To Build the Winning Formula

Chapters

Chapter 2: Clouded Resolve
Chapter 4: Family
Chapter 5: The Pressing Issue of Stalk
Chapter 6: Disputes and Reconciliation
Chapter 7: Science of the Devil
Chapter 8: Mother of all Mysteries
Chapter 9: Research Center Showdown Part 1
Chapter 10: Research Center Showdown Part 2
Chapter 11: Wake Up Burning!
Chapter 12: Crouching Tiger, Rising Dragon
Chapter 13: Going Rogue
Special 1: Movie Magic
Chapter 14: Shining Revelation of a Dark Truth
Chapter 15: Riders on the Run
Chapter 16: Riders Unmasked
Chapter 17: Keep Moving Forward
Chapter 18: Snake in the Grass
Trailer: Riders of Two Worlds
Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 2
Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 3
Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 4
Special: Mirror Magic Part 1
Chapter 1: The Best Match Begins
Chapter 3: The Guy with the Dragon Fullbottle
Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 1
Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Final Part

Chapter 2: Clouded Resolve

A short time had passed since the resolution of the Smash attack. Back at the underground laboratory, Sandalwood Forests was nowhere to be seen. And Flash Sentry sat in one of the spinning chairs, a look of deep contemplation on his face.

The moment he returned, Micro requested to have the bottle filled with the Smash essence from the mall. He explained he wished to test out his brother’s purification machine, and Sandalwood volunteered to operate it. Curious about the prospect himself, Flash allowed them to do so.

The intellectual of the group had been examining the other devices and equations his brother had within the lab. During his search, he came across another hidden panel in the wall. Like the door, it was password protected, but he cracked it easily. Inside the compartment was a strange panel of some sort. It was square in shape and seemed to be made out of a blue metal that he was unfamiliar with. It had a circuit-board motif and there were some slots lined up on one side.

While Sandalwood handled the purifier, Micro took the time to study the unique object. It was nothing like he ever saw before. He wanted to learn more about it, but didn’t know where to start. However, he couldn’t help but wonder what else his brother hid inside the lab.

*DING!*

“It’s done!’ Micro exclaimed excitedly as he set the panel aside went over to the microwave-like door, which they had come to learn was called the Bottle Fabricator. He reached in the opened door and pulled out and orange Fullbottle that seemed to be modeled after a gorilla.

“And thus, the Gorilla Fullbottle is born, gentlemen.” He then turned to the door next to the Bottle Fabricator, which slid opened and revealed an exhausted Sandalwood. “Thank you so much for purifying the Smash Essence, Sandalwood.”

“No problem…” The green haired teen slurred in exhaustion. “Just doing my part…bro…” As soon as he made it down the steps, he collapsed face first on the floor, immediately snoring softly.

“…You know, if this is gonna be a common thing, we should probably move the bed out here for him…” Flash pointed out. They had learned that Gizmo had actually constructed a living quarter’s right next to the laboratory. It had a bed, a small kitchen for meals, even a bathroom. To their surprise, the amenities still worked. It was either that both the shop and laboratory themselves were off the grid, or he paid utilities way in advance.

“Uh-huh…sure…” Micro Chips only half-listened as he focused on the bottle in his hand.

The musician sighed as he turned his attention to the main monitor. Micro had turned it onto the news channel to learn of the aftermath of him defeating the Smash. Said story played right now.

“Right now, we are here with you live, at the site of what was supposedly a fight between a monster and a mysterious armored figure. Here at the Canterlot Mall, a strange group of people stormed the establishment, shooting and kidnapping civilians for reasons unknown.” The reporter informed. “However, while they succeeded in capturing a small number of individuals, casualties were kept to a minimum thanks to seven young girls, who also ended up becoming targets of said monster.

“However, based on these witnesses, it appears they had been saved by a mysterious figure that drove a motorcycle through the Mall window and engaged the creature in combat. Here is what our witnesses and heroes have to say about the matter.”

To Flash’s surprise, the camera shifted over to the Rainbooms. The one who spoke first was Pinkie Pie. “It was so amazing! This guy, Build, he was covered in armor, and went all, WHAM! POW! KABLAM!” The party planner pantomimed profusely.

“So he said that his name was Build?”

“Yeah! Whoever he is…he really saved our butts. The way he fought that thing was just…so…awesome!” Rainbow Dash complimented.

“It was truly fortunate that he arrived when he did. Although…if I were to see him again, I would have to ask him about the design of his suit…” Rarity said being the critical fashionista she was.

The Camera panned over to Fluttershy, but the timid girl continued to hide behind Applejack, who spoke in her place. “Ah gotta say. Ah thought we were just about done fer when that thing showed up. That strange fella really saved us. Wish we could thank him in person…”

“I don’t know who he is, or where he came from…” Sunset was next. “…But if he hadn’t, then we probably wouldn’t even be here right now. Although, that doesn’t mean I’m not…concerned.” Annnnd there was the Sunset Shimmer skepticism he’s seen so much before.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…where was he when the people were getting kidnapped? It seemed like he arrived only at the worst possible moment.”

Flash frowned. It wasn’t his fault that he arrived too late. None of them even knew this was even happening until that Smash Alarm went off. Apparently, it failed to detect the robot kidnappers that appeared beforehand.

“But even so…We still appreciate what he has done. If he hadn’t arrived, then that monster could’ve gone after the people we evacuated, making things even worse.”

“I see. And you claim that this armored figure….this….masked rider….was able to beat the monster with ease?”

“Of course!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “I even got pictures of it all! Video too! See?!” Pinkie shoved the phone into the reporter’s face.

The conscious teens snapped over to the screen. She got pictures?! How did she….knowing that it was Pinkie Pie, they gave up trying to question it.

Of course, this little spiel now exposed Project Build, the secret project that Gizmo Poindexter had been working on, to the world.

This prospect was a curse…yet also a blessing…minutely. It was a curse because it brought attention to them, attention that could impede their search for the missing scientist. A more terrifying prospect was that there may be people who would actually try and target them just to get their hands on the Build System. But the slight blessing was that because they brought attention to themselves, whoever was after the Build System would come after them. As a result, they could end up finding answers without searching haphazardly.

The more he thought about this, the more anxious Flash became. He….he wasn’t sure if he should keep doing this. Granted, the Build System was their only key to finding out what happened to Gizmo, but it just seemed to dangerous. Kidnapping robots? Smashes? It was all too much.

He only used the suit because his friends were in danger. And that was before he realized that his sister had been caught up in the crossfire as well. Fortunately, to his relief, when he called her to make sure she was alright, she answered back, telling him that she was fine and the Rainbooms saved her and her friends.

It was at the spur of the moment, and now that the adrenaline had died down, he now felt conflicted. He wanted to help Micro find his brother, he really did. But lives could’ve been lost today, and it would’ve been his fault had he not been fast enough. Heck, some lives are still missing because he was unaware of what happened! The pressure was simply overwhelming…

Just what should he do…?

Ultimately deciding he would sleep on it, Flash headed out of the lab and began to make his way home.

Across Town

The Canterlot Research Development Center was one of the three largest companies in the city, rivaled only by ChangeMaker Incorporated and DarkShroud Industries.

Inside one of the office rooms of said building, we find a man sitting at a desk with three computer screens in front of him. He was a middle aged man with dark blue skin and darker blue hair, wearing a business suit. On one screen was a man with grey skin and hair that was both black and red, while the other showed a woman with bluish green hair and black skin.

In the center screen, were the images of the Masked Rider fighting the Smash.

"So," the woman said, "…anything you'd like to tell us Night Light?"

The man, Night Light, frowned. "No. This has nothing to do with us."

"Are you sure," the other man said. "Because that looks an awful lot like the weapon we heard rumors about your best scientist had developed. You know...before he took that career change to psycho murderer." He laughed.

Night Light rolled his eyes. "I told you. That system and all the data we had on it went missing months before that incident. How can I be sure it wasn't one of you who stole and completed it."

The two both sneered. "Don't go throwing accusations around without proof," the woman said.

"Then I advise you to do the same," Night replied. "And don't worry, I have a connection with the CCPD that's going to look into it. Once we know something, I'll tell you." He cut the video and they both disappeared, causing Night Light to sigh before hearing a knock on his door. "Come in."

The door opened and a man with dark purple skin and black hair stepped in, a pair of white rimmed glasses sitting in front of his eyes. "Excuse me sir, but your son is here."

"Thank you Dusk Walker, send him in." The man nodded before heading back outside, returning with a man in his twenties with white skin and blue hair. "Hello Shining."

"Hey Dad," the man replied as he stepped around the desk and saw the still playing footage of the rider. "Pretty weird, huh."

"More like worrisome. I'm even more worried after seeing your sister on the news. We'll need to talk to her, but right now we've got bigger issues." He pointed to the screen, "I need you to find out whose under that mask and where he got that tech."

"We both know it's not Gizmo," Shining told him. "If he could fight like that, I doubt he would have been bullied as much. You think he gave the gear to someone?"

"Or they took it from him," Night replied. "Either way, them having it is dangerous. Especially if this isn't gonna be the only Smash attack. We need it under control, not in the hands of god knows who. There's another issue I want you to look into. Faust."

"Faust?"

"I've been hearing rumors, of a secret underground organization that's also been experimenting with Nebula Gas. Before he disappeared, Gizmo took both of panels we had. If whoever's running this Faust thing has one of them, it could be using them to create these smashes."

"Is that even possible?" Shining asked. "I thought the Nebula Gas could only be extracted from the box, not the panels."

Night sighed before standing up and walking over to one of the walls, which had a large mirror on it. He pressed a button and the mirror suddenly turned into a window, which let him look out into the building common area. In the center of that area, surrounded by guards, was a large glass case. And inside that case, was an object that fell from the heavens nearly two decades ago. "There's so much we don't know about that thing. Who knows what secrets it holds? All I know is, we've opened Pandora's Box and the evils that it held are running amok. And after hearing what almost happened to my daughter, I can't sit by and watch as my home is put in danger."

"I understand dad," Shining told him. "I'll find out what you want to know." With that, he turned and walked out the room with Dusk Walker.

Once outside, Dusk Walker turned to Shining. "So what are you really going to do?"

Shining smirked. "What he asked me to do, find out who this masked rider is. But to do that, I'll need more info. Who should I talk to about the box that would know the most?"

Dusk hummed. "I'd suggest, Mrs. Misty Veil. She's been researching that thing longer than anyone."

"Good, where do I find her?"

"I think she left earlier today. She's been working long hours lately, so I think she's making it up to her kids."

“I see. Well, I guess I’ll just have to speak with her tomorrow. Please let her know of the meeting when she comes in.”

“Understood.”

“I’m home…” Flash called out as he entered the front door.

“And just where have you been, mister? It is extremely late! Are you okay?!” The voice of his mother, Misty Veil, exclaimed as she rushed over to him. She was a middle aged woman with a silver skin tone and purple hair tied in a tight bun. She was dressed in a black business suit and lab coat. On the lapel of his coat was a badge that signified her occupation as a researcher in the Canterlot Research Development Center.

Originally, his mother was an archaeologist that specialized in otherworldly culture. It usually pertained to relics like Out-of-place-artifacts, or OOParts. She was recruited by the Research Center to study said OOParts that have been unearthed within the past twenty years.

The musician was surprised. Usually, she wasn’t home until later. “M-Mom?! What are you doing here?!”

“I got off work early. I wanted to surprise you and your sister, but I ended up being the one surprised when I heard that she was nearly kidnapped by robots at the Mall…” She turned to said girl at the kitchen table, chewing her dinner.

“But mom, we’re fine! Rainbow Dash and the others saved us! They took out those monsters like it was nothing!” The girl replied after swallowing.

“But you were still in danger, young lady!”

“How were we supposed to know robots would invade and start shooting and kidnapping people?!” The young girl retorted back. While she appreciated her mother’s concern, it could be a bit stifling at times.

The argument went back and forth and continued for a few minutes. Knowing that he would be the next target of his mother’s worry, he set his stuff aside and ate his portion of dinner, which consisted of simple meat loaf and mashed potatoes. He figured he might as well eat now before getting chewed out.

“Do you understand me, young lady?” Misty questioned her daughter.

“I got it, I got it…I’ll be sure to let you know where I am at all times from now on…” Scootaloo droned.

“And if something dangerous happens again, I want you to get out of there, no questions asked. I don’t care how cool you think this Masked Rider is, if he ever shows up again. Getting a glimpse of him is not worth risking your life!”

Apparently, after the incident and seeing the news story about how the Masked Rider named Build saved the Rainbooms, Scootaloo had wanted to get a glimpse of the man who saved her friends and idol. She had wondered if she could see him in action in case something like this happened again, but her mom shut those plans down.

“Yes mom…”

“Good. So long as you understand.” She then turned her focus to her son, who paused mid-chew. “As for you, mister…”

The musician gulped down his food as he was subjected to a thorough interrogation of what he had been doing earlier today. Knowing that he could NEVER tell her the through about the Build System, Nebula Gas, the Smash, especially the fact he was Build…he decided to tell her as much as she could without giving too much away. He couldn’t lie to his own mother…she had a genuine skill of accurately perceiving lies or fakes. A skill she honed during her time at the Research Center.

So he informed her that he had been hanging out with his friends Micro and Sandalwood. He and Sandalwood noted that Micro seemed a bit down since it had been six months since his brother went missing, and decided to cheer him up. That included an afternoon spent watching videos and discussing videogames at his house.

It wasn’t technically a lie. He did hang out with his friends and tried to cheer up a downtrodden Micro. They also DID technically watch videos and talked about a trip to the arcade.

His mother gave him a brief critical eye before relenting. “…Alright. I believe you. I just want you and your sister to be careful from now on. Things have been getting dangerous and strange in this town this past year…” Flash gave a mental grimace. The past year had been filled with magical incidents, and now the normally quiet town is being subjected to monsters transformed by an alien gas.

As they spoke, his little sister cleaned her plate and went upstairs to get started on her homework. Once she was out of earshot, Misty spoke again. “…I’m serious Flash. I want both you and your sister to stay out of trouble and be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you…I don’t want either of you to end up like your father…”

Flash grimaced as his eyes slid over to the hanging photo next to him. It displayed his family…back when it was whole. A younger Misty Veil dressed in a blouse and pants smiled as she carried a baby Scootaloo in her arms. A younger Flash in a hoodie and shorts was present as well, smiling happily as he sat atop a man’s shoulders. The man looked to be an older version of Flash Sentry with defined muscles, and a growing beard. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket wrapped around his waist.

The picture had been taken when they went on a family trip to Manehatten years ago, back when his father, Trail Blazer, was present in their lives.

He remembered that his father was a bit brash and easy-going. But he was also loyal, brave, and had an unshakeable sense of justice. His father had also been a member of the Air Force. He had been one of their best pilots, and a hero that Flash aspired to be.

However, that all came to an end abruptly.

It had been a normal flight to test a newly designed jet plane. It had been going well for the most part, but then there was a malfunction in the engine while in the air. Its flight path spiraled out of control. Trail Blazer tried to make an emergency landing, but by then, it was too late to pull out of it. It crash landed nose-first and exploded.

And the ace pilot Trail Blazer was no more.

Flash’s family was heartbroken the day they got the news. Scootaloo was too young to remember it, but Flash wasn’t. Even now, it hurt to think about his dad. He kept wondering why such a thing would happen to him. He was a great person and even better father. Why was he taken from them so soon?

He wouldn’t stop crying about it for weeks. It even got to the point where he even tried to investigate the matter, despite his young age. He refused to believe it was a simple malfunction. He instead thought it was sabotage. He wanted someone to blame, someone to pay for taking his father away.

He got in trouble for it more often than not. It wasn’t until his mother stopped and talked with him that he stopped.

She told him that sometimes incidents like what happened to Trail don’t happen for any particular reason. They sometimes simply happen by chance. The investigation towards the flight had concluded soon after. It turned out that there was a faulty component in the engine. The company responsible was sued for quality negligence and his family was compensated.

But it didn’t matter to Flash…he just wanted his father back. It took time for him to get over it, but eventually, those scars faded.

But remembering this did not help him in the least. In fact, it made his inner turmoil even worse.

“Do you understand, Flash? I want you to promise me that you won’t do anything dangerous or reckless.” His mother repeated, her eyes glimmered in concern.

