My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season XI

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 19: Working Nightmares

EPISODE NINETEEN

One early morning, it was only a few more hours until sunrise, and Princess Luna was just returning to the castle from making another patrol sweep around the planet as part of her nightly duties.

She had just landed on the terrace where the guards were there to greet her.

“Welcome back, Your Highness.” one of them said.

“Everything well, we assume?” asked the other.

Luna was about to speak, when suddenly, “Oh…!” she felt a small pain her inside her and clasped her chest.

“Princess!” cried a guard “Are you alright?”

The pain was gone just like that.

“Quite alright.” replied Luna. “Perhaps a small cramp from overworking. It has been a rather hard night, but all seems to be well.”

She would be off duty soon and would be able to turn in when her sister and her husband would take over. She and her guards made one last sweep around the palace to make sure everything was fine.

Meanwhile, Castor and Leilani were, once again, dreaming about Arien. He looked in a pretty bad way.

He was clutching his head, groaning and twitching in fear.

“Arien! What is it?” asked Castor.

He didn’t answer, and he began to look pale as he continued to twitch.

“What’s the matter?” Castor asked again.

Leilani then gasped, “Look!” she cried while pointing off to the horizon.

The skies all around the beautiful surroundings were beckoning with stormy clouds, and evil lighting blasts that seemed to be slowly coming in.

“The darkness!” groaned Arien “It is growing! It is gaining much power! It must be stopped! It must be!”

He began to have nightmares of when he was separated from his body by the shadows, leaving him in his current state, and being unable to do too much as he was now.

“Is there anything we can do?” asked Leilani.

Arien hesitated while struggling with his anguish, “…You must keep strong. Stay strong!”

“Shouldn’t we tell people about you?” asked Castor, but at that moment, things were fading into white again for another wake-up call.

“Stay strong!” was all Arien could call to them…

…And the children woke up again, to find their Aunt Luna standing in their room, opening their curtains to let the sunlight shine through the windows.

“Good morning, children. You’d best get up, your mother is expecting you to be in good shape for your lesson today.”

The children rubbed their sleepy eyes and managed to hop out of bed, but they were both deeply concerned of the dream they just had, but they said nothing; what with their aunt present.

Suddenly, Luna gave a small heave as she rubbed her head, feeling a tiny bit weary.

“Aunt Luna, are you okay?” asked Castor.

Luna brushed it off and smiled at her nephew. “I’m just fine. I’m just tired.”

…At least she hoped she was, or maybe she just needed a good rest in bed.

Meanwhile, someone else was feeling a bit restless too.

Lieutenant Swift Star had been working with Investigation Divisions; working hard day and night trying to find any leads that could unlock clues to the location of the enemies’ base, or at least figure out how they, a bunch of living nightmares, were even entering their world altogether.

Even after the past three months since The Nightmares had first appeared, nobody seemed to be getting anywhere-- No clues, no leads… nothing!

All possible theories had been shot down, and seemed hardly likely due to improbabilities, but Swift refused to give in.

His colleagues were growing concerned with him.

“Don’t you think you ought to call it in?” they would ask.

To which Swift would reply, “No, I can’t stop. There’s a force of evil being out there always hunting the people down, they can strike any second, and the people could get hurt.

We don’t know who these creeps are. We don’t know where they come from, or why they’re doing this, but I intend to find out so maybe we can shut them down and bring the planet to peace again.

I know I’d sleep better at night.”

The Captain who was in charge of this division wasn’t going to take much more of this. She confronted Swift at his desk and told him, “Swift, I want you to go home, now.”

Swift gawked at her, “Boss…”

“No. I want you to go. You’ve been working too hard and it’s wrecking you. I won’t have any of my officers overdoing it.”

Though Swift knew better than to argue, he opened his mouth to protest that he didn’t want to stop, but the captain wouldn’t hear it. “Don’t make me bring Commander Lightning into this. Now go, take a break. That’s an order! And don’t let me hear of you doing excess work on your own.”

Without saying another word, and obeying his orders reluctantly, Swift left the office.

The captain sighed, “Poor kid.”

Meanwhile, at the School of Nightmares, the three teachers sat in the lounge, and they all looked pretty bored and annoyed.

“It’s been days since Lady Phatasma told us we were ready,” groaned Mash. “When are we going to see some action already?”

“She’s probably biding her time.” suggested Emcee. “Zadovia hasn’t been told much herself.”

Magi snuffed, “So that’s all we do; just sit here and wait for something to happen like sleeping logs. I didn’t spend five-hundred years at Scare School for this stuff.”

