The Ride of His Life: Kamen Rider Jadefire

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Origin of the Dracogems & How Twilight Found Out
Chapter 2: Secrets and Lies & Training and Pondering
Chapter 3: Monsters of the Week & A New Rider Appears?!
Prologue: Gemstone to Gemstone, Dust to Dust

Chapter 1: The Origin of the Dracogems & How Twilight Found Out

“Come along, Spikey-Wikey! We’ve much to do!”

Spike happily trailed along behind Rarity, who abandoning her usual formalwear for a day of hard work, wore a white button-down shirt, a pair of blue skinny jeans, a well-made belt and a blue pearl necklace to tie the outfit together. “I never would have thought Cadence would grant us access to the Crystal Mines just like that! Twilight certainly has a wonderful sister-in-law, don’t you think?”

“Hey, somepony still had to send her letter, and who do you think that was?” Spike grinned and pointed a thumb at his chest. “This gu-UGH!” Spike’s other arm fell to the ground, along with the gem-filled bucket he was holding. “Ah, jeez…forgot I was even carrying that.”

Rarity giggled merrily and continued onward. “There are a few more big finds just down this tunnel here, Spike, and then we’ll head back, all right? And I’ll let you keep a few of them as your reward for such a good job today.”

Spike grinned and licked his lips, staring mesmerized at the bucket of jewels. “Soon, my pretties…soon…”

“WAHAHA! Don’t let yourself get distracted just yet, Spike! I’ve just hit one doozy of a cache!”

Spike shook himself back to reality and rushed after Rarity as fast as his body would carry him, the heavy bucket of gems still restricting a bit of movement. As he arrived behind the fashionista, he set the bucket down and walked up next to her. “All right, where am I dig...ing…”

No digging would be necessary, as the entire hallway before them was filled to the brim with a multitude of colorful crystals. The tunnel extended only a few feet, but that was more than enough to contain even more gems than they’d found thus far. Spike drooled at the sight of such a hoard, and Rarity could barely manage sounds, let alone words. Nothing said, the two turned to each other almost instinctively and high-fived before rushing into the tunnel to collect their yield.

Gathering each and every last gem took no less than ten minutes, and Rarity had headed off to get one of the spare buckets they’d left at the mine entrance. Spike sorted the collected jewels into piles by color and then by size, then proceeded to realize Twilight had rubbed off on him in more ways than one and drew them all into one huge pile. “Ah…so this is what dragons feel like when they have a hoard? It’s…not what I thought it’d be. I still wanna eat ‘em.” He picked up a jade gem that looked particularly different than the rest. It was almost as if it had a dragon engraved into it, but it had to be a trick of the light or some kind of natural shape on it. “...Rarity won’t miss ONE gem, will she?” He looked back and forth just to make sure the fashionista wasn’t returning any time soon. “…Bottoms up!”

Spike opened his jaws and crunched down on the gem, only to have his gums practically explode in pain. He dropped the jewel and clamped his mouth, groaning and falling to his knees. “SON OF A…what in Tartarus is that thing made…huh?”

The jewel suddenly flashed brightly, emitting a beam of light that rose up and descended back down on Spike. The glow engulfed him entirely, wrapping around his body, spiraling across his arms, legs and chest as if it were examining him. A few seconds passed and the light focused into a ring around his waist. The gem floated off the ground, moving on its own will, and seemed to attach itself to the belt-like circle. Another bright flash filled the cave as a green flame reminiscent of Spike’s own dragon fire wrapped around the young drake’s body, burning neither him nor his clothing. “Whoa…what’s going on here?” The flames settled and began shaping into what Spike could perceive as armor. It fit so perfectly around his body, like it was meant to be. The mysterious armor he would eventually familiarize himself with took its shape and the flames died. He quickly looked at his arms, legs and then his reflection in a nearby crystal on the wall of the cave. “What…the…”

“You have been chosen, Spike.”

“W-what the?!” Spike’s eyes darted throughout the cave. “Who’s there?”

“You will not find me in a physical form, young drake, for I am long gone from your world. All that remains of me lies within the gem in your belt.”

“The gem in my…” He looked down to see that the belt, too, had taken on a form more than just a simple ring of light. The gem was socketed in a dragon’s maw at the front of the belt, and the rest of it resembled green dragon scales. “What is this? What was I chosen for?”

“You have been chosen to become a Kamen Rider, a masked hero who protects those they care about by using amazing powers granted to them by their Drivers, which is what that belt is.”

“But…why me? Why am I getting this awesome power?”

“You found the Dracogem containing my soul…the soul of the Ancient Dragon of Fire, Jade.”

Spike’s eyes widened. “You’re…Jade? The legendary dragon of green fire? I’m directly related to…you…”

“You seem to have figured it out, young drake. But there is more to it. All beings on this world are rooted to the Ancient Dragons.”

“ALL beings? Even ponies?”

“How do you think some ponies have wings? Zephyr, Dragon of Winds. Magic? Cascade, Dragon of Water. And a deep connection to the earth and soil? Terra, Dragon of Earth.”

“So that means…” Spike grinned excitedly. “There are three others like me that are gonna get these powers?”

“Correct…but in time. You must allow the other Ancient Dragons to find their chosen descendants. And be wary, for some of we Ancients were not the type to bestow gifts expecting nothing in return. There were dark dragons who sought partnership…vile and cruel ones with the power to manipulate any being willing to listen to their words.”

Spike swallowed hard, unnerved by the fact that there could be evil ponies out there just waiting to get their greedy mitts on this power. “So…how exactly do I activate this power on my own? Do I just…think, and the armor shows up?”

“You must speak a phrase that all Kamen Riders have throughout time and space to transform…that phrase is ‘Henshin’. And to dismiss your power, then you simply think it away.”

Spike nodded. “Okay…this is all pretty overwhelming…wait, one more thing! Can I tell anypony about this?”

“It would be wise not to, but if you feel there is a pony you can trust with your secret, that is the one you tell.” The flames around the belt returned and flickered slightly. “I must be leaving now…I do not have much power left in this gem. Everything I am, I relinquish to you…good luck, Spike. Keep this home of yours safe…”

Even though he couldn’t sense Jade’s presence to begin with, once he uttered that final sentence, Spike knew he was alone again, still bearing the guise of a Kamen Rider. “Somepony I trust…it has to be Twilight. She’s the only one I would ever trust to keep my secret.” With a focused thought, the jewel detached from the belt and the armor fizzled in an ash-like manner. He pocketed the gem and returned to the pile of jewels, sitting and waiting for Rarity to return. He chuckled a bit, thinking to the past for just a moment. “Even if she did blow the first secret I trusted her with.”

