A retooling of Dakari-King Mykan's "My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic" with fewer of the issues that plagued the original fic. A group of space ponies fight off evil throughout the universe and eventually meet up with our beloved cartoon ponies.
In the far-off reaches of Neo-Equestria, a race of actually heroic space ponies venture across the universe to save any planets in need of dire assistance. For nearly a millennium, they served to protect, acting as a beacon of hope. But an ancient evil has begun to awaken from its long imprisonment, and so it's up to the newer generation of ponies to save the day!
But as they do, they have to come face to face with several powerful monsters, crafty henchmen, and their own inner demons as they discover the true meaning of friendship wherever they go. They must make new allies in the most unlikely of places, and work together to bring down the dark sorcerer that threatens all of existence, even as their struggle brings them to a world similar to their own...
In the land of Equestria, it is often discussed whether anything is beyond their planet’s boundaries; not even the princesses are aware of just what life lies beyond their outer solar system, or even if there is any. It has been the subject of many an Applewood movie in the past, and may possibly continue to be so. But as luck would have it, ponies exist beyond the stars…
Deep in the vast regions of space lies the planet of “Neo-Equestria”, a place not unlike the land they’d know normally in terms of structure. Their population consists almost entirely of bipedal versions of Equestria’s population, namely the many ponies that primarily live there.
One particular pony watched over the others as their guardian deity: the Grand Ruler. He was a stunning, platinum-white alicorn with a powerful build, a wingspan twice as long as most Pegasi, and a magnificent golden horn on his head. He wore his golden armor and crown proudly, his crimson cape often flowing in the breeze of wherever he stood.
For a time, all was at peace, at least until the sudden arrival of a dark and twisted sorcerer who seemed to arrive out of nowhere to threaten the ponies’ way of life. The ponies tried to reason with the being, but in vain. As the sorcerer, calling himself “Nadir”, threatened to tear the land asunder, the Grand Ruler stepped forth and used his powers of great magnitude to fight against the villain, who was beyond anything the ponies had seen up to that point.
As the fight continued and the option to spare the fiend diminished, even the Grand Ruler’s signature ability, the ultimate golden power, could only barely weaken the sorcerer. The golden-horned alicorn then saw no choice but to use what little power he had left to seal Nadir beneath the confines of a dark, distant, abandoned planet void of life, so that his threat would be subdued.
However, Nadir vowed to return when the spell weakens, so that he may continue his dark designs once again. Fearing for the worst, the Grand Ruler sought to train those ponies willing to prevent this catastrophe from coming to be, to use their bodies for combat as well as to protect the innocent. Thus was born the concept of “Starfleet Magic”.
It has been 962 years since that day…
“And that’s pretty much all the history we can check out, right now!” said a fairy reading through the ancient Neo-Equestrian literature of the Celestial Temple’s library. The fairy had glittering, peach-colored skin, shining silver wings and blonde hair, and was wearing a reddish-pink dress. Next to her was a white unicorn with a black mane, a blue-and-black striped shirt, and brown shorts to go along with it. He also had a unique golden tinge to his horn, as well as a wingspan shorter than that of a pegasus, and his cutie mark consisted of the sun rising over a thundercloud.
The fairy looked to the pony as she closed the book and said, “It's kind of a sobering thought that this guy is the reason we're who we are. Wouldn't you agree, Lightning?”
“I’ll say…” The unicorn folded his arms, feeling quite confused, “Say, Crystal… You really think our trips to the surface will help us? I mean, there’s not much training to be done there, right? We’re just meeting a bunch of ponies.”
“I know, but remember what the Grand Ruler said: a Starfleet officer’s greatest weapon is his bond with those around him,” said Crystal, as she was packing the group's bags. “To be a good warrior, you need to strengthen your friendships.”
“I know, but…” Lightning said hesitatingly, “…doesn’t it seem a little cheesy? Power from friendship is a bit weird to think about, you know? What good are you as a fighter if you can’t defend yourself? Is friendship really all that?”
Crystal pouted adorably at this statement. “You really don’t remember that it’s that very friendship that got us where we are today? I mean, you and I were both up horseapple’s creek without a paddle before you tapped into that! How could you not remember nearly dying to save me?”
Lightning panicked. “I-I could never forget that, Crystal! I’d never forget… That was the day when the rest of our lives were set in motion.”
It was 13 years ago. Lightning Dawn was just a simple colt, aged 5, waking up with no memory of who he was; the only thing he seemed to remember was his name. He found himself deep in the Amethyst Bog, which few dared go inside because of the treacherous plant and wildlife living within.
A confused Lightning strolled through the woods, unaware of anything that was going on around him and confused by the wildlife that consistently cropped up. He dealt with several creatures such as giant venus fly traps, manticores, chimeras, and even a few fly-ders for good measure. Lightning had several close encounters with these creatures, but he had successfully, if barely, managed to escape from them.
However, what the young pony would see next would forever change his destiny. As he wandered through the dark bog, a weakened young fairy was barely able to fight back a wild cragadile; she had fought long and hard, but the gigantic rocky reptile had her cornered, teeth bared, lunging to take a bite out of its latest prey…
Without thinking, Lightning ran over and threw a nearby rock at the creature, getting its attention. At once, the cragadile turned to face Lightning, now very clearly angry at him. As Lightning realized what he was up against, he stood there, frozen in fear as his fate was supposedly sealed. But to repay him for his help, the fairy leapt in and tackled the cragadile to the side. Afterward however, she stumbled to the ground, clutching her shoulder in pain, finally exhausted. Lightning reached out towards the fairy, but then she finally spoke:
“What are you doing, just standing there?” the fairy yelled, “This place isn’t safe for you!”
Lightning looked at the fairy. “You were about to be eaten, you know that right?”
“I can handle myself, thanks! What I’m worried about is how you got here!”
"I couldn't even tell you that! And right now, I don't care! The only thing I care about right now is saving you; you're the first one I saw that needed help, and now I'm helping. Simple as that."
The fairy was shocked at that tone of voice; she didn’t quite know what to say. “Wow…I…I'm actually pretty shocked that you're willing to help. I mean, everything else so far has been trying to eat me. And honestly…it’s getting a little tiring.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I’ll help you find your way home, okay?” Lightning said with a smile.
“Um…that’ll be a bit of a problem. See, I don’t even remember where I’m from, let alone how to get there.”
“Oh,” the Unicorn said sadly, “You too huh…? Don’t worry; you can come with me!”
The fairy seemed at a loss for words at this point. “Y-You really want me to...?”
“We both can’t remember our homes, so come with me! Oh, my name’s Lightning Dawn, by the way.” He spoke with a sincere, peppy energy unfamiliar to the fairy.
“…Crystal…my name is Crystal.” At this point, the fairy, for once in her waking moments, felt content with something. “I…I thank you for helping me! Seriously, I mean it!”
“Hey, it’s no problem! We both have no one else to turn to, right? So we gotta stick together, at least! Let’s hurry on outta here before dirt-breath gets up.” Shortly after he said it, the cragadile woke up in an unbridled fury and looked towards both of its assailants.
“You know…” Crystal said, “…maybe we should have run away first.” She tried to get up, but suddenly grabbed onto her shoulder in pain again and lowered herself back to the dirt floor below. “Ow…it’s no use…I’m still injured from hitting that thing…!”
“Crystal!” Lightning said, running to her and scooping her up in his hands. “Can you even fly, now?”
“Ngh…! Just...just get out of here, Lightning; save yourself! Don't worry about me...!” Crystal was disappointed in herself for caving into her own pain. She could barely move a muscle at this point; it’s here where Lightning felt a spark inside his heart, and decided to take matters into his own hands. Fearing for the fairy’s life, he fled the area as the cragadile angrily chased after the duo.
Lightning made it past thick brush, hiding behind trees, and nearly tumbling over rocks as the massive beast tried to corner them at every turn. As Lightning continued to evade their persistent predatory pursuer, Crystal again continued to feel uneasy about the situation, but for totally different reasons.
“…I didn’t want you to have to risk everything for me…especially since I was just a complete stranger…” She began to cry as she regretted letting him risk his life for her. "And yet you stood up to that monster to save me…and you’re still trying to get away from him. You’re the only nice guy I’ve ever met, and now you’re gonna…you’re gonna…I’m so sorry!”
“Crystal, listen,” Lightning said seriously, but with warmth, “Don't feel bad about any of this; I'm more than willing to help a friend in need. In fact, right now, you're the only friend I have. If I lost you, my life would lose all meaning. I’m glad that you and I met, okay? And I’d give everything to save you.”
Crystal was touched even more by what Lightning said; he really believed them to be friends after just one meeting? This boy was devoting himself to someone he just met like it was no big deal! Some of her doubts lifted, but she still felt very badly about how the two of them might just meet their ends together, which seemed all the more likely as Lightning took a wrong turn and ran towards a steep cliff face; there was no way to climb, nowhere to run, and the cragadile had finally cornered the two. There seemed to be no hope left…
Thinking fast, Lightning placed Crystal in a nearby bush so she could hide and recover from her wounds. “Stay here! I promise: you’ll be safe.”
“Lightning, what’re you…?” Crystal watched as Lightning stood up to the beast, walking towards it now. "Oh no, Lightning! Darn it, of all the worst times to not be able to fly! LIGHTNING, GET OUT OF THERE!”