The blue haired teen had his head tilted down. He raised it and looked at his mother in the eye. “…I promise…”

After excusing himself, Flash went upstairs to work on his own homework. As he passed by his sister’s room, he heard squeal of excitement with a series of voices. Being the nosy person he was, he knocked on the door.

“It’s open…” He entered his little sister’s room. He saw her at her desk, watching the news video about the mall incident and the brief sightings of Build courtesy of Pinkie Pie.

“You’re STILL watching that story?” He asked as he sat at the foot of her bed.

“Uh-huh! It’s so awesome! We have a mysterious masked rider who saved Rainbow Dash and the others from a vicious monster! He’s a hero!” His sister cheered.

Flash chuckled, a tad embarrassed since indirectly, Scootaloo was glorifying him since HE was Build. It…oddly felt nice. She was holding the Masked Rider as high of a regard as Rainbow Dash, which was saying something given how much of a fan she was about the latter. “But we don’t know too much about him. I mean…the only videos and stuff we had on hand are Pinkie Pie’s photos…”

It was actually the truth. During the fight, Micro hacked into the security cameras once more and deleted the footage of the fight. None of them wanted the truth of the Build system and Flash’s identity as Build to leak to the public. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stop it completely due to Pinkie’s randomness.

While he was at it, though, he also erased video evidence of the Rainbooms using magic. No sense getting the government involved in trying to dissect the girls to understand the powers, or so he said….

“Yeah, but still, he’s just sounds so cool! I wish I can meet him in person.”

“I advise against that. You heard mom. The first sign of danger, and we gotta get out of there.”

“I know, I know…” She sighed. “I’m just glad she’s not making me go straight home for tutoring sessions. Because I have one with Twilight tomorrow…”

“Oh? So you’re studying with Twilight tomorrow?” Flash questioned.

“Yeah, so I might be late coming home tomorrow. I really need her help with my science class, I have a test later this week.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine, especially after Twilight’s help. She’s a great tutor.” He said with confidence. It was the truth, as she helped him greatly for studying for his math test the other day. He then checked the time and noted how late it’s gotten. “Alright, well, don’t forget your own homework, and don’t stay up too late or Mom will have our heads.”

“I got it, I got it. Goodnight bro.”

“Goodnight sis.” He ruffled her hair and went to his room, his thoughts weighing down more than ever. He honestly wished that Scootaloo didn’t revere Build so much. Now he’s got another set of expectations on his shoulders. To find Gizmo and defeat the Smash, to keep safe and away from danger, and now a heroic figure that young kinds like his sister seem to idolize. It was getting to be too much for him.

It was times like these he wished his dad was around…What would he do in this type of situation? What would he tell him how to handle it…?

Flash simply laid back, mulling his situation over, completely unaware of what was happening in a different part of the city.

“-----!!!!” Screams of agony and terror were muffled within the dark laboratory. Trapped inside a glass chamber filled with a certain gas was a young man who was only clad in a pair of pants. His arms and legs were strapped to the table below him while a respirator was latched around his face. Multiple wires and tubes were connected to the chamber. Surrounding the glass box were several computers and machines hooked up to it. They were each operated by people dressed in white hazmat suits and black gas masks.

Next to them was a massive cylindrical container that contained a certain colored gas.

Watching over the operation sat a figure cross-legged on his throne on the metal loft. It was the figure clad in bat-themed armor. In his hand was a strange device molded after a handgun.

The subject continued to spasm as his eyes darted wildly. They soon focused on the armored figure.

“Wh-why…?” The youth croaked out through the pain, although his words went unheard due to the soundproof container. Another jolt surged through his body. “…are…yo-you….doing…this…?!”

Another scream tore from his throat. While the man remained silent. His left leg bobbed on his knee while he rested his head on his free hand.

“…he’s ready.” One of the men in suits said.

“Then begin the procedure.” The armored figure ordered. One of the operators nodded and pulled a lever. A strange, colored gas entered into the chamber. The subject thrashed even more intense than before. On the screen, a bio-reading of the person displayed the gas becoming infused throughout his body.

He continued to scream as his body glowed brightly from the infusion. His flesh begun to distort as his mental state dimmed. Soon, the young human was replaced by a different creature entirely.

“…let us see how you will handle this one…Masked Rider…”

The next day, the school was buzzing in activity. A majority of the conversations were about the events at the mall yesterday. Some of their fellow students were even missing, chalked up to be some of the victims of the mass kidnapping yesterday.

However, the group that currently had the most attention now was the Rainbooms. Since they were seen on the news, many students went to them and asked questions about the incident. However, they were completely overwhelmed by the amount of students who came to them. Applejack, Rainbow, and Sunset tried their best to stave off the crowd while Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight did their best to answer any stray questions. Fluttershy was huddled behind them, unable to properly handle the amount of attention.

It was lunch time, and none of the girls were getting a reprieve to eat their meals.

Watching all of this commotion were Flash, Micro, and Sandalwood, seated at a table of their own.

“Dude…must be harsh for them.” Sandalwood commented.

“I know. Due to the fact they were at the mall yesterday, evacuated civilians, AND fought that monster…practically everyone’s wanting answers from them.”

“But it’s not like they can tell them anything. I don’t think even they know what’s going on…”

“Yeah. Only we do…” Micro nodded in agreement.

Flash simply nodded as he took a bite out of his grilled cheese sandwich. Even sleeping on it didn’t help. He’s still as conflicted as he was yesterday. He wanted to help Micro as Build, since he was the only one of the three of them that had the minimum Hazard Level needed to use the system. But he also promised his mom not to get involved in anything dangerous, and fighting mutant monsters definitely classified as such.

And while the fact the girls can use magic remained a secret kept from the public due to Micro’s hacking, it did not stop circulating in the school, where everyone knew of magic’s existence.

He debated whether or not getting a second grilled cheese, because this mess was seriously stressing him out.

“….don’t you think, Flash?” Micro questioned.

“H-Huh?” He looked up from his sandwich to both of his friends in the eye. “…Sorry Micro, what did you say? I kinda spaced out…”

“I was asking if you wanted to go back to the shop again. There are so many things I want to learn more about the system…” The intellectual stated as vague as possible. It would be disastrous if the information about the Build System got in the wrong hands, so he decided to keep the matter as broad as possible to steer off suspicion and told the others to do the same whenever the topic was brought up.

“Weren’t there instructional videos for that earlier?” Flash questioned back in code.

“There were. But like they say, experience is the best teacher. So I thought we could try it out first hand. You’re not busy after school, are you?”

The musician paused in thought. He still hadn’t made up his mind. He needed more time to think things over. And yet…he was also curious about what the Build System could do…

Ever since he used it yesterday, he’s felt a sense of….fulfillment. The power it produced energized him. Wearing it was a pleasant experience that invigorated him. He felt like a hero. In all honesty, he was kind of eager to don it again.

However, his mother’s words brought him back down. As much as he enjoyed being Build, his family came first. They couldn’t handle another loss…

“I….I’ll think about it…” Flash responded finally. “I just…have some things to handle after school…I’ll let you know if I can make it.”

“Oh, okay…” Micro nodded. He seemed a tad disappointed of a lack of a guaranteed answer, but accepted it nonetheless. Sandalwood was the same as he took a bite out of his hoagie.

Flash ate the last of his grilled cheese. A second helping sounded really good right now…

Afterschool, Flash immediately left school grounds. In the past, he would’ve spent some time in the afternoon to practice with his band. However, his band, Flash Drive, had not been able to meet up for weeks.

The reason? Their Bass Guitarist, Ringo, had been missing for weeks. It happened a few days after they got back from Camp Everfree. He hadn’t shown up for school. Originally, he and his drummer, Brawly Beats, thought that he was out sick.

But that didn’t turn out to be the case at all.

According to his parents, Ringo had left for school that morning. But he never showed up. He never returned home either.

His disappearance unsettled the student body and faculty quite considerably. Since then, Flash and Brawly agreed to suspend band activities until further notice. A police investigation is currently taking place to find him. But so far there was nothing notable. Many students speculated what happened to him, some of the possibilities being outlandish to the point of alien abduction. Although…given their experience with magic, it can certainly still be plausible.

But after what happened yesterday with the Smash and the robots…Flash had gotten a solid clue.

However, right now, he needed time to just get away and think about what to do now. That and he needed to blow off some steam. This mental conflict has got him stressed. Usually, he would play his guitar to vent out his frustrations. But he just wasn’t in the mood today. His mind was too conflicted.

So he resorted to his second-favorite hobby: videogames.

He entered the Canterlot Arcade, his senses greeted by flashing lights and a mesh of sounds. As usual, the arcade was filled with kids and teenagers looking for a way to goof off for the afternoon. Flash made his way over to the air hockey table. He debated if he should find a person to play against, or if he should just do something else…

“Wanna play a game?” A male voice interjected his musings. He turned to his left and came face to face with a young adult male with white skin and two-toned blue hair. He was dressed in a pair of gray slacks and red polo with a shield emblem with a pink, six-pointed star on the breast pocket.

“Uh…sure…but who are you?”

“Oh, apologizes. I should’ve introduced myself first. My name is Shining Armor.” He extended a hand.

“Flash Sentry.” The teen returned the gesture and shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Flash. So…you up for a game?”

“Sure, I guess…” Shrugging, Flash paid for tokens and started the table. At first, he hadn’t paid much thought into the game. But that changed when he noticed Shining’s aggressive play style. He also managed to block or counter each move he made. Flash realized that this man was good. He even showed it through his smug grin.

Flash started to take the game seriously, feeling the spark of competitive spirit. However, despite some of his drive returning, his concerns over what he should do from now own continued to lurk in a dark corner of his mind. In spite of this, he tried to enjoy the game. Eventually, they got bored of air hockey after ten matches and decided to try the other games to compete on. This consisted of foosball, race games, shooter games, fighter games, etc.

Throughout it all, both men had fun in their little game matches.

“You’re pretty good, Flash.” Shining told him as they took a break. “Didn’t really expect that from a musician. Guitarist I take it?”

“Y-Yeah…” Flash answered, surprised how he was able to deduce such a thing. “How did you know?”

“Well, while we were playing those shooter games, I noticed the amount of callous on your fingertips. That much usually represents a dedicated, string instrument player. And your posture doesn’t strike out to me as someone who uses a formal instrument like a violin or cello, so a guitar is what I guess. Unless I was wrong and you play bass instead?”

“N-no…it’s guitar…” The musician was surprised. He learned all that just from a few observations? “…Out of curiosity, are you some sort of detective?”

“No. But I am a member of the force. I’m an officer of the Canterlot City Police Department.” He stated proudly.

“You’re a cop?!” Flash asked in shock. “But, but…why would a police man hang around at an arcade?”

“Well, I got off work early, and this is one of my favorite hang outs.” Shining Armor shrugged. “Plus, I enjoy the games here. It’s a nice way to spend a free afternoon.”

“Okay, then….You know, for a police officer, you seen a bit easygoing…” The teen commented.

“Well, that’s because I’m off duty. Otherwise, I’m a pretty serious law enforcer. So don’t let me catch you breaking the rules, hoping I’d let it slide…” He playfully warned. Yet somehow, Flash felt that wasn’t entirely a joke.

“Yes sir…”

“Good. So…mind if I ask you something?” Shining Armor questioned.

“Uh, sure. What’s up?”

“I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries, but is something bothering you? While we were playing, I couldn’t help but notice a conflicted expression on your face. As if you were at an impasse over something…”

“You…you noticed that?”

“Yes. It comes with my occupation. I have to be observant. Now, will you tell me what’s wrong? If that’s alright with you…”

The musician didn’t answer for a few moments. Should he really disclose what was troubling him to a stranger? Well, not really a stranger, since he got to know the guy over the past over. Plus, he was also a police man. They’re usually upstanding citizens, and Shining Armor seems to hold his profession proudly. Sighing, Flash complied.

“Well, the thing is….I’m…I’m just confused on what to do.”

“What are you confused about?”

“It’s about a series of promises I made. You see, I promised a good friend of mine I would help him. An…incident took place a few months back that hurt him emotionally, and is still recovering now. And only recently, we found a way to help him overcome that incident, but realized that going about it is dangerous…”

The fact that said method was dangerous set off alarm bells in Shining Armor’s mind. “Dangerous? In what way? Nothing illegal, I hope.”

“No, no no…nothing like that…” Flash shook his head quickly and sincerely. ‘At least, I hope nothing we’re doing is registered as illegal…’

“I meant it’s dangerous in the sense that it’s risky. We could end up getting hurt by accident, or if we’re not careful. Which brings me to my other promise. You heard of what happened at the mall yesterday, right?”

“I’d be hard-pressed not too. It was a major event that sent the public in an uproar. Not to mention my sister was caught up in it…” The policeman gave a wry expression. “I still regret not being able to help when I had the chance. But the time I got there, it was already over…”

“Really?” Flash noted. “It’s a coincidence, really. My little sister was also caught up in that incident. She was nearly kidnapped if it weren’t for my friends who had been there at the time to save her. But when my mom heard of it, she immediately put her foot down. She made us promise not to get caught up in anything fishy or dangerous. And if something was even the least bit risky, that I had to leave immediately.”

The musician sighed again. “…I had no choice but to promise her.”

“What do you mean?”

“…You see, there’s only three of us in my house. I used to have a dad, but he lost his life in an accident years ago. Ever since then, my mom has made sure that my sister and I would be safe and well. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to us. We just…can’t take another loss like that. That’s why I’m so conflicted about this. I have the ability to help my friend out, but I can’t otherwise I’d be making my mom worry. I can help, but if I do end up getting hurt, I would also end up hurting my family. I just don’t know what to do…”

Exasperated, Flash held his head in his hands. Shining Armor remained silent as he processed what the teenager just told him. In a way, he could sympathize with his plight. Finally, he gave his answer.

“…I’ll be honest. What you just told me, I felt the same way ever since I joined the force.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I can understand where you’re coming from. Like you, I have the capability to help others, but I also have a family to worry about. Deep down, I was afraid. Being a police man is a dangerous and risky profession. We could get shot in the line of duty. Thinking about it, I worried for my family, as I could end up hurting them if something happened to me.”

“But…you’re still a police officer. Then that must mean you got over it, right? How did you do it?” Flash asked, hopeful for an answer.

“At first, I spent time thinking about what to do. At times, it got to the point where I nearly tore my hair out. But eventually, I figured it out. It was something so simple. Something I had almost forgotten.”

“What is it?”

“It’s courage.” Shining Armor answered him with a resolute look in his eye.

“Courage? Like, you’re not afraid of what could happen anymore?” Flash asked with a raised brow. That didn’t seem helpful.

“Oh heck no, I’m still afraid of that; terrified even.” Shining Armor waved his hand. “But that’s a common misconception. People usually assume courage is the absence of fear, but it’s not. Courage is the ability to act in spite of fear; to trudge forward even if things seemed bleak and hopeless. I’m still afraid what could happen when on duty. But I also know that if I have this ability to help others and refrain from doing so, then others could get hurt in my place. As a result, there would be many more families mourning over their losses. All of that could be prevented if I took action.

“It is all risky for sure. But when you think about it, many risks are present in life as well. If people spent their whole time living in fear of those risks, then we wouldn’t really be living, wouldn’t we? When it comes down to it, life is all about having courage to face the unknown future.”

“Courage to face the future…” Flash stared at his hands. He pictured the possibilities. If he hadn’t been Build, then that Smash would’ve decimated his friends, something he would’ve greatly regretted if it came to pass. But because he was Build, he prevented such a tragedy. It was dangerous, but he had the ability to help and save others. To be a hero. As much as it pained him…he had to break one of his promises.

And now, more than ever, he knew what to choose.

“…Thanks, Shining Armor.” Flash said gratefully as he stood up. “I really needed that pep talk. I know what to do now.”

“Glad to hear it.” The man smiled before donned a serious expression. “I was serious though. I don’t know what this sort of danger entails, but I warn you not to deal in illegal activities. If I even catch wind of it, I’m bringing you in. Understood?”

“Crystal, sir.” Flash saluted, slightly fearful of being arrested. Another risk of being Build, apparently. “A-Anyway, I gotta get going…promised my mom I’d be home as early as possible.”

“Well, don’t let me keep you, then. Just be safe going home. It’s gotten pretty dangerous around town recently.”