“These are certainly no gems I’ve ever seen before…it’s almost as if they’re…alive…”

Cadence looked over the huge cache of jewels that Rarity and Spike had discovered. The crystal princess, who wore a pink and white dress, examined one up close, holding it just out of reach with her magic. “They have such power in them…and they all have this strange shape of a dragon on them. What do you make of this, Twilight?”

“It’s definitely old magic,” Twilight commented, the young magician dressed in her usual casual clothes, plus a lab coat and goggles. “Possibly dating back before the founding of Equestria…possibly even before ponies were even around!”

Rarity gasped. “How would we even know if such a thing were possible, darling?”

“There are some old draconic texts scribed by the ancient dragons that existed eons ago. Celestia has ordered them not to be touched unless severe circumstances occur…and I have to say these strange jewels would definitely qualify. I’ll see if she’ll let me take a look at a few of them. Spike, I’ll need you to come with me.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you’re a dragon, silly. And I know you’ve been studying up on your old draconic ever since you got back from the migration last year. I’ll need your help to go through the books.”

Spike shrugged. “Why are you talking like Celestia’s already letting you in?”

Twilight grinned. “Because I’m her personal student, and a princess like her! She couldn’t possibly say no!”

“I’m sorry, Twilight, but no.”

Twilight stared, mouth agape. “W-what?”

“Told ya.” Spike grinned slyly at Twilight.

The princess descended down the stairs from her thrown, her pure white dress and long, prismatic hair flowing behind her. “I’m sorry, my faithful student, but those archives are forbidden for a reason. Ancient dragon magic is dangerous. Not even Discord dares touch it.”

“And that is certainly saying something.” Discord flashed into existence with his mismatched outfit, clawed griffin gauntlet and bat-griffin wings. “It’s not that it scares me or anything. That would be absolutely ridiculous. But the power contained in those tomes could potentially destroy ME, and I’M a living wrecking ball! What does that tell you?”

“Do you understand, Twilight?” Twilight turned her attention to her teacher. “It’s not that I don’t want you learning more to help the situation…it’s that I don’t want you getting hurt. It’s for your own protection.”

“And believe me…” Discord whipped his claw through the air and summoned a glass of violet-colored wine. “If I didn’t feel my own life would be in jeopardy, I would certainly volunteer as a bodyguard.”

“Discord!” Celestia grabbed the glass from his hand. “Is this from my personal vault? This is for special occasions only!”

With another wave of his clawed hand, the glass returned to it, catching Celestia off guard. “Oh, Celestia, always with the boring rules…you know I can’t possibly follow any form of order around here. It isn’t how chaos...hmm?” Discord suddenly glanced at Spike, immediately noticing the belt he wore. For the first time in his life, he appeared legitimately surprised by something. “Um…excuse us for just a moment.” Discord quickly snapped his fingers, teleporting himself and Celestia all the way across the room, barely visible behind Celestia’s throne.

“Discord, what is the meaning of-“

The draconequus covered Celestia’s mouth with his hand. “Celly…did you see what Spike is wearing around his waist? Look closely.”

“What have I asked you about calling me...?” Celestia looked around the throne’s corner and gasped. “It…can’t be.”

“It is…he found Jade’s jewel. And that means he’s-“

“Chosen,” Celestia finished, keeping her voice to a whisper. “Then…we really don’t have a choice. We have to allow them to access the Ancient Archives.”

The two nodded silently and stepped back out. “Twilight…Discord has managed to change my mind. He has convinced me that you and Spike together are more than capable of protecting yourselves.” Celestia reached into a pocket on Discord’s vest and pulled out a brass key. “This is your way into the Ancient Archives. Twilight, you know exactly where it is. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

Celestia handed the key to Twilight, who smiled brightly and nodded. “I promise, Princess Celestia. Spike and I will watch our backs.” She looked over to Spike and her expression turned to one of determination. “Let’s move out, Spike.”

The two rushed out of the throne room and Celestia sighed with a hint of nervousness. Discord placed his arm around her shoulder. “Now, now, Celly, no need to get so worried. They’ll be fine.”

“I hope you’re right…since Spike is the first chosen, we had to do this now…” Celestia glanced at the floor. “If we let Onyx rest until all four Riders were chosen, he would be at full power. It’s best that Spike learns what he’s up against early.”

“Now…before I head back to my poker game with the griffins, I have to know…when you discovered I’d hidden the key in my vest pocket.”
Celestia smirked at the chaos spirit. “You think you’re the only one who gets something out of those snog sessions?”

As Celestia walked away, for the first time in his life, Discord’s face turned beet red.

Twilight turned the key and pushed the old creaky door to the Ancient Archives open. As she and Spike entered, they allowed the door to shut behind them. With a quick wave of her hand, Twilight called forth a beacon of light that followed them with every step, giving as much a look ahead of them as they needed. “This place is incredible…” Twilight could barely hold herself together, as the walls were lined with books so old that touching them would probably cause them to disintegrate. Some books seemed slightly newer, but none so new that they would be in good enough condition to read. “There has to be something here that we could use…something that isn’t so damaged…something like-“

“Like that?” Spike pointed further ahead, dread in his tone as he spoke. Before them, encased in glass on a pedestal was a single tome that seemed to pulse with shadows every so often. The book itself was made of gold and covered in gemstones. The pages themselves were inky black, as if to keep prying eyes from their secrets. Both Twilight and Spike audibly gulped as they stepped closer to it. “Wait…why are we actually doing this? That thing is definitely evil…”

“I…I don’t know why we’re doing this…it just feels…like we should…doesn’t it?”

“Not…exactly…at least, not to me…why, do you feel like you HAVE to read that book?”

Twilight thought for a moment, then nodded shakily. “It’s almost as if…the book itself wants me to read it.”

“Then I really don’t think we should be-“

SHING!