“Hey! Over here, you big bully! Come and get a bigger snack!” Lightning said as he stood, arms wide out as he stood perfectly still. Unbeknownst to him, a faint, golden glow was emanating from his horn. At once, the cragadile lunged at Lightning.
“LIGHTNING!!!” Crystal despairingly screamed Lightning’s name as the would-be appetizer courageously stood in the face of death.
"This is it..." he thought, "I'm seriously going to die if I stay here...but I'm not gonna run! Not for Crystal!"
As the cragadile was about to chomp on Lightning, he seemed to black out as his horn glowed golden and levitated the cragadile with his newfound power, causing Crystal to look on, awestruck.
“Leave us alone, right this instant.” At once, Lightning fired a powerful golden blast at the beast, sending it careening against a wall; it then quickly fled without so much as a taste. Lightning soon turned back to normal and immediately collapsed from exhaustion. A worried Crystal flew over to him, finally recovering at least enough to do that.
“Lightning, are you okay? You didn’t hurt yourself too badly, did you?” Crystal panicked as she tried to wake him up by nudging him, pulling on his ears, etc. After a good half a minute, Lightning woke up, holding his head in agony.
“Ugh…I feel like I was hit by that thing’s tail…where is it, anyway?” He looked at his fairy friend with a confused expression. “Hey Crystal, what happened? I remember standing up to ol’ rocks for brains, and then I just lost my focus.”
“You mean you really don’t remember turning golden and driving that thing away with a powerful magic attack?”
Lightning raised his eyebrow. “Huh...? Don’t be silly; I couldn't have actually chased it off, could I?”
Crystal looked a little peeved, saying a bit more eagerly: “But I SAW you! Your whole body went all sparkly, and then you lifted that thing up and sent it crawling back to where it came from! You’re telling me NONE of that was you?!”
Lightning looked somewhat astonished. “How…do you remember something like that so clearly?”
“Because it actually happened, my dear friend…”
At once, they were confronted by none other than the Grand Ruler himself. Lightning instinctively went to protect Crystal. “St-Stay away, y’hear?!”
Crystal then flew in front of Lightning, still slightly exhausted. “No! Don’t hurt him! He’s already weakened from the last fight! I’ll be your opponent!”
The Grand Ruler simply chuckled, confusing the two. “Never fear, you two; I am not with ill intentions. Simply put, I came here because I sensed a massive power. Now, tell me: which one of you emitted it? I promise; I won’t be mad.”
Lightning suddenly felt the warm words of the Grand Ruler affecting him, as he felt the courage to state what had happened. “It was me. My friend, Crystal, was about to be eaten by a cragadile, and…well, I had to save her. I don’t remember using it, though…”
“That’s all I needed to hear, young one. Now, then…what is your name? You told me your friend’s; now it’s time to hear yours.” The Grand Ruler smiled and kneeled down to Lightning’s level so he could hear more clearly.
“…Lightning. Lightning Dawn," he said, somewhat warily, "I don’t know where I am, or where I came from. I just know that I woke up here, and that my only friend is a fairy.”
Crystal chimed in, too: “Same here, really. All I did was wake up and have a bunch of things try and eat me, and then I met Lightning.”
“Is that so? I do believe I haven’t seen either of you around, before…and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real life fairy. I hear their kind is quite elusive, and normally like to hide from strangers. But with you two, it seems you’re already quite attached.” The Grand Ruler mused, as the two looked towards each other.
“What are we gonna do now, then?” Lightning looked slightly more confused than normal.
The Grand Ruler simply looked for a bit before making his decision. “The path to being a true hero is creating a bond similar to what you showed today, Lightning Dawn. You and Crystal were a perfect demonstration of my beliefs. And that power of yours could very well be drawn out for a noble cause…I wish to make a proposition.”
Lightning tilted his head. “Make a what, now?”
“It’s a deal, to be more concise. I will offer you food and shelter, and take care of you as if you were my family. But in exchange, I wish to make you my personal student.”
“Student…?” Lightning mused. “What for?”
“That need not be readily apparent. I will explain the specifics in full, someday. But I will say this; my training will be tougher than anything you’ve faced in this bog. Compared to me, that cragadile will be mere foal’s play. Do you still accept, little one?”
Lightning thought for a moment before making his decision. “If others in the universe are in danger like Crystal was…then I’ll gladly help! On one condition…”
The Grand Ruler looked, pretending not to know. “And that is?”
“I wish to bring Crystal, please. I don’t wanna part ways so soon…”
Crystal’s heart nearly skipped a beat, now knowing that something had formed between them. “L-Lightning…”
The Grand Ruler giggled a bit, and said, “I figured you had that in mind. Very well; Crystal the fairy can join you, Lightning Dawn.”
Just like that, Crystal glomped Lightning, nuzzling his chest in an adorable manner. “You’re the best, both of you!” she shouted in excitement.
In addition to that, a mystical light surrounded Lightning, encompassing his flank before settling down and revealing the picture now present on his hindquarters; Lightning Dawn had earned his cutie mark.
“Yeah,” Lightning said back in the present, “I still get some nostalgic thoughts from that day. You were right; if it wasn't for our meeting, we wouldn’t even be here today. Guess all that training made me forget what was really important.”
Crystal couldn’t help but smile. “I still can’t thank you enough for that save…can’t believe it’s really been 13 years since then. And if you hadn’t shown up when you did, our lives would have probably been totally different.”
“You got a point, there. Y’know, I’m actually looking a lot more forward to life on the surface! Who knows? I might even meet my future comrades down there. Sky’s the limit, you know?” Lightning folded his arms behind his head. “I just hope the ponies I meet down there are a friendly sort…”
Crystal assured Lightning, “You can bet that they will be. And if you do meet another future Starfleet officer, you know full well that you can trust them. They’re trained to uphold justice and protect the innocent; of course they’ll be happy to see a fellow trainee.”
“Yeah, but none of them even know of me. I trained with the Grand Ruler in secret, remember? I don’t think they’d take too kindly to having another wheel. What do you think?”
Crystal frowned with minor annoyance. “Lightning, another face to take part in these battles is always welcome to an officer, and we both know this. Besides, you’ll get to discover new planets, study the ones we already know, hone your skills; doesn’t that excite you?”
Lightning simply pondered. “I mean, I guess…it’d excite me a little more if I were better prepared for my real destiny. I have my cutie mark, all this training, and everything, but that still doesn’t explain anything, does it?”
“All I can really say is this: sometimes, you just gotta believe in yourself a little; otherwise, it won’t feel satisfying when you succeed.” Crystal finished packing.
Lightning simply nodded. “Yeah…you’re right. I’m probably worrying over nothing. Thanks, Crystal; I can always count on you to bring me back to normal.”
“Hey, what’re friends for? Now, let’s get going; I wanna see our new house!”
Lightning smiled in earnest. “Heh…alright, Crystal; let’s go down to the surface! We have a lot to do, down there.”
The duo exited their former home with their bags and took the chariot that awaited them down to their destination of Rainbow City. The two could only imagine their future endeavors as they descended, eager to start the next chapter of their lives.
Deep within one of the far corners of the known universe, a lone planet drifted in its orbit, an oppressive, sinister atmosphere blanketing its surface. Throughout Starfleet's worlds, this was known to all who heard of it as the planet Eris.
Wherever one walked, shapes like twisting, agonized faces were visible in the clouds, and the winds emitted a beastly howl with every change of direction. In addition, natural disasters were a constant threat: while minor earthquakes tore at the seams of one area, ruthless tornadoes ravaged the surface of another. Even those places of relative safety were inhospitable, barren wastes littered with the remains of those spacefarers unfortunate enough to have been caught by the planet's gravitational pull in ages long past.
It was a state of constant horror and disarray, which made the next event that much more of a disaster.
A powerful eruption shook one of the few dormant volcanoes, molten lava painting the area around it bright crimson with a black ash surrounding it. From the depths of the resultant crater rose a powerful, terrifying figure, his silhouette barely resembling that of a human. A cloak of dark purple shrouded him, with the ends of his sleeves and the hem of his robe covered in a nightly black. The armor covering his shoulders jutted with spikes, its ebony sheen glowing a brilliant red from the molten lava surrounding it, and jewels with the same hue as his cloak adorned it. All of this was topped by his eyes, a red as dark as blood, which stared menacingly down upon the world he emerged from.
Indeed, it was the very sorcerer that had threatened the universe long ago: Nadir.
Taking a moment to stretch his limbs out, he surveyed his surroundings with a look of boredom. "So, this is the world that fool of a king banished me to, is it?" he said without breaking his composure. He glanced upward and, noticing the wavering, weakening barrier of golden magic surrounding him, chuckled. "That weakling really thought he could seal me here... Well, it would seem good things aren't meant to last. I'll finally have what's mine."
Without hesitation, he shot a blast of pure, concentrated darkness at the field. What little magic was left then exploded in a shower of golden sparks, its particles dissipating into nothing. "At last, my plan shall come to fruition!" A malicious smile split his face. "But first... I shall plant the seeds of my empire for later." As he spoke, he placed his hand on the ground and sent a small burst of his magic down into the core.
