in to the hate!” added Sweetie.

“Let the darkness feed on your soul!” growled Scootaloo.

“Hail to King Von Devilor!” added DD.


I stood between the girls and the class. “Girls, please, I don’t want to hurt you!”


“Don’t worry, Mykan, I’ve got this.” said Pinkie “Time for some healing of love.”

She was about to press on her energizer, when suddenly the spider-creature strung a huge line at Pinkie, binding her arms tightly to her sides, and her legs too.

“I… can’t move!!” she cried.

Scarlet snickered as she landed by her and kicked her hard sending her rolling up the field.

“Pinkie…!” I shouted.

“Struggle if you will,” sneered Scarlet “Web-o-Nizer makes strong threads, and that’s not all it does…”

The spider’s huge pincers parted wide open and it began to spew burning venom straight for Pinkie.


“AAAAAAHH…!!”

Suddenly, Rainbow zoomed in and scooped Pinkie up and out of the way, causing the blast to miss.

“What?!” shouted Scarlet.

Rarity, Applejack, and Buddy charged in, led by Lightning and Starla, or rather her new droid double as she had to stay home and look after the baby.

“…Most excellent timing!” I hollered at them.

Lightning smirked at me.

Rainbow landed next to him and put Pinkie down safely, and Lightning fired a small, narrow beam of Uniforce onto the threads, actually shattering them for they couldn’t stand the strong light.

“You okay, Sugar-Cube?” asked Applejack.

Pinkie nodded and then she and the others turned to face Scarlet.

“School’s out for you!” thundered Lightning.

“Release my sister and her friends from you evil at once!!” demanded Rarity.

Rather than comply, Scarlet only laughed, “I was actually hoping you’d all come here, like little flies into the spider’s web.”

She looked over at her monster on the roof of the schoolhouse, “NOW!!”


Web-o-Nizer spun a huge web from its back cage around the entire schoolyard, trapping everyone inside it.

Starla scanned the threads through her droid, “It’s stronger than ever! I don’t think we’ll be able to break it so easily!”

Scarlet snickered and her eyes began to glow behind her visor.


“Look!” cried Rainbow as walls slowly began to move inward.

“It’s closing in around us!” said Buddy.



“Children, get away from it!” cried Cheerilee, and she tried to lead the students away, but the Crusaders were still right there and ready to spread the infection, plus Scarlet and the monster were ready to add to the danger.

“We need to hold Scarlet back, save the girls and beat the monster before the web closes in.” said Lightning.

The others agreed, “But we better be careful,” said Applejack “Our negative emotions will only make the web close in faster.”

She was right; the web had already slightly increased in its motion.

“Okay, let’s go!” snapped Lightning, and the team split up.


“Oh, no you don’t!” thundered Scarlet as she readied to attack.

“Oh, yes they do!” sneered Starla, and she leapt up high and kicked her hard, sending her flipping over backwards, but she still landed on her feet.

“You won’t get too many emotions from me that easily, I’m just a droid!”

Scarlet growled, “Then I’ll just have to break you, bolt-by-bolt!”

The two began to brawl fiercely.


The girls began to blast their powers at the class, while I held out my shield to intercept it all, but my shield was infected with the darkness and slowly began to crawl towards my arm.

“No, Mykan!!” cried Cheerilee.

The girls snickered…

“Now he’ll be one of us!” sneered Applebloom “…Just as you all will!”



I growled softly, and the blade of my sword glowed brightly, enveloping my body with a soft light.

“What’s this?!” cried Sweetie.

“It can’t be!” snarled Scootaloo.

“How is this possible?!” growled DD.

The students all gazed at me in awe, and wondered the same thing. That’s when I held up my blade informing them, “My Sword of Pure Soul is exactly it sounds-- its pure light combined with my good spirits protects me from the darkness.”

The girls growled angrily…


…And then, right behind them, Buddy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow landed down, and they all nodded at one another and were about to activate the Healing of Love.

“Stop them!” Scarlet shouted to her monster.

Web-o-Nizer growled and spewed its venom, forcing the fighters to scatter.

Lightning charged forth, “I think it’s time you come off your high rooftop.”

He leapt up high and kicked the massive creature down from the roof, but using its eight legs, the creature balanced and spring itself up and over toward Lightning, spinning like a saw blade, bashing into him hard into Pinkie.