Suddenly, the gem in Spike’s pocket flashed, causing the darkness in the book before them to surge violently. The glass cracked as the magic pressure it tried so desperately to contain began to whittle away at it until it shattered into a million shards. The book’s darkness exploded throughout the room, dispelling Twilight’s light source with great ease. The shadows swirled around the archive, dissolving the remaining books with their absorbing touch. As the last of the shelves was emptied, the darkness focused itself before Twilight and Spike, taking the form of an armored man. The armor took the form of vicious, jagged scales across all parts of his body and took on black and red coloration. The helm shaped into a fanged maw, similar to Spike’s newly-discovered armor. Twilight and Spike regained their vision in time to see the mysterious figure now standing before them. The librarian mage became paralyzed by fear, unable to even speak. Spike blinked twice and rubbed his eyes to make sure what he saw was real.

“You…are a chosen one?” The figure scoffed. “That is laughable, indeed.”

“Who are you? One of the evil Ancient Dragons that Jade mentioned?”

The Dark Rider nodded. “Good to know you are at least paying attention, unlike the last set of Riders who didn’t even see me coming. I am called Onyx, Ancient Dragon of Darkness.”

“So, are you going to have some chosen Rider too?” Spike pulled out his gem. “Because I’ll just stop you before you even get the chance to find one.”

Onyx literally roared with laughter, and his dark energy surged out once again. “You are an amusing one indeed, whelpling. Tell me…did Jade even tell you how to call his power?”

“Of course he did! Don’t talk to me like I’m some kind of child!” Spike held the gem high into the air. “HENSHIN!”

The armor shifted and took shape around Spike, giving Onyx a bit of a shockwave of energy. As the power of the gem settled, the dark dragon grinned behind his helmet. “Well…at least you resemble the last Rider in spirit…but you do not nearly have as much technique as the previous wielder of the Jade Dracogem did. So, for now, I will let you go peacefully.”

“What?!” Spike charged forward and swung wildly at Onyx, who dodged his forceless blows with ease and knocked the drake off his feet and onto his back with a simple sweep of his leg.

“Pathetic, boy…you have Jade’s power, but no knowledge of how to properly wield it. I’ll allow you to live, only because I know you couldn’t possibly defeat me…and I will send my jeweled beasts to seek out the remaining champions strewn across the world you filthy ponies have stolen from us…and destroy them, one by one. Farewell, Spike. We will not meet again.” Onyx shifted his entire body into darkness and glided across the ground out of the room, then out the open window into the world. Spike staggered to his feet as the transformation faded from him, and only one thought came to his mind.

“Twilight! Are you okay?” Spike rushed over to his adoptive sister, who still sat unmistakably confused. “Uh…Twilight?”

“Spike…did you plan on telling me you could do that?”

Embarrassed, Spike nodded slowly. “Actually, you’re the only one I could tell. I can’t trust anypony else.”

After a few more seconds of soaking in a basic understanding of what was going on, she nodded. “Okay, then. We’re going to have to help you figure out how those ‘powers’ Onyx was talking about.”

Spike chuckled dryly. “Wow, Twilight…you went from dazed and confused right back to your obsessive-compulsive self. I don’t know if that’s impressive…or scary, considering what just happened.”

Twilight shook her head. “That doesn’t matter right now … Discord and the princess have a lot of explaining to do.”

Chapter 2: Secrets and Lies & Training and Pondering

“What do you mean you don’t have to explain your-“Twilight stopped and thought for a moment. “Okay, actually, with you being a princess, that makes perfect sense…but what just happened in there?!”

“I’m sorry I didn’t explain everything to you, Twilight Sparkle…but Spike needed to release Onyx now. If he hadn’t-”

“Onyx would have awakened after the other Riders had been chosen, and by that point, he would have been unstoppable.” Discord flashed into being, a serious expression on his face this time. “That ruthless dragon caused more destruction than I ever could, but only at his full power. As long as he remained sealed in that book, he would only grow in power. He will still grow stronger, but not nearly as fast as if he were still locked away in that book.”

Celestia stepped forward and continued where Discord left off. “But he could not just be released immediately, or he would have destroyed the world regardless. Only a Rider is capable of standing in his way.”

While Twilight sat puzzled, Spike asked, “But why? Why can only a Rider stop him?”

Celestia held up one of the jewels Spike had presented to her mere hours ago. “Because he’s attuned to the power of the Dracogem s…If anyone who cannot tap into the power of a Dracogem attempted to face him, they would not even be able to touch him. And since the Riders are the only ones able to resonate with the power of the gems, only Spike and any other chosen Riders will be able to defeat him.”

Twilight simply nodded. “I think I’ve finally got my head wrapped around all this…so, how do we find these other Riders?”

“You’ll have to wait for them to reveal themselves in time, Twilight.” Celestia held a gem in her hand and levitated it over to Twilight. “But if you hold onto this, it should help you determine when a potential Rider is nearby. The jewel itself is not a fully-powered Dracogem, so it will not activate any latent ability or knowledge within a chosen one.”

“If you’re lucky, all the chosen Riders will wind up in Ponyville at some point or another…whether they came their on their own will or not.” Discord chuckled and summoned a plate of cake. Celestia immediately fumed.

“Discord, what have I told you about stealing from my private dessert closet?”

“Well, I’m almost certain you said, ‘don’t do it under any circumstances’, but…” Discord tossed the cake into his mouth, then shook the plate into a napkin and wiped his mouth with it, moving it away to reveal a toothy grin. “You know how I have problems with big red buttons that say ‘do not push’.”

While Celestia stared down the chaos spirit, Twilight and Spike began to slowly back away. “Well…I think we should probably go back home now. Celestia, Discord, you two have fun now…” Spike was the first to go rushing out the door and Twilight swiftly followed.

Discord chuckled a bit. “Well, that got rid of them. I just simply cannot have my fun with Sparkle around. She’s more of a buzz kill than you used to be. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m putting on an all-topiary performance of Snow White this evening, and the gnomes in the hedge maze are very adamant about the cast list. Ta!” With a snap of his fingers, Discord was gone again and Celestia was left with a shattered cake plate on the floor. She sighed and glanced out the window.

“What have I pulled them into now?”

“What have we gotten ourselves into now?”

Spike walked slowly along the dirt path back to the library, examining the Jade gem over and over again as if he expected it to give him a hint. “This is all totally unreal, but…it’s really happening, isn’t it, Twi?” He slowed down as he realized that his friend had come to a halt several feet behind him. “Twilight, are you okay?”

“It’s just…” the librarian stared at the ground, her brain racked with thought after thought. “It’s all so much to take in.”

