Author's Note

Okay, got quite a few apologies to make. First off, a personal one to Badninja for misleading you. Apparently, the events here are taking place months ahead of the ones in Thunder and Shago's story, given Twilight has only recently gone Wizard.

Also, the next apology is... admitting I sorta goofed. Twilight's fight with Gemn/Midnight. Her entire first few days as Baronness actually. This sorta comes into me not actually planning this ahead of time for Twilight to gain the Banana/Mango/Ringo Arms, but her fighting as well as she did, even with a few magical short-cuts? Absolutely no way she should have been, realistically, take down Midnight like that. Riders aren't like Rangers in that they seem to gain instant knowledge of how to use their powers.

Also, finally, sorry for taking as long as we did to come up with this, life happened and for me at least, got my mind distracted with other projects like "To the Stars" and watching White Collar. But, here you go. Hope it was worth the wait.

Part 10: Warzone

Spoon Manor:

Lightning’s breath caught itself in her throat as she once again, found herself inside a burning Spoon Manor. Using her wings to shield herself from the flame, she knocked aside various men in black, skeleton themed luchador outfits.

“Twilight, who are these guys?” Lightning asked as she used an axe-kick on one of the thugs before knocking a machine pistol out of another’s hand. “Guessing they work for Dai-Shocker, right? Taking a wild guess here.”

“Describe them,” Twilight noted as she touched down in the manor’s courtyard. “Are they screaming at the top of their lungs like idiots, and dressed like Mexican wrestlers?”

“Yeah… That’d be them alright…” Lightning muttered, as she punched one of the aforementioned screaming men in the face.

“Dai-Shocker Combatmen.” Twilight stated, blasting a group backwards with a jet of water. “Be careful, they can turn into missiles.”

Lightning blinked, both at the sheer idea of that as it seemed frankly rather impossible really and the sheer incompetence of what was supposed to be an all-conquering legion’s personal footsoldiers. Then again, Tengas and Putrids were a thing, so she had no room to talk.

“Lemme guess, Somber’s personal henchmen? If so, he really needs to fire them all, and get better soldiers than these creeps. I mean, for a multiversal conqueror, one would think he’d have enough sense to recruit soldiers who are even worse than Robert at announcing their presence! If they start screaming Leeroy Jenkins anytime soon, I wouldn’t be surprised.” Lightning continued to grumble. She let out a yelp as one of the Combatmen did indeed turn into a missile, and launched himself at Lightning, who barely rolled out of the way to avoid it, and a wall came crashing down behind her.

“Can I just ask, Twilight?” Lightning continued to mutter. “A dragon, and water? Seems like an oxymoron really. Dragons are always the ones burning things to the ground, not putting out the fires.”

“Just like any creature, dragons adapt. I know a world where a dragons color determines what they can breathe. Believe it or not, there were even ice dragons.” Twilight shifted her sword into its gun form, firing at a few combatmen. “You really need to open your mind to possibilities, Lightning.”

“This is just too easy, all I’m saying.” Lightning shrugged as she knocked several of the soldiers aside. “I mean, it’s like Somber’s on the ragged edge of what he can throw at us by now.”

“He’s not,” Wizard Twilight replied, glancing back at Lightning. “This just means he’s putting the bare minimum of effort into this; not that he’s running out of people.”

“Great, now I feel insulted if he doesn’t really give a damn about who we are. I mean, come on, give me a real challenge!” Lightning snapped.

“Is overconfidence a thing amongst Lightning Dusts wherever you go, or is it just contained to ours?” Baroness Twilight asked her counterpart in a flat tone, as she ran through the streets, striking down Combatmen with her sword. “I’ll be joining you shortly, you two. ...Or maybe not.” she muttered as several Samurai Sentries stepped in front of her and the Rider switched out Lockseeds.

“Mango Arms: Fight of Ham~mer!” the Warring Driver exclaimed as Twilight raised her mace.

“No, it seems to be a running thing, I’ve noticed,” Wizard Twilight deadpanned. “Just be careful Lightning, Dai-Shocker has a tendency to surprise.”