Lastly, a swirling purple cloud surrounded him as he arose from his former prison, eager to resume his dark designs. "Now... I believe it is time to catch up on some unfinished business." As he flew towards his destination, a maniacal laugh filled even the empty void of space, making his presence known throughout.
"And this time - this time - no one will stand in my way!"
It was midday in Neo-Equestria as Lightning and Crystal finally touched down at Diamond Village, named so because of its quaint beauty and clear view of Rainbow City close to the north. The two were shown to their house, which consisted of a white-walled, two-story building with brown roof shingles and a single black chimney coming out of the side. As they went in, however, they saw it was still a bit of a mess: the furniture and appliances they needed were in place, but the paint had just finished drying - as made apparent by the paint drops that lined parts of the floor - and dust lay thick on almost every surface.
"I guess the workers had to leave before they could get somepony to clean up, huh?" Crystal saud as she found a relatively-clean spot to place the duo's bags.
Lightning stretched. "I'll say," he said, glancing around the room. "Hey, I think we have enough time before running our errands. Wanna do a little cleanup duty and unpack before we head out?" he asked with an eager smile. "That ride on the chariot left me anxious to do something."
Crystal sighed in disbelief. "Lightning, that was a ten minute descent! It shouldn't have been that long of a wait."
"Easy for you to say! At least you can fly anywhere you want." He grabbed a nearby broom that was laying against the wall. "Come on, let's see how long this takes us!"
Crystal smiled back at him. "You know... I'd be lying if I said I didn't wanna stretch my wings out a bit."
Lightning gave a determined nod and took his position. "Alright, let's tidy this place up!"
The two got into gear and started cleaning the house, beginning with the entrance room and separating from there; Lightning took the bottom floor, while Crystal flew up to the top. As they scoured the house, they cleaned up most of the dust and washed away whatever stray paint drops they could find. Unlike most unicorns who would use magic almost reflexively for such a task, Lighting did his part of the work with his hands instead of using any magic of his own.
After checking throughout their areas a few more times to make sure they had cleaned everywhere, they unpacked their belongings.
Their room was on the top floor, with a semi-room for Crystal right next to Lightning's bed. Said room was a rather plain medium-sized cardboard box, but it had all the essentials in it, including her bed, a drawer, and enough space for her to comfortably stretch out.
"I guess we'd better give the builders a tip for the extra detail, huh?" Crystal said as she finished her packing.
Lighting finished soon after. "I'll say," he said, inspecting her room. "It's a good thing the workers were notified in advance that a fairy would be one of the new residents! I'll have to thank Grand Ruler sometime."
"It's definitely nice to have him as a legal guardian, that's for sure." She flew out of her room and perched atop Lightning's head. "Alright, let's see who we need to talk to! You got the list, right?"
"Yep!" Lightning said as he took a sheet of paper out of his pocket and read through the instructions. "Apparently, we have to see the local gardener about a new flower he was working on. And according to this, he's a fellow Starfleet trainee! Didn't think you could hold a secondary job while you were in Starfleet, but whatever."
"Well, it only makes sense, right?" Crystal perked up. "If you managed to find your special talent before wanting to join, you'd have to make just as much time for your passion as you do your duty to Starfleet. It's only fair."
"I guess that makes sense, though I'm still a little confused," Lightning said. He shook his head and started walking downstairs in search of the garden. "Oh well. Let's get a move on!"
They made their way towards the entrance of Rainbow City. A small, red building stood in front of it, beside which was a garden teeming with a wide variety of plants from several of the planets that Neo-Equestria had assisted. There were all different shapes and sizes, and some were even carniverous - perfect for any pesky bugs that got near them. Lightning and Crystal ventured through the garden, searching for whomever was in charge of it, when they came across a big, beautiful yellow-and-orange flower.
"Oh my!" Crystal said, eying the flower. "I've never seen anything so beautiful! It must be incredibly rare, for it to look like that!" She inched closer to the flower, and then reached out to touch it. All of a sudden, it burst into flame and disintegrated into a fine ash.
She floated there, stunned for a moment, before quietly saying, "Uh... What the heck just happened?"
Lightning panicked slightly. "It's okay! No biggie, um... If we can just calmly explain this to the gardener..."
"What is there to calmly explain, Lightning Dawn?! A flower just burst into flame! I can't live my life knowing I had something to do with that!"
"Something to do with what?" The two froze at the sound of a deep voice. Behind them stood a relatively tall, well-built, ruby-red earth pony with a dark green vest and light brown work pants. He had a small horn on his head, wings about Lightning's size, and his cutie mark, a flower pot with a rose in it, was engraved on his shirt. He stood there, patiently waiting, his arms folded as he looked at his guests.
"So..." Lightning looked down, slightly nervous. "You must be the guy who looks after all these?"
"I heard a bit of commotion, that's all. Did something happen to one of my plants?" He noticed the burned pile of particles that used to be his flower. "Ah..."
Crystal flew up and bowed her head. "Please, forgive me; I just wanted to look at it, then it just exploded! If it had something to do with me, I'm willing to take the full blame for it!"
"It was partly my fault, too!" Lightning ran to Crystal's side. "See, we came here to look for you, and I didn't even think about waiting! And I should have made sure she didn't get too close to the flower; I didn't even know that would happen!"
For a little bit, the pony looked at the two. Then, he let out a soft chuckle, followed by a bellowing laugh. Lightning and Crystal looked confused; hadn't they just been responsible for the death of one of his rare flowers? Had he gone mad from grief?
"Oh my... Is that what you were worried about?" the pony said as he recovered from his laughter, wiping a tear from his eye. "If it's that particular species, then I'm not worried one bit!"
Now they were just dumbfounded. "Wait... What?" Lightning looked at the pony in disbelief. They were pointed in the direction of the ashes, which already had a brand new bud growing from them.
"I... I don't believe it! It's growing again?" Crystal could only look from a distance so as to not make it spontaneously combust again.
"Of course it's growing again," said the gardener. "That's a phoenix flower from the planet Ignis; they're what give the place its scorching hot atmosphere. When they reach the end of their life cycle, instead of decaying, they simply burn up and regrow in their own ashes."
Crystal looked slightly confused. "Um... Wait, so it didn't explode because of me?"
"Not even close! In fact, I'd be more worried about what would have happened to you." He took another good look at the fairy. "You're lucky you didn't get any first-degree burns; if that happened, I'd probably be a little less cheery."
The duo sighed with relief. "Well, I'm just glad nothing too serious happened..." Lightning wiped a cold sweat from his brow. "So yeah, we came here to look for you; this list mentions you're a fellow Starfleet trainee, is that right?"
"Ah, so you're the pony I was told to expect here!" The pony extended his hand to Lightning. "I forgot to introduce myself; the name's Garter Variety, future Starfleet officer and local gardener."
Lightning shook Garter's hand and smiled. "Lightning Dawn! It's a pleasure to meet you! And this is Crystal."
"You definitely look like you'd get picked for the job, in no time!" Crystal regained her usual confidence. "I mean, even a hydra would run with its tail between its legs just by looking at you!"
"You think so?" He gave off another chuckle. "I mean, I seriously doubt a hydra would give me the kind of reaction you gave off."
The two gave a bit of a sheepish look and glanced to the side. "Yeah... Talk about first impressions, huh?" Crystal let out an embarrassed laugh. "Anyway, guess I'll see you around? We gotta find the rest of the ponies on this list."
"Yeah," said Lightning. "It's been a pleasure to meet you! Can't wait to train together!"
"Hang on." Garter stopped them before they could leave. "Lemme see that list, for a sec."
"Um... Sure, what for?" Crystal gave him the list, watching as he observed it carefully.
"Uh-huh... Yep, just as I figured. About half the ponies on this list happen to be Starfleet officers in training." Garter tucked the list into his pocket. "And as luck would have it, all these guys happen to be my friends! Most of them like to go to the Sweet N' Sleep inn in Rainbow City Central. That's our favorite place to hang out at this time."
"So wait, you're saying you can lead us there?" Lightning said, to be sure.
"Well... That's kinda only half of it." Garter rubbed his neck a bit, then pointed to a few boxes. "See, I also need a couple extra hands delivering those crates of vegetables to one of the chefs there: Caesar Salad. He's been running low, and I thought this would help. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
Crystal perked up at the sound of that, and started carrying a crate above her head. "Well, a Starfleet officer's duty is to help those in need of assistance, right?"
"Yep. Which is why I'm more than willing to help!" Lightning walked to the crates and picked up another.
"Thanks a ton, Lightning. You're doing me quite the favor." Garter smiled as he got the third one. "Now, let's get these to the inn." The three finally set off with their crates in tow.
The trip took them about twenty minutes; that's ten to make it to the city, and ten to make it through the bustling crowds to their location. Rainbow City, being the capitol of the entirety of Neo-Equestria, was no stranger to such crowds; many ponies, dragons, griffons, changelings, and other different races tended to gather here from across the planet, and even races from across other parts of the universe would often come here. Being the location of Starfleet's central facilities probably had something to do with it. Rainbow Central, the location of the Sweet N' Sleep inn, was even more hectic by comparison. About the biggest help there was the weather vane in the center with each of the compass directions surrounding it.
Lightning was a little overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle, while still carrying his crate. "Geez... Can this city get a little less crowded?"
