My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic [The Unauthorized Revision]

EPISODE ONE

(Part two)

In the aftermath of the sudden crash, vegetables littered the ground and Lightning was on his back, feeling as though the whole world was spinning much too fast. "What...what hit me?" he groaned out and shook his head.

“Well, well, looks like you finally 'ran into someone,' Lightning!” Krysta pointed out with chuckle. The white unicorn was less than amused and lifted his head to find a yellow unicorn sprawled on the ground next to him. As well as a basket's worth of vegetables sprinkled across the sidewalk.

As he rolled onto his side to check for any injuries, Lightning heard the other unicorn groan out. “Whoa...” In a quick movement the unicorn managed to hop onto its legs and was already stretching out his wings by the time Lightning succeeded in lying on the sidewalk, stomach down. The mix of hunger (carrying a basketful of vegetables sure didn't help) and fatigue (walking around the city around noon during the summer sure wasn't smart) was beginning to take its toll on him and he sighed out in frustration.

“Oh no...I'm really sorry about that. Wasn't watching where I was going, you know?” The yellow unicorn rushed over to Lightning's side with a guilty look on his face.

"It's...it's not a problem...” Lightning groaned out and with some help from the yellow unicorn he managed to stand back up. “Thanks.” He said, feeling slightly embarrassing for being so tired at the moment. Then Lightning sighed and bent down to pick up the ear of corn lying at this feet while Krysta  set the basket next to him, using a mix of magic and her own strength to lift and carry it.

The yellow unicorn simply watched as Lightning and Krysta started to pick up the vegetables one by one and place them in the basket. He tilted his head at the strange sight, unsure what to make of it. “Y'know, it would be a lot faster if you just used your magic...” The yellow unicorn said warily and with a glow of his horn, the remaining vegetables all floated back into the basket.

After counting the number of vegetables to find that none of their items were missing, Lightning and Krysta let out a simultaneous sigh of relief. With smiles all around, they turned their attention to the yellow unicorn that had helped them.

"About using my magic...it's, uh, kind of a long story." Lightning stated simply. Then with a nudge from his fairy companion, Lightning said "My name's Lightning Dawn, and this is my friend, Krysta. Thanks again for helping us out."

"I'm always willing to lend a hoof to a friend, even the ones I simply haven't met yet." The yellow unicorn bobbed his head.

"Wow. That's so sweet." Krysta's eyes fluttered at hearing that, and Lightning too was impressed by the wise-sounding words.

"Did you read that in a book somewhere, or...?"

“Nah," the unicorn said with a light chuckle and rubbed the back of his head with his hoof. "Came up with it on the spot. I'm Rhyming, by the way.”

Lightning and Krysta exchanged glances before looking back at the yellow unicorn. “Uh...no you're not...” Lightning said what on both of their minds.

His head still bobbing up and down to some unknown beat, Rhyming smiled and nickered softly at the others' confusion. “Haha, yeah, I guess technically you're right, but that's not what I meant. My name is Rhyming. But it's cool if you wanna call me 'Rhymes,' for short.”

“Oh.” Lightning said simply at the explanation. Feeling that he exchanged enough pleasantries, the white unicorn bent down to pick up the basket and placed it onto his back once more. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Rhy-"

“Wait!" Krysta fluttered in and forcefully closed Lightning's mouth shut before he could finish. While holding his jaw closed with a surprsing amount of force for her size, she turned her head toward the yellow unicorn. "Does that mean you do a lot of rhyming?”

Lightning shot a downward burst of air through his nostrils, surprising the fairy with the smell and force and sending her tumbling in the air before she corrected herself.

Krysta buzzed up to Lightning's muzzle and jutted her hoof against his nose. "What was that for!?" She exclaimed with her eyesbrows furrowed.

Lightning narrowed his eyes and stared at the fairy unflinchingly. “Krysta, do we really have to do this now? I just want to drop off these vegetables, already. Not to mention that just because that's his name it doesn't mean that-”

"To be honest the pretty little lady made a nice catch, there." Rhymes interjected, making Lightning's shoulders slump and Krysta let out a triumphal cheer. "It's funny, really..." The yellow unicorn added, "my parents must have hit the lottery when it came time to name me, 'cause doing rhymes and matching words always fills me with lots of glee.”

“I knew it!” Krysta said excitedly. "Don't underestimate this pretty little lady's intuition." The fairy boasted for a moment to a quietly annoyed Lightning before she flew over to Rhymes with excitement beaming in her eyes. “So, uh, Rhymes...do you...write poetry?"

"Write 'em and read 'em, like I need 'em." Rhyming flashed a smile.

"W-what about songs?" Krysta asked quicker than before.

"Yeah, I write songs and I sing; I jam too; though words in general are simply my thing."

Hearing this, Krysta combed her mane with her hooves and lightly adjusted her antennae. "That's such a coincidence! M-me too! I love to rhyme...too? Like, um...I'm a poet...and don't even...know it!”

“Hey, that's a good one.” Rhymes nodded and smiled, causing Krysta to blush. "I guess the way you look isn't your only attractive hook."

