Starfleet Magic (Movie): The Switch Before Hearths Warming/Christmas

ACT EIGHT

It was a quarter to dawn in United Equestria. Celestia and Celesto were sleeping peacefully in the royal master bedroom. They somehow managed to make it through the night.

The magical music-box alarm clock on the stand next to the bed began to play bright yet soft music telling them it was time to get up.

“Celesto… stop that noise!” groaned Celestia.

Her husband, however, awoke bright as ever. As a businessman, he was always an extra early riser and used to it.

“Come on, Celestia. We must get up, or don’t you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“…We have to raise the sun, or at least make it look like we can. Now, come on!”

His wife begrudgingly managed to sit upright. She never woke up this early in the morning, when it was still so dark out. She would usually sleep another hour or so.

She almost fell back down again to drift back to sleep, but Celesto dragged her out. “Come on…!”

Soon they were up on the highest terrace, where they found Luna collapsed and asleep on the floor. Her pep pill had worn off, and she was out like a candle, which Celestia felt like doing herself as she yawned.

“Come on, you need to stand with me.” said Celesto.

Celestia found her strength and stood tall with him.

Of course, neither of them could actually move the sun or moon like their magical counterparts could. They barely even understood the basics of their natural magic. Not to mention they didn’t actually have to since the sun worked the same way the sun back home did-- it rose and set all on its own.

The couple still knew they had to play their roles, especially for all the other early risers who enjoyed watching from their homes.

“Let’s go.” said Celesto, and hand-in-hand, he and his wife fluttered up into the sky, and joining their hands together, they made their bodies glow and held out their arms to make the illusion look real.

The sun began to rise over the horizon, casting its warm rays over the snow filled lands, and early risers basked in the glowing brightness, while others in New Canterlot looked up and saw who they thought were their majesties doing their stuff.

The act worked well, and the couple returned to the terrace.

“Gee, this is feels rather nice.” said Celestia.

Celesto agreed, and then he scooped up Luna in his arms.

Soon, Luna was tucked in bed where she could sleep as long as she needed.

“Poor sister…” said Celestia. “It’s not easy being princess.”

Her husband chuckled, “And I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy being Grand Ruler and Queen either.”

He was about to be proven right as he and his wife left the bedroom, and one of the royal servants ran into them in the hall.

“Good morning, your majesties.” He said, and he handed out what appeared to be a single sheet of paper. “Your schedules for today.”

Celesto took the paper, and it magically unraveled in a long, long list of chores, appointments and all sorts of tasks to tend to.

Things like…

-Assemble the guards
-Assess the condition of the decorations
-Assign duties

…And that was all just the beginning of the A-Section. There were tons of royal duties to tend to...

-Meet with councils…
-Arrange the weather schedules…
-Work with charities

Already this was more than ten times the usual duties the couple did back home, even Celesto was worried. He thought to himself, “I may be a businessman, but half of these things I don’t even know.”

Celestia was fretting in thought just as much. “How can I possibly manage all this?!”

“Your majesties?” said the servant. “Your majesties, are you alright.”

The couple snapped awake. “Yes, we’re fine.” said Celestia.

The servant began to sense something unusual going on, but he had work to do and walked off, leaving the couple to contemplate how in the world to get through all these tasks.

Just then a guard came up to them, “Pardon me, your majesties.”

The couple turned and recognized him as one of the guards from last night. One of the few who knew the truth of their identities.

The guard looked around to make certain that no one was watching, and he whispered very softly, “A gift from Professor Brain.” He placed two tiny, square electrodes into their hands and instructed them to “…Stick them to your temples!”

He saluted and went on his way.

The couple felt unsure, but nonetheless, they did as they were told and the minute those little chips went onto their temples…

“Ohh…!”

“Ah…!”

They felt their brains going positively crazy, and before their eyes were psychedelic colors and magical symbols and markings.

“What’s happening?” asked Celesto.

“My brain…!” cried Celestia “…It’s going crazy with all kinds of information.”

Then, before their eyes, appeared an image of Professor Brain.

“If you are hearing this message, then listen to me well.

While you may look like our exalted rulers, you still lack the proper information. This factor alone may have serious consequences that may expose our little ruse.

Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to develop these little devices. They contain all the information and knowledge you will require. Without them, you will be your ordinary selves, but while they remain attached to you, you shall retain all the wisdom and knowledge of Grand Ruler Celesto and Queen Celestia.

The chips have also been magically camouflaged so that no one may see them, but you must take incredible precautions to keep them concealed and safe.

I have sent a chip to each member of your party so that they, too, shall be able to play their roles much more effectively.

The rest is up to you.

Good luck.”

The message and all the other images faded, and the couple nearly fainted. It was a good thing nobody saw them.

They managed to stay on their feet, and they looked at each other’s heads. Surely enough, the chips were not visible, but still very much intact.

The couple never felt anything like this. So much information, so many new discovered all at once, like someone had reprogramed their brains.

“Let’s get to work.” Celesto said.

His wife nodded proudly, “We have a galaxy to protect and a planet to run.”

In the Human World, Swift Star, having spent the entire night passed out on the floor, had awoken.

“Ohh…!” he groaned as he felt his head. “What a night.”

He hadn’t forgotten that strange lightning that had struck him.

He got up onto his feet and walked over to a mirror on his wall, which came with the room when he moved in.

He looked at his face all over, pulled down his eye lids and stuck his tongue out. He didn’t seem to look different.

Then, he wanted to see if the mirror was clean and correct-- to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating-- so he gave it a gentle tap, and the entire thing just shattered like thin ice.

“Whoa!” he cried as the shards all fell to the floor. “How in the-- I didn’t hit it that hard!”

He looked down at the mess of shards all over the floor, and he angrily fell backwards hard onto his bed…

…Which smashed under impact, and Swift landed with a huge thud, but strangely he didn’t feel much from the fall himself.

“What’s going on here?!” he wondered.

He still wasn’t hurt, but now his bed and his mirror were all smashed, and he didn’t have money or tools to even clean them up with, let alone repair.

“Great! How am I supposed to fix all this! He growled, and he angrily clapped his hands in frustration, causing a magical flash, and just like that… the bed and the mirror were fixes, and looking better than they were before-- stronger, more solid, and cleaner.

Now Swift was really starting to get scared. He looked at his hands with wide and trembling eyes.

“Am I going crazy?

Am I nuts…?

Am I…” he stopped when he checked he could see the time on his cell phone, “…Am I going to be late for work!”

He grabbed his cell phone, accidentally crushing it in his hand. “Ah, man!” he groaned, but just as he was about to throw it in a fit of anger, there was another magical glow coming form his clasped hand, and when he looked… the phone was all fixed, and newer looking.

Shocked and astounded, Swift took it easier to wash up and get dressed without breaking anything else.

Then, carefully clasping his phone so as not to break it again, he checked the time. “Shoot! I’m going to miss my bus!”

He rushed down the stairs of the building, and out the door… in half a second.

“Uh…! How did I…?”

Feeling incredibly starstruck, he wandered behind the building where no one would see him.

“What’s happened to me?” he wondered. “Super Strength… Super Speed… Fixing things like… like…” he paused. “…That light!”

He thought back to last night when he was struck…

He needed to know for sure!

He slowly moved his hands towards one another-- fingertips towards fingertips. There was a soft magical glow that began to emit from his hands.

His eyes widened, and then he decided to try one last thing!

He held his arms out from his sides aiming his hands at the ground, and he magically began to levitate into the air. Up, up, up… to the top floor of the building.

He just stood in midair and looked down at the big drop below his feet. His face lit up with a joyous grin.

“MAGIC…!!!” he shouted with glee!

Oh, did he have a fun time! He didn’t bother to take the bus to work when he was able to run super-fast and just leap from rooftop to rooftop, and gaps that were too far for him to make the jump, just levitated the way over.

He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. “This is so awesome! I actually have my own magic!”

He started to wonder “How? Why?” but all he could think of was, “That Light…!” He didn’t know where it came from, and he wasn’t sure how it found him, but all he could assume was, “This is fate! This is my calling!”

He began to think of all the wonderful things he’d be able to do with his newfound powers.

*Mykan’s POV*

As a teacher and a mountain boy, I was used to waking up early.

I received a letter from the professor telling me about his info-chips, which brought me great relief. “Well, that’s a load off the mind.” I said, “I wonder how the rest of the gang is handling things?”

