My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season XII

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 13: A Fiery Fashion

EPISODE THIRTEEN

One evening at Carousel Bouquet, Rarity was holding a fashion shoot to unveil some of her latest designs.

Glaceia was invited to partake as she made a new gown inspired by her. It was an icy blue gown with crystal gems beaded all around the edges, the hem, and vertically up and over the shoulders, with a lovely white silky sash going over the shoulder, around the waist, and tied in a big bow in back with plenty of slack to reach near the bottom.

Rarity announced to the crowd. “I dub this masterpiece, “Shivering Light.”

The crowds were enamored by the sight, but none nearly so much as Pyron, who had a front row seat. He felt like fainting at the sight of how beautiful his love looked.

She saw him and blew him a kiss.

Spike chuckled as he held little Twilight in his arms, and even more so when his daughter started imitating Glaceia by blowing multiple baby-kisses at nothing.

Rarity saw this and smiled at her family.

Then she brought all the models out onto the set to conclude the shoot. So many pictures were being taken, and reporters were already writing up stories for fashion magazines and newspapers.

“And now…” Rarity said as she took center stage before the models. “To collude the performance of this wonderous, most elegant unveiling, we salute to the glories of fashion.”

She turned to the models and conducted them, “Salutea Fashionista!”

The models all raise their arms and repeated, “SALUTEA FASHIONISTA!”

Rarity began to weep tears of joy and dabbed her eyes with a hankie. “Unbelievably Moving!” she sobbed. “Bravo!”

Then she excused herself to go dry up.

She reached backstage and blew her nostrils, feeling better.

“You were wonderful, Rarity.” said Spike. His wife kissed him lovingly on the mouth. “Thank you, love. I just love all this, it’s so much I can barely…” she felt she was going to cry again, but she didn’t.

Especially when little Twilight let out a little yawn.

“Uh, oh. It’s way past nighty-night time.” said Spike. He offered to take her in and put her to bed. “Say night-night to mommy.”

Rarity bent down and pecked her little darling on her head. “Goodnight my precious sweetheart.”

Rarity then proceeded back up front to give her comments to the press and re-explain some of her creations.

Spike couldn’t be prouder of his wife.

Meanwhile…

Keltar was, once again, talking into his mystery orb in his room. “Just have patience, the day will soon arrive. We’ll bring down these two miserable kings one way or another, but only when the time is right.”

No one’s voice could be heard over the orb, but Keltar seemed to hear it.

“No! Don’t make a move until we’re both ready.”

Suddenly, the door to his room burst wide open making him jump in fright. There was a guard at the door. “King Flareous would like to see you, immediately.”

Keltar got a hold of himself and balked, “Please don’t ever sneak up me like that again!” while silently tucking the orb behind his bed pillow and out of sight.

He pulled himself together and made his way to the door, while the guard had some suspicions.

Soon Keltar reached Flareous who sat on his throne. “You called for me, sire?” he asked as he bowed.

Flareous gave him a sour expression. “I’m not pleased, Keltar. I am not pleased at all, and do you know why?”

Keltar nervously answered, “Because you haven’t beaten Blizzord, your son is still not home, and Starfleet is still not working for you?”

Flareous leaned forth with a wicked expression on his face, “Precisely…” then he flared up and raged “…AND I AM TIRED OF WAITING AROUND!!”

Keltar shuddered in fear.

“I’m beginning to think that maybe I should take matters into my own hands.” said Flareous. “Perhaps I should truly venture to United Equestria and confront Starfleet myself.”

“Sire, with all do respect, I would not advise this. You are much more needed here. I would hate to think of what would happen is something ill-fated should befall you.”

Flareous growled, “I want my son back, and I want Starfleet to fight for me.”

“Sire, perhaps we can try our initial plot to convince our enemy to come to us, just like we do with the Iceinians.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a monster badge. “I just may have the creature that can do this.”

Since the guard who escorted him was still present, and he didn’t want to risk exposure of his little secret, he motioned him to take the badge.

Once placed on his head, the guard transformed into a vicious, red dragon, with sharp spines running down from his head across his tail.

“A Dragon?” Flareous asked in confusion. “This is your big plan?”