“Bah, whatever. I can handle them, surprises or not!” Lightning scoffed.

Of course, there was that thing called tempting fate. Lightning, as she threw open a door, allowed herself to scan the burning room for any signs of life. A cough, a scream, anything. A red cape blindsided her, and she found herself face to face with another Tyrannosaurus Sentry, using a whip-sword instead of the usual double-bladed staff.

“Cute, real cute… Where the hell do they drudge these guys up? I mean, just where?” Lightning muttered to herself as the Sentry’s sword wrapped itself around her own blade.

Letting her sword drop from one hand into another, she slashed the Sentry across the chest and kicked him into a bookcase. She briefly glanced outside a window to the streets below, and saw Baroness Twilight flick the little knife on her belt three times.

“Mango Sparkling!” it shouted, as Twilight swung her Mango Punisher around, and sent a rather solid looking projection of its head at the Sentries, sending them flying.

“Okay then Wizard,” Lightning asked, keeping the questions coming as she knocked open another door, hoping to find Silver in this next room, which seemed to be devoted solely to art if the wall-to-wall paintings were any indicator. The constant questions and inquiries, they served to keep her mind from worrying about Silver, keep it occupied. “If there’s water dragons in some far-off world somewhere ignoring every aspect of myth that I was taught, do other myths throw their rules completely out the window with other creatures? I mean, do things like snow phoenixes exist?”

“It’s an infinite multiverse, Lightning. Anything and everything is possible.”

“Don’t tell that to Sunburst,” Lightning informed. “He’d have a fit trying to comprehend that, anything and everything is possible. I love him and all, but sometimes he gets… Oh, what’s the phrase I’m looking for here?” she mused.

“Obsessed?” Wizard asked, pausing to catch her breath. “It got a bit worse for me, after the ritual. Helps keep my dragon side in check.”

“Could be worse, I suppose,” Lightning mused as she kicked another door in, panting and sweating only to throw her metal wing in front of her as machine gun bullets pounded off of it from a Mastodon Sentry’s rifle. “Could be Galaxy, the poor guy literally lives on blood. Don’t know if you’ve met him yet, but he’s a thestral. Vampire basically. Needs a gallon of blood a day just to even survive. Most of it comes from blood banks, but sometimes…” Lightning trailed off as she slide-kicked the Sentry out a window, glass shattering and some of it cutting into Lightning’s fur. “Well, you get the idea I think.”

“We know them as Strigoi, they don’t need blood back home though. Just be lucky he’s not a Fangire.”

“Dare I ask?” Lightning commented as she dodged an energy blast from a Megaforce Green Sentry, before tapping her gauntlet and bringing up a keypad. Her fingers lit up the keys as she sent the data to the rest of the Rangers, informing them of this new type of Sentry.

“Stain glass vampires, feed directly on life force.” Wizard slashed a Sabertooth sentry, knocking the sentry out of their morphed form. Another Mastodon Sentry leaped in from behind, but Baroness finally broke through the front gates and Rider Kicked him out of his Ranger form.

“See, told you I didn’t want to know! You shouldn’t have told me, and yet you did!” Lightning answered nervously as she slashed the SPD Sentry blocking her path across the chest several times with her sword before continuing onwards. Inside her helmet, she saw the two Twilights finally meet on a small screen.

“If you want to run away then just leave this battle, then just do so. After all, don’t they say it’s not easy to make your ideals come true?” Wizard commented, as she watched her counterpart drag the astoundingly heavy Mango Punisher behind her across the courtyard only to be swarmed with Combatmen. Wizard then switched her weapon back to its blade mode and began helping her armored counterpart cut down the soldiers. However, it was noted that Baroness seemed to have trouble lifting her mace, and was starting to show signs of weariness.

“Hardly, my sister in all but blood’s in there, and I’m not turning and running away just because of some lame-ass fakers and lucha libre wannabes!” Lightning snarled as she rounded another corner only to be blown backwards by an explosion and a wall of flame blocking her path.