“How’d you think I felt for the half hour Rarity left me alone with the gems? I spent that whole time just…thinking. I thought about our friends...family…the princesses, Ponyville…all of this is in danger now. And it’s not like I could have stopped it either.” Spike turned his focus back to the gem, the light of the sun projecting a reflection of green light across his face. “One of the last things Jade told me before fading out completely that this had been a long time coming. The Dracogems just needed to be found. And if the strongest of the dark dragons is already awake…”

“Then he’s probably out hunting down his underlings right now.” Twilight gave a nod and began walking again. Spike followed as she continued to speak. “But at this moment in time, I’m more focused on you and that belt. Are you sure you’re going to be able to handle this kind of responsibility?”

Spike sighed. “Twilight, I’m not a little kid anymore. Besides, I was chosen for this…it’s not like I’ve even got a choice.”

“But what about the Royal Guard? What about the Crystal Empire? Celestia and Luna, and even Discord-“

“Discord himself said that Onyx could wipe the floor with him. When the spirit of chaos itself admits defeat to something like that, I don’t think even all of Equestria and a five-squad battalion of griffins could fight back against him and his minions.” Spike reached the library first and held the door open for Twilight. “I just hope those other Riders pop up soon…even though I’m pretty confident about this…” He walked in after Twilight and glanced out the door. “I’m terrified of what might happen to all of it if I…if I lose…”

Spike shut the door slowly, and Twilight could see his mood starting to drop. She put on as supportive a smile as she could and wrapped her arms around him. “You won’t lose. I’ll help you every step of the way. Even if I have no idea what weird powers that belt of yours might give you, I’ll stick by you. We’re family, after all.”

Caught off guard at first, Spike returned the hug and smiled. “Thanks, Twilight…so, what exactly do you mean when you say you’ll help me?”

Twilight slowly stepped back from the hug and smiled right back. “I’ll train you, plain and simple. It’s not like I haven’t taught myself any combat magic over these past years.”

Spike gasped as his mouth hung open in shock. “Wait…you mean…you want me to…Twilight, I can’t fight you!”

“It’s just training, Spike…besides, how are you going to learn what that belt can do if you don’t use it?”

“But you’re my sister! You’re the only family I know! What if I hurt you?”

“What if Onyx hurts someone else?” Spike’s gaze lingered on Twilight as he struggled to find something to say. “What if you’re not ready, or not strong or fast enough to save someone and Onyx hurts or actually kills someone we care about? Will a few scrapes and bruises on me mean anything at that point?”

Spike steeled himself and drew the gem from his pocket. “Henshin.” With a swift motion of his arm down to the belt, the armor formed around him and he assumed a fighting stance. Twilight smirked.

“There’s the attitude I like to see. Now…” Twilight waved her hand as a surge of magical energy filled the room. In an instant, Twilight became cloaked in violet and white robes and held a steel staff with a gem resembling her cutie mark adorning the top.

“Shall we begin?”

One brutal six-hour training session later, Spike lay sprawled across the library floor and Twilight lay back on the couch looking just about ready to pass out. Minutes passed without either speaking to the other, not out of resentment but from the sheer lack of breath and energy from both parties. Finally managing to at least sit up, Spike was the first to say anything. “Twi…you dead?”

The librarian produced enough energy to shake her head and sit up herself. “Not yet, at least.” With as little magic as possibly necessary, Twilight levitated a glass of water on the nearby table to her lips and drank more than half of it in a single gulp before carefully bringing it to the floor near Spike’s hand. “It would seem that the suit taps into your natural draconic strength…”

Spike finished off the water and set the glass down. “You mean my greed growth and all that?”

Twilight thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Yes and no. It may be a part of your greed, but not the part that grows strong to take and hoard, but the part that grows strong to protect your hoard itself.”

“But I don’t even have a hoard.”

She shook her head. “Yes you do. What you consider your treasure isn’t what other dragons would, though. You’ve lived in Ponyville for almost ten years now, and you can’t honestly tell me what your hoard is?”

His mind drew a blank at first, and then as if a bolt of lightning had struck him, it came to him. “Ponyville itself…my friends, and you…all of this is my treasure. I’ve been chosen to protect…my treasure.”

Twilight nodded. “Cliché as it sounds, that’s exactly right. And by that reasoning, the other three that are going to be chosen by the gems must have a similar treasure…something they care about just as much and something just as pure.”

“Whoever they are, I hope they show up soon…even if I am fairly strong, I don’t think I’ll be able to fight Onyx alone…”

“Oh, you are absolutely fabulous!”

Rarity practically swooned over the clearly-unique gem held in her magic: a bright sapphire that almost resembled a dragon’s scales. “I couldn’t possibly put a beauty like you in a dress and sell you. No, you’re too perfect for such a thing. Besides, as generous as I am, the karat count on you is enormous! I doubt anyone in Ponyville would even have such a wallet size. And…there’s just something rather beckoning about you, as well. I know exactly what I’m going to do with you.” Rarity walked over to her work desk, opened a drawer and carefully set the jewel inside. “Once I have some free time, I’ll bring you to Canterlot and have you set in a gorgeous gold amulet casing. But of course…”

She closed the drawer and rushed over to the cabinet behind her and opened it, revealing the one thing she held so dear: a heart-shaped ruby set in a necklace. “I’ll have to alternate with my prized possession. Perhaps I’ll wear the sapphire every few days…well, maybe twice a week…” She lifted the Fire Ruby necklace off its stand and held it close to her chest, giggling like a schoolgirl. “Well, maybe once a week. After all, this was a gift from my dear Spikey-Wikey!” She placed the necklace back and closed the cabinet doors, switching off the boutique’s lights as she headed upstairs. Just out of her view, however, a slight red glow shot forth from the cabinet for just a moment as night came in full once more.

Author's Note

Yes, to an extent, some of the characters seem rather OOC, but I had to Rider-verse tweak their personalities ever so slightly to match the general archetypes of the Toku genre characters they are meant to mirror. So Discord is taking things a bit more seriously, but still maintaining his ridiculous self.

Chapter 3: Monsters of the Week & A New Rider Appears?!

Spike woke suddenly from his dreams, glancing around the torn-apart library. ‘Flashbacks are weird.’ He shook his head and stood up, pulling the covers on his bed aside and walking downstairs where Twilight was already waiting for him, a cup of tea sitting on the table before her. “Hey, Twi…how long was I out?”

Twilight turned, shocked at first, but a relieved smile crossed her face. “You’ve been asleep for about half a day. It’s just past midnight.”

“Wait...if it’s past midnight, why are you still up?”