After a brief moment of silence, Mash gulped down his drink and slammed the glass down. “Well, I’m not going to just wait around for this.”

Emcee reminded him, “Don’t you remember what happened the last time you struck out without notifying Zadovia?”

“I know we sure do,” said Magi “We got punished for it too.”

Mash still got up from his seat. “…Which is why I’m GOING to notify her. Yeesh…! Even the freshmen never gave me this much of a migraine.”

The two ladies looked at one another, unable to resist that Zadovia would really let Mash have it, and they wanted to see it for themselves.

They waited outside of Zadovia’s office, but they heard no scream, or angry barking of outrage.

All that happened was Mash left the office with a smug look on his face.

“She gave me a “Go.”

The ladies were shocked and astounded.

Mash stopped down the hall, “Oh… and she also said that “Unless you two want to get in trouble for snooping, you better come with me.”

The two ladies went pale.

“Wait for me!” they both hollered as they chased Mash down the hall.

Swift sat at a lone table at the Cake’s café, and Pinkie Pie served him. “Here you go, Swift-- One big double choco-shake, guaranteed to turn that frown upside-down.”

Swift thanked her kindly, and took a sip, but he looked just as bored, and as droopy as ever.
“Who’d have thought fifteen minutes could feel like forever.” he grumbled to himself.

Pinkie didn’t like this one bit. A pony not smiling or happy was too much for her and she leaned in.

He looked up at her awkwardly. “Can I help you, General Pinkie Pie?”

Pinkie giggled, “Oh, Swift. I’m not on duty. Just call me “Pinkie” that’s what my friends do, and they also tell me if something’s bothering them.

Soooooo…” she paused, “…What’s up?”

She fluttered her eyes and grinned at him, hoping he’d tell her, which he did.

“…I’ve never been so bored in my life.” he groaned. “What am I supposed to do? All I can think about is work.”

Pinkie felt shocked that Swift was like this, and she had an immediate answer. “No worries, you just need to get yourself a hobby. Everyone has one.

“She’s right, you know.” Lightning said as he came into the café with Starla and Shining Light. They did bring the stroller, but Shining Light was actually walking by himself while holding Lightning’s hand.

“That’s it, sport-- One, and two. That’s it.”

Shining Light laughed as he cheered, “I’m walking! I’m walking!”

“You are…” cooed Starla.

“Awwww….” sighed Pinkie. “I wish Biscuit Pie could walk like that.”

Swift saluted to the commander and asked, “What brings you here, Sir.?”

Lightning sat down at his table. “Your captain told me everything, so I thought I’d check up on you myself.

She told me you were pushing it too hard, and you need to take a break from work every while.”

Swift sighed, “But what would I do? Ever since I wanted to join the force, I’ve done nothing for the past few years but work, train, and study.”

Pinkie’s eyes were so wide-open in shock; you’d think she didn’t know how to blink.

Starla then said. “Trust us. A hobby will help you find balance, and kill time when you’ve nothing much to do.”

Swift didn’t seem any more enthusiastic. “I often thought about it, but what kind of hobby would I get?”

Pinkie immediately jumped in. “Why don’t you help us out in the kitchen? We’re always looking for new bakers, cooks, and servers.”

Swift immediately turned the idea down. Laughing nervously he answered, “I don’t think so. One thing I failed at most was home-economics.”

He recalled to his days in elementary school. Baking cookies or pies would be a simple task, but some people, like him, just really didn’t know how to bake, follow the directions, or even know if there were any.

He would mix the ingredients wrong...

He would poorly mix the batter, and end up getting it all over the place…

…He even accidently made the oven explode. He didn’t know how, it just did.

“…Baking is not for me. Thank goodness it wasn’t a requirement for Starfleet.”

The others all felt embarrassed for him, but they weren’t willing to give up.

“I think I know someone who can help us.” said Lightning.

Soon they were all at Artie’s place.

Artie was just adding the finishing touches to a simple painting of a flower in a vase by a sunlit window.

“Ah, beautiful.” he commented.

“Cool.” said Pinkie.

Sunset was working too, just making simple woodcarvings, while little Sun Stream was sleeping in her cradle.

“Also cool.” repeated Pinkie.

Artie then put down his brush, “Hobbies?” he said to Swift “Well, you got it. Art is one of the finest hobbies you can have.”

“He’s not kidding,” agreed Sunset “Even during my life of crime I dug art, not just spray painting walls.”