*POV Pause*

Lightning was collapsed over his desk, overly exhausted from blowing his mind out trying to get even the simplest of the reports filled out, when he hadn’t the slightest idea of what to do…

…When his chip arrived by teleportation with the message to attach it to his head.

The moment he did so, he was off like a speeding bullet, approving, signing, and writing up all the documents, orders, and assignments without much worry at all.

Starla had received hers the minute she had awoken, and soon she came downstairs to Lightning deal with other reports that she, as Supreme General and second-in-command, could approve of herself.

She also found time and energy to prepare breakfast and tend to the children. She and Lightning could even change Twinkle’s diaper like experts.

All the other members of the gang were at the top of their game too, they knew all the information, schedules, and things and people that were strange before were now familiar and perfect to them.

This allowed them to do their chores, or go on patrol, or give lectures, and sign reports with perfect ease as if they had been doing it their whole lives.

Krysta was at the top of her game as well, and she was now acting like the proud fairy queen she was.

“Alright, you warping fairies. Let’s get busy.” she ordered as she assigned her soldiers to their posts to assist with teleporting.

She also had taken time to understand her own powers and how to teleport herself and others around, and she was most impressed with her incredible strength by lifting a huge, solid ice block over her head… with just her hands and arms!

“If I could do this back home, I’d be totally unstoppable.” she chuckled to herself.

Of course, some of the other friends didn’t need too much info of the chips to perform some of their tasks, for they already had some of the skills from their ordinary lives.

Applejack and Buddy already had extensive knowledge of farming, planting, and plowing, and the methods in this world were hardly all that different from their own, and then Buddy was off with DD taking her on patrol.

Rainbow Dash was a born athletic daredevil! “Ah, yeah!” she cried as she went through training courses on foot and in the air, soaring through all the obstacles and mock death-traps. “This is so awesome!” she exclaimed “I never get thrills like this back home.”

One of the Wonderbolts overheard and was confused, “But, General… you are home.”

Rainbow quickly snapped back to herself. “Uh… yeah… Right. That’s me, here in New Cloudsdale.” She chuckled nervously, which began to arouse confusion.

“Keep it together, Rainbow!” she thought to herself.

Fluttershy was busy helping hibernating animals in the forest be more comfortable, by giving them extra blankets, or reinforcing nests and beds with twigs, mud and fur from General Fluttershy’s personal stash.

“Have a good rest my animal friends,
Hope to see you when Winter ends.”

The animals were grateful, but they all couldn’t help but feel that something was off about her.

Fluttershy herself felt off with what she had just said, and she thought…

“Why did I say all those words?
I don’t know those creatures and birds.

It must be Fluttershy’s knowledge and things,
And all the info this microchip brings.”

Even her thoughts were all in rhyme. The potion she took really affected her speech. She couldn’t stop rhyming no matter how hard she tried, which helped her role.

Rhymey was working at Rhyme Time, serving hot drinks to all the creatures

Dyno and Myte did their snowplowing, and then it was back to their mines where they unearthed coal for fires and other gems and stuff.

“Hey, this is so much fun.” said Dyno.

“Si, and to think we already have the skills for this back home.” agreed Myte.

Rarity awoke, and she took one look at her reflection in the mirror and nearly gasped in fright, but remembered, “It’s just a disguise. I really am beautiful underneath. I’m beautiful! I’m beautiful! I’M BEAUTIFUL!!”

She was panting heavily now that she was in control.

Suddenly, there was a little voice calling for her. “Mommy…! Mommy…!”

Rarity snapped back into reality, remembering that in this world, General Rarity had a daughter… with Spike!

Little Twilight Sparkle Scales, nearly two years old. Rarity wasn’t sure what to make of the child’s half-and-half appearance, but she seemed so sweet, and so innocent.

“To think…” Rarity thought “I even rejected to looking after my own sister back home. Now I have to play “Mother” as well? This world is officially becoming too much for me.”

Nonetheless, she had to play her role, and soon she and her “child” were having breakfast at the table. Though Twilight was young, she was already able to feed herself, though she got more of her oatmeal on her face than in her mouth.

“Oh, really…” Rarity groaned, and she begrudgingly wipe the child’s face.

“Boo.” Twilight cooed softly when the rag was lifted away, and the way she giggled warmed Rarity’s heart. “She does seem rather adorable.” she thought.