“Why am I…” Twilight seemed almost insulted, but more concerned than anything. “I was worried about you, Spike! That was only your second time using a Crystal Shatter successfully, and you were out for days the last time you used it! I was afraid you’d be out even longer this time…”

“Oh…yeah…” A bit of positive reinforcement was in order, Spike thought. “Well, if I got back up only after half a day, that’s a good thing, right? It means I’m getting stronger.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess that’s true…still, it doesn’t mean you should have to resort to a Crystal Shatter every time things get tough. You need to rely on your other strengths.”

“What I need to do…” Spike walked into the kitchen and began to heat up some water. “…is to find these other riders. If Onyx keeps sending bigger and badder monsters, I’m gonna have my claws full.”

“Well, were there any hints Jade left you regarding who the riders would be?”

The kettle whistled as the water boiled to perfect tea temperature. “All I remember that could help was that the riders were to be chosen by Jade’s brethren: Zephyr, Cascade and Terra. How much do you know about the ancient dragons, Twilight?”

“Only that they lived millennia ago…all the information we might have had on them was absorbed by Onyx when he broke free.” Twilight sipped her tea as she delved into thought. “There has to be some way we can find out what they’re linked to other than their base elements. We know Jade was your ancestor, but how can the other three relate to anyone in Ponyville?”

“Jade said the dragons gave ponies their gifts…Zephyr granted Pegasai flight, Cascade granted Unicorn magic, and Terra granted Earth Pony strength.” Spike walked in with a cup of tea of his own and sat down across the table from Twilight. “So it could literally be anyone we know, or even someone we don’t know?”

“Both are reasonable, and both could wind us up in even more trouble…”

Spike took a huge gulp of his tea. “What makes you say that?”

Twilight finished her cup and pushed it aside. “Say it’s someone we know. They might not be able to train their powers as well as you have in just a few months. They might get hurt, or worse…and the emotional toll that might take on you if it’s one of our even closer friends, like Fluttershy or-“

“Rarity…” Spike set his tea down and, unfortunately for himself, imagined the worst scenario. “If it’s Rarity, and I can’t save her in time…” The image of Rarity crying out in pain crossed through his mind again and again. He shook his head, temporarily purging the very idea from his train of thought. “That wouldn’t happen. I’m gonna keep training, so even if it is a close friend that becomes the next rider, I’ll be there to help them if need be.”

“Then that leaves the latter, which I worry more for…if one of the chosen riders is an enemy of ours or has…any degree of disdain or hatred of either of us, they might be completely opposed to the idea of working with us, even if it means saving the world.”

“Well, since it’s unlikely something’s going to happen this early in the morning-“

*BOOM!*

A violent explosion sounded across the night sky, shaking all of Ponyville. Spike groaned groggily. “I just had to open my big mouth, didn’t I?”

Twilight stood up and quickly moved towards the door. “I’ll check it out first. A blast like that had to have woken someone up.”

Just across the way, the general populace of Ponyville had amassed in the streets to see what all the commotion was about. As it turned out, a strange meteor of some sort had crashed in the center of town. As suggestions flew about as to what it was and what to do with it, Ponyville’s mayor, accompanied by her aides carrying her podium, stepped to the front of the crowd to quell the concerns of her townsfolk.

“Everyone, please settle down! I know you’re all rather bothered by the sudden noise and a meteor sitting in the center of town, but I’m sure if we can all calm down, we can figure out-“

“Are aliens invading?”

“Is it some kind of new magic?”

“Is it a muffin?”

The mayor sighed. “In this order: aliens do not exist, Princess Celestia would have informed us if she was testing some new magic, and for the hundredth time, Ditzy, not everything is a muffin.”

Ditzy grumbled as she walked back to her home. “It’s never a muffin in this town…shoulda never left Baltimare…”

Twilight pushed her way to the center of the action where she caught a first glimpse of the meteor. Normally, a situation like this would have her gasming with scientific glee, but something was off. ‘There aren’t any meteor showers on my schedule for months. Celestia would have definitely told someone if she was testing any kind of spell…if not the mayor, then she would have at least informed me. But if this was sent by Onyx, why isn’t it doing anything?’

Twilight hesitantly bent down and reached forward at the odd space rock, simply poking it with her finger at first. ‘It’s not hot or cold…this rock has no temperature at all…but what-‘Suddenly, a flash of light burst forth from the meteor. But it wasn’t like the emerald beasts she and Spike had encountered in the preceding weeks…

It matched Twilight’s cutie mark: violet.

The meteor suddenly rose up as if Twilight held it in her magic, but she was far too shocked to even form words at this point. In the midst of Ponyville’s arguing, someone pointed out the stone’s new activity, and panic was the first reaction of all but the still-stunned librarian. The majority of Ponyville’s civilians had fled to their homes or just far enough away to consider themselves safe, leaving Twilight still sitting there as the meteor reached almost ten feet into the air. Finally, it flashed once more, this bright light blinding Twilight temporarily. As the stone faded to a glow, Twilight removed her hands from her eyes to see what it had become: an amethyst golem resembling her.

“Ugh. This is really what I ended up looking like? Fantastic, I’m sharing the form of the loser Rider’s nerd friend.” The golem hovered down to the ground and glared at Twilight. “Is that really what you do? You just poke things that fall from the sky? I could have wound up looking like some well-built girl, like that Rainbow Dash friend of yours…but no, you had to be the first chick to touch the rock. Fabulous.”

Twilight’s shock turned to absolute confusion. “W-what? Why do you look like me?”

The golem smacked its forehead with its hand. “Do I really have to explain this to a nerd like you? I am what Lord Onyx calls a Resonance Gem. We are the souls of minor dragons who followed him in the past. When someone of the right gender touches the stone, we take on their form and power.” The golem examined its body and focused for a moment, forming a magic sword in one hand. “Well, now…I suppose, if I had to get stuck with any unicorn, I wound up mimicking the Element of Magic.”

Finally composing herself, Twilight managed a light chuckle. “You think you can just take my form and my powers without having any idea how to use them? Judging by your reaction to me being the first to touch the meteor and not Rainbow Dash, I assume you’re some draconic aspect of flight as opposed to magic, which can only mean-“

Twilight yelped and barely managed a jump to the left before a flurry of blades stabbed into the ground where she once sat. “Blah, blah, freaking BLAH! Do you EVER stop talking?! It’s any wonder why the whelpling Rider can even tolerate your company! If I’d been living with you this long, I’d have walked out ages ago! Seriously, you just don’t-“

A slash mark found its place across the golem’s stomach as Spike, already transformed, stood before the golem. “Seems like her looks and powers aren’t the only thing you got from her. Except all you seem to be spouting out is bullshit.”