“This is no ordinary dragon, my king.” explained Keltar. “Not only is Dragust capable of vicious fire attacks, but he can expel toxic fumes from its nostrils. Anyone that inhales it will become viciously hot-tempered and make fire spread.”

Now Flareous seemed intrigued. “They’ll roast their own planet into a wasteland, and if they wish it to cease… they bow to me.”

He gave the go ahead, and Dragust bowed and prepared to leave. “It shall be done.”

“You go with him, Keltar” said Flareous. “We don’t want to overdo it and destroy my future army… not too harshly.”

Keltar bowed, but secretly thought, “Not as harshly as what you’ll be getting soon enough, you disgrace of a monarch!”

The right thing to do was wait until it was daylight on United Equestria, when more people would be up and about.

The latest magazines and papers. Were thrown at the boutique stoop, and Spike came to the door and got them.

He could see Rarity’s face on the magazine cover and couldn’t resist reading the article about the Fashion Show, only to discover what the stories read were not very nice towards Rarity at all.

“How did a creature of freak-nature manage to produce fashionable clothing for lineups.”

“You may laugh at this creature due to her weird species, but you’ll love all over her clothing designs.”

“Look at the Fashion Freak.”

“It’s harder to look at the clothes when Rarity is half-and-half.”

“Dragon, Pony, or Fashionista-- Make up your mind.”

Spike had never seen such outrageous defamation before. “I can’t let Rarity see this.”

He took a huge breath to burn the magazine and the paper.

“Spike?” Rarity said from behind, making him jump. “Oh, Rarity. I… uh…”

Rarity could see her picture on the magazine cover. “Oh, good! It’s out already.” She reached out to see it, but Spike pulled it away. “Rarity, no! You don’t want to look at this.”

“I beg your pardon. Of course, I want to see it-- all the reviews of my marvelous work. Now, let me have it… please.”

Her husband nervously shook his head.

“Spike, what is with you?” she asked impatiently. “Why are you trying to stop me?”

Her husband found himself trapped. Even if she didn’t see it now, she would find out later for herself, so he let her have the magazine.

Meanwhile, Pyron and Glaceia were walking arm in arm down the streets. Glaceia was wearing her regular outfit and armor, but as Pyron gazed at her, all he could think about was how lovely that gown from last night looked on her.

“You looked so dazzling last night.”

Glaceia blushed. “I never felt so lovely. A pity I could not keep the gown, nor buy it.”

“It is on display in the shop. Let’s drop by and look at it again.”

The store was just around the corner, Glaceia couldn’t get there fast enough, but as she and Pyron got closer, Spike came bolting out the door carrying Twilight in his arms.

He ran right past the couple, nearly running them over.

“Spike?” called Pyron.

“Run!! Spike called “Run now!”

The couple was confused. “Run? From what?” wondered Glaceia.

Suddenly, the doors to the shop burst open in a fiery explosion making the couple jump, and there, emerging from the smoke was a snarling, growling, and very furious Rarity, who had smoke coming out her nostrils and jaws, and her eyes were glowing with a blazing look of rage.

Pyron and Glaceia were frightened by the sight of her, especially when she let out a massive roar, shooting a huge stream of flames in the sky.

The alarms sounded and Rarity took off into the sky with a look of horrible wishes to burn up everything in sight.

Luckily, help arrived on the spot immediately. Lightning was on patrol with Rainbow Dash and Rhymey.

“Rarity, stop!” shouted Lightning, but Rarity flew around breathing more flames into the air.

“Whoa! What’s with her?” Rainbow wondered. Whatever it was, she decided not to question it yet, and she rushed in to detain her.

“Rainbow, wait!” shouted Lightning, but Rainbow had already rushed in.

Rarity saw her and shot more flames at her as if she were an enemy. “Yikes! What gives? I thought we were friends.”

Rarity only continued to roar and lunged for her, but Rainbow zipped out of the way. “Don’t make me tackle you!”

Lightning and Rhymey came up to Rarity with Rainbow on the other side.

“Engage detainment barrier!” hollered Lightning.

The others nodded, and all together, they tapped on their energizers casting Rarity in a soft field of energy, which Lightning reinforced with the Uniforce.