“I’m getting a little tired of this!” Pinkie groaned.

Lightning urged her to stay behind, but whispered to her, “I can handle the monster, you help keep the children, and Mykan protected.”

Pinkie agreed and leapt over towards me and the rest of the class.

The web continued to close in and things weren’t looking any better.


“We’ve got to heal the girls!” shouted Rarity.

“Agreed,” said Rainbow “…But how?”

Buddy could only think of one way for sure, “We’ve got to split them apart from each other. Then we can try and heal them one at a time.”

He paused when he realized what he was saying. He, himself, didn’t like it either, “…We have no choice.”

Applejack supressed all her feelings at the thought of attacking her sister and her friends and kept serious. “…All in the line of duty.”

The others agreed, but with great reluctance.

The four stood ready, and then charged at the girls before zipping off in an instant.

The girls looked up and all around, and were suddenly each whisked off in a different direction by their respective relative or friend.


The girls struggled, and wailed to fight back.

Scarlet knocked Starla’s droid down, and turned to attack the four fighters and the girls.

“No!!” I shouted, and I fired magical beams at Scarlet, forcing her to dodge and swerve, which gave Pinkie the perfect chance to rush through and punch her hard in the face sending her up, up, and into the air.

“My turn!” called Starla. While her droid didn’t have any of her actual powers, it was still super strong! It leapt up high and head bashed the Devil hard in her gut sending her sailing clean through the web, and crashing through several trees-- causing them to fall over like dominoes.

Scarlet groaned as she struggled to get up “…Lovey Punks!” she growled.


At the same time, the girls actually managed to break free because of their enhanced strengths and looked ready for a fight at each of their relatives.

“Easy now, Applebloom,” said Applecjack “Let’s make it easy now.”

Her sister only roared and came at her, throwing her fists and kicks like crazy, forcing applejack to block and dodge each attack.

Rarity did the same with Sweetie Belle, and eventually grabbing and holding her fists tight.

“Now Sweetie, don’t force me to turn you over my knee!”


Her sister only roared and prepared to fire a dark blast form her horn, forcing Rarity to backflip up and out of the way as the blast sped past Lightning and struck the monster instead, empowering it more and causing the web to close in even faster, pushing it past the halfway point.

Lightning growled at her.

“Oops!” peeped Rarity.

Rainbow knew they couldn’t keep up like this as she eyed Scootaloo. “I’m sorry, Scoot, I have no choice!”

She zoomed in, scooped her up in her arms and flew up into the air, “Just going to take you for a spin!” and she whirled round and around in furious circles making Scootaloo feel dizzy and sick.


As for Buddy, he glared down his little cousin, and she charged at him, but he used his magic to levitate her up off the ground.

“You can’t hold me!” thundered DD, and she prepared to fire a shot at him.

“VINE WHIP” Buddy grabbed his whip, and as reluctant as he felt, he cracked his weapon, lathering it around DD’s horn, canceling out the spell.

Applejack lassoed her sister, and Rarity levitated Sweetie.

“Do it now!” called Buddy.

The ladies agreed, and all four of them, together, activated their energizers, “THE HEALING OF LOVE!!”

The girls groaned a wailed as the waves struck them, but the loving memories flashed by of their many adventures together, and time spent with their loved ones.

They were brought back to their senses as the aura was dispelled.

“It worked!” I cried for joy.

“Oh, thank goodness!” sighed Cheerilee.


The girls slowly began to awaken.

“What… what’s going on?” asked DD.

“Talk about a headache.” groaned Scootaloo.

The relatives were so overjoyed that they hugged each of the respective girls.

“Thank goodness you’re alright!” Rarity said with happy tears.

“Don’t you be worrying us like that again.” added Applejack.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, all the girls were confused.


The monster roared and began to unleash more burning venom.

“Look out!!” called Lightning.

I managed to block the attack with my shield just in time.

“Take this!” I shouted as I fired blasts from my sword straight at the monster, stunning it with the bright lights.

This gave Lightning his chance, and he rushed forth to strike the beast.

As its vision cleared, the monster saw him coming, and raised its long legs to grab him, but Lightning quickly zipped out of the way, causing it to missed and wraped its legs around itself, making it hard to move.