"You think it's crowded now?" Garter joked. "Wait until somepony has an important meeting with either Starfleet or the Grand Ruler. Then we can talk about crowded."
"I think I'll take your word for it." Lightning looked around for where they were supposed to go. "So where is this inn, anyway? I'd have an easier time knowing what it looked like from the outside."
"Everypony gets a little bit confused on their first time through the city. But once you know where to go, everything becomes a whole lot easier." Garter went to the southeast section of the vane and pointed to the gray-bricked section of building across from it. "You see that? That's the Sweet N' Sleep. The foundation isn't much, but its atmosphere is why we like to come here. That, and the food is good."
"Is this Caesar Salad really all that?" As she spoke, Crystal could feel her stomach growling. "Eh... No better time than the present to find out, right?"
Lightning clutched his eager stomach as well. "I guess we really should have gotten something to eat, first..."
The three headed right on inside; what appeared to be one section of wall with a door opened up to a nice, quaint little joint with dim lighting, with a decent selection of tables for its size and a varied selection of music, of which a small 20's style jazz rhythm was currently playing. There wasn't really any theme to it; for the most part, what you see is what you get. It truly was the definition of an underrated gem.
Crystal admired the place. "Wow... You'd normally expect a pony known for his cooking expertise to open a five-star restaurant, or something. This just seems like a local hub. Not gonna lie, I kinda like it!"
"I'll say; after all the crowds outside, it's just nice to be able to relax for once." Lightning stretched his limbs freely again. "So, where's this Caesar Salad character?"
As if on cue, out came a slightly aged, sky-blue earth pony with a chef's outfit and his own cutie mark, a frying pan, etched into it. He eagerly came out to greet the group. "Ah, Garter, my boy! Good to see you could finally make it, ah?"
"Hey, Caesar! Always glad to be here," Garter said from behind his crate.
"And I see you brought company over! What's the occasion?"
"Right; I should probably introduce them. These are Lightning Dawn and Crystal, fellow Starfleet trainees." They waved for a bit before Garter continued. "I just wanted to introduce them to the others. They're in the usual spot, right?"
"Ah, but of course! Just put these vegetables down in the kitchen, and we'll get you all set up!" Caesar led them to the kitchen, which had quite a few talented chefs hard at work and making a wide variety of tasty meals. Just walking through the doors was enough to make Lightning and Crystal's mouths water.
"Now that is a scent to remember!" A happy Crystal said as Caesar led her to the counter to put her crate down, followed by Lightning and Garter. "Do all deliveries go here?"
"Now, what kind of question is that? Of course the deliveries go into the kitchen, do they not?" Caesar opened up the crates, little by little, and started to get the veggies ready. "I see you have already taken a liking to the food?"
"Yeah!" Lightning said. "I already can't wait to take my order!"
"In that case, let's hurry on over to the table so we can take our orders," Garter said to the two. "We can admire the food when we're about to eat it."
"He is right," Caesar said with a jolly disposition. "It would be a waste to have your first night here consist of standing around and doing nothing. Now go and meet your little band, Lightning!"
"Thanks, Caesar!" Lightning excitedly followed Garter to the table, with Crystal trailing behind them. They soon made it to the table, where three ponies already awaited them.
An orange pegasus with a blonde mane, wearing a navy-blue shirt with a paint set sewn on it, and matching black pants, waved to the group. He spoke in a thin southern accent. "Heya, Garter! Glad to see you could finally make it!"
"Sorry for the wait; we had a bit of an errand to run." Garter motioned to his new friends yet again. "Everypony, meet Lightning Dawn and Crystal. They're fellow Starfleet trainees, and they just moved in. They helped me with the delivery this time around, too."
"It's really nice to meet you all!" Lightning waved at the group, with Crystal doing the same.
"Hey, the feeling's mutual!" said another pegasus. This one was indigo with a lavender mane, black pants, and a thin, gray long-sleeved shirt with a constellation on it. "Any new recruit is always welcome around here."
"Go on and sit down, I guess." The third pony sitting down turned her head, but still looked at them. She was a unicorn, bright yellow with a dark-brown mane, wearing a green-and-orange striped shirt, tan shorts, and a black jacket with a written paper and pen on it.
Lightning sat on down, next to the indigo pony. Crystal soon followed, perching on the table next to her friend. "So, now that you know our names already, what're your names?"
The indigo pony spoke first. "It's Astra; Astra Physics! Wow, the more we talk, the more I feel like I'm getting to know you better!"
The orange one was next. "The name's Colin Canvas, pard. I'm hopin' we can get along just fine. Maybe I could invite ya to Golden Acres, sometime."
And lastly, the yellow pony. "Percy Prose. I'd prefer it if you just called me Percy, of course."
"Right..." Crystal managed to get herself comfortable. "Anyway, I'm glad we finally get to meet some fellow fighters! And you look like you already have your own callings in life aside from that. I mean, your cutie marks are all on your clothes."
"Obviously; we can't exactly show our flanks in public," Percy spoke with a dry wit to her. "But if you insist, I prefer to do stage productions most of the time."
"My favorite thing to do aside from trainin' is paintin'," Colin started to ramble a little. "I mean, it's kinda out there fer a fighter pony, sure, but lookit Garter over there; he's the strongest-lookin' of the entire group, and his main hobby is somethin' perceived as a girl's thing." This, in turn, caused Garter to roll his eyes, slightly.
"Thank you, Colin, for reiterating that. I'm sure nopony picked up on that already." Percy looked at Colin with a duller expression than normal as she said this.
"And what about you?" Lightning looked to Astra. "I'm guessing stargazing's your thing?"
"Actually, just astronomy in general," Astra said with eagerness in her voice. "I've always wanted to travel beyond the stars and check out different planets; it's like every science fiction fan's biggest desire! I mean, seriously!" She caught herself and stopped her gushing before looking back to Lightning. "So, why did you choose join Starfleet, anyway?"
"Simple," exclaimed Lightning. "I wanna get stronger and help anypony in need, just like I did when I met Crystal."
"Wait, you met by helping your buddy?" Garter and the others looked curious, now.
"Of course!" Crystal flew up in a glitter of positive energy. "All the way back in Amethyst Bog!"
"You two were that place?!" Colin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "And ya both survived?!"
"That's, like, the place where you'd find monsters of all shapes and sizes!" Astra added.
"Now, you've gotten me a little curious." Percy eyed the two, as did everypony else.
"Well, I guess we gotta tell them now..." Crystal giggled. The two began to recount their story, starting with how they first woke up...
Time passed, and as the group ate their meal, Lightning and Crystal had recapped just about all that had happened to them. They recounted their bout with the cragadile, Lightning's strange golden power, and their being taken in by the Grand Ruler. They talked for so long, going on about the training they received, that by the time they finished, they were already heading out the front door.
"It was nice to meet you, Caesar Salad!" Lightning and the others said their temporary goodbyes to their chef friend.
"Hey, no problem at all! It's always a pleasure having another favorite customer!" Caesar smiled wide at the group. "Have fun, you six!"
The group waved goodbye as they started to walk southwest. Astra was the first to break the silence. "So, the Grand Ruler was the one who raised you? I gotta admit, I'm actually a little jealous!"
"We've all had our own share of his teachings," Garter mused. "And yet, to be personally raised by him... That's actually quite a big deal."
Lightning blushed a little bit. "Oh, come on; he just took me in like anypony would have. Just because he's all godlike and everything doesn't mean he can't take a pony under his wing, right?"
"There's one thing that's been bothering me," said Astra, "and that's your horn. It's got that golden look to it, kinda like the Grand Ruler himself."
"I've actually been meaning to ask about that." Garter took a closer look at it. "It definitely doesn't look normal..."
Lightning looked a little confused. "Why do you say that? I'm sure there are other unicorns with golden horns; I mean, look at Percy!"
"Yellow horn," Percy commented. "Mine is a brighter yellow. Yours is a thinner, dimmer shade associated with gold. And besides, a horn that's a different color from your fur isn't exactly natural."
"That's not the only thing that bothers me..." Astra continued to examine it. "It's the same color as that of the Grand Ruler, but far from the same composition. It's definitely made from the usual mixture of keratin and magic, that's for sure."
Colin started pondering a theory of his own. "Maybe the Grand Ruler had a thing with a very special pony an' kept it a secret? Then somethin' happened to make 'em both forget their family lives! I mean, the coats are similar too, y'know!"
"That theory is about as half-baked as the other two dozen you came up with this week," Percy snarked.
"Aww c'mon, Percy, ya liked the idea of that schoolfilly bein' Gaia the whole time," Colin teased, causing her to look away in slight embarrassment. "Heck, the comics even confirmed it to be canon."
"I like Adolescent Avengers as much as the next guy," Garter intervened, "but can we stay on the subject of Lightning's origin?"
"Regardless," Astra stated, "no matter what our situation is, there's always an answer at the Onyx Eagle library! I just know Aunt Ingrid will have a book on this subject; there are books on just about anything we've picked up from other planets!"
"Wait, Ingrid?" Lightning stopped her. "That sounds an awful lot like..."
"Ingrid Tuition? You know of her?"
"Know of her?" Lightning stated gushing. "She's the strategist of Team Trifecta! How could I not know of her?"
Astra smiled with a soft blush. "Well, I mean, I don't think it's that big of a deal..."