“Good, that’s exactly what I like to hear,” Wizard commented. “You know, I’m actually beginning to see why you were chosen as a Ranger. Silver, she should be proud to have a sister like you. You… you know something, behind all that arrogance, you actually remind me of my brother in some ways. Before he got… well, you know.” Wizard grimaced.

“Turned? Yeah,” Lightning replied. “No shame in crying a little about that. Mystic Mother knows if it was Vapor who got put under Somber’s spell, I’d be pissed. Don’t worry, someday, I’m sure you’ll get your big brother back, m’kay?”

“T-Thanks... “ Wizard Twilight smiled. “Just for that, I’ll let Wyatt let you see some more pictures of kid Sombra, long as you swear not to tell anyone about this little breakdown okay?”

As she ran, Lightning smiled. “Cross my heart, hope to fly and stick a cupcake in my eye. That work?”

Wizard’s grunt was all the confirmation the Aqua Ranger needed. Lightning then swore, as she began to hear the beams holding the floor above her began to creak, and crack from the pressure. “...Don’t have much time left, this building’s about to come down. Twilight, and I don’t care which one of you answers, any time you can buy me? Or at least tell me how this place starting burning in the first place?”

Wizard Twilight activated her Connect ring, retrieving her Dragon Timer. “I can give you a few minutes, make use of them.” She switched to flame dragon, activating the watch. “Move!” She danced through the area, striking the timer after a few beats. A blue magic circle opened, depositing another Wizard, in water dragon form beside her.

“Okay, that’s… impressive.” Baroness admitted. She watched as another gate opened, summoning a green colored dragon Wizard. “Wind?” Baroness guessed, before she felt movement to the side, and swung her Mango Punisher around in a burst of strength just in time to meet a combatman in the face. Bone crunched as the weapon met his skull.

“Hurricane,” the new Wizard replied, firing her sword/gun. “Hurricane Dragon.”

Baroness swung her mace wildly, it was clear she didn’t really know how to use the weapon. And this sadly, coupled with how already exhausted she was, allowed a sentry to slip past her defenses. A shot from a Mastodon Sentry’s rifle hit her in the leg, grazing her but Twilight let out a yelp of pain all the while, as a small spatter of blood hit a piece of wrought iron fencing that surrounded the courtyard.

Twilight fell the ground, clutching her leg in pain as the Mango Punisher vanished from existence and her armor was soon to follow, leaving her in just the basic chainmail or Ride Wear as it was known.

Wizard Twilight swore under her breath even as the final gate opened to reveal a yellow-toned version of herself, -embodying the Land- she was afraid this was going to happen. Twilight, this one, was still too inexperienced to be let out in battle. She barely knew how to handle her weapons as it was. It was a miracle she’d lasted this long.

“Get out of here, now!” the yellow Wizard commanded, fighting off a few more combatmen.

“My leg…” Twilight murmured before letting out a scream of pain. “It hurts!”

“I got this one!” Vapor yelled out, as she swooped down in a burst of purple energy and grabbed Twilight and flew off with her, and just in time too. It hadn’t escaped anyone’s notice that a red dot was starting to appear on the Princess’ chest. A shot rang out from somewhere across the rooftops as a Pterodactyl Sentry fired their sniper rifle.

“T-Thanks Vapor…” Twilight whispered, as the Purple Ranger shook her head and chuckled.

“Ya know, you always were a stubborn one. Not sayin’ that’s always a bad thing, but really between you, Sunset, Lightning, and Robert? Gawd, surprised we’re all still sane!” she sighed to herself before her eyes narrowed as she eyed the backside of the manor and saw several black armored figures with flamethrowers in hand setting the building alight. “Lightning, I've got your answer as to what’s going on. Kurokage troopers, ‘round back. They’re the source of this. Already seen them set several other buildings alight, just to try and drive the ponies inside them out into the opening, or cause distractions for us.” she explained, as she sat Twilight down on a nearby rooftop and gave her a look telling her to just stay there, and out of trouble for the time being.

Lightning’s eyes narrowed as she used her wings to shield herself from the wall of flames in front of her, and shoulder charged through a door, busting it down. She was in Silver’s bedroom, but where was…?