“Where Daddy?” asked Twilight.

“Daddy…?” Rarity became nervous and had to think quickly “Oh… um… Daddy’s, gone off for a while.

Yes, he’s off on a big mission, and he said he’ll be back as soon as he can.”

Her fib fooled the little toddler perfectly.

Soon, Rarity did the dishes and put Twilight in her playpen with her toys and with Opalescence, but Opal hissed at her as if she could tell that something was off, and she leapt away.

“Kitty!” cried Twilight, while Rarity sighed in relief. “This may be harder than I thought.” She worried in thought, knowing that cats had stronger senses to the truth.

“I’m going to have to really buckle down and keep up my act better than ever.”

She looked in the Boutique Shop; all the clothes on display, the dresses over the mannequins, and even the holiday decorations all set up. She realized there was a lot for her to do…

Already she had so many ideas flowing through her head for the holiday rush, and she rushed for her sewing table…

As for Pinkie Pie, she was even more at the top of her game than any other. She was already skilled at baking goodies, and her mad roller-skating skills made serving customers a breeze.

“Here’s your cocoa.

Cinamon Buns, coming up!

Milkshake for two.

This ones on the house-- love your smiles.”

The Cakes and Apple Spice had never seen her so up and about and full of energy.

“Somebody must’ve had a good night’s sleep.” said Carrot Cake.

“You should’ve seen her when she came home.” said Apple Spice, and he recalled in a flashback.

His wife came home, “Honey… I’m home.”

Spice saw her, “Are you alright? I heard all about the alarms at the palace, and I--” he stopped when his wife dipped him back and kissed him deeply.

“Come on, you. I’m tougher than I look-- you know that.”

Spice was not one to question it much, especially when Pinkie kissed him again, and then she proceeded to play and smother little Biscuit Pie.

“How’s Mommy’s big boy? How is he?”

Biscuit cooed and giggled.

The flash ended…

The Cakes were blinking in amazement.

“Well, Pinkie always was one to take many things in stride.” said Cupcake.

Just then, Pinkie came skating into the kitchen, where she skillfully donned oven-mitts. She pulled a large tray of cookies out of the oven and popped a new batch of batter in to be baked. She set the taken-out tray on the cooling rack and then grabbed a tray of ready cookies and skated out again to serve them to the customers…

…But not before stopping at the door and winking at Apple Spice.

Spice and the Cakes shrugged it off and got back to work.

*POV Resume*

Spike then asked, “How come Twilight and I don’t get one of those chips?”

Sci-Twi already knew why, “It’s because we don’t properly fit in this world. There’s no one we really have lives or duties to trade with.”

Part of Spike already knew that answer as well.

“Besides…” Sci-Twi continued “Even if I could have all the information, I’m not sure I’d want it.” She got up and headed for the window. “I mean… just look at that; a whole new world with so many discoveries just waiting to be explored and understood.”

I could see she was very eager to get out there and learn. So, I stood up and told her, “And I know just the place you can start.”

After breakfast, the first thing I did was teleport to the market, and I returned with warm clothing for the two. A big coat for Sci-Twi, and a scarf, mittens, and earmuffs, and for Spike, a little coat, scarf, mittens, and a hat, and a pair of boots for the two of them.

Then, I brought the two to the New Canterlot Public Library.

“Wow!” Sci-Twi exclaimed very softly.

“Would you look at the size of this place!” hollered Spike.

“SHHHH…!!” the patrons sneered, making Spike blush in embarrassment.

I took my friends to the many sections and explained, “Whenever I’m not at work or conducting my observations, I like to come here to do a little research. It’s all right here…

Stuff about Magic, Art, Cultures, and History and Sciences, those are the real takers.”

“History and Science?” Sci-Twi peeped. She knew she had hit the jackpot and grabbed an armful of books.

I could tell she was going to be fine, and Spike offered to stay with her.

I had to go to work. I left Sci-Twi with a spare key to my house. “If you two get bored or tired, just head back there. Don’t go wandering around too far, and remember…” I spoke very softly into their ears reminding them “…Don’t tell anyone your names. It’ll arouse suspicion.”

The two agreed to behave, and I left them.

So far, things were going fine… but that didn’t mean it would stay that way.

“I wonder how they’re all doing, in the Human World?”