"She's a big deal, alright! She survived the planet Barbaria while nearly beaten and with her wings broke!"
Crystal flew up to join in. "Nopony could forget a team like that, let alone a pony of her stature!"
"Wow... You two are just as big of fans of my aunt as I am!" Astra couldn't help but squee. "We have got to hang out a lot more often!"
"Looks like the whole gang is already getting along, perfectly. "Garter looked towards the bunch, then in front of him. "Well, we're finally here; take a good look, you two."
Before the group proudly stood a giant statue in the shape of an eagle about to take flight, adorned with a thick, black shine, the insides of its wings glittering bright red as the sun shone upon it. Lightning and Crystal saw it from the Celestial Palace several times, but from above it was about the size of a pill bug, compared to the thirty-foot tall monument in front of them.
Oh, and there were doors and windows. That was also pretty important.
Astra nudged the speechless unicorn and fairy. "Stop standing there with your mouths gaping open, and let's go! There's gotta be something for us to look at!"
Lightning and Crystal shook their heads and nodded. "Right," said the former. "Let's get on that!"
As soon as they went in, they were surrounded by walls lined with rows upon rows of books upon their thick, wooden shelves, all within walls of star sapphire that decorated the otherwise hollow interior. Lightning and Crystal were even more amazed than before, while the others were pretty much used to the sight already.
As they walked further, a light brown, older-looking pegasus with a brown mane, black-rimmed glasses, and a beige shirt and pants, a book etched into the former, flew up to them. "Why, hello everypony! It's a pleasure to see you again."
Astra ran up and hugged her beloved aunt. "It's always good to be here, Aunt Ingrid. I have some friends I want you to meet!"
Ingrid smiled and chuckled a little bit. "I can see that; the young unicorn pony and the fairy, correct?"
Lightning ran up with excitement. "The name's Lightning Dawn! It's a pleasure to meet you, sir! I mean, ma'am! I mean, miss! I mean... Oh wow, meeting a famous pony is even tougher than I thought."
Crystal flew towards Ingrid, as well. "My name's Crystal; Lightning and I are huge fans of your team!"
Astra couldn't help but jump for joy. "Ooh, tell them the story about how you, Hocus Pocus, and Equal Librium took down the Goblin King!"
Ingrid felt a little overwhelmed. "I can tell you that story when I'm off duty, really... So, what can I do for you today?"
"We're here to check up on any history books detailing ponies with golden horns." Garter finally chimed right in. "Nopony asides the Grand Ruler himself has one of this sheen, and absolutely nopony we knew before now even had one that wasn't actually comprised of gold."
"A golden horn... You're right; except for our leader himself, absolutely nopony has that sort of phenomenon as a part of them." Ingrid continued to think about the situation. "Throughout the stars, there have not been any stories of ponies being born with any color of horn that isn't their natural fur."
"Told you," Percy looked to Lightning.
"Then I guess ya can't be of much help, huh?" Colin looked down, a bit disappointed, before Ingrid began to perk back up again.
"Although! Maybe the answer isn't in any books, but rather... Hmm... Excuse me for a bit!" She rushed on over to the phone and made a quick call while the others waited.
"... Hello, Hocus? It's Ingrid. ... Yeah, I kinda need you over here, pronto. ... Wait, what? ... Oh, of course you should bring Equal! Everypony's going to need to be involved in this. ... Very well; we'll all meet in the staff lounge. ... Okay. I love you too. ... Bye." After hanging up, she looked to the others. "If you would, please follow me. My teammates should be joining us, shortly."
Lightning could feel his palms getting slightly sweaty at the thought of this. "I... I'm really going to meet the entire ace team! I can't believe it!"
"Neither can I!" said Crystal. "But, uh... Let's just try and keep our composure, this time; we've done enough gushing for one day. Any more, and I feel like the windows could shatter from our squeeing."
Lightning softly laughed as they headed inside the room.
The area was colored similarly, but with a nice, smooth, oval-shaped mahogany table with plenty of chairs to go around. The walls, once again, were covered with a thick, wooden bookshelf lined with... Well, take a guess.
As they began to take their seats, suddenly a magical wind surrounded them; Lightning and Crystal wondered what was going on, while the others were just about used to this. Before them, the wind gathered near the entrance to the room, a tremendous explosion of smoke occurred where it all converged. Before them stood a proud, purple unicorn with his black and red cape and silver mane and tail flowing in the breeze. He turned around and revealed his armor, with a black and white magic wand engraved on it.
"To those that require the assistance of Hocus Pocus, the greatest magician in all the land..." From beneath his cape, he pulled out his magician's hat and, with a flick of the wrist, placed it atop his head. "What you are about to see is a stallion of wonder, amazement, and true justice! I, the leader of Team Trifecta, ace team of the prior decade, shall give you all the greatest show you've ever seen in your--"
"Ahem..." Ingrid interrupted. "We're not actually doing a show, today."
The unicorn frowned pretty heavily. "Darn it, and I worked all day on that..."
A tall, green, slightly scrawny earth pony with a brown mane and a white lab coat with a beaker sewn on it, emerged from behind Hocus. "I don't think you need a dramatic entrance for such an occasion, anyway. But regardless of the case, it's always good to see you all here, again."
Astra quickly went up and gave both of the stallions hugs. "Hi, Equal, and Uncle Hocus! I missed you the past couple weeks!"
"Well, you know," Equal smiled, "it's always busy down at my lab in Emerald Fields. Who knows what the other ponies could possibly require that none of them have?"
Hocus also let out a warm smile. "I haven't been able to clear up my schedule; so many ponies wish to see my magic shows, it's quite a miracle I have any time to begin with. I'm just glad to see my favorite little niece again." Astra giggled as her uncle said this.
"This goes for the rest of you, in tandem." Equal stood back up and walked to the bunch. "It's always a pleasure to see all my favorite students. And it appears we have a newcomer in our midst!"
"Lightning Dawn, sir! It's a real honor to meet you. This is my best friend, Crystal."
Crystal could barely keep her composure. "I'm honored, really!"
"I assure you, you'll be seeing us around, plenty." Equal went back to the others. "So, what appears to be the situation?"
Ingrid decided to inform her teammates. "Lightning's horn, I'm sure you've noticed, is a golden hue compared to the rest of his body. I was hoping the three of us could figure out why that is?"
"A golden horn, huh..." Hocus looked at the horn a bit. "Definitely not a normal occurrence. But we'll try to come up with an answer for that."
Equal started to examine Lightning's horn. "Yyyyep, just the usual composition; absolutely nothing like the Grand Ruler's horn in any way."
"It's certainly unlike anything we've seen thus far." Ingrid mused, slightly. "Nothing like this was ever documented in any of the books I've read..."
Hocus thought for a bit, then took another, closer look at Lightning's head, trying to find something... Suddenly, however, he became startled as he looked to the side. "What? Now?!"
"What's the matter, Hocus?" Lightning asked.
"Oh no..." Ingrid had a grim look on her face. "Did you sense something?"
"A high level of powerful magic... Everypony, be on your guard! Ingrid, Equal, let's hurry!"
"But what about us?" Crystal said, worried.
Equal had a serious look on his face as he gazed at the group. "It would be wise to stay put until the coast is clear... I don't know if your training can quite handle this, if it's enough to make Hocus get serious for even a minute."
"Just be safe, okay you three?" Astra ran up and gave her heroes another hug.
Ingrid instinctively comforted her niece. "We'll be fine, honey; really. This'll blow over before you know it."
Suddenly, they heard a crashing sound at the library, followed by a tremor shaking the ground where they all stood. With no more time to waste, the three members of Team Trifecta hurried on over to the scene. The others decided to take a peek to check out what was going on.
Outside, the sky had turned dark with an ominous thick cloud, blocking the sunlight as it came. Several ponies started to run for cover after the tremor had started, hiding behind bookshelves and under tables as they looked at the bleak sky above them. As Starfleet's fighters stood their ground, the doors swung open and a purple cloud of fog rolled right in. In front of them appeared a familiar figure, and one that struck fear into the hearts of the weak-hearted. The trio was left in surprise, while the recruits could only watch with anticipation and horror...
"No... It can't be..." Lightning remembered his ancient texts once again, recalling the very sorcerer that threatened to come back all that time ago.
The hooded figure looked down towards his to-be opponents, cackling maniacally as he did... "I - Nadir - have finally returned." His eyes glowed blood-red...
"This is your final warning. Stand down, or suffer the consequences."
The Grand Ruler, in all his pristine glory, stood amidst a sandstorm-ridden desert, barren of habitual plant life. In front of him stood an opposing monster - batlike with a hellish red color, thin, leathery wings protruding from his dark red clothes, and razor-sharp claws, which equaled his demonic face. His upper teeth stuck out, his long ears twitched, and his red, beady eyes stared down his adversary with a fiery glare. His army, filled with members of many other races, all wearing black, rusted armor, surrounded the alicorn.
The creature spoke in a high-pitched, screechy voice. "You really think you can stand against the mighty Nightcrawler Bandits? I've heard of a death wish, but this is beyond suicidal!"
The Grand Ruler stood firm. "Your kind has taken valuable treasures from their owners, pillaged entire planets, and murdered more than enough residents to get what you want. The crimes you've committed cannot go unpunished, any longer." He opened his wings, taking the stance of a falcon about to dive towards its prey. "I will give you another chance, Redfang: surrender your forces and come quietly, or I'll have no choice but to stop you."