Slowly, the sphere descended to the ground with Rarity still raving and thrashing about inside.

Pyron and Glaceia breathed in relief, but Rarity’s behavior still baffled them.

“I’ve never seen her so mad.
Why is she acting so bad?” asked Rhymey.

“I’ve never seen anyone this outraged before; not even my own father.” said Glaceia.

Rarity gave another roar and tried to burn the barrier down, but it was too strong.

Spike, seeing it was safe to return, he came back with little Twilight in his arms. The baby cried at the frightful sight of her mother’s fury, and Spike comforted her. “Shh… it’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s going to be just fine.”

As he rocked her and comforted her, he explained about the magazine and all the horrible things they said.

Rhymey examined the magazines, and he was outraged.

“Who would say such things like that?
Who would be such a low-down rat?”

Spike was just as outraged. “I tried not to let Rarity see it, but she did anyway…”

In a flashback, Rarity took one look at all those horrible things said about her. “This… is what the fashion world thinks of me?!” she was beginning to quiver, which Spike took notice of.

“Rarity?”

His wife was growing madder and madder. “They call me a “freak… They insult my fashion… HOW DARE THEY!!”

“Oh, no!” Spike cried when his wife’s eyes began to glow with rage.

“And that’s when she just exploded?” asked Lightning.

Spike nodded.

“I can understand her outrage,” said Glaceia “But surely there is no need to be this infuriated. Getting angry solves nothing. We both know this.”

Pyron agreed, but Spike told them. “Rarity can’t help what she’s doing. It’s called the “Dragon’s Rage.”

Dragons are often prone to fits of bad attitude, especially anger and heated rage, and when we get super angry-- I mean, really ticked off, well…” he motioned over at Rarity still thrashing about in the barrier. She was basically in a type of rage-hypnosis-- she didn’t know where she was or what she was doing.

“I thought since she was only Half-Dragon, she could never be affected.”

“Well, obviously, she did.” said Rainbow.

“Really, Spike. You should’ve known better.” scolded Lightning.

Pyron had never seen such rage-filled eyes, and being a Molticean, he knew lots of flaring up. “I hope she will calm down. I can’t believe she would behave this way.”

“Hey, wait,” Rainbow said to Spike, “If this happens to dragons, how come you’ve never flipped out like this.”

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” said Spike “I know how to keep my rage in check. I don’t want to fly into any fits like this.”

“Well, lucky we detained her like this.” said Lightning. “But how long does it take to stop?”

“Just give it time.” replied Spike. “It’ll wear off and she’ll be okay.”

Lightning agreed, “In the meantime we best keep her detained. We can’t let her run loose in this condition. Who knows what she may do?”

Still, nobody liked seeing Rarity in the barrier, or the way she was still roaring and billowing flames about.

Meanwhile, the alarms had long since ceased, and the citizens all resumed their normal routines…

…Which were soon to be disturbed again!

Dragust hid from around a corner in an alley, snickering wickedly.

“Okay, do your thing.” said Keltar.

“My pleasure.” hissed the monster. He crept slowly up and unleashed his gas out into the street.

Passersby inhaled the fumes and began to cough and gag, while at the same time the Gas Alert sounded-- warning that an unknown, unhealthy substance was in the air.

Lightning and the others heard the alarm and could tell it was coming from within the town. They had to check it out.

“We can’t just leave Rarity here.” said Spike.

“You watch over her.” Lightning immediately said. “No matter what happens, don’t let her get loose. If she escapes the barrier, you are ordered to imprison her.”

Spike didn’t like the idea of that.

Lightning then told Pyron and Glaceia. “You better stay here with him.” before he and the other ponies headed off.

The couple looked at each other, and then at Spike who kept gawking at his wife in the barrier and how furious she looked.

Poor little Twilight was still fussing. “I better put her inside. She needs a rest. Keep an eye on Rarity, will you?”

Pyron nodded and watched as Spike disappeared into the shop, going past Rarity who roared at him scaring the baby even more, making her cry and wail.

Glaceia felt shivers run up her back by how frightening Rarity was.

Pyron held her close. “Just stay with me. She can’t hurt anyone while she’s stuck in there.”

“I hope she stays that way.” but Glaceia’s hopes were dashed when the barrier started to flicker as it grew weak.