“I will, see ya.” Flashed waved goodbye before heading to his car.

He immediately left the arcade….but not for home.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, two girls made their way to the Canterlot Public Library to begin their study session.

Scootaloo slowly pushed off on her scooter as Twilight Sparkle walked beside her. The younger girl had been talking nonstop, asking numerous questions about Build as her tutor had seen him first hand. Twilight answered as much as she could, but her own mind was plagued with other matters.

After the news interview yesterday, her family had all but glomped her as soon as she got home. They had been worried sick when they learned of what happened on the news and went a tad overboard in treating her injuries, but she knew they meant well. They only wanted her to be safe. However, she wasn’t sure if she fully agreed to what they had in mind.

Her mother and father wanted to limit her afterschool outings and to go straight home where it’s safe if she didn’t have important obligations, like her job and tutoring.

She could see the merit in their decision, but she didn’t like the fact that doing so would prevent her from spending time with her friends. She had been troubled by these thoughts even during school, when she and her friends tried to fend off the endless questions from students.

It…it just wasn’t fair. For so long, she had lived her life without people to call her friends. And now that she had found the companionship she was starved for so long, she had to give it up? For her own safety? In all honestly, it infuriated her.

She wanted to scream and cry out, but she knew that her parents were right. Those robots and that monster at the mall were ruthless. Many more people could’ve gotten hurt. She and her friends themselves could’ve been victims were it not for their magic powers. But in the end, it all proved fruitless against the monster that had complete resistance over it.

She just….didn’t know what to do now…

“….llo…Twilight, are you listening?” Scootaloo’s voice interrupted her musings.

“H-Huh? What? S-sorry, what?” Twilight asked the concerned girl.

“I’ve been asking what we should get started on at the library. Are you doing okay? You seem spaced out…”

“I’m…sorry about that, Scootaloo. I’ve just…had a lot on my mind lately…”

“Does it have to do with what happened at the mall yesterday?” Scootaloo asked as they neared their destination. However, both were unaware of the figure slowly stalking them.

“Yeah…how did you know?”

“I get where you’re coming from. My mom and brother were worried sick over me when they found out. My mom even went full Psycho Mother Hen mode over me.”

“Psycho Mother Hen…?” Twilight questioned. It sounded very familiar with her mother.

“Yeah…she’s always making sure my brother and I are safe. She works, cooks, cleans, and takes care of us. She does it all…and that’s why she’s so worried about us…”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s….well….it’s pretty complicated. There’s a reason why my mom does whatever she can to keep us out of danger, even to the point of suggesting a transfer for us when she learned of those incidents at school…”

“R-really?” Twilight asked. She knew what exact incidents Scootaloo referred to. She had been responsible for one of them. But to that extent? “If…if you don’t mind me asking, why did she want to do that?”

“Well…it has something to do with our family. She tries to tip-toe around me whenever it comes up, but I know what she means. I figured it out a long time ago…” Scootaloo stopped riding her scooter and instead walked it alongside her friend.

“What…happened…?”

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but the shrill sound of metal invaded their ears. They spun around, and were greeted by a crumpled ball of metal hurtling towards them.

“Get down!” Twilight tackled Scootaloo to the ground. The mass of metal narrowly missed them. However, Scootaloo’s scooter was not as fortunate. It got struck by the metallic sphere and crushed into the pavement. Both girls gulped in fear from the near death experience and turned to where the ball came from. To their shock, a hulking figure slowly approached them.

It was a monster similar to the one yesterday, but with notable differences. It had the same, bulky armor as its predecessor. But instead of orange, its body was colored a dull, cyan blue. Its form was also asymmetrical. One side had a large, metal canister in place of the right side of its torso while its arm seemed to resemble a large, suction-type device. The other arm was bulky and resembled a cannon barrel. Its head resembled a cylindrical container, about half the size of the body canister. This was the Compact Smash.

It raised its right arm and seemed to suck up any and all, random objects into itself. The canister on its body glowed and shook for a brief moment. Then it raised its cannon arm and shot out another compacted projectile at the girls.

Now thinking quickly, Twilight activated her magic and tried to divert the ball’s trajectory. However, she found herself unable to as it moved too quickly and heavier than expected. She ended up rolling off to the side with Scootaloo to avoid it.

“We gotta get out of here!” The younger girl cried, now fearful for her life, as well as mourning the loss of her scooter.

“Quick! Follow me!” Twilight scrambled up and pulled Scootaloo along with her. They ran as fast as they could. But the Smash continued to follow them as it fired another shot.

Flash Sentry arrived at Gizmo’s tech shop like he promised his friends. He made his way down the stairs towards the underground lab. However, as he descended, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of danger steadily growing.

It wasn’t until he reached the ground floor that his instincts told him to move! Reacting quickly, he dove to the right. Not even a second later, a mass of energy spikes impacted the spot he had been standing on previously.

“What the heck!?” The musician screamed at scene. “Are we under attack?!” His head then snapped over to Sandalwood, who had been holding some sort of gun with a conical barrel.

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m so sorry!” The green haired teen panicked as he immediately removed the Hedgehog Fullbottle from the slot in the gun.

“Sandalwood, what the heck was that?!” Flash demanded as he stood up and walked over to him. “You nearly made me into a pincushion!”

“I’m really sorry, Flash!” He then set the weapon and Fullbottle down to the side. “…I was just testing out this device Micro found in a desk drawer. Apparently, it’s a weapon for the Build System….I just wasn’t expecting the recoil on it…”

“Technically, it’s called the Drill Crusher.” Micro interjected as he looked over the schematics. It showed the weapon in two modes: the gun mode that Sandalwood had demonstrated and a form that resembled a small lance. “It’s supposed to be the primary weapon of the Build System, allowing for melee and ranged combat. In its gun mode, it can shoot lasers and even the power of a Fullbottle for a Vortex Break attack, which is strong enough to defeat a normal Smash.”

“Okay…but why are you guys testing it indoors while it could’ve been safer to use outside?”

“Because it’s risky. We could end up alerting some random passerby and expose everything. And we didn’t know when exactly you would be here.” Micro answered.

“Seriously, sorry about that, dude.” Sandalwood grimaced.

“Just…give me a little warning the next time you decide to test out experimental weapons, alright…?” Flash rubbed his forehead, still shaken up from the near death experience. “So anyway…the Build System can use this? How do I even store it? I can’t just lug a weapon everywhere and go unnoticed.”

“I’ve thought of that as well. But apparently, the Drill Crusher can be stored inside the Driver. Watch.” Micro held the weapon up to the Driver. Before their eyes, the weapon disassembled into a series of energy lines that connected into the Driver before being assimilated into it. “And to call on it again, just say, Drill Crusher.” The weapon materialized in his hand again.

“…okay. Micro, I know your bro is a genius, but this is freaking futuristic sci-fi stuff. How did he even build something like this?!”

“I…have no idea….I mean, he has the blueprints and schematics, but I’m not entirely sure what materials he used to make all of this.” He then turned to the Bottle Fabricator. “I don’t even know how he made that…”

“You don’t suppose it’s some sort of alien technology?” Sandalwood scratched his head. “I mean, the Nebula Gas came from space, right? What if the Driver was the same way?”

“Hm…maybe….but it’s too early to say for certain…”

Before the conversation could continue, the Smash Detector alarmed. Micro went to the computer and opened the locator map. The coordinates indicated that the Smash was by the abandoned warehouse.

“I know that place!” Flash announced as he grabbed the Build Driver and Drill Crusher. “My band used to go there to practice when the music room was in use!” He put on the Driver and grabbed the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles. He shook them and the equations appeared once more, surprising Micro and Sandalwood.

“Fascinating, what is this phenomenon?” The intellectual adjusted his glasses.

“No clue, decided not to question it!” Flash then inserted the bottles.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

He turned the crank and the constructs appeared

“ARE YOU READY?”

Unlike the first time, Flash was more confident. He took a fighter pose before declaring, “Henshin!”

He was donned in the armor once more, a cloud of steam forming around him.

“FULLMETAL MOONSAULT,RABBIT-TANK!!!”

“YEAH!”

Now transformed into Build, Flash grabbed the Build Phone, Hedgehog Fullbottle, and Lion Fullbottle before heading out, but was stopped by his friends.

“Wait! But before you go, take this with you!” Micro handed him a small drone with a camera inside. “I can’t be your eyes everywhere. Some places don’t have cameras to hack into, so I figured this would be a good alternative.”

“Awesome, thanks!”

“And take these too!” Sandalwood handed him the newly made Gorilla Fullbottle and the Diamond Fullbottle.

“Why would I need these?”

“Call it a gut feeling, but I think these would make a pretty sweet combination!”

“Okay, I’ll take your word for it.” Build rushed up the stairs, activated the Machine Builder, and drove off. As he did, the Drone activated the shot off to the designated Smash Sighting. Micro figured that he could do some reconnaissance before Flash arrived so they knew what they were dealing with.

Twilight Sparkle wondered if the world was out to get her for some strange reason.

She had to go through a lot of torment during the Friendship Games, and even turned into a magical she-demon when she just couldn’t let go of the aspect of learning magic. Truthfully, it wasn’t all bad since she met her friends.

She got attacked by a corrupted mother nature and tormented by a figment of her imagination during Camp Everfree. But that wasn’t really terrible as it did allow her to form tighter bonds with her friends and access magic powers for the sake of good.

But now? She was running for her life with Scootaloo in tow from a monster that was similar to the one from yesterday. Including the fact that it was immune to her magic!

She did her best to try and slow its advance as they fled. If she couldn’t use her magic directly on it, then she would use it on random objects to make obstacles. However, it simply sucked up any object blocking its path and used it as ammunition for its junk balls. A piece of information she learned the hard way.

She tried to divert the trajectory of the junk balls with her telekinesis, but to her disbelief, her magic did not even affect the projectiles! Could it have something to do with the weird gas that surrounded them?

She tried to call her friends for help earlier, but the Monster actually shot a cannon ball of compressed debris and knocked her smart phone out of her hands!

Now they had no contact. No help. And the thing was STILL on their tail. They were getting desperate. Their retreat eventually led them to the abandoned warehouse several blocks away.

“Quick, through here!” Twilight led Scootaloo into the building, hoping they could lose it inside. They went through several turns before they settled down to rest in a secluded area, away from the Smash’s line of sight. Both girls panted heavily, their legs aching from exertion. “Okay…I think….I think we’re safe for now. How are…you doing, Scootaloo…?”

“I…I….I’m scared…” The young girl admitted. Under normal circumstances, she would hide her fear or play it off to appear strong. But she nearly died this time. If she had been just a bit too slow, one of those junk balls would’ve knocked her head clean off. Now that the adrenaline died down, she trembled. “I…I wanna go home…”

Twilight’s heart clenched at the sight. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to be at the library studying for a test right now, not running and hiding from a monster out to get them. Breathing deeply to calm herself first, Twilight gently wrapped Scootaloo in a hug.

“It will be okay…” She tried her best to reassure her. “Everything will be fine…We just need to hide and hopefully that thing goes away…” It was all they could hope for.

However, those hopes were dashed as a loud crash resounded not too far from them. Another junk ball had broken down a wall and the Compact Smash shambled in through the opening.

“Move!” Twilight, grabbed Scootaloo and they fled from the monster once more. They exited the building and entered the clearing behind the building. But before they could make it out, a junk ball impacted the ground before them and blocked their path.

The two girls turned and their stomachs dropped. The Smash was right before them. Its right arm sucked up empty metal barrels and crates and compacted them into its next attack. It aimed its cannon arm at the two. No matter where they fled, they would be too slow to dodge them, and she couldn’t repel them with her magic. The best she could do was shield Scootaloo with her own body.

‘I’m sorry mom, dad….Spike….Shiny…!’ The bespectacled girl apologized mentally, a stray tear leaked from her eye.

The Smash aimed to fire….but its aim was ruined when a laser blast struck its cannon arm. The junk ball shot out but impacted a spot several meters away from the girls.

Twilight and Scootaloo looked up to see a familiar armored figure driving straight toward the monster with a laser blaster in hand.

“Get away from those girls!” Build screamed as he pulled the trigger on the Drill Crusher. Even more lasers struck against the Smash’s warped flesh, forcing it to back away. Inwardly, Flash was just happy that he made it in time to divert its attack.

The Compact Smash shied away from the blasts. But it then sucked up the earth around it and fired a ball of compressed dirt and stone. Flash waved the Machine Builder around the attack. The Smash fired repeatedly, but he maneuvered his way around the projectiles.

As soon as he got in close, he swerved around the Smash and extended his right leg and kicked it with his tank treaded foot. The kick sent it backpedaling, but not enough to knock it down. He turned the back around and stopped it right in front of a crouched Twilight and Scootaloo.

“If you wanna get to these two, you gotta get through me first you trash compactor reject!” He got off the bike and went to the girls.

“Are you two alright?” He extended a hand down to Twilight Sparkle. Inwardly, Flash couldn’t help but feel this scene familiar, but decided not to dwell on it due to the dire situation.

“W-We’re fine…” Twilight responded. Scootaloo had stars in her eyes.

“Omigosh…! It’s really you! Build! You saved us!” Flash grimaced beneath his helmet. His sister was a fan. A real big one. However, that would have to wait.

“Well, there’s no way I would let innocent people get hurt. Especially not a couple of lovely ladies like yourselves.” He said in a light-hearted manner. Twilight felt her face flush lightly from the compliment, but suppressed it. “But things are about to get dangerous! I need both of you to get to safety, now!”

The Smash roared as it tried to gather materials to shoot at them again. But Beat him to the punch by shooting its arms to disable them.

“Run, now!” He then rushed at the cannon-armed beast, changing the form of his weapon into a drill-like lance. The conical blade spun rapidly as he swung. Each hit from the rotating drill whittled away at the Smash’s armor.

“Let’s go, Scootaloo!” The bespectacled girl finally regained her bearings. “We can’t stay here!”

“R-Right!” Scootaloo replied with very brief hesitance.” Watching Build fight the monster wiped away her previous fear. She was actually seeing him fight in person! She may not get another chance like this! But she also realized that if she didn’t leave with Twilight that might just be the case.

The two girls fled the scene and took shelter behind the decrepit warehouse wall.

Relieved that the girls were safe and sound, Flash could now fight seriously. Above him, the drone Micro made sent all visuals back to the lab.

“Flash!” Gizmo spoke over the radio. “Based on what we could see, it seems this Smash is a ranged attacker! It sucks up objects with its right arm, compress them into cannonballs inside its chest, then shoots them with its left arm.”

“So I just gotta disable the arms, right?” He swung at the cannon arm with his weapon, but the blow was deflected. He was then smacked away by the suction arm. Flash tumbled but rolled onto his feet. But he was knocked off again as a compacted ball of trash struck him down.

He actually felt the pain from that attack. Inside his helmet, he found a damage report for the armor. Apparently, he can’t take too many of those hits before the suit forcefully shuts down. “Damn! It’s not letting me get closer to use the Drill Crusher on it!”

“Try using the Hedgehog Bottle with it!” Sandalwood suggested. “You can probably pin it down with those energy spikes then deal the final blow!”

“Now that’s an idea!” Flash changed the mode of his weapon. He then pulled out the Hedgehog Bottle and inserted it into the Drill Crusher.

“HEDGEHOG!”

“VOLTECH BREAK!”

Flash aimed the weapon and pulled the trigger. A volley of energy spikes shot out of the spinning barrel toward the Compact Smash.

Unfortunately, to his and all observers’ shock, the Smash raised its right arm and sucked up the energy spikes into its body! Its canister glowed and trembled before it raised its left arm and counter-attacked with a glowing, spiked cannon ball.

“Crap!” Build dove out of the way as the attack tore up the earth where he once stood. The attack spun wildly as it dug and churned the ground beneath it before it ground to a halt.

“Well…that didn’t work…”

“You think?!” Flash snapped back as he stood up. “Just how am I going to beat this thing? It’s keeping me at a distance and apparently it can now suck up my energy blasts! How can I get close?!”

“Dude, maybe having speed and power isn’t the right way to go!” Sandalwood advised.

“What do you mean?!” The Masked Rider questioned as he dodged another projectile. “I need to be fast, otherwise those junk balls will crush me!”