Swift still wasn’t sure. “The only arts I ever studied were Martial Arts and Combat Arts. I was never into plain art.”

Everyone gawked at him in shock, figuring this would be a bigger task than they thought.

“You’re missing out on something that’s pretty neat, Swift.” said Lightning. “Many things in love revolve around art.”

Starla nodded, “Just look at me; my art is Stargazing and map making for it…” she paused, “…Of course I can only do that best at night.”

The friends went on saying how lots of ponies had artful hobbies.

Pinkie Pie had baking and party planning…

Buddy had his gardening, along with Applejack’s farming…

Rhymey was a poet and musician…

Dyno and Myte loved digging…

Rarity had her fashion…

Fluttershy cared for animals…

Rainbow Dash, she was into exercising and keeping fit, and practicing her aerial skills.

“Some of that sounds an awful lot like work.” said Swift “I was told to avoid work.”

Lightning shook his head, “You were told to stop pushing yourself too hard with your Starfleet work. All these things are just stuff the officers occupy themselves with when not on duty, or all the work is done.

When I was a Senior Lieutenant, I was a Community Worker.”

“I remember reading that.” said Swift. “I read about your biographies. It still fascinates me that you were able to do so much.”

He still didn’t sound too enthusiastic, but he was willing to try.

“Come…” said Artie “Your journey begins now.”

Sunset wanted to finish her work and keep watch over the baby, so she stayed behind, and Pinkie stayed with her to keep her company.

The second the group had gone, little Sun Stream woke up and smiled at her mother.

“Look at you…” Sunset cooed “…Not a care in the world.”

Pinkie giggled at how cute the baby looked, and how it reminded her of her own son, at home, sleeping, and under the watchful eye of his father, Apple Spice.

Artie took Swift to a clearing in the park where Swift had sat before.

“But I just came from here.” Swift said.

“Yeah, but we’re here for different reasons.” explained Artie “We’re here to find the most important thing of all, and that’s “Inspiration.

I’m getting tons of ideas already.”

Lightning and Starla weren’t getting ideas, they were just happy to be out and about on such a beautiful day, and spending time with their son.

It made them all more excited and anxious for the second child to come.

Artie was sitting at his easel, on his folding stool. He was just sitting quietly, almost in a meditative state, while Swift sat next to him at another easel Artie had brought.

Artie seemed well relaxed, but Swift couldn’t seem to feel the same way he did.

“You can do it, Swift.” Artie said. “Just let go of your thoughts of hard work, and focus on the world around you.”

“Forgive me, General,” replied Swift. “But I am thinking about the world around me, and wondering when it will be attacked next, and even if it is there’s nothing I can do about it; I haven’t got a dream band like you and the front-liners.”

He didn’t realize, while he was preaching, he was tapping his wet paintbrush against his canvas.

“…No. All I can sit on the sidelines and do menial work, while those monsters exist to fight another day and put more people in danger.

That’s something I just can’t put out of my mind.”

Artie looked surprised. “Uh… Swift…”

Swift snapped out of his trance. “Oh, sorry, Sir… I didn’t mean to deliver a speech.”

“Not that…” Artie pointed at the canvas. It turned out that Swift had unknowingly painted down every word he had just said in his speech.

“Oh… um…” Swift felt a little dumbfounded, but he still didn’t feel much like being off from work or patrol.

“I’m not giving up on you yet.” said Artie.

Artie then got in the mood to do one of his big Art Attacks, by stomping his feet around in the tall, tall grass, which was due to be mowed soon by the park attendants anyway.

He carefully stomped the grass down flat in long trails, and was careful not to misstep, and by the time he was done, he had created outlines of a tropical beach complete with palm-trees and a crescent moon.

Passersby applauded at the sight of the beautiful art, and some took photos of it before it would have to be mowed down.

Lightning and Starla applauded, and so did Swift. He actually seemed quite impressed.

“Reminds me of a speech I gave to someone I arrested for harassing their neighbor.”

The three ponies sighed that he was going off about work again.

Swift explained, “You may have something pitiful or petty against this pony, but what gives you the right to steal from them, publicly insult them, or try to humiliate them in broad daylight? A pony who is just minding their own business, and hasn’t even so much as looked at you is just asking to be picked at or wailed on by its own kind.

Morality is always shaken around here when there are bad guys around, and the last thing needed is punks like you to worsen things by wailing on your fellow kind, and it only makes my job as an officer all the more harder.

So do yourself and all of us a favor, and grow up, before you take a step to far and wind up in a jail cell with all the monsters and bad guys we face every day.”