Redfang simply screeched with laughter in response. "Really! You, stopping us? Alone? No one has ever stood up to our numbers, let alone survived! What makes you think you're any different? Followers, show this fool what happens to vermin when they cross our paths!"
As the powerful bandits soon lunged towards their opponent, the golden-horned alicorn simply sighed...
"I can't say I didn't warn you..."
The alicorn ducked under one rat bandit's axe, then decked him with an uppercut that sent him flying out of the fight. The rest of the bandits proceeded to attack regardless, which would turn out to be the biggest mistake of their lives. Some reptilians attempted to swing their clubs at him from all angles, to which the Grand Ruler dodged each one and simply let them all hit each other on the head. A few minotaurs tried to charge at him from behind, which he countered by flying right behind them as he karate chopped them into unconsciousness. A good number of harpies opted to fly above him and shoot at him with poison-tipped arrows, only for the powerful being to catch every single one they fired, breaking each one in half before he flew up to them and kicked them all to the ground.
As the Grand Ruler landed, an incredibly large ogre swung his ax at him, landing a clean hit to the side...unfortunately for the latter, however, though his armor gained a crack from the impact, the pony himself didn't even feel a thing, whereas the ax had been dented greatly from hitting it. The ogre, realizing his mistake, began shuddering with fear as his foe looked towards him.
"Are you done, yet? You could have torn my cape." His wings' feathers began to stand up on end, as if a white flame had been lit. The ogre just stood silent, unable to bring himself to move. "Looks like your combat instincts are as finely tuned as your craftsmanship. Permit me to give you a crash course."
The Grand Ruler roundhouse kicked the ogre into the air, then flew up and landed a powerful punch to his face, sending him falling straight to the ground in a cloud of dust. With the bandits unable to get up, the alicorn stood over his last opponent and looked towards their leader.
"This is your final warning: surrender, or be defeated!"
Furious, the minuscule menace bared his claws and fangs, ready to take a bite out of the pony. "You...you'll pay for humiliating the Nightcrawlers! YOU'LL PAY!" He flew around his adversary with incredible speed. "This is my true power! You can't possibly find a way to counter this, pony, but I'd like to see you try!" The bat laughed even more maniacally than ever, as he lunged towards the Grand Ruler.
He responded by grabbing him by the head, letting the creature flail about in his hand. "If your mouth didn't give you away, then your lacking the element of surprise would have. Even a newborn foal would have been able to react fast enough."
A large spaceship flew overhead and landed near the battlefield. Several ponies of different sizes and colors, all clad in full-body armor, rushed out to greet their employer. A light gray pegasus with a turquoise mane and two crossing blades emblazoned on her silver chest armor landed right next to him. "Grand Ruler, sir! We've finished freeing the bandits' prisoners, just like you ordered."
The Grand Ruler smiled softly at this news. "Ah. Thank you kindly, Aqua Marine. You're right on time, too; I would like you to round up the bandits in front of your fleet. Make sure nopony goes unfed, got it?"
"Understood, sir!" Aqua turned to her subordinates and barked her orders. "You heard him: round up the enemies and keep them from making anymore trouble!"
Without another word, the rest of the guards gathered the defeated bandits and cuffed them, before carrying them all inside the ship. Most of them came quietly, while their loudmouth of a leader continued flailing and cursing as the Grand Ruler walked inside with him in tow.
"Contact Neo-Equestria and tell them we'll be on our way," he said as he placed the little runt into a tiny, glass box (with air holes). "Let them know that the Nightcrawler Bandits have officially been disbanded."
Aqua saluted, then went straight to the communication panel. "This is Captain Aqua Marine to Neo-Equestria. We have detained the Nightcrawlers, and will be heading home shortly."
... No answer. Just static.
"Aqua Marine to Neo-Equestria, do you read me?"
... Still nothing.
"What seems to be the issue?" The Grand Ruler walked towards Aqua.
"It's...it's not going through! I'm getting some interference."
He seemed a tad puzzled. "There shouldn't be a cloud in the sky today. What could possibly be interfering at this time? Let me scout out the problem..."
He stood perfectly still with his eyes closed, trying to sense the magical output of his planet... What he saw caused him to break out in a cold sweat. A dark, purple cloud was blocking any and all magic from being sensed. "But how? This kind of phenomenon should be impossible, unless..." He checked to another corner of the universe, and was even more horrified at the sight he was to behold...
Nadir had broken free of Eris.
The Grand Ruler gasped and swiftly opened his eyes, hyperventilating at the visions he picked up.
"Sir?" Aqua interrupted his train of thought. "You look like you've seen the end of the world. Is everything alright?"
"It's...it's him...Nadir broke free while my back was turned..."
With just that one sentence, Aqua's entire demeanor changed. "What? But he's not to emerge until the seal weakens!"
"Then it must have happened earlier than anticipated!" The alicorn quickly stepped outside, with Aqua following him with a worried expression. "I'm going there, myself. Tell the others to stay away in the meantime!"
Aqua nodded nervously. "Y-Yes, sir! Should I notify the others?"
"Guards only; they can't be kept in the dark about this. The guests and prisoners cannot know of anything going wrong." As he took to the skies, he left a final order. "And be sure everyone is safe, not just the ponies."
The Grand Ruler flew off as fast as he could, and burst through the atmosphere without hesitation. As he moved in the direction of his home, he began to have thoughts about the ponies on his home planet, especially the special pony and fairy from long ago.
"Everypony...please, hang in there! I'm on my way!"
As the darkened sky struck with bolt after bolt of fierce lightning, Nadir stood imposingly in front of Team Trifecta. Many a pony simply ran and found a place to hide as he surveyed the landscape.
"So," he said. "This is what has become of your planet since last I arrived? I hope you don't plan on relying on your precious Grand Ruler, like you did in centuries past."
The trio stared down their adversary, visibly stunned by the being's visible power. Regardless, they took their battle stances and stood down the sorcerer.
He scoffed at them, looking slightly amused. "You're the most powerful ponies on this planet, barring that foolish alicorn? From the looks of things, even my weakened state can wipe your entire trinity out in an instant. But no matter; I'll have immense satisfaction knowing that you'll be dealt with!"
As he unleashed a dark aura around him, everypony in the room began to feel uneasy. Despite their growing fears, however, the trio continued to stand their ground.
"Vile sorcerer..." Hocus began to bellow. "You would dare come back to our world and resume your dark designs? If your wish is to do harm unto us, then we won't allow it!"
Ingrid followed. "What you see, here, is the home of many innocent ponies and other countless species! We won't allow you anywhere near them!"
Equal concluded, as he pulled out a ray gun from his coat pocket. "For their sake, and for the rest of the universe, you will be apprehended!"
The three ponies emitted a bright light and immediately changed into bright lavender, beige, and light emerald-colored armor before circling around Nadir. He fired several bolts of dark lightning at them, but they dodged the attacks and countered with their own powerful strikes, landing hit after hit on their foe.
Ingrid struck with fast, powerful, calculated blows on the opponent with her hands and feet. Hocus fired several blasts of different properties, dealing different types of damage. Equal, meanwhile, used a wide array of gadgets to get the job done, from his stun blaster to his mini-bomb launcher. Despite all these, the sorcerer seemed unrelenting even in the face of this total onslaught.
As the fight went on, Lightning, Crystal, and their newfound friends quietly watched the battle from the staff room.
"Incredible..." Lightning had a look of anticipation. "I've never seen Team Trifecta fight up close, before; this is something else!"
"I know we have to keep quiet until this is over," Crystal mused. "But I wish there was something we could do to help..."
Astra could only barely keep their excitement. "There's really no need to worry! Once they start sizing up their enemy, the fight's pretty much over."
Shortly afterward, Hocus fired a burst of magic that trapped Nadir in what looked like chains made of black lightning before they went for a team attack. Ingrid swept by the sorcerer at what looked like the speed of light and delivered many powerful blows across the body, knocking Nadir around like a punching bag. As she did, Hocus fired a powerful blast at him, sending him against a wall. Finally, Equal aimed his personal favorite weapon, the multi-purpose ray gun, and fired several powerful laser shots at the dark being, causing plenty of second-degree burns in the process. Nadir, much to their surprise, continued to stand tall without many visible injuries aside from the burns, though he still staggered slightly.
"Hey Equal," Hocus shouted. "Remember what the Grand Ruler said for whenever we deal with this guy; don't hold back! The fate of the world is at stake now, more than ever."
"Don't have to tell me, twice." Equal set his ray gun from 'stun mode' to 'scorching hot'. "I hate to have to do this, but I think it's time to give him the old 'Darkfire Combo'!"
Garter's ears perked. "They finally perfected that move, have they? I recall them saying they'd only save such an attack for when the threat is too great."
"Looks like now's as good a time's ever," Colin responded. "That guy looks like the kinda person ya wouldn't wanna invite to a get-together."
Hocus conjured up a series of portals while Nadir was still getting up, with a bigger one between both parties, followed by him and Equal respectively firing a powerful beam of magic and a red-hot laser blast into it. The attacks landed from all conceived angles, actually causing the sorcerer to make audible sounds of pain. As the attacks collided, a gray explosion of smoke and dust covered the library, leaving the results as a brief, but certain, mystery.