“Maybe you don’t need to dodge, but you need to tank those shots! You just need a tougher combination!”

“Tougher? But what can I use with…? Wait a minute…” he pulled out the two bottles Sandalwood handed him before: Gorilla and Diamond. “…The strength of a Gorilla and the hardness of a Diamond…maybe…” He put away the Drill Crusher and shook the bottles in hand. Like before, the equations appeared, slowly guiding him to a new, winning formula.

“….I got it!” Flash replaced the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles with his new ones.

“GORILLA!”

“DIAMOND!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“A Best Match…? Awesome!” Flash fist-pumped as he turned the crank. Inside the Driver, the Nebula Gas stored in the new bottles flowed through the device and manifested itself as new constructs formed with a new set of armor pieces.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!”

The armor panels converged onto Flash, donning him in his new armor. The blue segments were replaced with lighter blue armor pieces. Diamonds are adorned on his left pectoral and shoulder while his right eyepiece was replaced by a sparking streak. The red Rabbit segments were placed with orange ones. The left eyepiece resembled a gorilla, and he now had a large armored fist in his right hand.

“DAZZLING DESTROYER!”

“GORILLAMOND!”

“YEAH!”

“Now with this…the law of victory has been set!” Flash pounded his fists together, feeling the surge of power this new form provided. Feeling invincible, he charged right at his foe.

The Compact Smash sucked up more debris and fired compressed spherical projectiles. But unlike before, they failed to faze Build as his new form provided unparalleled defense and physical might, allowing him to tank the hits easily.

Once he got in range, he punched the enemy dead center. The impact produced a shockwave that threw the Smash off its feet. As it scrambled to stand, Flash struck it again. He then picked up the Smash and proceeded to punch it repeatedly in the face before punching it away.

It tried to back up to gain space for its range attacks, but Flash refused to let up. He continued to press onward attacked the Smash.

Twilight and Scootaloo could not believe their eyes.

At first, they were concerned when they saw that Build’s attacks hadn’t had much affect on the monster. They were especially worried when they saw the creature SUCK UP what appeared to be energy blasts, and used it to amplify its own attacks.

However, they were soon relieved as Build seemed to have had another trick up his sleeve. The new form he had, Gorillamond, if they heard correctly, seemed to boast extremely powerful strength and defense.

Plus, if Rarity were here, she would no doubt swoon over the diamond aspect of the form.

Still, it was crazy powerful. Scootaloo had been cheering the whole time while Twilight remained analytical and observant. She couldn’t take her eyes off the fight or Build at all. Watching him battle was just so…compelling to her.

“Aright…” Flash announced as the Smash was now weakened to a point where he could end it. “…time to finish this!”

He turned the crank again and raised his right arm. A series of diamonds manifested from his arm and swirled around his body. It then converged around his armored fist. He pulled said fist back as if ready to punch.

“READY GO!”

He threw his arm forward with all his might, shooting the diamonds off in a flurry of projectiles.

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

The brilliantly cut diamonds trapped the Smash in a spinning tornado of gemstones. Flash then rushed forward and punched the imprisoned creature one more time, engulfing it in an explosion.

The Smash then collapsed on the ground, unmoving. Satisfied with the result, Flash pulled out an Empty Bottle and absorbed the Smash essence, returning the monster to normal. Like before, the bottle swelled up and gained a spider-like pattern, but now had a light blue essence inside.

However, he was surprised to see the face behind the monster, as were the other witnesses.

“R-Ringo?!”

Indeed, it was the bass guitarist of Flash’s band who had been missing for weeks, unconscious and hurt on the ground.

He tried to go over and see if his friend is alright, but the sound of blaring sirens cut him off.

“Flash! You gotta get out of there! The police are on their way to the scene!” Micro ordered.

“B-But…Ringo!”

“He’ll be fine! There’s an ambulance on the way as well! They’ll get him to the hospital! Just get out of there, now!”

As much as Flash wanted to argue, he knew his friend was right. He didn’t think the police would take kindly to his little acts of vigilantism….even if he was the only one capable of fighting the Smash. Plus, he needed to keep the Build System away from the public.

He quickly got on his bike and started it. But Scootaloo stopped him as she rushed over. Twilight followed her.

“E-Excuse me! Mister Build?!” Flash turned to his little sister. “Thank you….thank you for saving us…!”

“Yes! Thank you so much.” Twilight bowed her head in gratitude as well. “If it weren’t for you…I don’t know what…”

“It’s alright.” Build stopped her from finishing that thought. “You don’t have to worry about the Smash anymore…” Twilight and Scootaloo were surprised at what those monsters were called. At least they had a name now. But how did Build know about it? “Because now? I am here…”

He revved up the Machine Builder and drove away from the clearing. The girls could only look on as his form retreated down the road. Behind them, the police cars and ambulance arrived…

“Awesome job out there, Flash!” Sandalwood slapped the musician on the back as he returned.

“Th-thanks…” Flash grunted from his friend’s strength. “But really….it was too close for comfort. I’m just glad I got there in time…”

“Still, you saved Twilight and your sister! That’s all that matters! Plus, we found another Best Match! Gorillamond…what a tough combo!”

“And it seems like the drone works.” Micro stated as the device returned to him. “Although, I was only able to get visual information. I may need to install a microphone to get audio feed as well.”

“Well, it still worked. If you guys hadn’t been able to see what was going on, I’m not sure if I would’ve won that fight…” He then set the Driver and Fullbottles, including the newly filled bottle, or Smash Bottle, on his desk. But as he did, he noticed a strange panel of metal on the desk as well. “Hey, uh, Micro…what is this?” He held up the unknown item.

“Oh, that? That’s a panel I found yesterday. It was hidden in a secret compartment in the wall, so I figured it must’ve been of some significance to my brother. But I still don’t know what it is or what it does…”

Flash turned the panel in his hands, noticing the series of slots lined up; ten in all. In his opinion, they looked to be the same size as the Fullbottles. He glanced at said bottles on the desk and took the Rabbit and Tank bottles. Deciding to experiment a little bit, Flash inserted the bottles next to each other in the slots. When he did, the Panel reacted by glowing in his hands, a phenomenon that also awed Micro and Sandalwood.

“Amazing…!” Micro said as he took the panel from the musician. “How did you know how to do that?!”

“I…I didn’t…I just noticed that the slots were about the same size as the Fullbottles and just…experimented…” Flash scratched his head.

“Well either way, I think you just figured out a lead to uncovering the mysteries behind this Panel. You’re a genius, Flash!”

“Huh. Go figure. Would you call my mom and tell her that?” Flash asked jokingly.

“I’m home…!” Flash called as he entered his house. It was late in the afternoon before Flash left the lab. Micro and Sandalwood had wanted to get a head start on purifying the newest Smash Bottle.

“Welcome home, honey. We have guests!” His mother called out from the kitchen.

“Guests?” He then noticed the extra set of shoes by the front door. Two more pairs to be exact. Both of them seemed familiar. Shrugging he made his way to the kitchen. He stopped at the doorway, his expression one of shock.

Sitting at the table with Scootaloo were Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor.

“Oh, hey Flash!” his sister waved to him upon his entrance.

“Sorry for intruding…” Twilight grinned sheepishly.

“N-no problem but….what brings you here?” He then turned to Shining Armor. “And you as well?”

“Well, I’m not sure if you knew, but the girls here were caught up in another Smash attack.” Shining answered. “Thankfully, the Masked Rider was there to save them. Someone contacted 911 about the disturbance the monster caused and sent the police and ambulances. When I heard from one of my co-workers that my little sister was one of the people attacked, I immediately rushed over to pick them up and escort them home. Then your mother invited us in…and here we are…”

“Ah…I see…” The blue haired teen nodded before a certain set of words processed in his head. “Wait…you’re Twilight’s brother?!” He looked back and forth between the two siblings.

“Yeah. Didn’t she tell you?” Shining raised a brow at her sister, who fidgeted under his gaze. “….guess not. Heh…classic Twily…”

“Shining…!” She girl groaned before realized something. “Wait…how do you know Flash?”

“I met him at the arcade earlier and played a few games with him. He’s pretty good.” He answered.

“Well, I’m just glad that both of my babies are safe and sound…” Misty said as she placed a freshly made casserole on the table. “I’m glad you two could stay for dinner. As thanks for saving my baby girl.”

“Please, ma’am. No thanks are necessary. I wasn’t even there. It was all the Masked Rider’s doing.” Shining Armor waved a hand. “Besides, I should be the one thanking you for the interview earlier. I really needed the information for the investigation.”

“It was no trouble. But I do wonder why you wanted to know about Pandora’s Box…” She replied.

Flash paused. Pandora’s box? Was that one of the object his mom was studying at the research center? But she told him that she was studying a strange object that fell from orbit eighteen…..years ago…His eyes widened as everything seemed to fall into place.

“As I said before, ma’am. I can’t divulge too much. Classification and protocol. But unofficially speaking…I believe it has something to do with the missing Gizmo Poindexter…” The young man then turned to Flash, who had a different look in his eye than what he saw before.

“So Flash….I take it that you came to a decision…?”

Flash blinked before he realized that he was referring to earlier that afternoon at the Arcade. The musician’s eyes looked over Scootaloo and Twilight, who were going over the former’s science notes. “….Yeah...I have…”

Later the Night…

“So…it seems like this Masked Rider is learning…” The Bat Man stated.

“Looks like~” A new voice spoke through the darkness. The Bat figure turned to see another armored figure step out of the shadows. His armor was similar to the Bat man’s, but was colored crimson and seemed to be fashioned after a cobra. On his chest was an emerald colored cobra, and had a cobra-themed visor of the same shade. On the right side of his helmet seemed to be a lightning bolt-shaped extension of the visor. “He’s making much better progress than initially anticipated.”

“…What brings you here, Stalk?” The Bat figure turned to face the newly named figure.

Blood Stalk leaned against the wall with folded arms. “Oh, nothing much. I was in the neighborhood and decided to drop by and give an update. It seems our little missing package is on the move.”

“Really now?” The bat man, Night Rogue said as he reclined in his chair. “That is most fortuitous. After all these months…it finally reappears.”

“Looks like. Well, I shouldn’t keep you waiting any longer. I’m sure you have your own duties to attend to, Boss.”

“You would be correct.” Night Rogue stood from his chair and raised the gun device. Rogue pulled the trigger and a gray mist ejected from the barrel. The moment it dissipated, he was gone.

Blood Stalk giggled as he plopped into the chair his superior sat in, spinning around and around with glee. He then lounged back and pulled out a tablet, revealing a map of Canterlot. “Now then…let’s see how our new attack dog tracks down the little Dragon…”

It was late at night. A lone, hooded figure strolled through the park, taking a shortcut back to his home. However, he was not alone. Quietly stalking the man was another strange, armored figure. Its lower half was covered in black armor while its upper half was red. Its head seemed to be half-human with what appeared to be a red stealth plane on the upper half. Its arms were large and wide, resembling wings.

It quietly followed the hooded person. Finally, it found an opening as he crossed an empty clearing. It swooped down from its perch with the intent to kick him down and capture him. However, it missed as the figure immediately ducked underneath the diving sweep and rolled backward. The moment the Flying Smash landed, the figure pushed itself off and rammed his fist into the creature’s back.

The Smash squawked in pain as the attack struck home. But the figure was not done yet as he shook his fist and punched again. A blue flame exploded from the impact, further injuring the creature. He repeated the process again and again in a mad rush. Finally, he wound up his right fist once more and delivered a devastating uppercut to the Smash.

The final punch had a force unlike before. In a massive explosion of blue flames, the Smash was launched into the air and was launched past the tree line.

The hooded figure panted as the threat was now gone. He pulled down his hood and stared at the item he held in his hand the whole time.

It was a small, blue bottle….fashioned after a Dragon.

To Be Continued….

Author's Note

Hi Everyone. Thank you for all your support for this story over the past couple weeks. And before you guys ask, yes. I took inspiration from Banshee531 in regards to Flash's family and household. I just couldn't resist. I loved the family members too much in his series.

As I stated previously, this is my first time making a fic like this. So if I messed up on something in regards to characterization and whatnot, please leave some constructive feedback to improve.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and see you all in the next one.

Chapter 4: Family

It had been a few days since the Mirage Smash and Night Rogue attack in the school parking lot. School had been canceled for a short period of time to ensure the students’ safety and to repair the building that Night Rogue destroyed.

The students were grateful for the reprieve when they learned that a vast majority of them had just missed a Smash attack, but some were disappointed they didn’t get to see Build in action.

Team Build was also grateful for the unscheduled break, in more ways than one. Since then, there had been no other Smash activity, which gave them a well deserved rest. It also gave them the opportunity to learn more about their equipment without interruption.

Currently, Flash was at home in the attic. He was helping his mother clean out some old items to make space. They had planned to do this for a while, but work and his new life as Build had kept them both busy.

The guitarist didn’t mind. He had nothing else to do today as everyone else was busy in their own way. Micro had to catch up on work he neglected to do in favor of working on Build. Sandalwood had to help his parents out at home. And Sol was scheduled to work at his part time job at the gym and had other appointments to attend to.

The last one wasn’t much of a surprise given his profession.

Plus, he was glad to give his mom a helping hand. She had done so much for him and his sister that it only felt right to help her in turn.

She had just taken down one of the boxes, leaving him alone in the attic for now. He went to pick up another box only to pause when he saw what was written on the top flap.

Trail Blazer. He came to a realization that these were his dad’s belongings. Ever since his accident, his father’s personal items had been stored away as an attempt to overcome their grief. Looking at his belongings brought too many painful memories.

But time had passed, and rather than pain, Flash felt a longing to see his father’s possessions once more. He always enjoyed playing with them. One time, he tried to dress up as a fighter pilot, wearing his dad’s oversized aviator jacket and goggles.

He still got embarrassed whenever his mother brought up that memory. Tentatively, he opened up the flaps and looked inside. It was all of his dad’s old air force gear. His uniform, badges, jacket, everything. On top of it all was an item he missed the most. His aviator goggles. He remembered when his dad always let him wear them, despite them being too big for him at the time.

He always felt a little braver when he wore them. Like he had part of his dad with him at all times.

“Flash? Is everything okay?” Misty Veil’s voice broke him out of his musings. As much as Misty loved his father, she couldn’t bear to even look at any of his air force equipment, the main reason why she stored them away. They reminded her too much about the accident. She wanted to remember Trail as the man he was when alive, not for the accident that took his life. Flash didn’t want to part with his dad’s goggles, knowing that everything they cleaned out would go to public storage.

He quickly stuffed the goggles in his jacket and closed the box.

“C-Coming, mom!” The musician picked the box up and carried it downstairs where a pile of dusty boxes were stacked. “Sorry, just reminiscing a bit…”

“It’s fine. I was just worried since you’ve been up there for a while. Now, how about we take a break? We’ve been at this for hours…”

“Sounds good.” The two made their way downstairs, and just in the nick of time as the front door opened.

“I’m home…” called a familiar voice half-heartedly.

“Welcome home, Scoots…” Flash then realized that something wasn’t right. Earlier that day, Scootaloo had been bright and happy. Now? She appeared very sad.

“What’s wrong sweetie?” Misty went to her daughter and hugged her. The young girl hugged back. Her brother squatted down next to her with a look of concern on his face.

“Did something happen, Scoots?”

The girl was silent for a few moments. Then she nodded and explained what happened when she was out with her friends.

Earlier…

“YOU’RE LEAVING CANTERLOT CITY?!” Scootaloo exclaimed in shock at Applebloom.

The three had grouped up at Sugarcube Corner at the youngest Apple’s request. She said she had something important to tell them, but they never thought it was something like this.

“…y-yeah…” Applebloom sighed sadly. Granted, she had learned of this shocking revelation a few days ago, but couldn’t find it in her to tell her friends until now.

“But…but why?” Sweetie Belle questioned. “Why is your family sending you away…?”

“Well…” She thought back to the conversation she had the other night…

“Whaddaya mean yer sending me away?!” Applebloom voiced loudly, her tone hurt and betrayed.

“Sugarcube…” Applejack tried to console her sister. “Don’t say it that way; it’s only gonna be temporary. As soon as the commotion dies down, ya hear? You’re gonna be in Manehatten with yer cousin Babs and her folks.”

“But yer still making me leave mah friends!” She argued.