Lightning was moved by that speech-- having given it a few times to people himself when they misbehaved.

Suddenly, a mighty thought occurred, and even Starla and Artie happened upon the same idea.

“I think we may have discovered a hobby you’d be good at, Swift.” Lightning said.

“Huh?”

Before anyone could say anything else, civilians began to scream and panic.

“Dream Field…!”

“Dream Field…!!”

The fighters all looked up and could see a massive Dream Field heading their way.

Lightning’s features hardened, and he and Artie nodded at one another.

“Starla, Swift, lead the civilians and get somewhere safe.” ordered Lightning.

“Yes, sir.” Complied Swift, and he and Starla ran off, taking Shining Light with them.

“Daddy…!” wailed Shining.

Starla looked back at Lightning with a promising gaze to watch over him, and do what she could to help.

Lightning and Artie stood tall, and nodded at one another. It was time to transform…

“Starfleet Magic!”

Then they charged straight for the oncoming Dream Field.

“Engage Dream-Mode!” shouted Lightning.

They were surprised to find no civilians inside. The entire zone was empty.

“What’s going on?” asked Artie.

Lightning looked all around. “Stay sharp.”

The two men kept a sharp watch, and stood ready to anything that would happen.

Suddenly, they both felt something coming, and they leapt out of the way before they were hit by magical blasts.

No sooner had they landed on the ground did big basketball-bombs come at them, forcing them to leap out of the way again.

They anticipated, correctly, and dodged a third time, as several flasks came raining down on them, and exploding as they hit the ground.

The sounds of evil laughter were heard as the three teachers appeared, walking in from the darkness.

“You seem surprised to see us.” teased Magi.

“Guess you’ll know what else is coming to.” hissed Mash.

“…We’re going to have some fun time with you.” chuckled Emcee.

The fighters were not impressed. “If by “Fun” you mean we send you three packing again.” growled Lightning.

Artie snuffed, “And don’t think we’re scared that you three outnumber us. We can take you.”

The teachers all snickered, and Emcee sneered, “Three? Who said there were three of us?”

Mash then blew into his whistle, and five copies of each teacher came marching into view, forming a large group.

“Clones!” grumbled Lightning.

It was easy to distinguish the clones from the real villains-- all the clones had black eyes with no irises or pupils, they had darker skin tones, and they didn’t speak, but rather they just growled or hissed.

Lightning and Artie didn’t like the looks of this.

Emcee explained, “I conjured up a little formula to make this possible.”

Magi then cleared her throat sarcastically, “…With a little of my magic to boot.”

Emcee adjusted her glasses in a snarky fashion. “I think they get the idea.”

Mash snickered and motioned at the clones. “The look like us and are just as deadly too. So Game on!” and he blew his whistle loud signaling the clones to rush in.

“Let’s move!” shouted Lightning, and he and Artie flew up high into the air before being blasted by powerful blasts by the clones.

“Let’s take ‘em!” hollered Artie, and he grabbed his “SUPER STAFF.”

He charged at one of the Magi clones; colliding into her staff with his own.

Just as the minions had promised, the clone was indeed as strong as the original as she pushed Artie back hard.

The clone then fired magical blasts at him, forcing him to dodge by leaping up high into the air.

A Mash clone then launched ball-bombs at him, forcing him to zip out of the way, and then he ran into an Emcee clone. He attempted to attack it, only for the clone to defend herself with her lab coat defense.

Lightning rushed forth to attack a Mash clone head on.

WHAM!! His small, but powerful fist collided into the clone’s large hand, resulting in a stalemate attack.

A Magi clone then attempted to blast him from behind, only for Lightning to sprint forth and punch her right in the face and sent her crashing into three other clones.

Artie knocked one clone away with his staff, and then another, and then he leapt up into the air…

“PAINT BOMBS”

He launched his explosives, which blew up all around more clones, forcing them back a few steps.

Still, the clones hardly seemed damaged at all, and they, along with their comrades stood ready for more brawling.

“Is that the best you’ve got?” mocked Mash.

Magi snickered, “Why don’t we up the stakes even more?”

Emcee’s glasses shimmered, “…Just what I was thinking.”

She pulled out another vial of her formula, and slammed it on the ground, creating a dozen more clones-- four of each of the three minions.

“Oh! This is so not good!” cried Artie.

Lightning looked all around at the army of clones vastly outnumbering him and Artie.

They could barely even stand up to just a few of the clones, and now there were much more.

“We can’t give up! We have to keep on fighting!”