"Did...did it work?" Colin wondered.
"An attack like that could probably torch a normal being in seconds," Garter mused.
"Then...that means they won!" Lightning pumped his fist in the air. "They beat him!"
"That was so AWESOME!" Astra jumped for joy. "I mean, they pretty much had that in the bag!"" Without thinking, she hugged Lightning in her excitement.
"Well, looks like everything worked out alright!" Crystal smiled as she watched the two ponies.
Percy looked towards the battlefield as the smoke cleared up. "I wouldn't celebrate, just yet..."
"Why'dya say that?" Colin veered his head in the same direction, and his bright expression slowly dimmed. "Aw...horseapples..."
As they turned their heads back to the fight, the sorcerer's figure, though slightly charred, retained its original appearance as quickly as it was lost. There were a few holes in his robe, which patched themselves up as quickly as they were made. His hood, as though quickly hiding his face, reformed the quickest as Nadir regained his posture.
Ingrid flew beside her teammates. "Impossible...that attack should have..."
"Defeated me?" Nadir chuckled. "Don't get me wrong; that actually did hurt quite a bit." He soon became shrouded in a black cloud of mist. "But I have survived that irritating light for nearly a thousand long years, waiting for my chance at victory! And I cannot be killed by such pathetic creatures!"
He struck the three with powerful black bolts of lightning before they could react, sending them back slightly. As the three attempted to get up and fight back, Nadir flew up close and swiped at them with his powerful hands, sending them towards the wall. The trio landed, feet first, before jumping up and landing their strongest attacks on him: a giant magic beam from Hocus, a lightning-fast punch from Ingrid, and another powerful heat blast from Equal. Though they landed their hits, Nadir simply swiped them all away with his might and pounded the trio into the ground with his fist.
The group of six could only watch in horror at what was going on. Lightning and Crystal, unable to believe this, turned his attention to the others.
"This...this can't be right!" Colin looked even more concerned than ever. "Are they really gonna..."
Garter had a worried expression on his face, as he kept trying to look for an answer. "I don't know... They should be able to handle it, but..."
Percy clenched her fists. "We...we still have to stay put...but we can't just..."
Astra, in particular, had the most horrified reaction to all of this. She was on the verge of tears, her voice quivering as she spoke. "No...Aunt Ingrid and Uncle Hocus...we have to help..."
Suddenly, Lightning felt that familiar spark in his heart. "That's it!" He stood up tall and determined, with a look of fury in his eyes. "I'm not going to sit here and let this jerk kill our friends!"
"Lightning, wait!" Crystal tried to stop him. "We can't just run in without a battle plan!"
"We need to go about this is a better manner than whatever it is you're thinking!" Garter said, concernedly.
"What, and let Team Trifecta die?!" Lightning looked at the fight, seeing that Hocus had used his magic to shield his teammates from any fatal blows.
"Persistent little bug..." Nadir towered over them as Hocus stood his ground, his two teammates struggling to get up. "But the most tenacious of all are the ones that are the most satisfying to squish!"
"Ngh...gloat all you want, you fiend... But I won't let you harm my colleagues while I still draw breath!"
"That can be arranged..." Nadir placed his hand in front of the force field and fired a beam straight at Hocus's location, causing him to squirm in pain, but otherwise stare the sorcerer in the face.
"I can't take this anymore! I'm going in!" Lightning raced towards the fight, hoping to stop them in time.
"Lightning! Crystal!" Garter outstretched his hand as the two dashed in.
Before Hocus could give out from exhaustion, Lightning caught the beam of darkness in his hands, screaming in agony as he did.
"Lightning Dawn, what are you doing? You were supposed to stay put with the others!" Hocus pleaded.
"Sorry, Sir, but I can't allow you to die! Not right now!" Lightning winced as the beam slowly pushed him back.
"So, another foolhardy equine wishes to perish as well, does he?" Nadir chuckled as he put more power into his attack. "Then I'll have you sent to your demise in a flash!"
As Lightning continued to struggle against Nadir's might, Crystal flew beside her companion and emitted a field of magic from her hands to help push back the beam. "If you're gonna kill Lightning, you'll have to go through me!"
As the two friends struggled against Nadir together, Astral, Garter, Colin, and Percy all couldn't wait any longer and rushed towards Hocus as his magic finally gave out.
Ingrid slowly got up and inched towards her niece. "Astral? You were supposed to..."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Ingrid," the indigo pony said with tears still in her eyes. "But I can't just let you, Equal, and Uncle Hocus die!"
Equal winced as he clutched his shoulder. "Ngh...I appreciate the offer and all, but we're kinda too banged up to do anything to that guy. Even if we weren't, his strength is greater than we ever could have imagined! You have to flee, now!"
"No can do," Colin said, regaining his cheery smile. "Y'all taught us to be ready for anythin', even ne'er-do-wells like this!"
"I don't know if we can win," Garter said with a determined look on his face. "But we can sure as Tartarus try!"
"As touching as this is," Percy remarked, "I doubt Lightning and Crystal can hold out much longer. We need to get Team Trifecta to safety, right away!"
"But how do we save Lightning?" Colin looked at the pony and his fairy.
As the two continued to defend, Nadir kept pushing them back with his sheer dark power.
"Pathetic little fool! Do you really think you can save them? That everything will turn out okay like in your fairy tales?" He chuckled as he continued to push Lightning and Crystal back. "It's actually quite amusing, yet sad at the same time. Once this world is finished, that miserable Grand Ruler will have nothing to protect. And it all begins with you and your meddlesome little friends."
Lightning gritted his teeth as he glared at the sorcerer with his determined eyes. "I...I won't let you..."
"Hmm?"
The unicorn's golden horn shone bright as he gathered up his strength. "I won't let you harm this world!"
A bright, yellow beam shot out and blasted Nadir in the face, causing him to scream and writhe in agony. Everypony else just stood there, stunned.
"GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!! You...you little WORM! What did you do?"
Lightning looked up and noticed the golden horn. "I...I'm actually using magic..."
"You finally noticed it!" Crystal said with a smile across her face. "I was wondering when it would come back!"
Nadir clutched his face, writhing even still. "I...I see, now... The pony I was searching for wasn't any of these three...but rather, you!"
He rose up to the library's ceiling, a dark cloud of fog surrounding him. Thunder sounded from his very aura, barely containing the dark anger within.
Lightning shouted from below the sorcerer's height. "Hey! Where do you think you're going? We're not through, yet!"
Nadir couldn't help but ponder. "This changes everything...I'm no match for that kind of power, just yet. Hmm...yes, that's it!" He looked towards the young stallion, and raised his voice for all of Neo-Equestria to hear. "Lightning Dawn, was it? You put up a good effort, I'll give you that. However, you still cannot stop me! Once you head to the sacred battlegrounds, I'll prove it to you."
"He doesn't mean..." Abra said.
"Blackheart Hill?" Ingrid followed up.
"Why, you..." Equal seethed with rage as he spoke.
Nadir continued. "Should you somehow pass my test, I might consider allowing this planet to live another day. But I assure you, such a feat won't come very easily. I await your response, Lightning..."
He disappeared into his own darkness, emitting a sinister cackle as he exited the scene. When he disappeared, all that remained was silence...
Silence which Colin soon broke. "Did we win? I mean, he's still on Neo-Equestria, but we kinda got outta this unscathed, so..."
Garter had to actually process this situation for a little bit, understandably shaken. "Honestly? I don't know if we can count that as a victory, since he's still evil and on our turf."
Suddenly, Hocus clutched his head in pain. "Urgh...I think I overdid it, there..."
Astra gasped and ran to him. "Crap, that's right; Team Trifecta took such a huge beating, there! We gotta get them to the hospital, quick!"
She, Garter and Percy took Ingrid, Hocus and Equal, respectively. "Mary's gonna have a field day with this, for sure..."
Lightning looked a bit confused. "Mary? I don't actually recall hearing that name very often."
"I'm guessing word of non-Starfleet members doesn't get around to you, does it?" said Percy. "Mary Aide is a close friend of ours, even though she's not an official trainee. I guess you could call her Neo-Equestria's resident healer."
Colin nodded at this. "Our doctors ain't terrible at their jobs by any means, but Mary's got quite the healin' touch. She can fix ya up quicker than you can say 'here's a tip'! And she does it all with this gorgeous li'l smile on her face, an' it just warms ya right up!"
"Okay, I get it. You like seeing her," The yellow unicorn sighed.
Crystal flew on top of Lightning's shoulder, yawning quite deeply. "I...I shouldn't have used so much magic at once. If this Mary Aide could give me a little pick-me-up, that'd be nice..."
Lightning affectionately nudged her with his fingertip. "It's alright. We'll head there, right away. Besides, at least we get to meet a few more locals, right?"
Astra smiled at Lightning. "Exactly! Let's get going!"
A few hours passed, and our group was still waiting in the hospital for the results. Taking care of Team Trifecta was a hot-pink Earth Pony with a rose-red mane curled up into a ponytail. She wore a white doctor's outfit, and thin, gray-rimmed glasses.
She exited her room and went to the others, with a warm smile on her face.
"I'm guessing they're okay, now?" said Astra. "I'm still worried, regardless..."