“L-Lightning! Help!” Silver’s voice coughed out, and Lightning let out a furious nicker and stamped her hoof as she saw a Sabertooth Sentry holding a dagger to Silver’s throat.

“Let my sister go!” Lightning hissed out, wings flared.

“Give me your morpher, and then maybe we’ll talk,” the Sabertooth Sentry chuckled. Lightning’s fists clenched, she knew if she even made one move, the Sentry would have no qualms about slitting Silver’s throat. “Now, demorph and toss it to me… slowly.”

“Lightning… J-Just do as he says okay?” Silver asked. “Please!”

“No, I swore an oath to protect you, along with everyone else in this town. No, this planet when I got ahold of my powers. If I just let one scumbag knock-off push me around like he thinks he owns this place, then what sort of sister am I?” Lightning asked.

“A failure of one, I’d say,” the Sentry smirked under his helmet. “There’s nothing you can do! Nothing!”

Lightning looked away, not wanting for Silver to see her expression of shame as she gave in, and demorphed before tossing her Growl Phone to the Sentry. “There!” Lightning snapped, fighting back tears. “You’ve got what you want, now let my sister go!”

“Now, did I say that?” the Sentry asked, with a sneer before he raised his blade. Before he could bring it down however, Wizard smashed through the window and kicked him in the back sending Silver stumbling forwards into Lightning’s grasp, with the dagger falling to the floor.

“I don’t take kindly to anyone threatening children.” Touching a ring to her belt, Wizard conjured a spell circle. Chains exploded outward, ensnaring the sentry. “You just hang around for a while.”

“L-Let go of me!” the Sabertooth Sentry barked.

Wizard ignored him, turning to Silver. “You okay, Silver? He didn’t hurt you did he?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine…” Silver whispered before she shuddered in fear, snuggling into Lightning’s grip. “T-Thank you, Miss…?”

“It’s just Wizard,” Twilight with a smile. “Just a passing through Kamen Rider.”

“Thank you Wizard.” Silver smiled, before the building shook. Lightning grabbed her morpher and shot Twilight a thankful look, any past issues forgotten and then a nod.

“We need to get out of here, now!” Lightning shouted, before grabbing Silver by the arm and looking at her. “You trust me?”

“A-Always, I-I guess…” Silver whispered, rather unsure.

“Let’s go then, kid!” Lightning shouted, before taking flight out the smashed window with Silver nestled tightly in her arms with Twilight soon to follow. Lightning smirked as she looked at Wizard Twilight.

“You sure that boyfriend of yours won’t mind if you borrow his catchphrase?” she asked, in a slightly teasing tone.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Now, get Silver to safety,” she ordered, before Twilight looked down at the Kurokage Troopers and the burning manor. Cracking her knuckles, she went into Water Dragon mode and flared her wings. “I’ve got some things to take care of…”

The World of the Coinless:

“Well…” Drakkon thought to himself. “Guess that kid’s better than I thought he was. He actually caught me off-guard,” the fallen Ranger mused to himself before letting out a low growl. Even with all of his power-ups including those he’d ‘borrowed’ from other sources, he was getting nowhere with this world. They were actually putting up more of a fight than he thought they would, even sending the Gravezord back to his world. Granted, they’d only lasted this long with the help of Wyatt and company. He suspected, if he took on this world and Wyatt hadn’t interfered, the Rangers would be crushed under his heel and their morphers would be his.

It was only a simple matter of luck (wasn’t it?) that those Rangers managed to get the tools to summon Decade to their world. Drakkon frowned to himself. No, not luck. There were too many coincidences lining up like this for it to be anything but a rat somewhere. And Drakkon suspected just who that rat might be.

“I warned Somber that Blud couldn’t be trusted,” Drakkon mused to himself. “And I was right wasn’t I? He screwed up grabbing the Solar Cell morpher from the beginning, there was no way he should have lost to that thestral. Unless…” he realized with widened eyes. “He lost on purpose, didn’t he? And then gave up Decade’s business card to him.”

“You know, if you keep talking to yourself like that,” the Ranger Slayer laughed. “People just might start thinking you’re crazy after all.”