“We know, dearie…” Granny Smith said apologetically. “But ya must understand, it’s for yer own safety.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac nodded in agreement.

“But…b-but…”

“Applebloom…” her sister got up and knelt down to her. “Ah know it’s a shock. Ah know. We’re only doing this to protect ya. We just want ya to be safe and sound. These Smash fellas roaming around are just too dangerous. And don’t forget that you were almost kidnapped the other day…”

“But why would I leave if we have you? You…you protected us. You saved us!” The youngest apple tried to appeal her case, but it was not meant to be as her sister shook her head.

“We mighta saved you from those robots, but that monster was a different story.” Applejack titled her head down, her head covering her eyes. “…we….we couldn’t do anything. Our magic….our magic had no effect…we were useless…” It hurt her to admit it. It hurt her to admit that she was useless and couldn’t even protect her family if any of these monsters showed up.

It definitely hurt her to send her sister away, but at least she would be okay and away from danger.

“This…this isn’t…” Applebloom tried to find a refutation. Anything that would make them change their minds. Then she remembered and obvious one. “What about Build?! He can fight those monsters! He can beat them all! You saw it earlier, right?!” Whatever hope she had also died out as they all shook their heads.

“Ah’m sorry, sugarcube. We may have Build saving people, but he…he’s just not enough. Ah don’t know who he is under that there helmet, but I know for certain he’s only human. He can’t be everywhere at once. He may have saved a lot of people, but he can’t save everyone.”

Applejack raised her head, allowing her sister to see the unshed tears. “We…we just can’t risk it...” She pulled her sister in for a tight, comforting, trembling hug. “…we already lost ma and pa…we can’t lose ya too…”

“Nnope.” Big Mac agreed firmly as he and Granny joined in on the hug.

Applebloom remained distraught. Her family brought up good points, but that didn’t mean she accepted it…or liked it.

“And that’s that…” Applebloom said to her friends. Both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had trouble digesting this. While they could understand that her family had a point about safety, this was way too extreme!

“But…we have Build! He’ll keep the city safe!” the short haired girl argued.

“Ah already said that, remember? They are set on it. Let’s face it girls…Ah’m leaving for Manehatten…”

“How…how much longer…?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“…Tomorrow…”

“TOMORROW?!” Scootaloo’s scream garnered the patrons’ attention again. “You waited till just now to tell us?!”

“Well what was Ah supposed to tell ya?!” Applebloom shouted back, eyes misty. “That Ah was leaving for who knows how long and had say goodbye to mah best friends?!”

“We could’ve figured something out if you told us earlier!” She argued. “If we had more time, we could’ve-!”

“We couldn’t have done anything!” Now Applebloom was openly shedding tears. “Let’s face it y’all…ah’m going to Manehatten no matter what…It’s…you’re…you’re the best friends a gal could ever ask for…!” Unable to take it anymore, Applebloom ran out the building.

“Applebloom, wait!” Scootaloo tried to run after her, but was stopped by Sweetie. “Sweetie Belle, what aren’t you-?!” her words died down when she saw the tears streaming down her friend’s cheeks.

The young girl bit her lip and shook her head. She was doing everything in her power to stop from bawling. Scootaloo felt a flurry of emotions. Anger, disappointment, fear, despair, but most of all….sadness. She didn’t notice the tears falling until the store’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, kindly gave them tissues to dry their tears.

“And…and that’s what happened…” Scootaloo finished her tale with a sob. Both Misty Veil and Flash Sentry were speechless. They understood where the Apples were coming from. Canterlot had become increasingly dangerous since the Smash first appeared. But sending Applebloom away just like that?

It just didn’t seem fair. Why didn’t they consult with her about this before hand?

“Oh, sweetie…” Misty consoled her distraught daughter. Personally, she debated about doing the same thing for her own children. If these Smash monsters are a common occurrence, then no one was safe in Canterlot anymore. But she ultimately decided against it. As much as it worried her to know her children might be in danger, the thought of sending them away like that hurt even more.

Flash on the other hand could only comfort his sister. He knew that with the Smash around, the streets have gotten dangerous. But he didn’t think the Apples, the most tight-knit family in Canterlot, would ever decide to send one of their own away to ensure their safety.

Then again…such strong family bonds may have been what spurred them to make such a painful choice.

“Applebloom? Oh, Applebloom? Can we…can we talk?” Applejack knocked on her sister’s door. After the fifth time, she was greeted with no response…again. She sighed as she backed away. She would try again later. She made her way downstairs and sat on the couch, next to her brother.

“She was like this with you?” She turned to ask Big Mac.

“Eeyup.”

“Ah take it she’s still not happy about this?”

“Nnope.”

“…Big Mac, Ah understand you being a man of few words and all….but do ya think there’s a way we can help her understand?”

Her older brother thought for a moment before he sighed. “…in all honesty, Applejack? Ah don’t think she’ll ever be happy about this decision. Sure she may understand, but that doesn’t mean she’ll like it. We’re basically telling her to say goodbye to her friends for an indefinite amount of time.”

“Ah know, but it’s for her own safety.” Applejack argued. “With the Smash running around, she could get hurt, or taken, or worse…”

“Ah understand. I want her safe too, haystack.” Big Mac rested a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “And that’s why I’m driving her to Manehatten myself. I’ll stay with her for a few weeks to make sure she adjusts. Granny already gave me the go ahead.”

“Yeah. Ah got it. Granny and Ah’ll hold down the fort till you get back. Just promise me you two will be safe?”

“You have my word. Ah will do everything Ah can to make sure our little sister is safe and sound, no matter what.” The two siblings shared a hug. “For mah family, Ah’d even make a deal with the Devil himself if it meant protecting y’all.”

While the Apple siblings had their own exchange, the Sparkle siblings were the same way. Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle walked through the streets of Canterlot.

“I still can’t believe they’re just sending her away like that…” Twilight said in exasperation. She had learned of this decision from Applejack. She and her friends were quite conflicted over this snap decision. They knew that the farmer valued family quite highly. They just couldn’t believe they made the choice to send their youngest member away out of town.

While she understood the action was done for Applebloom’s safety, Twilight felt that it was simply too drastic and extreme.

They didn’t even give Applebloom a chance to talk to her about it before making said decision.

“I don’t know, Twily…” Shining Armor hummed in thought. “Maybe the Apples had the right idea. Canterlot’s gotten extremely dangerous as of late, with the monsters and robots running around.” He was unaware of his sister’s incredulous stare. “In fact, maybe we should follow their example. After what happened to you this past week, it would be a good idea to-Ow!”

An irate Twilight Sparkle growled as she pulled her brother’s ear with a telekinetic hold. “Don’t you dare finish that thought, big brother. I know it’s gotten dangerous, but I refuse to leave my friends like this!”

“But you told me your magic couldn’t affect them…” Shining Armor winced. “How can you and the girls even defend yourselves?”

“I…I don’t know…” She released the hold. “I honestly don’t know…the only times we were saved because of Build…”

“And you feel comfortable trusting a vigilante like him?” He asked skeptically.

“Well, there’s no other option, is there? His weapons seem to be the only thing that can injure the Smash…”

“But Twily, even if Build really is a good guy, he’s only one person. He can’t be everywhere at once. He can’t save everyone if multiple attacks happen simultaneously.”

"But he's not alone!" Twilight argued. "He has a partner with him now!"

"You mean that hooded guy? He just screams suspicious, Twily."

"But he still saved my friends! Isn't that enough?"

"It's not! If Build really wanted to help people, then he should share the technology he uses with the police so they can stop the Smash as well! Instead, he keeps it to himself and goes around playing hero!"

The two siblings argue back and forth on this matter.

However, as they argued, they failed to notice someone walk up to them. She was a tall woman with pink skin and long hair colored purple, magenta, and yellow. She was dressed in a blue blazer, teal blouse, and green skirt. This was Cadenza mi Amore, or Cadence to her friends and family, the principal of Crystal Prep Academy. She was surprised to see the two siblings and immediately stepped into their conversation.

"Alright, I don't know what you two are going on about, but break it up you two." She gently pushed them away from each other, grabbing their attention.

"C-Cadence?" Both of them questioned, surprised to meet her like this.

"Honestly, I haven't seen the two of you for over a week, and I find that you're at each other's throats? Just what were you arguing about that would cause a scene?"

They then explained their earlier conversation. About how Applebloom's family intended to send her away to manehatten to get away from the current dangers of Canterlot, which eventually devolved into an argument about the Masked Rider's position.

"I see...so her family is sending her to live with relatives out of town to keep her safe, but neglected to consult with her properly beforehand?"

"Yes! And Shining Armor even suggested doing the same thing with me!"

"For your own safety!" The man argued.

"Enough!" Cadence interjected before they broke out into another fight.

"Listen, the both of you, because I am only going to say this once." She spoke authoritatively. Usually, she didn't pull out this side of her outside of school hours, but she needed to get her words through to them.

"Twilight, Shining Armor has a point. Canterlot has gotten dangerous lately. As he said, I want you to keep yourself out of trouble, otherwise I would have to support his decision as well." She then turned to her fiance. "And Shining, Twilight's a big girl now. She is big enough to make her own decisions, and if you truly want her to be safe, then you should do your job and figure out where these monsters are coming from. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am..." Both siblings nodded. It was hard to refute Cadence when she donned her principal persona.

"Good. Now, how about we all head to your house. I promised your mother I would join for dinner tonight."

"Really? How come you never told me?" Shining Armor asked.

"Because I wanted it to be a surprise." She giggled.

Later that night…

Blood Stalk stood over the platform, observing the events below. Their test subject, the woman who was once the Mirage Smash, was now locked inside the glass chamber. She struggled against her bindings but it was all for naught. “How go the tests, Stalk?” Night Rogue question as he appeared.

“Welcome back, Boss. And to answer your question, the tests have been going great. The subject’s Hazard level has been restored to its original levels and we’re all ready to go.” The Cobra-themed man answered jovially.

“Excellent.” He then peered over the edge. After the Mirage Smash’s defeat at the hands of Build, the subject’s Hazard level was discovered to have dropped dramatically. They had to stop their actions for a few days to restore the subject’s Hazard Level to Smash transformation levels.

They originally planned to use the other subjects they had gotten in the meantime. But it turned out that they had such disappointingly low Hazard Levels. Not a single one managed to even survive the augmentation process. As such, they had to work with what they had left and acquire more lab rats later.

“Oh, that’s right!” Stalk exclaimed, getting Rogue’s attention. “Since we had free time these past few days, I took the liberty of synthesizing a new strain of Nebula Gas we can test out.”

“A new strain?”

“Yes. I made it from whatever was leftover in the subject’s body. If it works, then the Smash produced should be stronger than before.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then the subject dies. But the possibility is low given all the augmentations we made. It will be an excellent opportunity to test out. Who knows? Maybe it will get rid of that pest of a Rider.”

“Interesting…” Rogue took a moment to debate it. On one hand they were risking their last subject on an untested formula. On the other hand, if it worked, then the next Smash will be stronger to take care of Build. Besides…they could always get more lab rats later. “…very well. You have my permission.”

“Excellent.” Stalk then turned to the scientists below. “He gave the approval, gentlemen! Start the procedure.”

One of the masked scientists nodded and pulled the lever. The subject inside the chamber thrashed in pain as her body mutated into something else.

The Next Morning…

“Applebloom?” Applejack knocked on the door. It was almost time for her and Big Mac to leave, and she hasn’t even come down for breakfast. She knew that she was still depressed, but they had to leave. She and Big Mac were at their sister’s door, trying to get her own. But like last night, she locked it.

They still got no response. Seeing no other choice, Big Mac took the room key and unlocked it and let his sister handle it. Applejack quietly opened the door to her sister’s room. “Sugarcube?” She made her way to the bed, noting the lump beneath the covers.

The lump made no response. Sighing, the sister sat on the edge of the bed. “Ah know yer upset. But please understand. We just want ya to be safe. There…there’s no other way. Granny and Big Mac don’t have magic. While Ah do have magic…Ah can’t protect ya with it. Ah just feel so…useless….Ah’m the big sister, yet Ah can’t even do anything to protect ya from the Smash…”

She wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. “Ah’m sorry we had to do this to ya. But yer our precious family. If anything happened to you….” She didn’t dare finish that sentence. “…Please, Applebloom, can you please get up…and…” As she moved her hand on her sister’s head…

…she realized it wasn’t her sister’s head.

Panic filled her being as she tore off the covers to the bed. Instead of her sister’s body, she found a mass of pillows made to look like it. “Applebloom?!”

“What’s wrong?!” Big Mac entered the room in a panic.

“Big Mac! Applebloom’s gone!”

As the family inside the household went on full alert, the failed to notice the small figure out the window. The figure was revealed to be Applebloom, who had an apologetic expression on her face. “Ah’m sorry everyone….but I don’t wanna say goodbye…” She turned and made her way to her intended destination.

“Are you serious?!” Sol exclaimed. Team Build had assembled in the lab the early in the morning. Micro texted them the previous night to meet up early in the lab to go over a few critical objectives.

However, upon Flash’s late arrival, questions arose and the guitarist answered honestly. Suffice to say, the answer did not rest well with the group.

For a completely different reason.

“I don’t get it…Applejack’s not the type of person to do this. At least not without talking first. Why did she and her family decide on this so quickly?” Sandalwood wondered.

“Well, they’re not wrong.” Micro added while studying the item he had in his hand. “With the Smash, armed robots, Night Rogue, and some freaky energy Cobra, Canterlot has gotten dangerous. But you’re right. Why would they send her, and her alone, away from the city? Wouldn’t it make more sense to all move out of town for the time being?”

“I just can’t believe it!” Sol said as he plopped onto a chair, spinning around. “Why would a family do that? Why send her alone? Why didn’t they all go if it’s too dangerous? Would’ve been a lot less painful…”

“I don’t know. That’s something we would have to ask them ourselves…” Flash shook his head. He couldn’t believe it either. He knew how the Apples were such a tight-knit family. Why would they send only Applebloom out of town unannounced like this?

“As much as I’d like to continue to hypothesize their reasoning, we shouldn’t really intrude on family matters like this.” Micro tried to steer the meeting back on topic. “Besides, we still haven’t talked about what I texted you all about.”

“Oh, right…” Flash nodded as he brought himself on topic. Sandalwood and Sol did as well, much to the latter’s displeasure.

“For our first order of business, is this.” Micro held up the newly purified bottle in his hand. It was colored purple that was narrow at the mid-section with a shuriken-like design on it.

“Is that the newest Fullbottle?” Flash asked as he and Sol examined it.

“Yes. It was made from the essence you extracted from the Smash, and I am confused on its nature.”

“What’s so confusing about it?”

“Think about it. My brother’s logs said that all organic Fullbottles are based on living organisms like Rabbit, Hedgehog, or Hawk. On the other hand, all Inorganic Fullbottles are, as the name implies, themed after inorganic objects like Tank or Diamond. But this?” He held out the bottle. “This doesn’t make sense! I placed it in the Driver and learned it is an Organic bottle, but it’s completely illogical!”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how the heck is Ninja even classified as an Organic term?!”

The three teens looked at one another before turning to their intellectual friend. “….THAT’s what you’re so worried about?” Sol questioned.

“Yes! Ninjas are warriors who rebelled against their feudal warlords centuries ago in Neighpon! They’re not a different species of organisms! How is this possible?”

“Well, from how I see it…” Sol deduced. “Ninjas, despite being warriors, are still human, right? And Humans are organic. So, Ninjas are Organic. That’s my reasoning.”

Micro opened his mouth to refute that statement before stopping. He stood silent for several moments before he handed Flash the bottle. “Please hold this for a moment.”

He made his way over to the bed and grabbed the pillow. He then proceeded to smack himself in the head with it, muttering “…stupid, stupid, STUPID!”

“…Should we be worried?” Sol asked, slightly amused that he somehow outsmarted their resident genius.

“Give him a few. He’ll calm down.” Sandalwood advised knowingly. “But you brought up a good point. I wonder if there will be more bottles like it. Like Astronaut or Pirate…”

A few minutes later, Micro calmed down and proceeded with the second order of business.

“I finally got around to upgrading our observation drone.” He showed off the compact robot. “It can now get audio feeds as well as visual. I also included a little scanner. It’s based on the one my brother left us, allowing us to scan the hazard levels of any organism within range.”