Artie agreed, but both he and Lightning felt they needed backup and bad.

Outside, the Dream Field was sparking with lightning sparks, meaning the battle inside was intensifying big.

Starla and Swift teamed up with sentries to keep all civilians away from it.

Starla was getting worried about Lightning and Artie, and desperately wished she could go into the field and help them, but all she could do was the next best thing…

She fired a magical beacon out from her horn, sending several beams into the sky, which would alert the rest of the unit.

Swift wasn’t a Unicorn or Alicorn, but he was able to send out a beacon of his own-- simply by tapping his energizer in proper sequence, the badge summoned a small beacon ray which he fired into the sky signaling for the front-liners too.

“I sure hope they see them.” he said.

“Don’t worry, they will.” replied Starla. “Whenever these beacons are fired, their energizers glow, signaling them they are desperately needed.”

One of the sentries, who was new on the job, and fresh out of the Knight’s Academy, was starting to grow anxious. He was sweating bullets from under his helmet.

“I can’t take this much longer!” he groaned “I got to go in there and help them!”

Starla immediately stopped him, “Stay put. Your orders are to maintain watch.”

The sentry knew better than to defy superiors, or even talk back to them. “How can you just stand here like that? That’s your husband in there, and he could be beaten to a pulp as we speak!

When I signed onto this job, I agreed to help anyone as best I could, and all I do here is stand around looking ahead like some dummy hoping someone else will do the job for him.”

Before Starla could speak again, it was Swift who cut in for her.

“Take it easy…” and he went into one of his well-meaning, deep speeches.

“I was just like you; I was an ordinary civilian, always running scared whenever there was danger about, and all I could do is sit idly on the sidelines and watch while others heroically risked their necks to save us all.

The way they stood there so strong and proud, it really makes you feel your place-- you feel so darn useless that sock with holes in it looks more important than you.

They tell you “It’s okay. We’re happy to serve.” or “You pay our salaries with your taxes” but it only makes you feel smaller-- more worthless.

So we decide to do something about it. We join the force, we study, we train... we get an education-- all this and more to prove we can do something more for our people, but even after you earn your commission you still have to play by the rules.

Some things you can do, some things you can’t. Maybe you lack the experience, maybe it’s out of your league, or maybe you’re just told to stay out of it by superiors.

You still feel useless, and you don’t feel any better until you can do something heroic-- something that can silence that voice in your head and put you at better ease.”

He paused, when he saw the sentry was gazing at him with a look of realization and better understanding.

Then he continued…

“Well, let me tell you. The job we’re doing here, by keeping this place clear of civilians is already more than what we need to do to be useful and appreciated.

It may not silence the need we feel to actually go into action, and fight off those punks that are making things hard, but even if we could it probably would silence it… but not in the way you’d think.

We don’t have the power to fight The Nightmares. We can’t even lay a finger on them, but that can’t stop the fact that they can easily break us to pieces. Then it would be silenced, along with our lives.

Then the people would have stories to tell-- about how foolish you acted, and what you did was not the least but brave, but silly.

…That’s no way to feel important or useful.

The right thing to do is just what we’re doing now; helping the people in whatever way we can, and keep to it.

That’s what “Being Useful” means to me and others share that view. Maybe you can share it just as much.”

His speech totally had the guard moved and inspired, and he firmly stood back at his post to maintain his position.

Starla gave Swift a very pleased look, “Couldn’t have said it better myself. You ought to write things down like this.”

Swift remained still for a moment.

“Write it down…?” he wondered, followed by a mighty thought that made him grin wide.

“What? What is it?” asked Starla.

He didn’t answer-- not right away.

Back inside the field,

Lightning and Artie fought their very best, but they couldn’t seem to overtake the swarm of clones, or even get to the original minions.

“Do you think the others are on the way?” Artie whispered to Lightning.

“They better be. I know Starla would have sent out the signal.”

The two men were surrounded from all sides, even from above by levitating Magi clones.

The real Magi laughed, “This is like a dream come true.”

“And it’s only the beginning…” hissed Mash. “I just wish the rest of their little crew were here to see the end of their friends.”

Right at that moment, bright flashes shined as the rest of the entire crew entered through the Dream Field, all transformed and in their Dream-Modes.

“Lightning…!” Krysta hollered.

Lightning grinned gratefully that his friends were all here; Artie too.

The minions were outraged. Emcee scolded Mash, “You just had to open your big mouth!”

Mash didn’t feel the least bit insulted, or at fault.

The clones looked and the team glaring them down.