Drakkon’s head turned to look at her. He grimaced under the safety of his helmet, keeping the former Pink Ranger on retainer for as long as he did, the joys of it were starting to wear thin. “You shouldn’t talk, not after the failure you showed. Consider yourself lucky I’m even giving you a second chance, and not looking into another Ranger Slayer, Hart.” Drakkon hissed.

“Getting the Magna Defender’s Torozord past the dome was unforeseen,” Kimberly argued, walking up to the side of Drakkon’s throne and setting her helmet aside for the moment. “As was that Decade brat being able to grow to the size of a Megazord. Somber neglected to mention that annoying little trick.”

“Yes, I think there’s a lot of things about Decade our dear leader neglected to mention…” Drakkon growled, clenching his fist before bringing out Zeo Ranger Five’s crystal. ”I think it’s time for another little upgrade.”

“Sir, I should warn you that you’re treading a dangerous line as it is,” the Ranger Slayer said, a hint of concern in her voice. “You’ve already had too many power transfers, they’re killing you bit by bit with each one made.”

“Is that concern I detect in your voice, Hart?” Drakkon asked, whirling on the Slayer and slapping her across the face. “You don’t even get the right to speak, not now!”

“Not concern,” Kimberly answered ignoring the stinging pain from the slap, knowing full well she was treading a dangerous line. “But just being practical. What would happen to your world if it lost its leader? The empire you built up, your enemies would take any opportunity they could get to take it for themselves should it show any signs of crumbling.”

“The same thing that would happen if I let this pathetic world get the better of me,” Drakkon retorted, clenching his hand around the crystal. “But with the power of the Zeo Crystal, I can ensure that no one can ever best me again. Even Somber in time would kneel before me.”

Kimberly shook her head as her ‘lord’ made his way towards Finster-Five’s lab. “To the devil with him, if he wants to kill himself than so be it. I think it’s time I take my leave…” she mused before grabbing her helmet and placing it back on her head with a soft hissing sound. She began to stride towards another hallway, before she heard the sounds of rifles cocking before two Tyrannosaurus Sentries blocked her path with their staves.

“Ms. Hart, I’m sorry but you cannot be allowed to leave this fortress,” a Mastodon Sentry spoke, and the next thing she knew was hearing the sound of a gun going off and then… darkness.

Canterlot Castle:

Spike grumbled as his claws hit the marble floors of the Castle. “Ugh, why does teleporting always have to be murder on the stomach?” He asked no one in particular, adjusting his shirt with his claws.

“Trust me,” Sunset smiled before chuckling. “Been there, done that. My first teleport, hardly any fun either. You get used to it though.”

“It’s fine.” Spike cracked his knuckles, gazing around. “Alright, let’s get this over with, ya?”

“Quite, I’m in no mood to spend time around my boyfriend’s ex for any longer than I need to be or let my Rangers go up against Drakkon without our help for much longer,” Sunset agreed, taking a few steps forwards. “Now, unless I miss my guess, Princess Luna should be in her room right around this time, just getting ready for bed after she lowers the moon. Not a morning pony, I should warn you.”

“You do realize I know the Luna in my world, right?” Spike questioned with a chuckle, following right at the alicorn’s side. “I’m well aware that the Princess of the Night is nocturnal.”

“Right…” Sunset laughed nervously. “I keep forgetting that you know what Luna’s like for the most part. But then again, for all I know, you could have come from a world where Luna and Celestia switched roles and she was trapped in the Sun for 1,000 years.”

“Her name’s Daybreaker,” Spike replied, moving down a hallway. “I don’t know where Somber found her, but that’s what she calls herself.”

“Lovely prospect…” Sunset deadpanned, not really shocked by anything this Spike had to say anymore. “And here I thought it was going to be Nightmare Star or something stupid like that. Anyways…” she sucked in a breath and knocked on Luna’s bedroom door with more than a hint of nervousness. “Auntie Luna? You awake?”

There was a muffled grumble coming from the other side of the door. “In a minute…” Luna murmured. “Please allow me to make myself decent at the very most!”