Twilight gasped. “Spike, watch your language!”

“Twi, I really don’t think my language is really that important right now!”

“Well, you’ve finally shown yourself…Kamen Rider Jadefire. I suppose you can call me Amethyst. I’ve been looking forward to destroying you and bringing the shards of your Gem Driver back to Onyx as a present…” Amethyst manifested a sword in each hand and as her aura surged, a pair of violet wings sprung from her back.

“…And your head as a trophy!”

“Seriously? How much longer am I gonna have to deal with the ‘beheading the dragon’ crap? Isn’t that tired old cliché just a bit-WHOA!”

Spike quickly rolled back as Amethyst dropped down on him, both her swords cleaving through the ground with ease. She immediately recovered from the miss and rushed him again, swinging her blades one after the other with no rest. The armor gave Spike just enough of a speed boost to dodge, but his own stamina was wearing thin evading strike after strike. “You’ll have to stop running eventually, whelp! And when you do, you’ll taste my blades!”

“Don’t tempt me.” Spike switched things up and rolled forward past Amethyst, catching her completely off guard as he brandished his own jewel sword. “I could go for a snack right now.”

“How did-“

“Too slow.”

Spike went for a cleaving overhead strike, and met his target dead-on. Amethyst wouldn’t have been able to block that much force even with both her blades, and the gem golem’s two halves fell to their respective sides and shattered to dust, leaving little to nothing left.

“Damn. These shavings aren’t even enough to put on ice cream.” He glanced around, making sure nobody else was in the immediate area, and deactivated his transformation. He knelt down to examine the dust and found something surprisingly shiny among the golem’s remains. “Hang on a sec, isn’t this…“ He picked it up to examine it further, and his suspicions were swiftly confirmed. “…it’s a piece of your crown, Twilight.”

The small, curved metal bit was definitely a part of the princess’ crown, but that’s all it was: a shard. She sighed and walked over to examine it herself. “This one doesn’t even fit with the piece the bear dropped. But at least now we can definitely confirm one thing: Onyx has my crown, and he’s using it in bits and pieces to send his monsters out.”

“Wait, the bear had one too?”

Twilight nodded. “You were already out cold when I searched through the dust. It’s a part of the crest, but this shard’s a part of the tiara. And based on the size, I’d say Onyx intends to send out dozens of those things.”

“Then I’ll break them all.” Spike clenched his fist and punched forward. “No matter how many he sends, I’ll take them all down. We’ll get your crown back together, find the other Riders, and we’ll kill Onyx once and for all.”

“Oh, Spike, I’m so glad you could join me for lunch today.”

“You know I’d do just about anything for you, Rarity.”

Rarity and Spike walked through the park, a picnic basket held on Spike’s arm and a blanket in Rarity’s hands. “I’m just honestly surprised you felt compelled to ask me again after…well…”

Spike waved his free hand in dismissal. “Pshaw, the past is past. I was still a kid. I was trying to explore love without actually knowing how it worked. But I’m glad I’m finally able to spend such a beautiful Hearts and Hooves Day with such a beautiful woman.”

Rarity flushed as they approached the top of the hill overlooking Ponyville. “Back then, I saw comments like that merely as just men admiring my looks…but I can see it really means something when you say it now.”

“Just being the gentledrake I’ve been raised to be.”

Rarity nodded in reply. “Twilight certainly has taught you well.”

The young drake grinned. “But this is one trick I’ve learned on my own…”

From out of the picnic basket, Spike drew forth a bouquet of white roses. His date gasped in awe. “Oh, my…Spike, they’re lovely! White roses are my favorite kind.”

He smiled. “I know. I’ve kept that fact in my memory, as well as what they mean…they represent remembrance, so as long as you hang onto those, you’ll know I’m thinking about you.”

A genuinely caring smile crossed Rarity’s face as Spike handed her the bouquet and she took a deep inhale of the flowers’ fragrance. “I’ll make sure to take good care of these.”

“I know they’re in good hands. After all…” Spike pointed to the Fire Ruby necklace she wore. “You’ve taken such good care of that all this time.”

Rarity carefully set the bouquet down and clasped both hands over the amulet, practically swooning. “It was the first of many gifts you continued to give me. And though we hadn’t formally ‘dated’ up to this point, I’d honestly considered asking you out first. If not for, well…”

Spike completed her thought for her, “Your desire for the ever-so chivalrous knight to ask first?”

Her face went red once more. “Forgive me for being so old-fashioned about it, Spike. If I hadn’t-”

*BOOM!*

The ground shook suddenly as the basket, the blanket and the bouquet went tumbling down the hill and into the nearby river. The two gasped as their eyes quickly averted to the source of the blast: another meteor that fell just a few feet away from the riverbed. Spike cursed his luck, and added several other profanities as his perfect day fell apart. ‘Oh, come on, not here, not now!’

“What in the world is that thing? It looks like…it could be some kind of gem! Come, Spike, let’s investigate it at once!”

Spike panicked to come up with a quick excuse. Rarity could NOT touch that meteor. “Wait, Rarity, maybe we should get Twilight first. Space stuff is probably more her forte. She might have an idea of what it is already.”

“I’m sorry, Spike, but as a gem hunter, I feel my present expertise will be more than enough.”

‘I can’t talk her out of it…but I can’t just force her not to touch it or tell her why she can’t…whatever happens, I’m just gonna have to transform. I don’t have any other choice.’ Spike rushed after Rarity down the hill and stopped just inches away from the meteor. Rarity was already kneeling down, currently examining the stone without touching it.

“It’s definitely some kind of gem-like mineral, but not like any I’ve ever seen before. It’s magical in nature, and naturally-arcane gems are a rare find. It doesn’t seem to give off a temperature without contact, but let’s see what it feels like…”

Rarity reached out to touch the meteor, and Spike sighed and reached into his pocket. ‘Here we go.’ As her fingers traced the top of the stone, nothing seemed to happen. The young drake appeared shocked as he pulled his hand free, no gem necessary. ‘Well, that’s anticlimactic.’

“Hmm…It’s surprisingly cold, for something that just fell from the sky and made such an impact. I suppose we should call Twilight and have her take a look at it.” She stood up and brushed the stray dust and dirt particles off her pants. “And I’m awfully sorry about the flowers and the picnic, Spike. Perhaps another time, but I’ll treat.”