“Let’s go!” shouted Buddy.

The fighters roared as they charged forth!

“LEAF SWARM”

“DRILL QUILL”

“BOOM-BOOM ROCKETS”

The barrage of attacks streamed towards the monsters, forcing them all to dodge.

“Here I come!” shouted Rainbow. “SONIC RAINBOOM”

KAPOW!! She slammed the ground, making a strong explosion, blowing many of the clones off.

The real Magic then raised her staff to attack, only for Applejack to lasso her, and slam her hard the ground.

“Round ‘em up!” she teased.

Pinkie Pie bounced off of Mash’s head, and proceeded to kick Emcee, only to run smack into her defensive lab coat.

“I don’t think so!” the evil minion sneered.

Pinkie only smirked, and bounced off the coat, before zipping out of the way, and Krysta surprised Emcee with a huge blow to the face.

“…I do think so.”

A group of the clones all huddled together, and unleashed their attacks-- magical blasts, bombs, and explosive vials.

Rarity and Spike stood together, and combined their fiery breaths into a mega blaze, intercepting the barrage.

Rhymey and Fluttershy stood back-to-back, and while moving in a circle, they punched and kicked out any clones rushing their way.

They slyly grinned and nodded at one another.

“That’s it!” shouted Magi “Let’s give them all we’ve got!”

“Yeah!” agreed Mash

Emcee nodded while grunting in agreement.

“Oh, yeah?” called Lightning. “Well, so will we.” And then he called to his unit “…Group Formation!”

“YES, SIR!!” the others all shouted.

Even without Starla, the team huddled together, and powered up their inner magic or auras, ready fire on the army of clones.

The original minions didn’t like the looks of this one bit, and hit the dirt like cowards!

“Ready!” shouted Lightning. “…FIRE!!”

The mega stream of power launched, blasting into the evil clones, vaporizing them to ash, much to the minions horror as they all looked up in shock!

Lightning then turned to glare at the trio

“Okay, you bozos! You’re next!” Pinkie growled at them.

“No, no! Pinkie!” cautioned Artie. “We can’t destroy them. We need information.”

Lightning stepped forth towards the cowering villains. “For the last time,” he bellowed “Who are you? Where do you come from, and why are you doing all this?!”

The minions’ cowering changed into evil snickers.

“You’ll know soon enough.” sneered Mash. “You may not know this, but we never intended to beat you here. You did just what we wanted.”

“What do you mean?” asked Lightning.

Magi laughed, “Let’s just say a few certain dreams are about to come true, and the world as you know it is about to change forever.”

They started to disappear, with Emcee calling them, “…Until then, pleasant dreams. They’ll be your lasts!”

Then they all had gone, laughing maliciously.

The fighters were all outraged, and curious.

“What do they mean “Dreams coming true?” wondered Applejack.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” said Buddy.

Lightning clenched his fists, but he kept calm. “At least now we have a clue to be ready for something big happening.”

The others all agreed.

The dream field had vanished, and the group de-transformed as they marched forth.

Lightning held his arm up high, signaling Starla to let the civilians off.

Soon, all was normal again, but Lightning informed Starla of what the minions had told him and the others.

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

Her husband agreed, and he intended to inform their royal majesties at once. The planet had to be prepared for a big climax.

“How did everything go out here?”

Starla explained about the little trouble with the sentry, “…Swift managed to talk some sense into him.”

Lightning was about to give Swift his comments as well, when he noticed the lieutenant was scribbling down in his notepad.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Swift looked up and replied, “…Just my new hobby.”

He was writing down some notes of his inspirational speeches that he gave when he addressed bad or troubled people…

The next day, in the New Ponyville Paper; Swift’s speech was found in the advice column.

Lots of people were reading the speech from all over, and it sure inspired them to follow the laws more closely, or how to better themselves as people by thinking more clearly of things.

Now Swift had plenty to do instead of working himself silly all the time. He could just take it easier and write inspiring words to the public, and the newspaper did pay him a little extra for his columns.

Now he had a second job to keep him busy, and make a little extra money too.

Lightning couldn’t have felt prouder of him, and as for Swift… he was finally getting the hang of not overworking so hard… only when he didn’t have to.

(Promo)

In our next episode: The planet begins to be shrouded in darkness which leaves Princess Luna ill and bed-ridden. The Nightmares begin to unveil their ultimate wrath and their location as the heroes prepare to face their greatest challenge yet.

What sort of dangers will our heroes face?

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

(Next Episode: “Part 1: In the Dark of the Day”)