Eventually, the door opened and Luna stepped out of her room in a negligee, with a bathrobe wrapped partially around her. Spike tried very hard to avert his gaze, and to his credit, he mostly succeeded.

“...That’s what she calls decent?” Sunset murmured to herself.

The Princess of the Night rubbed her tired eyes, and glared at Sunset crossing her arms at her. “Ms. Shimmer, though I would generally welcome the company, I must ask what is the meaning of you and young Spike waking me up at this hour?”

“We had something that we wanted to ask you,” Spike started, noting how Sunset was starting to clam up. “This might sound strange, but what is the Alicorn Amulet made out of?”

“Why do you ask? I cannot just divulge information on such a dangerous artifact without very good reason,” Luna grumbled, fighting back a yawn. Her horn lit up with a light blue color as she levitated a cup of coffee towards her. Never mind that it was empty, she was too tired to notice anyways.

“We’re trying to make something of our own,” Spike answered, opening his coin case and pulling out his Taka medal. “These specifically. It’s so we can help protect Ponyville.”

“Yes… I see,” Luna mused. “But you must understand, what I’m about to say cannot leave this room.” she continued, pulling both Sunset and Spike inside and shutting the door. “Obviously, I cannot trust anyone outside the room, not even my own guards. Walls have ears you know. If this were any other case, I’d wipe your memories of even asking me what the Amulet is even made of without a second thought. But, given the circumstances, I’m willing to tell you. It’s made out of a rare crystal, magicite. I presume you need some of the same substance to create more medals, young Spike?”

“That’s correct,” Spike answered, returning his medal to its case. “It won’t take a lot. Do you know where we can find some?”

Luna simply smiled, and opened her dresser to reveal a collection of rare jewelry, twinking with an eerie glow in the moonlight. “Should this suffice to your needs? I believe over half of this is made from the crystal substance you desire. I’ve no need for it anyways as it is.”

Sunset smiled. “Perfect…” she whispered before turning to Spike. “So, how do we turn those, into medals? Melting them down with your dragon breath I presume is a start?”

“Yup, but the most important part is the ritual,” Spike replied, grabbing a couple handfuls of the trinkets and thanking Luna. “We can do everything at the Animarium.”

“Yes, but it’ll have to be quick. I don’t think Lord Drakkon is going to give us a lot of time. I presume you can hold your stomach contents this time?”

“...I’ll try, but after seeing Princess Luna dressed like that, it’s not a guarantee,” Spike mumbled, and he swore he heard Luna snigger behind him. He didn’t really get the chance to confirm that, as both he and Sunset then teleported out in a gold flash of light.

Back in Ponyville, Shining found himself dealing with a team-up of both Samurai Sentries and Megaforce Green Sentries in a courtyard somewhere near Ponyville’s marketplace. Shining blocked a blow from one of the Samurai Sentries’ arm blades before ducking to avoid a swing from another. He then leaped out of the way to avoid a massive fist from one of the Megaforce Sentries’ mech suits.

A small compartment on one of the mech suits opened up to reveal what looked to be a Gatling gun, and Shining threw up a pink bubble of energy to deflect the blasts before switching his Magna Blade to its rifle mode and lined up his shot. In a burst of energy, he shattered the Gatling gun, but was forced to leap backwards from a powerful right hook from the mecha suit’s massive fist.

Shining’s sword glowed with a blue aura of energy, and he swung sending a slash towards the mecha suit, but to his surprise, the Samurai Sentries leaped in front of the slash taking it.

“What the fu-” Shining whispered, before he was sent flying backwards into one of the stalls by a massive energy burst from the Megaforce Sentry’s mecha. His helmet had been shattered by the sheer force of the blast, and was now lying in pieces all around him amongst the rubble of the stall.

The Zeo Sentry smirked as his fingers raised, and were about to come down on the cannon’s trigger button, before a burst of gunfire made him throw up his mech’s energy shield.

“Ah got yer back, Sugahcube!” Applejack shouted, as she -in Kachidoki Arms- let loose with the DJ gun. She scratched the record on the side, a tune playing from the gun. Flipping a switch on the side, the tune stopped for a moment before she scratched the record again and the tune came out slower and in a lower pitch. Pointing her weapon at the mech and opened fire.