Spike smiled. “That sounds like a good idea-…Uh, Rarity? The Fire Ruby, it’s-“

*SHING!*

The ruby flashed brightly and surged with energy, severing itself from the amulet and knocking both Spike and Rarity into the riverbed. The meteor rose up, syncing with the energy from the ruby and absorbing the gem itself. As it did so, the meteor revealed its gem form: white marble. It manifested just as the one Spike had already faced did before, but this time it looked identical to Rarity. However, this golem held one feature different than the previous one.

In the center of its chest shone the Fire Ruby, which soon formed a mesh of crimson red armor across the golem’s body. ‘No way…these things can use gems as bonus armor? That’s not fair!’

“Well, looks like I got an interesting one…by amplifying your magic through my dark powers, I can do much more than find pretty rocks…” The golem dropped and punched its fist into the ground, creating a minor tremor. “…I can control them too. You can call me Pearl Heart, I guess. As long as I’ve got this stupid heart jewel stuck in my chest, that is. Then again, armor is armor.”

“Hey, that was a present for Rarity! Give it back!”

The golem finally turned its attention to Spike. “Ah, so you’re here, Rider boy. I don’t have to go looking for you. So, why don’t you transform and let’s get this over with.”

“Fine.” Spike climbed out of the river and pulled the gem from his pocket. His Driver manifested around his waist and he held the gem high. “HENSHIN!”

Spike’s jade armor formed and he conjured his sword, quickly rushing into battle. The golem chuckled and stomped the ground with its foot, forcing the ground to shoot up under Spike just before he could reach the monster with his first swing. Before he could get ahold of his bearings, more stones and rocks were flung at him, juggling him in the air with little to no visible effort given out by the golem. The creature merely roared with laughter at the jade Rider’s futile efforts. “And to think you beat the first one Onyx sent. How pathetic…you’re only as good as your opening move. You’re only as fast as a slow opponent. You’re only as bright as your dumbest foe! Face it! You might have been given these powers because the dragons thought you were ‘chosen’, but you’re just some stupid kid!”

“Now, I’m perfectly fine with you borrowing my form, but I know I’m not that arrogant.”

The golem ceased its attacks, letting Spike drop to the ground. The jade Rider struggled to rise up, but only managed to catch a glimpse of Rarity confronting her duplicate. ‘Why is Rarity still here? Why hasn’t she run away? And sweet mother of Celestia, that’s a revolver!’

Rarity had drawn a revolver from her back pocket, leaving Spike to wonder why he hadn’t noticed it on the way up. The thought was quickly discarded as she drew forth a blue gem shaped rather similar to Spike’s Dracogem. ‘No way…is that …’

“I didn’t think I’d have to be doing this so soon and with so little training, but I believe Cascade gave me more than enough information to use it well enough right now. And Spike…” Rarity looked back to the armored dragon. “I am a bit hurt that you didn’t tell me about this, but Cascade said you had your reasons. However, I would still like to talk to about all this after I deal with this degenerate creature.”

The golem sneered at Rarity. “You really think you can use your Dracogem any better than an actual dragon with practice under his belt?”

Rarity smirked back at the golem. “Through the power of love, anything is possible!” She tossed the gem into the air and opened a back slot on the gun, allowing the gem to fall into place. She cocked the gun and its borders began to glow. “Henshin!”

The blue light outshone even the sun for just a moment before the mystic lining of the armor formed around Rarity’s body. The framing having appeared, a light blue layer of metal formed across her chest, legs and arms. White steel formed the shoulders, knee plates, gloves and boots. The helmet took shape into that of a heart as the blue light formed the visor.

“And what ridiculous name are you going to call yourself?” mocked the golem.

“You may call me Heartfire.” Rarity took aim with the revolver, a blue mist emanating from the barrel. “Kamen Rider Heartfire.”

The golem scoffed. “Foolish little mortal. If the dragon boy can’t keep up with my attacks, how can you possibly hope to?” Pearl stomped the ground and summoned forth another barrage of stone shrapnel that flew in Rarity’s direction. With quicker reaction than either Spike or the golem expected, Rarity shot each and every stone out of the air before they even got within six feet of her.

“Is that all? Honestly, if that’s all you can do with my power, I’ll find someone else to play with.”

Pearl snarled in rage and raised her arms up, bringing up dozens of stones completely surrounding Rarity. “Let’s see you get out of this one!” She brought her arms back down and the rocks began to close in on Rarity.

“Gotcha.” Rarity aimed downward and fired a shot that released a powerful shockwave, disintegrating the stones just as they were about to reach her. “Now, if you’re quite finished, allow me to put you to rest.”

The golem panicked and began to rise up, heading off into the sky in an attempt to escape. Rarity cocked the gun three times and aimed upwards. “Crystal Shatter: Cascade Storm!” The trigger was pulled, and a spiraling blast of water and ice surged forth from the gun, chasing rapidly after Pearl. The fleeing golem was not nearly fast enough to outrun the torrent and became consumed by it, dissolving into nothing within seconds and leaving behind the Fire Ruby, which Rarity quickly rushed to and caught with ease. “Well, that was…rather…sim…ple…”

Rarity’s transformation faded out and her body began to fall over, only to have Spike catch her before even a lock of her hair could touch the ground. ‘Rarity’s the second Rider? And all that power…she’s still new to it, and yet she could activate a Crystal Shatter…’ Spike thought to himself as he carried her back toward the town.

‘Self; let me ask you a question: why were you worried she wouldn’t be able to handle herself?’

Author's Note

Next chapter's a straightforward crossover chapter with an existing Riderverse! Guess which one it is!

Prologue: Gemstone to Gemstone, Dust to Dust

It all started out as a perfectly ordinary afternoon. Nothing going wrong or right, nothing serious happening throughout all of Equestria, but it was especially quiet in the small town of Ponyville. At least, it was until-

“SPIKE! Something is horribly wrong!”

The teenage dragon came barreling down the stairs, nearly stumbling over his own feet, to his friend’s rescue. He wore his favorite blue jeans, black shirt and trademark Wonderbolt sneakers, and around his waist he wore a belt with some form of gem socket on the front and held a gemstone in hand. “What’s going on, Twilight? Do I need to trans…?”