"Oh, gosh..." Krysta flew a few inches farther away from Rhymes' in an attempt to hide her face turning even redder then before. With a bit of a squeal, she even hid behind her raised forehooves.

Lightning sighed and dropped his face into his hoof, shaking his head from side to side. "Not this, again..."

"Oh, shush. You had your chance and blew it."

Lightning looked skywards and shook his head in disbelief, but stayed quiet nonetheless.

Seeing this, the fairy clicked her tongue. "Ok, fine..." After calming herself down, Krysta looked once more toward the yellow unicorn. "Say, Rhymes? I was wondering...do you happen to know where the Rainbow Dish Inn, is?"

"You're talking about Cookie's place? Yeah, I go there all the time. Eating his food's way worth the long line."

Krysta and Lightning exchanged knowing glances when they heard the name, then looked back toward Rhymes. "You do?" The two of them spoke in stereo and leaned closer in anticipation. "Could you point us toward it?" They again managed to ask in tandem.

Rhymes simply raised his hoof and pointed behind the two of them, just as they asked.

With "perplexed" and "befuddled" written on their faces respectfully, Lightning and Krysta followed the direction that Rhymes was pointing to and upon turning around saw that just across the street was a building with its roof in the shape and color of a chef's hat, and a sign with a picture of a familiar-looking blue unicorn that read "Cookie Dough's Rainbow Dish Inn" in the front.

"How about that..." Lightning noted flatly.

"...it's...hard to think this was just a coincidence." Krysta added with a straight face. If it weren't for Rhymes speaking up, the two of them would surely have stood there for several more hours.

"Well my new friends," Krysta and Lightning slowly turned back toward Rhymes, but kept their eyes on the building as long as physically possible, as though it would disappear as soon as they broke sight with it. But not wanting to seem rude to the unicorn who had helped them out so much already, the two of them finally focused their full attention on what Rhymes had to say. "I wish I could say that I can stay to play, but I've got lots of things to do that are due today."

"What? No...you can't leave, already! We only just realized we were meant to meet each other!" Krysta cried out, and decided it was time to use her saddest-looking pout and even tilted her head for good measure. Lightning, meanwhile, looked everywhere but toward the little fairy, knowing full well that based on past experience, he stood no chance against "The Look."

"Couldn't you just stay, a little while longer?"

Unaware of "The Look" however, Rhymes remained unfazed by the fairy's attempt to get her way by less-than-fair-means. He smiled and said "Don't worry, Ms. Krysta, saying 'goodbye' isn't a sign of what's been, but instead another chance to say 'hello' again. And I'm sure the next we meet, our time together will be twice as sweet."

For the first time ever, it was Krysta that was taken by surprise, and she brook off "The Look" in order to hide her blushing face behind her hooves. "And you too, Lightning, I look forward to running into you again...though hopefully it won't be literal." With that, the yellow unicorn gave a salute and flew off.

"Please...come back." Krysta's voice squeaked out while still hiding behind her hooves. Both she and Lightning watched the sky until the yellow unicorn was too far to see.

"Come on. I just want to drop off this basket."

"...alright, fine..." Krysta unenthusiatically returned to her spot atop Lightning's head and the two crossed the street to enter the restaurant they had been looking around for so long.

...

Lightning began to feel anxious and couldn't wait to get rid of the basket he had been carrying on his back for a while, now. Krysta was listlessly lying on the white unicorn's head, but he paid no mind to the fairy's sudden drop in energy.

As soon as he entered through the front doors, Lightning was to see so many unicorns. The line of unicorns waiting to be seated was at least the size of two herds, while from where he stood, every seat at all of the tables were taken. There were even a few tables where unicorns were ordering another serving despite the large stacks of plates and bowls that had yet to be cleared.

"Hey...what's that?" Krysta sniffed the air and sat up atop Lightning's head. "And that?" She sniffed again and Lightning felt the fairy scrambling about and taking deeper inhales of the drool-inducing odors. "Oh, that smell's good!"

"Krysta...this is no time to be thinking about food..." Lightning chastised, but was saying it more for himself rather than his friend as he felt his stomach growl and rumble. The fact that he hadn't eaten since breakfast was hitting even harder than it had before. "Let's find out who this basket is...supposed to go to..." The white unicorn said while slurping at the increasing amount of saliva in his mouth from seeing and smelling all of the delicious foods that the vegetables he was delivering were sure to be turned into.

Just then, at the far end of the dining area, the big doors to the kitchen swung open and a long line of waiters and waitresses came out, magically carrying and pushing tureens and trays and carts of delicious hot foods, fresh tossed salads, fruits and pastries, and then just as Lightning thought this show was outrageous enough, all of the customers rose out of their seats and began to stomp on the floor and magically tap their glasses with their spoons in applause as the head chef—noted by the tall white hat on his head—came out.

Lightning recognized the blue unicorn from the restaurant sign. And as if to completely cement the unicorn's identity, the chanting sound of "Cookie Dough!" filled the room as everyone joined in a growing chorus so loud that it made it hard for Lightning to even think.