“Why would we need that? I mean, don’t we already have one?”

“It’s more for observation purposes. Based on the data from my brother’s files, it seems that the hazard level of an individual causes a Smash’s strength to vary. It coincides with your first battles, Flash.” Micro told their resident Rider.

“You mean, back when I first fought the Strong Smash, then the Compact Smash?”

“That’s right. Looking back, I hypothesize that the Strong Smash had a lower Hazard level than the Compact Smash, which could explain why the latter seemed to be stronger.”

“But is that for certain, though?” Sandalwood asked.

“No. Like I said, it’s only a hypothesis. I’m still not sure what the exact relationship is.” Micro shook his head. “But if it holds true, it can help us be more careful in future fights. It would be dangerous if we were to underestimate an enemy….like Night Rogue.”

“Yeah, that guy was brutal…” Flash winced. He was shot in the face by the unknown assailant. Twice! “Did you find anything more about him?”

“No. I tried looking for anything relating to Night Rogue’s equipment, but I haven’t found anything yet.”

“Well, that’s a bummer.” Sandalwood commented. “So we can’t prepare for this guy?”

“Not right now, no.” Micro shook his head in dismay. “I’m sorry. But right now, I got nothing.”

“It’s fine, Micro. At least you tried.” Sandal placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“So what is the next order of business?”

“Huh? Oh, right. Well, I’ve been thinking. Since we will likely be fighting Rogue in the near future, I believe it is best for Flash to wear a disguise under his armor so his identity won’t be compromised.”

“A disguise? Like Sol’s? Why?”

“In case you forgot, your fight with Rogue nearly depleted your armor’s reserves and forced you out of the transformation. If you hadn’t changed forms and reset the armor, the girls would’ve seen your faces.” Micro explained.

“Oh. Yeah, good point.” Flash scratched his head. “So…what am I supposed to wear for a disguise?”

“Fortunately, we already have one in mind. Sandalwood?”

“On it.” The eco-teen went to one of the tables and opened up a box. He pulled out a few articles of clothes from inside. One was a hooded trench coat like Sol’s only white instead of dark gray. Another was a pair of black gloves. The final piece was a mask that resembled Sol’s. It was a metal mask that covered his mouth and nose and made to wrap around his face. It had eight holes in the front to allow air in.

“Whoa…that’s pretty cool.” Flash said as he got a closer look at the items. “So I gotta wear these whenever I go out?”

“Yes. I also figured it would be a better option than to transform in the lab every time before running off. The transformation sequence is anything but subtle. Every time you change, everything on the shelves falls out of place.

“Sorry about that. But I couldn’t exactly hide away to change into Build.”

“Well with these, you no longer have to. You can now fight in the open like Sol. Why don't you give them a try?”

“Awesome.” Flash said as he put on the articles of clothing. He soon stood before a mirror, hardly recognizing himself. Despite being a few pieces of clothes and a mask, they hid his usual look pretty well. Yet...he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. As he moved, he felt something in his pocket. Then he remembered his Dad's goggles. He left them in his old jacket last night. He took them out and stared at them.

He always felt that wearing them made him stronger. Like his dad was watching over him. Given how much his life had changed the past week...he needed all the strength he could get.

He put the goggles over his eyes, completely concealing his face, completing the disguise.

"Whoa! That's an awesome look, Flash." Sandalwood complimented.

"Thanks." Flash nodded, his voice altered slightly due to the mask.

“Looks like everything fits. I must say, the goggles were a nice touch. Where did you get them?" Micro asked.

"...They were my dad's..." That was all that needed to be said. His friends got the silent message and left it at that.

Afterwards, Flash removed the disguise and sat down, allowing Micro to continue.

"Now, last but not least, there is one more item I need to address that concerns us. Most of all Flash and Sol.”

“What’s up?” Sol asked.

“Gentlemen...we tried our best to remain subtle and out of the public eye-“

“Which was doomed from the get-go thanks to Pinkie.” Flash added.

“…I’m afraid that in addition to the news, our actions are being kept close watch by another form of media.”

“Like what? We’re already on the news, papers, and internet. What else is there?”

“A blog.” He answered, dumbfounding the others. “More specifically, a blog run by the students of our very own High School.”

“A….blog…?”

“Yes.” Micro pulled it up on his phone and showed it to the team. The other three members read the blog about Masked Rider Build. Specifically called the Build-Blog.

They saw that the bloggers in question were Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and many other students. Flash was half-surprised. Given how much they talked about Build, as well as the rest of the student body, he wasn’t really surprised that they started up a blog about it.

Browsing through the site, they found some of the photos and videos Pinkie took of him over a week ago. In addition to that, there were several comments talking about him. A lot of them said that he was awesome, a hero, or just plain cool due to his many different transformations.

There were even comments talking about the most recent Smash attack in the parking lot, where he used Hawk-Gatling save the girls. And other discussing about his new hooded sidekick.

“What the-?! I’m not a side kick! I’m his partner!” Sol felt offended by their assumptions.

“That’s not what you should be worried about!” Micro yelled as he smacked him with the pillow. “This is serious! Now our fellow classmates are onto us more than before! Now you see the necessity of these disguises?!”

“Alright, alright! We got it, egghead!” Sol replied as he grabbed the pillow and tossed it aside.

“I hope so…kinnikubaka!” Micro insulted in Neighpon, utilizing his limited knowledge from anime.

“Hey! Don’t call me things in languages I don’t fully understand!” After a few seconds, Sol blinked in realization. “…Wait a second, did you just call me an idiot?!” He walked over and put Micro in a headlock.

“Wait! You understood that? HOW?!” He struggled to break free.

“You’re not the only one who watches anime!” Sol shouted back. “Of course I’d know what baka means at the very least!”

“Hey! Knock it off you two!” Flash and Sandalwood went to break up their quarreling. But as he did, his phone rang. He answered.

“Hello? What’s up, Scoots?” His eyes then grew wide in shock. “Wait, what?! What do you mean she ran away?!” His shouting drew the attention of his friends. “Yeah! Uh-huh! But-!...okay, got it. On it! See you soon!”

“What’s going on?” Sandalwood asked. Flash turned to them with a grave look in his eyes.

“Applebloom ran away from home!”

“WHAT?!”

Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith waited at the front of their house anxiously. The eldest daughter hoped her friends came soon. They would’ve started looking for Applebloom, but she realized that they could cover more ground if her friends, no, her family helped out as well.

She called them all and explained their situation. They all promised to come over and help out, much to her relief. Rarity told her that she informed Sweetie Belle, who in turn informed Scootaloo. Both girls had a right to know about their friend. Scootaloo in turned contacted Flash to lend a helping hand.

“We’re here, AJ!” Rainbow Dash quickly limped over to the family. The rest of the Rainbooms, Shining Armor, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo followed after. Next to Twilight was a small purple puppy with green eyes. This was Twilight’s dog, Spike. Since they were such a large group and had so few who had their licenses, Shining Armor drove half their group while Pinkie Pie drove the other half. “What do you want us to do?!”

“Let’s split up and cover more ground!” Applejack instructed. “Ah’m hoping she didn’t get too far! Let’s start with searching the whole acres and go on from there!”

“The whole acres?” Rarity questioned. “Applejack, I know it may have been a long time since Applebloom might have left, but can we honestly search your entire property in time? What if she already left?”

“We’re all hopin’ she didn’t, and we ain’t got any other choice! So we gotta find her ASAP!”

“You got it!” Pinkie Pie saluted.

“Where do you want us to start, Applejack?” Sunset asked.

“We’ll start by breaking off into pairs and search the different fields.” She turned to each of her friends one by one. “Rainbow? Pinkie? You two got the East fields.”

“We’re on it!”

“Fluttershy? You and Granny will take the West fields.”

“Yes.” The normally shy girl nodded determinedly.

“Sunset, Shining Armor, and Twilight will take the South fields.”

“Understood.”

“Rarity? You and I will search the North fields.”

“Absolutely.”

“Sweetie Belle, Spike, and Scootaloo will go through the Southwest fields.”

“We’re on it!”

“Big Mac said he’ll handle the Northeast.” She then turned to the scooter rider. “What about Flash? Is he coming?”

“He said he and the others were on their way, but I don’t know how long.” Scootaloo answered. Just as she finished speaking, a truck pulls up.

“We’re here!” Flash announced as he, Micro, Sandalwood, and Sol got out of Sandalwood’s pickup. After Flash explained the situation to them, they all came over to help the Apple family search for their youngest daughter. The four of them wore backpacks, but no one really questioned their significance. They assumed they were things to help the search. “Do you have any idea where she might’ve gone?”

“No, but we’re splitting up to search all over the acres. Hopefully she’s still within the property. We’re splitting up into pairs. Flash? You and Sol will search the South East while Micro and Sandal handle the Northwest. If any of you find her, call any of us immediately.”

“Got it!”

“Fan out everybody! We got an Apple to find!”

“Drat…this would go a lot faster if my leg wasn’t in a cast!” Rainbow Dash huffed as she limped along the trail through the fields. “You know, out of all the magic powers we got, we couldn’t gotten one that heals injuries or something?!”

“Well to be fair, it would’ve made everything super-duper convenient and simplistic. Not to mention boring, anti-climactic, and predictable to the readers.” Pinkie Pie commented as she skipped behind her. Rainbow just looked at her in confusion before shaking her head.

“I just can’t believe this…I have super speed! I could’ve searched this entire sector by now if it weren’t for my stupid ankle.”

“Settle down, Dashie. We’ll find Applebloom in no time!” Pinkie smiled.

“How can you be so happy at a time like this, Pinkie?!” Rainbow rounded on her. “Applebloom is missing! We don’t know how far she is! And there’s still those Smash things running around! For all we know, she could be in danger and you’re here skipping and smiling?! What’s up with that?!”

Pinkie Pie stopped her skipping and her smile dulled a bit. “…I know this is a serious thing, Dashie. But let me ask. Haven’t you noticed something?”

“What?”

“Ever since we started searching, none of you had been smiling.”

“Of course we weren’t.” She said as if it were obvious. “This is serious! We’re looking for a runaway girl! She could be miles away by now, and now we’re stuck because of this conversation!”

“That’s exactly my point!” Pinkie declared as she pointed at her friend. “I know this a serious situation, but someone has to keep smiling!”

“But why?!”

“Because if all of us stopped smiling, then that means all of us had given up hope!”

“…what?!”

“…you wanna know why I can keep smiling like this?” Pinkie’s face was uncharacteristically serious. “I keep smiling to keep up hope. I wish to make others smile because it keeps me going. If we have smiles, then we can have joy. If we have joy, then that means we are alive. If we are alive…then we can have hope.” Pinkie looked to the sky above them, her eyes forlorn as if recalling a distant memory. “…if we lost hope now…what would we have left?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t have an answer. Her friend’s words sunk into her mind. Now that she thought about it, all of them had been in a panic. They were so worried that they thought that Applebloom was in danger if they didn’t hurry. None of them even thought of hoping that she was safe and sound.

“…you’re right, Pinkie.” Rainbow sighed. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I was just worried….we all were…”

“I know, Dashie.” The party planner smiled lightly. “Just don’t forget to smile and hope. That’s all I ask.”

“You got it…so let’s keep searching and hope Applebloom is safe and sound.”

“Okie-dokey-lokie!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she skipped along the trail. Rainbow Dash limped after her. As they moved, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a specific reason why Pinkie Pie was so adamant about smiles like this…

“Applebloom?! Please say somethin’ dearie!” Granny Smith called out worriedly as she and Fluttershy trekked through the West fields. Unfortunately, they had yet to see any sign of her.

After several minutes of searching, the two took a break to rest.

The two sat in silence for a while. Fluttershy wanted to break it, but was unsure what to say. Soon, the silence was broken by Granny.

“…Fluttershy? Be honest with me.” Her expression was solemn.

“Y-yes?”

“…Am Ah a terrible grandmother?”

“Wh-what?!” The girl gasped. Why would she even say that? “N-no! You’re not a terrible person at all! You’re one of the kindest, most generous people I know!”

“Thank you dearie…but that ain’t exactly what I asked.” She shook her head. “I asked if I was a terrible grandmother, not person.”

“O-oh…Well, you’re still not. Why…why would you say that?”

“It’s….it’s because Ah was the one who even suggested to send Applebloom away in the first place…” She admitted.

The pink haired teen gasped softly. She had heard it was a family decision to send Applebloom to Manehatten, but she never knew who first thought of the idea. “But…but why would you do that?”

“…It’s because Ah was afraid…Ah was afraid Ah would lose her like my son and daughter…”

Fluttershy didn’t respond that time. She had learned from Applejack long ago that her parents perished in an accident, but she and her friends swore to never bring it up again.

“With them Smash thingies running around, Ah thought the town’s gotten too dangerous. Ah didn’t think the streets were safe for her anymore. At first, Ah thought about the whole family moving away. But then I realized that if all of us left, we could end up losin’ the home my son and daughter started their family in one of them Smash attacks.

“And more and more problems came a comin’. Big Mac would have to leave college, leave his dream school; a place where he had worked so hard to get into. And Applejack’s got a role her with all that magic stuff happening lately. All of us had something to lose if we all left. Applebloom though? She still had her friends, and the leave is only temporary, she would’ve seen them again.

“In the end, Ah thought it’d be best to only send Applebloom. Ah thought Ah did what was best for her…but now I realize. What Ah did…she probably thought Ah was abandoning her….” Granny finished. “Ah later realized what Ah did was selfish. Instead of all of us leavin’, it was only her. She had her own things precious things in this town, and mah decision pretty much forced her to give it all up. Ah…Ah’m such a terrible grandmother…” The woman’s eyes grew misty.

Fluttershy sat there, processing what she just learned. She didn’t realize how conflicted the woman was over her choice. But what she just learned reminded her of something. Something that she and her family experienced not too long ago. She wasn’t sure if it would have helped, but she took a chance to say it.

“Mrs. Smith…I don’t think you’re a terrible grandmother.”

“Even after what Ah did?”

“Yes.” Fluttershy nodded. “You made a choice, a difficult one. You just wanted to protect a member of your family and make sure she had a home to go back to.” She smiled softly in reminisce. “To be honest …my family is similar. Or rather, we had a similar circumstance a while back.”

“How so, dearie?”

“Well, it’s about my younger brother, Zephyr Breeze. My parents were worried that he lost all direction of where he was going in his life. You see, he wanted to be a hair stylist. It had been his passion since he was young. But over time, he just…gave up on it. None of us knew why he did that, but when we asked he said that it was a pointless thing. Year after year he found that there was a decreasing demand for hair stylists and beauticians in the job market. He just jumped to the conclusion that even if he reached his dream, it wouldn’t be one he could live off of. So he just…gave up. But my parents never gave up on him.

“Just last year, he got the opportunity to study at the best beautician school in the country. He was hesitant at first, mainly because he was afraid of leaving home. He was afraid that if he left, that’d be it. He’d no longer be part of the family. We didn’t realize this until later when we sat down and talked with him about it. But my parents talked with him and helped him understand that this would be the perfect opportunity to him, and that no matter what, he would always be their son and love him. Eventually, he accepted. He’s been studying there ever since….I should really give him a call sometime.”

“That’s nice but…is there a moral to the story, dearie?” Granny asked, wondering the point of the tale.

“Yes. At first, my brother didn’t want to go because he feared of losing his family. But after talking with him he realized that we would always be a family. Maybe if you take the time to talk with Applebloom, maybe she would understand that too.”

Granny Smith took a moment to ponder. Now that she thought about it, Fluttershy was right. If only she had taken the time to properly explain everything to Applebloom. Maybe she would’ve been more accepting of the choice. If only she realized how afraid her granddaughter had been. She could’ve taken the steps to prevent it. But the past was in the past. Now was the time for action and make things right.

With renewed vigor and drive, Granny Smith hopped onto her feet. “Thank you very much, Fluttershy. You gave this old gal quite an epiphany.”

“O-oh, it was nothing…” Fluttershy stood as well.

“Nothing, smothing! You’re a wise young girl who told what this old lady needed to hear. Now c’mon! Let’s search some more! Maybe we can find her before the others can.”

Fluttershy nodded and two continued their search.

“Have you two found her?” Shining Armor asked as he regrouped with his sister and Sunset. They had split up at the start of their search to cover their sector much faster.