The mech staggered back from the sheer onslaught but definitely wasn’t out of the fight just yet. The shoulder cannon charged up another shot and fired a large blast of green energy right at AJ. The farm mare’s eyes widened beneath her helmet, dropping to her stomach and feeling the heat coming off the blast as it narrowly avoided her.

Shining sprinted towards the mecha and took a running leap off a partially destroyed wagon before charging his sword full of blue energy and swinging downwards slicing one of the mecha’s arms clean off, before charging his sword again and whirling around to cut off one of the mecha’s legs. It stumbled forwards before collapsing to the ground in a hulk, dust being stirred up by the impact.

“...Well, that was particularly unpleasant.” AJ muttered.

“I wouldn’t rest yet,” Shining barked as he switched his sword back to its shotgun mode. “We’ve got incoming!”

Sure enough, Kurokage Troopers on their hoverbikes were swarming in right and left. Shining shot one out of the air sending his bike careening into a shop window with the Magna Defender being forced to hit the dirt as a blast of fire went directly over his head, nearly singeing him. AJ then once again went for scratching the small record-like device on the side of her weapon, letting loose with small bursts of weapons fire.

“Like flies!” Applejack muttered, as the Kurokage Troopers swarmed all around her on their Dandeliners. “All these fellas got goin’ fer them is numbers,” she remarked to Shining, glancing at him while taking down a cluster of troopers with a few well placed shots. “All bark and no bite.”

Shining managed to kick a Kurokage Trooper off his bike before shooting the controls sending this bike into a stall. “Yeah, I’ve noticed!” he shouted in return, after leaping off the bike and firing more energy blasts at the soldiers. “Still, a little breathing room might be nice. Think you can get us th-Urk!” Shining began to ask, before he was suddenly kicked in the stomach by a Samurai Sentry.

Shining tumbled onto the ground and just barely managed to switch his weapon back to its sword mode to defend against of flurry of strikes from the Sentry. Applejack nodded.

“Ah’ve got an idea, don’t you worry.” she smirked, reaching for the flags resting on the back of her armor. Jumping down from her spot on the roof, Applejack thrust her flags down in a pincer hold to catch the Sentry’s sword. She then sent him flying with a pure wave of fiery orange energy. Shining teleported above the Sentry, and then axe-kicked him back down to terra firma.

“So, anything else you can do with those flags of yours?” Shining asked, as more Sentries closed in. He smiled to himself. “Because apparently, we’re worth a lot of attention.”

“Ah think Ah got one or two more tricks up mah sleeves,” Applejack replied, resting her flags on her shoulders. “What about you? Ya got any moves from yer guard training t’show off?”

“Trust me,” Shining smirked. “Plenty.”

With that, he engaged in a series of rapid teleports through the squadron of Sentries, cutting them down in pink flashes of light and blue-toned swings of his blade and borrowed Dragon Dagger. He sent one Sabertooth Sentry flying towards Applejack with a shout of: “Here, catch!”

“No thanks,” Applejack replied, swinging one of her flags like a baseball bat and sending the Sentry flying towards Shining Armor. “Here, have her back!”

Shining struck and sliced the Sentry across the chest with a swing from his sword. “Yeah… I’m not really interested. I’m already happily married and all.”

“Ah ain’t found a stallion Ah’m willin’ ta put up with,” AJ responded, giving a good hearty laugh, shooting down Silver Space sentries on jetpacks with her DJ gun in cannonblast mode. “Ain’t a whole lot of em in Ponyville what can work the farm.”

“Or keep up with you?” Shining teased. “Cause I don’t know, because between you and Rainbow… Eh, I don’t know.” he trailed off. “Ponies do love to talk, especially after the Running of the Leaves a few years back from what I heard.”

“Rainbow and Ah are just good friends. Ponies just like ta run their gums. They should worry ‘bout themselves, not who I’m interested in beddin’.” Applejack groaned out. A Samurai Sentry lunged at her with his arm blades aimed for her stomach. In one quick motion, she pivoted around him and thrust the pole of her flag into the base of his spine.