“Oh, no!” cried Glaceia.

Pyron reached for his sword, and just in time as the barrier ceased and Rarity stepped forward. She spread out her wings and roared viciously at the couple.

Meanwhile,

The pony trio arrived on the scene, already transformed, and wearing respirator masks. They took one at all the gas around them.

“What is this stuff?” Rainbow wondered.

“Whatever it is, it can’t good if it set off the alarm.” said Lightning. “Put on emergency purifiers.”

Rhymey nodded and went for the nearest lamppost to initiate the controls, when he was suddenly confronted by a bunch of angry-looking civilians; all had the same snarly expressions, and same glowing eyes as Rarity.

Before he could even question a thing, the ponies all roared and unleashed fiery waves at him, forcing him to leap high up into the sky as the flames destroyed the lamppost in a big explosion.

“Rhymey!” hollered Lightning, then he found himself faced with more civilians, and his visor showed him they were not themselves. “I’ll bet this gas is the culprit, and I’ll bet I know who’s behind this.”

He was forced to leap away when the civilians’ unleashed flames at him, and Rainbow too. “Whoa! They’re all as flipped out as Rarity is.”

“You’re correct about that!” hissed a familiar voice.

The friends turned and saw him wearing a cloth over his mouth and nose…!

“Keltar!” sneered Lightning, and standing next to him was Dragust, who was immune to his own gases and wore no protection.

“You’ve just had a sample of Dragust’s power, now it’s time to get really fired up.”

“Ah, yeah.” chuckled the monster, and he flew way up high. “Have a taste of my BURNING BREATH!” he unleashed a strong fiery wave straight for the citizens.

“No!!” Lightning shouted and flew straight in the path of the fire setting up a uniforce wall to take the hit.

“What’s wrong with you!
You could have hit the civilians too.” bellowed Rhymey.

“That was the idea,” hissed Dragust “But it looks like I may not have to.”

The trio looked down to see the seething, angry civilians raging and thrashing about, and the more they shouted and bellowed, the more flames they unleashed.

The barriers protected the buildings and the people inside from the flames and the gas, but those still affected and trapped outside weren’t so lucky!

So many explosions knocking some of the folks down and setting fire to tables, hedges, and other things.

The trio was horrified, while the villains laughed. “Looks like they’re doing a good job hurting themselves.” gloated Keltar. “We could be persuaded to spare them… if you agree to come with us and serve King Flareous.”

The trio was instantly disgusted.

“We already told enough times,” Lightning balked “We will never join forces with you.”

“Oh, well…” said Dragust “You were given the chance.” and he rushed through the air, smashing into the trio, hitting them hard and making sparks and big explosions.

The trio groaned and got back up on their feet.

Dragust took in a huge breath, “CURSED GAS” he expelled more fumes from his nostrils into the air forming a massive cloud that would slowly spread all over.

“This is bad!” cried Rainbow. “We’ve got to stop that gas.”

Rhymey agreed and added,

“We also must detain the civilians.
And furthermore, stop the villains.”

“Right!” agreed Lightning. “I’ll handle the chumps. Rainbow, you deal with the cloud, Rhymey, the civilians.”

The trio split up, and Lightning confronted the dragon. “All right, Snout-Face! You’re mine!”

“Oh, yeah!” shouted Dragust. He flexed his claws ready to take him on.

He swung right, and left, but Lightning dodged them, and punched him hard in the face sending him up high into the air.

“Ohhh!” groaned Keltar.

The brainwashed civilians continued to roar and unleash more fire, until, one-by-one, Rhymey used his magic to encase them all in domes like Rarity’s, preventing them from causing any more damage.

There were lots of civilians though, and it was hard or him to rush about and seal them all in, especially when they tried to shoot their flames at him, forcing him to dodge or defend himself.

“Now try this.” shouted Keltar, and he threw a bunch of stones on the ground summoning the Flame-Gaurds. “Stop him!”

This was all Rhymey needed, distractions!

“WARD SWORD”

With his weapon and his slick skills, he managed to stave off some of the guards while encasing more of the civilians inside barriers.