Not to Spike’s surprise, Twilight’s distress call seemed no more than another organizational hazard on the part of the librarian herself. The librarian herself wore a lab coat over her lavender dress and matching skirt. She pushed aside the piles of books in her way and scampered over to Spike. “Oh, good, you’re here. So, as you can see I got myself into a little bit of a-hey wait, where are you going?” Spike had already begun to retreat back up the stairs. “Spike, I need help here!”

“You called me like your life was in danger, Twilight! It’s just a bunch of books!”

Twilight pouted. “Spike, I’m serious!” Her gaze met the floor. “I can’t find my crown…”

Spike immediately halted at the middle step and turned around, heading back down. “For real? You actually can’t find your crown?” Twilight nodded rapidly. “And you’re sure you didn’t just leave it in Canterlot?” Another nod.

“Believe me, that’s the first place I checked. I flew all the way to Canterlot and scoured the palace. I didn’t want to alert Princess Celestia because…well, how do you think she’d feel if she’d heard I lost my crown AGAIN? Anyway, Flash Sentry helped me look all over the castle grounds, but we couldn’t find anything.”

“And you’re sure it wasn’t just an excuse to go see your boyfriend?” Spike gave Twilight a sly grin. She flushed slightly but her gaze turned furious.

“That wasn’t the ONLY reason! I’m serious, Spike! I know it doesn’t have its element in it anymore, but it’s what symbolizes everything all of us have come so far to achieve! Not just me becoming a princess, everything! That crown has been a part of your life and mine, and my friendship with the girls for years!”

“Okay, Twilight, calm down, I’ll help you look.”

Twilight took a deep breath and sighed. “Thank you, Spike. And…sorry for making you think I was in some kind of serious trouble again. I know you don’t like using that belt of yours for anything other than dire emergencies. I actually think that’s very mature of you.”

“Well, yeah. I’m eighteen.”

“’Age’ and ‘maturity’ aren’t the same, Spike. You still gawk at Rarity every now and then.”

“It’s not gawking!” Spike blushed intensely. “It’s more like…admiration now.”

Twilight held back a giggle fit. “Okay, Spike. Whatever you say.”

The two spent hours digging through bookshelves and desk drawers only to come up with nothing. There was no trace of Twilight’s crown, and the more she realized it, the less panicked and more disappointed in herself she seemed to become. “What if we never find it? How am I supposed to show myself as a princess without my crown?”

“Don’t worry, Twi, we’ll find-“

CRASH!

“What the heck was that?!” the two said in unison, rushing to the window to spot what was going on outside. To their absolute shock, a monstrous beast resembling a bear stood just before the library, but faced the other way. Another notable feature about it was that it was made entirely of emerald, or at least seemed to be.

“Spike…? Is that…”

Spike nodded. “Unfortunately. Seriously, why do all the monsters I have to deal with have to be edible?”

Twilight looked back to the mess in her library, then back out to the monster ready to tear Ponyville apart. “…Spike, you know what you have to do. Ponyville’s fate rests in your hands here.”

He nodded again. “I know. I’ll deal with this as quickly as I possibly can, and we’ll get back to looking for your crown.”

Twilight smiled and gave a nod in return. With that, Spike ran out the door of the library and confronted the emerald bear. “Hey, dragon food!” The ursine beast turned around, growling deeply like the feral monster it was. It saw Spike not as a predator, but as prey, and roared viciously no more than a foot in front of his face. “Yeah, I take it you don’t know who I am, then. It’s a shame whatever idiot sent you out here to wreck my home didn’t tell you about me.”

Spike pulled a green gem from his pocket and tossed it into the air, catching it with style and grace.

“Allow me to show you just who I am! HENSHIN!”

Spike socketed the gem into the slot on his belt and a bright green glow flashed across his entire body, forming the first layer of armor. A set of black lines crossed over his arms, legs and chest to form the next, then a spiral of burning green flame embraced his body, forming into a glowing emerald chest plate and arm and leg bracers. Spike’s helmet formed last, taking the shape of a dragon’s maw as it breathed out the same colored fire which manifested into his visor.

“You wanna know my name? It’s Kamen Rider Jadefire! Never forget it!”

The emerald bear, unfazed by Spike’s impressive transformation, roared at the armored hero again to a much lesser effect. Spike simply grinned and clapped his hands together. A green flame spiraled out of the vents on his bracers and formed into a jade Longsword which he gripped easily in one hand. “You wanna dance then, bear? Well, come on! Let’s DANCE!”

The bear took an immediate swipe at the armored drake, which Spike was able to dodge with ease by jumping nearly ten feet up. “Seriously? You’re trying to threaten me by roaring when you’re actually THAT slow?” With a midair shift, Spike altered his downward momentum and jammed his sword right into the bear’s massive paw. The beast reared back, howling in pain as Spike dislodged his weapon from its claw and dropped back to the ground. “Is that all you’ve got?” The bear roared and slammed the ground, sending a wave of rising emerald stalagmites at Spike. “That’s new!” The drake quickly rolled back again and again to evade the oncoming gems, but they just kept charging until they made contact with their target, sending Spike flying backwards into a nearby tree, snapping it clean in half The bear growled victoriously as it approached the fallen knight to finish the job.

“Crystal Shatter! JADE DRAGON!”

A glass-like shatter is heard from the felled tree as a fiery green dragon spirit rose up, growled at the now-terrified emerald bear, and charged head-first into the monster, searing its gemstone body from within. The creature shrieked and flailed about, unable to fight back against an intangible foe. The dragon spirit rose up out from the bear’s back, and once it was high enough, formed back into Spike himself, who with his sword still drawn, dove back down, angling for the bear’s neck, and cleaved straight through, decapitating the gemstone beast. He dismissed the Longsword in a cloud of flame as his transformation fizzled out.

“And that’s…how it’s…done…” Spike proceeded to collapse on the ground as the emerald monster behind him crumbled to nothing more than a huge pile of gem dust. Twilight immediately rushed out the door upon seeing this, and swiftly dove to Spike’s side.

“It wore him out again…he’s gotta stop using the Shatter, it’s gonna seriously hurt him some…huh?” Twilight glanced over to the remains of the ursine beast to see something gold sparkling just atop the pile of dust. When she got closer, she was horrified with what she found.

A mere shard of her crown lying in the emerald dust.

Author's Note

Note: There WILL be more relevant characters than Twilight and Spike, but due to the obvious mystery required by Kamen Riders in general, they will not be added to the tag list until they become major parts of the story.