“Well, could be worse I suppose,” Shining mused as he cut down another sentry. “I mean, Rainbow and Lightning for example. From half of what I’ve heard, they’re either arguing with each other, dancing around their feelings or look like they’re about to have passionate sex with each other from what Cadence tells me. Exact words. I mean, I knew sometimes ponies with common interests and similar personalities mix well, but that’s just ridiculous. If Cadence has her way, and she generally does, she’s just going to shove them in a dark room together and lock the door.”

Chuckling, Applejack grabbed her Musou Saber off her belt and inserted it into her DJ gun. It announced: “1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000,000, 1,000,000,000,000, Muryodaisu: Kachidoki Charge!”

“Sounds like ya just admitted ta Caddy wearin’ the pants in yer relationship,” she teased, swinging her blade and sending out a wave of energy that cleaved through several sentries.

“She’s the Princess of Love, what’d you expect to happen?” Shining asked, giving Applejack a flat look, before backhanding a sentry who was sneaking up from behind.

“Bet she’d like her stallion ta take charge and treat her to a rough roll in the hay,” Applejack answered, clashing with a Samurai Sentry before kicking him off.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that happening so far,” Shining replied stiffly, though his blush said volumes even as he struck down another Sentry with his borrowed dragon dagger, before blowing into it, sending streaks of green lightning through the final members of the squadron. Shining smirked, spun the dagger in his hands like it was a six-shooter before holstering it.

“So, have ta ask,” AJ remarked. “Ah'm curious, Ah admit. Where'd you get ahold of the Dragon Dagger? Ah mean, I highly doubt you just grabbed Drakkon's...”

“Long and the short of it?” Shining asked, and Applejack nodded. “Well, dealt with a Samurai themed monster recently back in the Empire, who put Cadence in the hospital and knocked some of my fighting spirit from me. Took the ghost of Tommy Oliver himself, not the Drakkon one but the original, to get me back into fighting shape. Left me with his Dagger as a reward, said I'd earned it.”

"Naw, seriously, pull the other one!” Applejack scoffed, not believing him for a minute.

"Hey, that's what happened...” Shining shrugged. Applejack raised an eyebrow under her helmet but decided it was best not to question things any further. Not that she had a chance to anyways, considering what happened next.

“Hey, you two done?” Sunburst’s voice crackled through Shining’s comms. “We’ve got a situation that just came up. Meet me at Town Hall, quick as you can.”

AJ took a breath, twirling her flags. “If ya need to go, git. I got these varmints.”

“Hey, is AJ there?” Sunburst asked, and the sound of blades clashing could be heard through the comms. “Could have sworn I heard her voice.”

“Yeah, she’s here,” Shining confirmed. “What’s the sitrep?”

“Good, because we need some Rider muscle. Sentries and combatmen, from what Lightning telling me they’re called, boxed in a bunch of ponies including the Mayor inside the Town Hall, and planted a bomb. Got the place surrounded both inside and out.” Sunburst explained.

Shining relayed the situation to Applejack.

“Right then, let’s get moving,” Applejack nodded. “As for them…” she trailed off, looking directly at the last wave of Ranger Sentries. Before she could even raise her blade though, a powerful beam of energy cut through them as Goldar teleported in. He raised his sword, and various pieces of rubble, the street and whatever else could be found began to form into what looked like giant golems.

“What the…?” Shining gaped. Applejack's jaw -under her helmet- stood slack as well. Goldar chuckled to himself, quite amused by the whole thing. It wasn't every day you got both the Element of Honesty and the Prince of the Crystal Empire stunned. He'd have to treasure this moment.

“Make no mistake, Shining Armor. The only reason I’m helping you and the Rangers is to get a shot at Tommy and Kimberly. Sure, they may have granted themselves some fancy titles, but they’re still Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Ann Hart no matter the color, universe or name. If this were any other situation, you’d be dead already, but as of right now…” Goldar trailed off as he sliced through a Sentry’s chest, blood spraying everywhere. “Consider us allies of convenience.”