:DRILL QUILL" Unleashing his feathers, enhancing them with magic to make the stronger, he took out more guards, only to then be ambushed by several guards at once, with other civilians by their sides. He couldn’t attack without harming the civilians.

Luckily, Rainbow came swooping in and kicked the guards out of the way, giving Rhymey an opening to create more barriers.

Rhymey nodded and Rainbow, and she winked back at him through her clear visor. “Now to take care of this cloud.”

The gas cloud continued to spread, and Rainbow could only think of one way to disperse it quickly. She began to fly round, and around the entire area in speedy circles, creating a tornado that began to suck up the gas like a vacuum, up, up, into the sky.

“Hey, you can’t do that! It’s cheating!” wailed Keltar.

Rainbow didn’t even hear him, and she powered up her inner aura and soared straight at the airborne twister, passing straight through it and KAPOW!! The gas and the twister exploded in a puff of magical rainbow-colored smoke.

“All right!” Rainbow cheered, but suddenly she was attacked from behind by a flame attack, sending her crashing to the ground.

“Rainbow!” cried Lightning, and his distraction allowed Dragust to punch him hard in the chest and sent him crashing into Rhymey, and they both stopped by Rainbow.

Then they looked up, and even the villains looked up too, and they saw Rarity, escaped from her barrier and still in her rage.

She spread out her wings, roaring and unleashing more flames into the air.

“Wow!” exclaimed Keltar “She hasn’t even been infected.”

Dragust had never seen anyone so furious before. “Well, maybe there’s one person ready to join the army.” and he foolishly flew up to recruit her, but Rarity took one look at him and unleashed more fire at him, forcing him to dodge.

“Hey! What’s the big idea? I’m just going to take you to Motlic.”

Rarity flexed her claws and lunged forth, striking him hard and sending him crashing down hard into an unburned newsstand. Papers and magazines went everywhere.

Keltar cowardly hid behind a house, “Okay. This is getting a little too much for me.” And he quickly left through an invisiport and was gone.

“Lightning!” Spiked called as he arrived on the scene in his Dragon Knight form.

“Spike, what happened?” asked Lightning. “I thought I told you to detain her.”

Spike quickly explained himself, “…I came out of the house just in time to see her take off for here. I left Pyron and Glaceia with the baby.”

Rarity landed on the ground and right by her feet was a magazine with all the slanderous things said about her, which further enraged her.

“Hey! Who are you roaring at? bellowed Dragust, and he took in a huge breath, “BURNING BREATH”

Rarity counted his flames with a giant burst of her own flames, resulting in an explosion that knocked the two of them away, and the others off their feet.

Rarity got back up onto her feet puffing and panting, while the monster was already worn out from his battle with Lightning and having trouble getting up.

“Rarity…” Spike called looking up, and he could see how tired she was, but her eyes were still seething with rage, but hardly any smoke was coming from her mouth or nostrils anymore.

“They’re both puffed out,
Let’s move out.” said Rhymey.

Lightning was about to give the team the go ahead, but Spike had already rushed ahead with his sword at the ready.

“DRAGON KNIGHT SABER, IGNITE!”

With a huge slash of his sword, he struck Dragust hard, blowing him up, destroying the monster badge and imprisoning the guard.

That wasn’t his main concern as he quickly rushed up to Rarity, powered down, and held her by the shoulders and stepped on both her feet, preventing her from moving or fighting.

“Spike!” Lightning called.

He didn’t bother to look at him and said straight to his wife, “Rarity, Rarity, calm down!”

She roared loudly at him, but no flames came at him-- she was all tapped out, hence why she was growing weaker, and she couldn’t break free from such an easy entrapment.

“Rarity, come on. I know you’re in there. You’ve got to snap out of this! You don’t have to be angry anymore.”

Rarity’s roars were quieting down to low growls.

The others all felt maybe this was it-- she was finally going to snap out of her rage fit.

Spike looked deeply into his wife’s eyes. “Rarity, come back to me. Make yourself normal again. I’ll help you… I love you.”

Rarity looked deep into his eyes, and her eyes were staring to shift slowly from raging to normal.

Finally, Spike moved in and placed his lips over hers, which made her eyes bulge and all her thoughts and consciousness became clear, especially in a series of flashbacks or every time she and Spike kissed.