The cheers and hoots went on for a good minute until the blue unicorn raised a hoof, instantly quieting everyone in the dining room. Those with seats sat down at their chairs and everyone including Lightning and Krysta waited with bated breath curious to what the head chef and restaurant owner had to say. The feeling of excitement, Lightning had to admit had become infectiously palpable.

"Honored guests…" The unicorn known as Cookie Dough began. "I'm a unicorn of simple words, so I won't take too much of your time when you've been so patient and greatly supportive of my restaurant, and the work of all of my staff. Without further ado...eat heartily, everyone!"

The customers all cheered and the chatter and noise returned to the dining area, as the waiters and waitresses moved quickly to deliver the orders from the train of food on full display for eveyone to see. But despite the spectacle of the sight, Lightning kept his duty foremost in his mind and followed the head chef when he disappeared into the kitchen. Passing through the doors, Lightning trotted quickly after the blue unicorn and called out to him. "Um… excuse me?" he asked.

Cookie Dough turned round and was just about to yell at the white unicorn for trespassing into the kitchen when he spotted the basket of vegetables on Lightning's back. "Oh! You're new...Buddy must have sent you." The experienced chef walked up to Lightning and quickly inspected the leafy and brightly colored vegetables before setting them into the basket. "A bit late, but they still look good. Just set the basket onto the far table there in the corner." Cookie ordered and turned to leave when Lightning called out to him again.

"Actually, I'm Lightning Dawn." After placing the basket as he was directed, Lightning watched as Cookie stopped in his tracks.

The blue unicorn turned around again, his eyebrow arched and head tilted from hearing the name. "Lightning, you say?" He asked in a cautious manner.

Lightning smiled. "Yes." And at that, Cookie Dough rushed into the white unicorn and held him in his hooves in a tight hug.

"My boy! Haha! It's been too long!" The chef lifted the other unicorn off the ground for a moment before letting him ago and placing his front hooves on Lightning's shoulders. "I...I don't know what to say, besides that you've gotten so big since I last saw you!"

"Hey there, Cookie!" Krysta peeked out from under Lightning's mane. "You got any treats, like old times?"

"I guess not everything's changed." Cookie Dough laughed, only to be interrupted by the sound of a growling stomach. "What's this?" He said, eyeing both Lightning and Krysta. "No, this simply won't do!" And in a few simple moments, Cookie Dough had used his magic to arrange for Lightning and Krysta a place to eat right there in the kitchen by clearing one of the countertops. The two watched the chef as he used his magic to skillfully mix, mash, slice, and chop up all the foods he would use to cook and set out for them to eat.

"I would've been fine with one of your special pastries, Cookie!" Krysta shamelessly admitted as two dishes were placed onto the table in front of her and Lightning.

Cookie Dough shook his head while wearing a wide smile. "No, no, little Krysta! If there's any lesson I've taken to heart since I left my position as the Royal pastry chef at the palace," He swelled with pride at the sound of the two practically gorging on what he cooked for them. "It's that just as there much more to look forward to in a meal than the sweets, there's more to life than having fun."

Lightning was intrigued by what the chef was saying, but did not slow his eating pace at all. Though he made sure to properly chew and swallow what was in his mouth before taking the next bite. Krysta, meanwhile, frowned at what Cookie said. "Can't say I'm really a fan of that one, Cookie. But...mmm..." The little fairy made happy sounds with every bite, becoming distracted from her original point. "How'd you...mmm...this is good! How'd you manage to put this together so well, Cookie?"

Cookie let out a snicker and clicked his tongue in slight disappointment to Krysta's question. "No, no...a chef does not simply tell his guests what he knows, but must show all that he learned through the look and taste of his food. The body will know immediately what the brain takes time to understand. You need to enjoy using all of your sensations, rather than just indulge in one particular taste just because its your favorite!"

No longer feeling the need to sate their curiosity, the two focused on finishing the food they were given, noisely and messily devouring their meal in a manner that would disgust formal company. But for Cookie Dough, seeing and hearing the appreciation of what he labored over made him smile ever more.

By the time the white unicorn moved on to the second plate, Krysta was finished with all the morsels she was given, which when put altogether could fit on a single tablespoon. When Lightning's plate was practically clean up, they felt as if they could hardly move. Despite all that they ate, neither of them felt overwhelmed or hungry but completely satisfied.

Even when Cookie Dough had lived in the palace during the first few years of Lightning's apprenticeship, the chef knew exactly how to end a meal. It was no wonder that his favorite chef ended up as a famous restaurant-owning chef.

After cleaning up their dishes in order to pay Cookie back for the meal, Lightning was given an invitation for himself and Krysta.

"What's going to happen at the library?" Lightning tried to pry information from information from the blue unicorn but knew deep down that Cookie Dough was a master of keeping secrets.

"You were supposed to get them when you first arrived, but it seems that there was a big hiccup in the schedule. It's lucky that I happened to have them on hoof when you showed up." Was his vague answer. While Lightning felt that he could always trust Cookie Dough, the white unicorn remembered a few instances when the pastry chef managed to trick him into eating his blander-tasting vegetables.