“This is it!” Lightning said from up high, and he charged up his horn as strong as it could get, “UNIFORCE”

KAPOW!! His blast struck the spider hard, vaporizing it, and the remaining darkness rose up into the air and detonated like a bomb, and with the monster gone, its web cage vanished, just in time before it could touch anyone.

The students cheered for joy.


Scarlet growled angrily. “I’ll get you for this, Starfleet!” and she vanished and was gone.


The fighters were upset that she got away again, but they were relieved that the danger was over.


*POV Pause*

Scarlet angrily punched a stone column, and naturally Dearka couldn’t help but tease her. “Never send a child to a REAL Devil’s job!”

Scarlet turned to face him with flames in her eyes, “Silence, or so help me…”

Dearka looked ready to take her on, but the two stopped when they could hear the distant sound of Von Devilor laughing wickedly.

“The King…?” said Dearka.

“What’s he laughing for?” wondered Scarlet.


They headed into the outer area of the Devil’s Complex, and could see their king far off in the distance…


…The large glowing light on his lower Forum seemed to be going crazy again-- as if something was trying to escape from the large sphere of flesh-- but Von Devilor kept it at bay, and the light seemed to fade out.

Then Von Devilor himself faded off into the darkness where he couldn’t be seen by any Devil in the realm.

Scarlet and Dearka were still confused, but decided not to disturb their king as he seemed rather preoccupied with… whatever that light he carried was.


*POV Resume*


The Crusaders were told everything, and were they ever shocked and upset with themselves.

“I can’t believe The Devils got to us!” said DD.

Sweetie hung her head shamefully, “We’re so sorry.” She meant that to everyone present.

The other crusaders felt the same way and looked tearful and upset.

“Yeah, you SHOULD be sorry!” growled Diamond.

“You like, totally, tried to hurt us all!” added Silver.

Cheerilee and I scolded the two girls and told them to cool it.

“It wasn’t their fault; they didn’t know what they were doing.” said Cheerilee.

“Frankly, you should all feel glad that your friends are no longer under The Devils’ control, or they would have been hurt themselves.” I said.

The students all agreed, and were more than willing to let the Crusaders off easily, and so Diamond and Silver had no choice but go along with it.

The girls felt touched, and their eyes dripped with tears.

Lightning then cleared his throat, “I think everyone should just go home. School’s out anyway, and you’ve all had a terrible morning.”

“But what about the picnic?” asked Snails.

“Well, maybe we can just reschedule it?” suggested Snips.

Everyone gawked at him, for having a really great idea, and that didn’t come often.

Cheerilee and I agreed, with Lightning’s approval to postpone the picnic until the weekend, then everyone could attend, and with Starfleet watching us, The Devils wouldn’t dare strike again.

Everyone agreed to that.

“Come on, kids, we’ll escort you all home.” offered Starla.

Pinkie began to take hands, and Lightning began to escort others.

Only the crusaders were left, and they… were up ahead, weeping with sorrows over the broken pieces of their poster.

The relatives felt extremely hurt for them, especially Rarity. She could tell they worked so hard on it.


Scootaloo looked up at me and Cheerilee, “We wanted this to be special for you.”

“And now…” sniffled Sweetie “Now it’s… ruined!”

“Oh, girls…!” said Cheerilee.

I examined the large pieces of the broken poster, and I noticed how each of them was different.

“Look at this one.” I said “It’s me and the girls, as the Super Cyber Data Squad.”

The girls looked up.

Cheeilee picked up another piece, “And this… I remember-- they were trying to play matchmaker with me and Big Mac. Not that still approved of it, but it was a wild time.”

We both began to go through the pieces of the poster, finding each piece as a respective memory of the girls and one of us.

So instead of one giant piece that the both of us couldn’t really keep together, we now had small pictures that we could keep for ourselves, like small photo-albumns.

“Girls, you made these for us?” Cheerlee asked.

The girls wiped their eyes and nodded.

“We wanted to thank you both for all that you’ve done for us.” said Applebloom

“We wouldn’t be the ponies we are today if it weren’t for you. Ms. Cheerilee, or you Mr. Stevens.” added DD.

Cheerilee and I looked at one another, feeling ever so touched, and then before we knew it, the girls were hugging us tearfully.