“Not yet.” Sunset shook her head. “I’m not even sure if she’s hiding in this section of the acres.”

“Well, we need to keep trying.” Twilight urged. “There’s a chance she may still be within the property. We need to find her as soon as possible.”

“You think one of those Smash monsters will appear?” Sunset asked.

“I…I will admit it’s a possibility…” Twilight admitted reluctantly.

“See? This is what I was talking about.” Shining Armor told his sister. “With those Smash running around, no one in Canterlot is safe.”

“Not this again, Shining. We just don’t have time for this!” Sunset sighed as the two siblings broke out into another argument. She wondered how her other friends were handling their search.

“Applebloom?! Oh Applebloom?!” Applejack hollered. Rarity trailed behind her, but did her best to catch up. The elder Apple sister had been relentless in trying to find her sister. She ran through the orchards like a woman possessed. Rarity simply struggled to keep up with her friend’s pace. Thankfully, her bruised diaphragm had healed enough to no longer be an issue.

“Applejack, slow down!” She called out as she nearly tripped over a root.

“No time!” The farm girl retorted hysterically. “Any time wasted means Applebloom could be further away! Or lost! Or hurt! Or even-!”

*SMACK!*

She was cut off as Rarity finally caught up and slapped her across the face. When she turned to glare at the fashionista, she was returned with a stern glare of her own.

“Applejack, darling? I am saying this because you are one of my closest friends and I care about you. But you need to pull yourself together and calm down! You panicking is only going to make this situation more stressful than it already is! We will find her!”

“But what if we can’t?!”Applejack retorted hotly. “What if she already got herself in trouble and we don’t even know?!”

“We don’t know that for sure! That’s why we’re looking in the first place!”

“This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t run away in the first place!” The farm girl said in exasperation. “Just what went on in that there head of her’s?! “

Rarity shook her head as her friend failed to see her error. “You truly don’t get it? This might not have happened if you and your family hadn’t dropped the bomb on her that you were only sending her away!”

“Oh, so now it’s mah fault?!” Applejack was offended by the accusation.

“Not particularly, but look at the facts. You and your family essentially told her that she and only she would be leaving town for an indefinite period of time, and forced to say goodbye to her friends with no way of overturning said decision. If that happened to you, how would you react?!”

“It was for her own good!”

“In what way?!” Rarity shouted in frustration. “Sending her to another city all on her own, without her family to be there for her?! You didn’t even give her a choice in the matter!”

“She’s gonna live with Babs Seed and her folks! She’ll have family there for her!”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Rarity yelled back. “None of you were even planning to stay with her! You were just going to leave and abandon her!”

“We would never abandon her!” Applejack grabbed Rarity by the hem of her blouse, just a hairsbreadth away from smacking her. But the Fashionista held firm.

“Then why send her away in the first place?!”

“Because Ah don’t want her to end up like mah parents!” Applejack shouted in her face. Rarity’s eyes slowly widened as Applejack’s followed suit, realizing that she slipped up. She let go of her friend and turned away from her. The rim of her stetson hat covered her eyes.

Silence reigned between them for a few moments before the farm girl calmed down and spoke. “…ya don’t know what it’s like. Remembering yer parents and knowing they would never come back. Big Mac and Ah still remember them but Applebloom? She was just a toddler back then. She doesn’t remember them. She doesn’t understand the pain of losin’ a piece of yer family. A piece of yer soul…” Tears dripped down her cheeks.

“…None of us ever wanted to feel that pain again…that’s why we had to do it, Rares. We had to keep her safe. I already loss two pieces of mah heart…Ah couldn’t bear to lose another…” She now openly sobbed. Rarity approached and wrapped her arms around her friend. Applejack openly cried, releasing all the grief she kept pent up for years.

After a few minutes, she calmed down. “Darling…” Rarity took a handkerchief and wiped the tears from Applejack’s eyes. “I’m truly sorry for yelling at you and for bringing up bad memories. I didn’t know…”

“It’s….it’s alright…” The farm girl panted as she came down from an emotional state. “Ah’m...sorry for yelling too.”

“Applejack. I know you’re still in pain from losing your parents, but don’t let that control your choices regarding Applebloom. Yes, sending her away would keep her safe from the Smash, but haven’t you considered what she would think?”

“To be honest…Ah didn’t really put much thought into it…”

“Well, after we find her…and we WILL find her, I want you to talk to her about it. Full disclosure. Come to an agreement and accept HER decision…understand?”

“Ah got it. And Rarity...?” Applejack hugged her friend once more. “Thanks a bunch.”

The fashionista happily returned the hug. “Anytime, darling.”

“Do you think Applebloom will be okay?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Of course she’ll be!” Scootaloo said with confidence. But with the way she said it, it seemed like she tried to convince herself.

“Don’t worry.” Spike assured the girls. “From what I know about her, she’s smart enough to make her own decisions. She knows that the streets are dangerous with the Smash running around. So she’s probably hiding away in one of the spots on the property.”

“Yeah…yeah, you’re right Spike.” The puppy brought up a valid point. Applebloom knew better than to just run away unprepared, especially since the city had gotten so dangerous.

“If she’s still around, then we can find her!” Sweetie Belle nodded before turning to the puppy. “Spike! Can you sniff her out?”

Spike was surprised by her sudden request. Scootaloo’s face brightened as she realized what her friend was getting at. “That’s a great idea! I totally forgot he was a dog!” The purple puppy took mild offense to that as the orange girl crouched down. “C’mon Spike! See if you can pick up a trail! We can find her faster that way!”

Spike just stared blankly at the two girls while they stared back with sparkling eyes.

“…”

“….Girls? I’m not that kind of dog…”

When they were being assigned sectors, Big Mac knew which one he had in mind. The Northeast fields. Because in his heart, he knew that if Applebloom left, there would only be one place she would go in all of the acres.

He climbed the hill that overlooked the entirety of Sweet Apple Acres. On top of the hill sat a unique set of trees. An apple tree and a pear tree intertwined with one another. A memento of his parents.

Sitting at the base of it, hidden in the shadows, was Applebloom. She had her legs pulled in with her forehead on her knees.

“…Haystack?” Big Mac said gently.

“Go away.” She refused to look up. Her older brother kept quiet. Instead, he sat down on the spot next to her. He maintained his silence until she was ready to speak. After several moments, she finally did.

“….why?” She raised her head, allowing Big Mac to see her puffy eyes and tearstained cheeks. “…Why would y’all send me away? Ah thought…Ah thought we were family…”

The elder brother looked her in the eye. “….Haystack, we ARE family.”

“But family doesn’t send each other away like that! They would stick together, no matter what!”Applebloom snapped back. She felt a flurry of emotions right now. Anger, sorrow, frustration, some resentment and grudge, but most of all, betrayal. “So why?! Why would y’all send me off all on my own like that?! Am I that worthless that only Ah need to go?! Is that it?!”

“Don’t EVER say that!” Big Mac yelled back, silencing the distraught sister. “Don’t ever say yer worthless, Applebloom! Yer not worthless! Yer my sister! Yer an important member of our family! We love you, and we always will!”

“B-but…” The red head stuttered. She never saw her brother so angry before. But she didn’t feel any resentment or malice in that anger, only the raging spirit of familial love. “…if y’all love me…then why send me away?”

“That’s because a true family does whatever they can to keep one of their own safe.” Big Mac answered firmly. He sighed as he leaned back against the intertwined trees. “…you were too young to remember, Haystack. But Ma and Pa…they were the greatest. They were hardworkin’, honest, lovin’, basically, they were the best parents any youngin’ could ask for.”

He hung his head as the painful memories resurfaced. “…it was a stormy time, and they were out makin’ a delivery. There….there had been an accident on the highway. A tire blew out and sent the truck skidding….right off the bridge. They didn’t survive it…In just one night….they were gone, just like that.”

He turned to his little sister, who cried with renewed tears. “…on that night, we lost two members of our family. Two pieces of our hearts. Two pieces of our entire worlds. We went through that pain once…and we refused to do that again. Ah agreed with sending you away because a big brother would do whatever he could to keep his little sister safe.”

He wrapped a comforting arm around Applebloom. “That’s why Ah was born first. Big Brothers are born first to protect their little sisters. Ah promised Ma and Pa that if anything should happen to them, Ah would do whatever I could to keep y’all safe. Even if it meant making a deal with the Devil, as long as it secured yer well-being, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

He then lifted her head so they could see each other eye to eye. “But looking back…Ah made a mistake. Ah was so caught up in yer safety that Ah forgot the most important thing…yer happiness. Ah’m so sorry, Applebloom.” He pulled his sister into a hug. “Ah’m sorry. Ah should’ve talked with ya beforehand. We all should’ve. Ah know it doesn’t undo what we did….but Ah’m sorry.”

At that moment, Applebloom couldn’t take it anymore. She buried her face into her brother’s shoulder and let the tears run free. She cried and cried for several minutes. She cried apologies. She cried out her forgiveness. She cried out everything.

Big Mac sat there and accepted it all. Eventually, she calmed down and lifted her head up.

“Feelin’ better?” The green eyed man asked. Applebloom nodded, her throat sore and scratchy from the crying.

He stood on his feet and helped her up. “C’mon…let’s head back to the house. Ah’ll be sure to call everyone there.” He had forgotten his phone in the house when he was rushing to find her. The two then left their parents’ memento and toward their place of residence. As they walked, however, they failed to notice the figure that stalked them from the shadows.

“So you think this will work?” Sandalwood asked. The two teens searched their assigned sector thoroughly, to no avail. After their attempts to seek out Applebloom on foot, Micro pulled out the drone from his backpack.

“Yes.” Micro nodded. “I figured it would’ve taken too long to search on foot. This way, we can get a birds’-eye view of the entire property and find her faster.” He had established a connection of the drone’s video feed to each of Team Build’s smart phones so they could remain in touch and keep up to date. He watched as the footage scanned over the farmland’s area.

“Good plan. But…what if she’s no longer on the property?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Hold on, I think I found something!” Micro zoomed in the image.

“What did you find?” Sandal leaned in to get a look.

“I think I see….oh….oh no…” The intellectual’s face paled.

“Is…is that-?!”

“Sandal? Call Flash and Sol! Call the others too!”

“Damn! Of all the days to leave the Machine Builder in the lab!” Flash cursed as he and Sol ran through the fields. They were in the middle of their own search when they received Sandal’s distress call on their phones. He had informed them that Micro had found a Smash chasing after Applebloom and Big Mac in the Northeast Orchard.

The moment they had heard the word, Smash, they were already sprinting through the trees. As they ran, they tore open their backpacks and hastily put on their disguises.

“Too late for that now, just keep running! We gotta get there before it attacks the others!” Sol shouted back. They had managed to equip their gloves, coats, masks, and in Flash’s case, his goggles. But as they broke through the last row of trees, they were shocked to see what awaited them in the clearing.

It was an army of humanoids clad in featureless, black helmets and gray jumpsuits. Each one was equipped with a gun or baton. They were the robots that attacked and kidnapped people at the mall last week.

“What the-!? What are these guys doing here?!” Upon noticing their presence, the robots with guns took aim and fired at them. Flash and Sol ducked behind a line of trees to escape their line of sight. They hid behind a large rock to shield their bodies.

Thankfully, it didn’t seem that the robots were shooting live ammunition at them. Based on how the projectiles ricocheted off the tree trunks and rocky surfaces, they seemed to be more akin to BB pellets. However, each impact seemed to set off a series of sparks and crackles of electricity. And it didn’t help that there were so many of them at once.

“Damn it! How are we supposed to get to the Northeast Orchard now?! We’re pinned down!” Flash cursed.

“Flash…you go on ahead!” Sol told him. “I’ll handle these guys!”

“Are you sure?!” Flash questioned him. “Can you even take on this many?”

“Dunno! But it’s a first time for everything! When I said that I dealt with robots like these before, I meant it. Now go! If you don’t go after that Smash, our friends will be the ones in trouble!”

“Alright, just be sure to get out of this safely!” Flash ordered.

“Please…this is me we’re talking about!” Sol dashed out from their cover, focusing the robots’ attention on him. “Come and get me you tin cans!” The riflemen open fired at the teen. He managed to evade most of their bullets due to their predictable aim. But one of the shots grazed his arm. He muffled a yelp of pain as his limb grew numb.

He took cover behind a nearby rock. As he kept their attention, Flash dashed out through the clearing, straight to the Northeast orchards.

He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

“Run!” Big Mac and Applebloom sprinted through the orchard and away from the monster chasing them.

It was one of those Smash monsters that attacked populated areas in the city. This was one was different than its predecessors. Its lower half was bulky and black, covered in light gray plating. Its upper torso was yellow and blue. Its left hand appeared normal aside from the elongated fingers. Its right hand was replaced by a giant knife-like blade. Its head was the strangest part of it, as it was an over-sized, yellow block with a blue rhombus pattern on the sides. This was the Square Smash. And it was on a rampage.

“What’s a Smash doin’ here?!” Applebloom screamed, completely terrified.

“Ah don’t know, just keep running!” Her brother urged her to go on. She started to tire, but the adrenaline kept her going.

Fortunately, they were able to outrun the Smash, as it seemed to be on the slow side. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all it was capable of. It slammed its right arm into the ground, cutting up blocks of earth and threw them at the two.

Big Mac quickly reacted. He scooped Applebloom in his arms and zig-zagged through the massive clumps of dirt. He managed to dodge each one as it impacted the ground. They through the attack and kept running.

However, neither sibling noticed the figure watching them.

From behind a tree, Stalk stepped out. He observed the Smash in action as it chased the two Apple siblings. Personally, he found it a bit....dull.

“Well....this isn’t getting us anywhere...” he shook his head. “Nothing noteworthy....until now that is.” He pulled out a gun of a unique design. He then pulled out a light blue Fullbottle with a rocket ship design.

He shook it a bit before he plugged it into the underside slot of the gun.

"ROCKET!"

The weapon charged up. “Now...let’s commence the experiment.” He aimed the rifle at the Box Smash and pulled the trigger.

"DEVIL STEAM!"

Out from the barrel, a rocket-like capsule shot out and impacted the Smash. The shell burst on impact, consuming it in a cloud of odd-colored gas.

Confused by what had happened, the Apple siblings turned to see their pursuer. They soon wished they had kept running.

Before their eyes, the Smash grew in size. It kept growing until its height surpassed even the Apple Family trees! It roared as it jumped high into the air and landed on the other side of them, cutting them off from escape.

Big Mac set Applebloom down and shielded her with his body. However, the Smash simply used its left arm and swatted her brother away as if he were a rag doll.

“Big Mac!” The red head cried as he was sent flying through the air and crashed into a nearby tree. She then shrieked as the Smash grabbed her and lifted her up.

To her shock, its box-like head opened up, revealing an empty space. It shoved her into its head and the walls closed back up. “Let me out!” Her screams were muffled as she pounded the walls from within.

“APPLEBLOOM!” Big Mac screamed as he pulled himself up. He gritted his teeth through the pain. He needed to save his sister.

However, the Smash hadn’t forgotten him. It cut up more blocks of dirt from the fertile farm soil and threw them at him. The young man tried to jump out of the way, but his body refused to move as fast as he wanted to.

“Look out!” He was tackled out of the way by Shining Armor. The brown blocks crashed where he used to be, effectively uprooting the tree. Out of the corner of his eye, the Rainbooms, Granny Smith, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Spike appeared. They had gotten Sandalwood’s call about a Smash appearing on his drone camera in the Northeast and rushed over.

“Holy crap! Since when could these things get this BIG?!” Rainbow Dash questioned in shock. None of the previous Smashes had been this big. Was there some sort of cause?

Shining Armor, upon seeing the danger they were in, whipped out his handgun from its holster, startling everyone else.

“Shining Armor?! What are you doing?!” Twilight questioned her brother’s actions.

“Protecting all of you!” He pulled the trigger until the clip was empty. Each bullet impacted the monster’s body, but barely seemed to faze it. But it did get the Smash’s attention, as it made even more blocks from the soil and threw them at the group.

“Scatter!” Sunset cried. Everyone got out of the impact radius as the attack landed. They all got covered in dirt, but they were relatively unharmed and alive.

“You okay, Big Mac?” The farm girl asked her brother as she helped him up.