Spike broke away from her lips and could see his wife was normal again.

“Spike…” she peeped softly, and then she passed out from extreme exhaustion in his arms.

Spike her close, and a tear fell from his eye in relief.

The others felt touched and relieved, and then proceeded to survey the area and help the civilians.

As for Keltar, he was brought before Flareous upon his return.

“So, another plan bungled?” the fire king bellowed. “I have no Starfleet troops, I still don’t have my son, and we’ve lost another monster, costing me more resources than ever!”

“Sire, I can explain!” whimpered Keltar.

“What’s there to explain?! That you ran from battle like a cowardly ember in a rainstorm? Sometimes, I wonder why I ever made you, my advisor. Get out of my sight before I decide to reconsider and roast you to ash!”

Keltar bowed nervously and dashed for his room.

He took a minute to catch his breath, and then his anger showed. “Hot-Tempered fool!” he grumbled. “I’ll show you who’s going to be roasted to ash soon enough.”

Seeing he was totally alone, he got out his orb, making it glow and began to speak into it again.

“Are you there? Hello? It’s me again.”

Still no voice could be heard to anyone, except for him.

“Yes, another plan was fluked. Flareous is raving mad. How’s everything on your part?”

He waited and got his response. “Good! It should be too much longer. Bot Flareous and Blizzord are as good as history.”

On the other side of the orb, the one revealed to be talking to him was none other than Smark. “I’ll deal with Blizzord on my end, you just continue to bring down Flareous.”

“No problem.” agreed Keltar. The call ended, and the two aliens snickered sinisterly.

That night, the damages were all cleared up.

All the civilians were back to normal once the monster had been beaten, but not a single remembered much, and those who were injured were healed easily.

As for Rarity, after a good long rest, she felt better, but she hardly remembered anything except being outraged at the insults thrown at her.

She felt most ashamed when the others told her what happened.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity.” Spike said “I should’ve told you about the Dragon’s Rage from the beginning, but I just never thought you would…” he couldn’t finish.

Rarity felt hurt, not for his not telling her this, but thinking of all the damage and destruction she could have caused and trying to hurt her friends and her family in the process.

“It wasn’t your fault, Rarity.” said Rainbow. “Well… okay, maybe it was a little.”

Rhymey gave her a small nudge with his elbow telling her to hush up. Then he said calmly to Rarity…

“You were not yourself,
You were furious and mad,
I know things are harsh,
I know they seem bad.

But you’re normal now.
You’re here with your friends.
We’ll help you deal with this,
on each and all ends.”

Lightning agreed, “I’ve had severe words with the writers of those magazines and headlines. I showed them all the kinds of damage they did with their hurtful words, and they’re all getting a severe talking-to from their bosses, and or government officials. The stories are all going to be rescinded, and you are going to be compensated.

They should have known better than to make fun of you like that instead of focusing on your fashion show.”

Rarity felt very relieved to hear all this, but she still felt ashamed and somewhat afraid of herself. “When I saw those horrible words… I just felt so… angry! I… I…”

“Shh… Shh… take it easy.” Spike said as he comforted her. “You’re going to have to watch your temper, just like I do.”

Rarity agreed, but she couldn’t fight back her tears.

Glaceia then came over with little Twilight.

“Mama.”

One look at her daughter and seeing she wasn’t scared of her, Rarity smiled while still shedding, and she scooped the baby in her arms, and she and Spike cuddled with the baby together for a peaceful moment.

“I am glad this is over.” Glaceia said softly.

Pyron agreed, “We’ve learned a lot of how dangerous it is to say hurtful things at someone, and what dishonest actions can lead to.”

The couple hoped someday they could use this to convince their fathers to cease their warring ways. So did the fighters. It was still a long road ahead.

(Promo)

In our next episode: Everyone is in for a Chili feeling at the annual cookoff fair at New Sweet Apple Acres, where Swift and Blitzy seem to grow a little thing going, but Blizzord has an idea to cook up a storm of his own-- a surprise that freezes everyone in place, and its up to the heroes to stop this plot of brining everyone back to Iceinia.

Will our heroes succeed in thwarting this deadly plot?

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

(Next Episode: “A Chili Gut Feeling”)