“Oh, girls…!” I cried as I hugged them warmly, and Cheerilee too.

“We’re really going to miss you both!” sobbed Sweetie.

“Life isn’t going to be the same without you two.” added Scootaloo.

“Girls,” sniffled Cheerilee “It’s not as if we’ll never see you again. Just because you won’t be in our classes anymore doesn’t mean we still aren’t your teachers.”

“She’s right,” I agreed “And we’re still all friends, and we can still do things together. Now that school’s out for the summer, I’ll have loads of time for my research, and I could still use your help for it.”

Cheerilee nodded, “And we can still each other at parties, or you can help me with my shopping, and I can still show you many things.”

The girls did begin to feel a bit better, but not really.

“We’re still going to miss you both.” said Applebloom.

DD nodded, “I’ll miss you all when I go to the Starfleet Academy in the fall.”

Cheerilee and I both had tears in our eyes.

“We’ll miss you too, girls.” said Cheerilee.

I agreed, “You’re the best students… that we’ve ever had, and we love you.”

“We love you too.” sobbed Sweetie.

The others agreed.


The relatives all couldn’t’ bear to watch this much longer, and all four of them looked tearful.

“I think we better get them home before this gets any harder.” suggested Buddy. The ladies agreed, and soft and sad song began to play “Saying Goodbye”

The girls sang their final goodbyes to me and Cheerilee, and we sang to them as well. The girls then knew it best to head home.

“Goodbye Ms. Cheerilee!”

“Goodbye Mr. Stevens!!”


“Goodbye!!”

We continued to wave to the girls as they left with their relatives, and Cheerilee couldn’t hold it in anymore, burying her face in hands, she began to weep.

I hugged her softly, joining her in the sorrowful moment, and soon we both would part ways as well, until the next school term, but we promised to keep in touch.


All over the villager, the other students seemed to be singing the song as well as they exchanged sad goodbyes with their friends, knowing they wouldn’t see each other as often anymore.

…It’s time for saying Goodbye.

As the song faded out…

The Crusaders were all in their respective homes, and cried themselves to sleep in their bedrooms. Their relatives thought it best to just leave them for a bit, and let them get it all out.

“Majorly bumming me,” said Tree Hugger “I can feel the girls’ blues miles away, and it just Downsville.”

Her husband agreed, and he looked down on the at DD’s acceptance letter from the academy again, and he looked up and over it, at a picture on the mantel above the fireplace…

…It was a picture of himself and DD, on Unicornicopia, when she was little. He was holding her with his head above hers, and they both looked just like a father and child. He raised her and loved her just the same after her parents died.

…This brought him an idea; one that he hoped would solve the entire conundrum, and he began to write a letter to the Academy, and he also met with Lightning later, and he approved of the idea.


A few days later, the Crusaders all had their cries and found their strengths to go out and play and enjoy their summer at the playground, when DD came flying in with such glee and excitement, and told her friends the good news.

“You’re NOT going to the academy next year?” Scootaloo asked in shock.

“But what about your dream?” asked Applebloom “You can’t just throw it all away.”

“That’s just it, I’m not throwing it away.” explained DD “Buddy contacted the academy and even got approval from Lightning.

…Buddy’s going to train me at home.”

The others all felt their eyes lighting up with joy.

“You mean it?” asked Sweetie.

DD nodded, “Why not? After all, Lightning trains Swift Star privately, so why can I be trained like that too?”

“YEE-HAW!!” Applebloom cheered for joy as she leapt about “We won’t be separated after all!!”

“This is so awesome!” cried Scootaloo.

“Together forever, that’s us.” said Sweetie.

DD nodded, and together she and her friends huddled together shouting, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, NOW AND FOREVER!!”

As the girls hugged and played, Buddy and Lightning watched them from afar, Lightning couldn’t be more proud of Buddy and he patted his shoulder, and Buddy was very happy to see all was working well.


(Promo)

In our next episode: Daybreaker gathers dragon followers to aid her in her conquest, which causes extreme difficulties for Starfleet, but especially for Celestia when she begins to contemplate the one fatal alternative to ending her evil counterpart.

Will Starfleet hold Daybreaker back, is Celestia about to make her ultimate sacrifice?

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

(Next Episode: “Too Hot to Handle.”)