Mary looked to the group. "The good news is, Team Trifecta should be up and raring to go within a few days. The injuries sustained will keep them from directly helping you, however."
"And Crystal?" Lightning added.
"She's been resting in the best bed we could find for her; she should be up and raring to go in a few more minutes."
The fairy zoomed on past her and back to Lightning's side. "So, when're we ready to go?"
"Make that a few more seconds. My, she's a spry little thing, isn't she?"
Crystal smiled a tiny bit. "Well, you know me; I never like to start a day late. Someone's gotta wake Lightning up in the morning."
Lightning chuckled. "Didn't stop you from sleeping through lunch that one time."
The fairy pouted at that. "That was a one time thing and you know it!"
The rest of the ponies had a good laugh as well. Colin couldn't help but smile. "Now ain't that just the cutest thing ya ever did see! It's kinda like watchin' two siblings. Maybe y'all are siblings?" Percy groaned and facepalmed in response.
"In any case," Mary interrupted, "they're all awake now; they wish to see you as soon as possible."
"What for?" Garter wondered.
"It's a bit complicated. Just come on inside." As Mary led them into the room, the ponies involved were resting in their hospital beds, allowing their wounds to heal up.
Astra rushed over to them each and gave them soft hugs for fear of hugging them too tightly. "I'm so glad you three are finally okay! I wouldn't have forgiven myself if anything happened to any of you."
Ingrid smiled and looked at her niece. "I'm just happy to see you, dear..."
Hocus chuckled softly. "Don't worry, my dear Astra...nopony can stand up to the mighty Hocus Po--" He was interrupted by his own coughing. "Ah...seems like my body and mind don't agree for once."
Geez Hocus," Ingrid said, "even when you're in the hospital, you can't help but show off!" She giggled a bit. "But I guess that's what made me love you in the first place, you big dork."
Percy folded her arms and sat down. "I'm just relieved you're alright. So, what did you need us for?"
Equal spoke up. "It has to do with me, mainly. But first, allow me to say this...Lightning Dawn, Crystal, Astra Physics, Garter Variety, Colin Canvas, and Percy Prose...today, you've shown an exceptional amount of bravery in standing up to the enemy. And against something like Nadir..." He boiled up as he remembered what the wizard said, before regaining his composure. "But enough about him. This is about you."
"What about us?" Garter asked. "If anything, Lightning was the one who took charge. We just did what any officer would in that situation."
Lightning looked down, clutching his shoulder. "Heh...it was nothing, really. I just didn't wanna see you guys get hurt. Besides, if I didn't act, Nadir would've slaughtered everypony."
"C'mon Lightning, stop bein' so modest!" Colin patted him on the back. "You got the heart of a manticore and the tenacity to boot!"
"But you all knew what you wanted to do," Hocus said. "It wasn't just Lightning. All of you stepped in not just because somepony else did, but because you wanted to. Because you felt the need to protect those closest to you, and to save your friends. I'm proud of that..."
Ingrid smiled warmly. "In any other situation, that would have been a downright reckless move. And believe me, it was. I'm not saying you should do that more often, but at least you took charge and came up with a plan to try and save us."
Astra sighed. "But we couldn't save anypony; we're just trainees. We don't even have our weapons..."
Equal smirks. "That's precisely what I wanted to share with you all today." At once, he pressed a button and his own carrying case expanded into an assorting tray. Within, four weapons of different shapes and sizes appeared before them. The ponies' eyes lit up; even Percy was somewhat shocked.
"Is this...what I think it is?" Garter stood there in further disbelief.
Equal nodded and laid them out for everypony. "The rest of the team and I had been preparing weapons for your initiation. It's a good thing we at least finished these ones. These creations tap into your inner magic and turn into reflections of who you are as ponies."
Astra took a few seconds to process this. "Y-You mean we're..."
Hocus chuckled a bit, still coughing. "After the bravery you six showed today, and after all the training and lessons you went through, I think you're all more than worthy of becoming Starfleet officers. The choice is all yours, of course."
The indigo Pegasus squeed and immediately went for a bow, which immediately started glowing before becoming a silver color with a constellation pattern encrusted on it. "Are you kidding?! I wouldn't give this up for the world!"
Colin went next, grabbing the bō staff and letting it turn a bright orange color, its tip turning into a paintbrush's bristles. "Wouldn't let this opportunity die anytime soon, no siree!"
Garter mused over the weapons for a bit before grabbing the whip, which immediately conformed into a vine-like contraption with retractable thorns and a rose-shaped handle. "I'd be honored to take up this position."
Percy, the last one without a weapon, took the katana which turned its handle a darkened blue, its sheath turning a dim yellow combined with that shade of blue. "If I didn't want to join Starfleet, I wouldn't have taken up the offer to be an officer in the first place."
Lightning spoke up afterward. "Um...what about Crystal and me? Don't we get some cool weapons?"
Equal sadly looked at the two in question. "Sorry, Lightning, but we didn't have a weapon completed for you yet. The Grand Ruler himself said he was perfecting the creation of a very special weapon. With his current absence, we're afraid that's not possible right now..."
This disappointed the two at first, but they quickly perked up. "That's alright," the former assured, "I can handle myself just fine. We've gotten this far, right?"
Crystal eagerly flew up. "He's right! And if he can't handle something, he's got me to bail him out." Lightning rolled his eyes and smiled.
"If we can even wound Nadir, then I'm willing to take any chance we've got."
Hocus couldn't help but smile. "It sincerely warms my heart that the two of you are this dedicated to doing the right thing. Dare I say it, with that kind of attitude, we may very well stand a chance."
Equal nodded and started speaking. "Unfortunately, that monster made his way to Blackheart Hill, where the shrine in which the original fight between the Grand Ruler and Nadir took place. The entrance is easy to find, but it's navigating the treacherous Amethyst Bog that could cause some significant problems."
Lightning's ears perked. "Did you say Amethyst Bog?"
"You've heard of it?" Ingrid looked."
"Oh yeah, we never told you!" Astra giggled. "He and Crystal originally woke up there when they were 5."
The three elite ponies sat up where they were, startled. "They survived as but foals?!" Hocus said, surprisingly the most shocked of all.
"Yep," Colin finished. "But they met each other, took on a wild cragadile and learned that Lightning had a golden power like the Grand Ruler's. Guessin' that's why he picked him up. Still think they're related, though..."
Garter just chuckled. "In other words, he's more than capable of getting us there anyway; if Lightning is with us, he's bound to know his way around at least a little bit.
"Agreed," said Percy. "We'll undoubtedly need a guide, and we happen to have two in our midst. T'was fate that brought us together. At least for this mission, you two are the ones who will lead the way."
Astra and Colin happily saluted Lightning and Crystal without hesitation. "We're ready to follow your lead!"
Percy sighed. "I didn't say he was a leader, just yet. But right now, he and Crystal are our best bet."
Crystal looked at Percy inquisitively. "I think you just rhymed, there." The yellow mare blushed.
"I-It's nothing! Just an old family tic that comes up from time to time. I'm honestly not very good at it..."
Colin put a hand to Percy's shoulder. "I think it was pretty good. A bit rusty, but every work of art needs to start somewhere."
Percy looked away, hiding a smile. "You find everything to be pretty good..."
Hocus interrupted their touching moment. "I believe it is time to hurry and go forth towards Nadir. Every minute we waste is another he could be gaining his power."
Lightning nodded. "Right! If we don't act now, we'll never get anything done! Everypony, get ready and raring to go!"
Crystal flew around before perching atop Lightning's head. "I wouldn't back down for even a minute!"
Astra stood next to Lightning. "I'll develop any strategies you may need!"
Garter took his stance next. "No way am I letting anything slow us down. I'll be sure to take down anything that stands in our way."
Colin stood tall and proud next to the group. "Together, we can take on any challenge! Even Nadir won't stand a ghost of a chance against us!"
Percy was the last to join in. "You're all lucky I like every single being on this planet. Let's do this."
With his confidence at an all-time high, Lightning looked towards his comrades. "Alright! We're finally ready! Everypony, to Amethyst Bog!"
They all headed out of the hospital, weapons secured and not losing sight of one another, they marched towards their destination. What they were unaware of, however, was that they were being watched...
In the very center of Amethyst bog laid a secluded field, thunder clouds roaring overhead, the browned grass filled to the brim with weeds, the long-decayed remains of brave pony warriors from days of old still jutting out. At the top of the hill in question laid a large, stone building laden with stone blocks that somehow failed to give way after years of a lack of use. Inside were plenty of dilapidated tapestries, some of which were still falling apart at the seams. At the very back of the area was a seat, suited only for the Grand Ruler himself. No points for guessing who decided to break that rule.
The sorcerer looked into his magic sphere, gazing at Lightning and co. from afar. "So, he decided to show up after all, did he?" He cackled maniacally. "Time to put my plan into motion..."
At once, Nadir used his magic to bring four corpses back to life, watching as they emerged from the ground. Soon, they all began to take their shape, though still shrouded in darkness, their eyes glowing a bright red as they bowed towards their master...
"What is your command, my lord?" They all spoke in unison.
Nadir simply smirked and looked at his new minions with a commanding presence.
"At last...my plan B is coming into fruition. Best of luck, Lightning Dawn...for you're going to need every last drop!"