“A-Ah’m fine but…Applebloom…!” The male Apple pounded the ground in frustration. He couldn’t protect her.

“Applebloom?! What happened to her?! Where is she?!” Applejack questioned rapidly, worried beyond belief.

Big Mac pointed a shaking finger to the giant Smash. “That…that thing’s got her in its head…!”

“What?!” All eyes snapped over to the Square Smash. The walls on its box-like head shifted a bit, becoming translucent for a moment. But that moment was all that was needed for them to see a panicked Applebloom trying desperately to escape.

The group fell into a terrified panic. The Apple Family’s worries came true in the worst way possible. Applebloom is held captive by a monster that is immune to the Rainbooms’ magic.

Shining Armor felt like throwing up. He opened fired at the monster while it had a civilian in its head. If it hadn’t been impervious to his bullets…

He didn’t have time to ponder as his sister dragged him away from another attack.

They kept dodging the flying blocks of dirt. While it would’ve been difficult for some of them to dodge the attacks effectively, such as Rainbow Dash and Granny Smith, Twilight was able to quickly move them out of harm’s way with her magic. Rarity also helped out by creating shields to intercept the blocks whenever she could.

Despite Twilight’s previous statements of her telekinesis failing to affect the Compact Smash’s junk balls, they were relieved that Rarity’s shields still maintained some degree of effectiveness.

Even if the Smash was immune to their magic abilities, the Rainbooms had to do something to protect themselves and save Applebloom.

Pinkie had been doing her best to distract the Smash at the very least, tossing exploding sweets to keep it at bay. While it didn’t seem to injure it, it seemed to stun it just for a bit.

The group took the brief opportunity to plan out how to get Applebloom from the Smash’s head. However, their planning came to a halt when the creature jumped up into the air to avoid exploding candy corn.

They were amazed such a big creature could jump so high.

When it landed, it slammed its blade arm into the ground, creating a rising wave of blocks that loomed over them. Pinkie Pie was thrown off her feet as Rarity jumped in to block the attack with the largest diamond shield she ever conjured.

The wave slammed into the shining surface with such a strong impact that her bones rattled. The wave died down, leaving the Northeast Orchard a clearing devoid of trees. The wave had uprooted them all and churned the dirt.

The Apple Family grieved the loss of one of their Orchards, but their priority was trying to save Applebloom.

The girls were of the same mind. But deep down, they felt despair. Nothing they did seemed to work against the Smash. And they were getting exhausted from their hit and run tactics. They needed a new plan, fast!

The girls were broken out of their thoughts by the sound of clicking, making them look around until they all spotted someone walking towards them. It was a figure in a white hooded trench coat, a pair of aviator goggles, and a mask, shaking a pair of bottles as he got closer.

"Who’s this guy?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight was about to say she didn't know, but then spotted a familiar belt like device on the figures waist. "Wait," she said, "is he...?"

"Let's begin this experiment," The figure said in a deep voice before placing the bottles into the Build Driver.

"RABBIT!"
"TANK!"
"BESTMATCH!"

"It is him," Twilight said in realization before the figure began to turn the crank.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

The belt produces the plastic model runner-like constructs with the armor pieces. The figure fell into a fighter stance.

“Henshin!” He then stood at attention. The constructs slammed into the figure’s body, donning him in the armor of Masked Rider Build, RabbitTank.

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“RabbitTank!”

“YEAH!”

Build then held out his hand as he called out “Drill Crusher!” The Driver released a series of tubes that conjured the drill-like weapon. He then charged at the Smash, weapon spinning. The Smash raised its blade arm to intercept it. The drill ground against the knife-like blade, but was unable to tear through it before the Smash forced him back.

Build stumbled backward, surprised by the Smash’s great strength. Deciding to change tactics, she changed the Drill Crusher into its gun form and took aim at its head.

But he was stopped before he could pull the trigger.

“Don’t shoot that!” Big Mac shouted at him. “That thing’s got mah little sister in its head!”

“What?!” Build snapped his head over in shock.

The Smash took this moment of distraction throw a block of dirt at him. He rolled out of the way and shot at its limbs to keep the creature at bay.

He couldn’t land a direct attack on it, much less use a Voltech Finish, until he could save the youngest Apple sister. The best idea he had was to pry its head open to free her, but how was he going to get close?

He thought about using Hawk Gatling, but what if he hurt Applebloom in the process? He needed it to distract it somehow so he could find an opening…

As if to answer his silent pleas, two cupcakes landed on the Smash’s legs before they exploded. The hulking creature tumbled from the kinetic force. Build turned his head to see the determined face of Pinkie Pie.

“Go Build! We gotcha covered!” She hurled more sugary confections at it. The Smash tried to counter by making more blocks to throw, but was disrupted by a series of telekinetically thrown rocks hitting its arm. Build then turned to see Twilight.

“We’ll keep it distracted! You go and get Applebloom out of that thing!”

“I’m on it! Thanks for the help!” As the Smash’s attention was now divided amongst the Rainbooms, Build rushed in. Any stray attack that might’ve hit him was blocked by Rarity’s diamond shields. Once he got within range, he used Rabbit’s power to jump onto its shoulders.

He grabbed onto the box-like head’s eadges for dear life as it tried to shake him off. “Applebloom?!” He called out in his filtered voice. “Are you okay?!”

“Ah-Ah could be better!” She hollered back. While her voice was slightly muffled, he could still hear her. “All this shaking is making me queasy…!”

“Don’t worry! I’m getting you out! Just back away from the wall!” Flash use his Drill Crusher’s sword mode to drill a hole into the Smash’s head. He increased the power of the weapon’s revolution to speed up the job. To his delight, his plan was starting to work. Gradually, a groove was being cut through the wall.

He only needed a few more minutes to finish cutting out the escape hole, but the Square Smash had enough of him drilling into its head. It grabbed him with its left hand and hurled him towards the group. He impacted the ground hard, which made him lose his grip on his weapon.

The Drill Crusher bounced and clattered by the feet of a certain farm boy. Big Mac picked up the weapon in his hand. He glanced between it and the Smash. As he did two particular memories replayed in his head.

He would do anything to protect his sisters, even if it meant striking a deal with the Devil himself. That was the duty of an older brother. Gripping the Drill Crusher in hand, he knew what he had to do. What he will do.

Build tried to get up, but the Smash hurled another volley of dirt blocks and buried him alive.

“No!” Scootaloo cried in despair from her, Sweetie Belle’s, and Spike’s hiding spot. Their savior had just been blanketed by several hundred pounds of dirt!

The group now panicked. They had to dig Build out to continue this fight, but the Smash refused to give them reprieve as it hurled block after block at them. They tried to come up with a new plan, but they were shook out of their musings by a loud battle cry.

Big Mac charged at the Smash, screaming at the top of his lungs, Drill Crusher in hand. He weaved around the Smash’s swatting arms due to its sluggish movements. Once he got in range, he slashed at the creature.

But once he did, he received a blast of Nebula Gas to the face.

“Huh. Guess that dose caused it to produce more Nebula Gas than usual.” Stalk mused from where he observed. “That poor farm boy’s likely gonna kick the bucket or become another Smash for them to deal with….oh well.”

He was unconcerned about the farmer’s fate as it did not matter to him. Everyone else on the ground assumed the worst for him as they were unsure of the gas’s properties. However, what happened next surprised him and the others.

Instead of deteriorating or transforming into a Smash, Big Mac shook off the burst of gas to the face and swung the Drill Crusher again. The blade struck the monster and seemed to cause even more damage to it than before.

He swung harder and the Smash stumbled from the blow. He swung one more time, with all of his might. The attack hit the monster in the tendon, causing it to kneel down.

Stalk now became intrigued by the result. “….how interesting. It seemed that dose made him stronger instead….” Beneath his helmet, the Cobra-themed man had a devious grin.

“GRAAAAGH!!!!” Big Mac stabbed the Drill Crusher into the Smash’s hide and dragged it along its body as he moved up.

Once he reached the head, he yanked the weapon out and rammed his fist into the Square Smash’s face. To everyone’s shock, the wall of the box caved in under the impact. It left gaps between the edges of the box, which let him hear his little sister’s cries better.

Thinking quickly, he used the Drill Crusher to carve out a larger hole in the gap and pried the box open.

“Big Mac!” Applebloom cried in joy upon seeing her brother save her.

“Ah got ya, Haystack!” The pulled her out of the box and carried her away from the Smash as it began to recover.

It roared in pain as its head slowly closed up. It raised its blade arm to turn the fleeing duo into cubes. It almost succeeded if it weren’t for the barrage of stun bullet that deflected its arm. It impacted the ground next to the two, allowing them to flee to safety.

The group turned to where the bullets came from, and saw that it was the cloaked partner of Build with a rifle in its hands.

“Sorry I’m late!” He apologized with his modified voice. “Some robots tried to crash the party, but I took care of them.

Back by the Southeast orchard, the broken remains of all of the robots laid scattered across the ground. They were in pieces. Torn limbs, holes through their torsos, crushed heads…it was impossible to believe that the damage was done at the hands of a human.

Some of the pieces continued to spark before exploding.

“That’s great and all, but you gotta help Build!” Rainbow Dash told him. “That Smash monster buried him under several blocks of dirt!” She pointed to the spot where Build was buried. Sol was about to go over to dig him out, but noticed the mound trembling.

“Actually…” Sol said as he returned to shooting at the giant Smash. “I think he’s got it!”

“Huh?” Came the collective questioned.

They were answered when a light brown, gorilla-like fist punched through the dirt layer. A body crawled out of the ground soon after. It was Build, alive in his GorillaMond form.

“He’s alive!” Sweetie Belle cried in relief.

“That….was not fun….at all…” Flash panted as he got back on his feet. He nearly got buried alive back there. By some miracle, the dirt wasn’t tightly packed from that wave. After a bit of struggling, he made enough space underground to reach the Gorilla and Diamond Fullbottles and change to GorillaMond.

How the Driver managed to make the armor runners while under piles of dirt he may never know.

Either way, he was now free and ready to fight again. He was also surprised to see Applebloom in Big Mac’s arms, the latter also holding the Drill Crusher, which Sol took back. He didn’t know what happened, but he didn’t question it. Now that she was free, he was open to finish this fight.

The Smash roared as it sent even more dirt and stone blocks at him.

“Not this time box-face!” As the blocks drew near, Flash raised his arms and knocked each and every one of them back in a flurry of punches.

The Square Smash’s attacks hit itself, knocking it off its feet.

“Let’s end this!” Flash pulled out the Hawk and Gatling Fullbottles and shook them. He then replaced his current Best Match with a new one.

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BEST MATCH!”

He turned the crank as his new armor set appeared.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” The armor enclosed on him, donning him in his winged, Hawk Gatling combination.

“SKY HIGH VANDAL!”

“HAWKGATLING!”

“YEAH!”

His friends and family who watched him change were awestruck by his transformation. Scootaloo and Rainbow had stars in their eyes.

“With this…I now have the winning formula!” Build spoke his new catchphrase.

“That. Is. AWESOME!” They both cheered.

The Square Smash struggled to get back on its feet but Flash refused to let it. He took to the skies and summoned the Hawk Gatlinger. He spun the magazine.

“TEN!”

He aimed and pulled the trigger. Orange energy bullets shot out and impacted the Square Smash’s body. It staggered back as the bullets pelted it. It slammed its blade arm into the ground again. But instead of creating blocks to throw, it stacked them up as a wall to defend itself.

“Think that’ll stop me?!” Flash spun the magazine again.

“TWENTY!”

The power output of the Hawkgatlinger increased. The bullets tore through the earthen wall. Flash then flew around the Smash, keeping it in a single location like what he did with the Mirage Smash clones.

The bullets dealt significant damage. Flash decided it was just about time to end this fight. He flew high into the air, spinning the magazine repeatedly.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

“THIRTY!”

“FORTY!”

Seeing the Masked Rider rising high above him, the Smash gave chase. It crouched down and launched off the ground in an extraordinary jump.

“FIFTY!”

“SIXTY!”

“SEVENTY!”

“Think again!” Flash flapped his wings, sending multiple energy rings at the Square Smash and trapped it in the energy glyph. The witnesses below were awestruck at what they were seeing.

“EIGHTY!”

“NINETY!”

“ONE-HUNDRED!”

“FULL BARREL!”

With the weapon fully charged, Flash yelled and unleashed its might. He pulled the trigger and a seemingly endless barrage of energy hawks flew and struck the Square Smash in its prison hard, swallowing it in a massive explosion.

Build landed on his feet as the Smash fell on the ground next to him soon after. He took an empty bottle and pointed it at the Smash. Its essence became absorbed into the bottle, allowing the creature to shrink back to normal size before reverting back to a human.

The Rider closed the bottle, satisfied with a job well done. Once the battle had ceased and the danger finally passed, the group slowly approached the former Smash. Upon doing so, Sunset’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Wait a minute…that’s the same person from last week!”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“I mean that’s the same woman was the Smash that attacked Applejack, Applebloom, and I.”

“What? But how’s that possible?!”

“No clue…but I’m going to find out.” She grabbed the unconscious woman’s arm and activated her magic. Her eyes glowed white as she dived into her target’s subconscious.

Sunset tried to scour through and see into her memories. But all she got in return were indiscernible, hazy images, and blank, white backgrounds. She tried to peer in deeper, but was met with the same result. Frustrated at her lack of answers, she retreated.

Her eyes returned back to normal as she blinked.

“Well?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Did you learn something?”

“No…nothing.” Sunset shook her head. “I tried searching, but couldn’t find anything! It’s as if the woman’s memories were erased or something!”

“That’s disappointing…but it’s not a total loss.” Shining Armor said as he approached. “Because we can still get some answers from the Masked Rider and his friend.”

He turned to where the duo previously stood, only to find empty space. “…wait a minute, where did they go?!”

“Not again…” The red and yellow haired girl groaned as the same thing happened to her last week.

“We’re here!” Micro yelled out to the Rainbooms and company, prompting them to turn towards him. The young genius arrived with Sandalwood, Flash, and Sol trailing behind him.

“About time! Where the heck were you guys?!” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Sorry! But when we tried to reach you guys, we were jumped by these weird robot guys with guns!” Flash explained, twisting their own story to keep their secret. Earlier, he grabbed Sol and flew out of the area and met up with Micro and Sandalwood as they ditched their disguises. From there, they acted as if nothing was wrong to avoid suspicion.

“Are you guys alright?” Scootaloo questioned in concern.

“We’re fine. We got lucky, actually. That hooded guy that worked with Build saved us.” Sandalwood added onto the story.

“So….what exactly did we miss here?” Sol asked as he saw the destruction around them.

“It’s….it’s a long story…” Applejack answered.

A long story it was indeed. During it, Shining Armor took the liberty to make two calls. The first was to his father, the second was 911. Several minutes later, workers from the Canterlot Research and Development Center were on the scene retrieving the mangled remains of the robots.

They don’t believe just how damaged they were given their internal workings and structure. The damage couldn’t have possibly been done by a normal human.

Help from 911 arrived in the form of several ambulances. The paramedics are currently checking out Applebloom and Big Mac for any injuries. To everyone’s relief, they were found to be fine.

Following the ordeal came a statement that surprised everyone.

“You mean you’re still going to Manehatten?!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle questioned simultaneously.

“Eeyup.” Applebloom nodded. “Ah decided that Ah needed to stop being selfish. It was thanks to Big Mac Ah realized why they had to make the call.”

“But…but that means we can’t see each other again…” Sweetie Belle refuted.

“Yes we will.” Her red head friend countered. “It’s only gonna be temporary. Ah don’t know when Ah’m coming back, but Ah’ll be sure to see y’all again.”

“And she won’t be going alone…” Big Mac added. “Because Ah’m going with her and stay by her side the whole time.”

“WHAT?!” His sister and grandmother were the most surprised.

“But…but Big Mac…if ya stay with Applebloom, you could be risking yer whole college career! Ya haven’t even notified them ya were leavin’!” Applejack argued.

“Actually, Ah gave admissions a call the other day. Ah told them Ah’d be takin’ an extended leave from college due to family matters. As it stands, Ah’m out of college for the year until we come back.” Her brother replied.

“But…but what if this doesn’t blow over in a year?!”

“Then Ah’ll cross that bridge when Ah come to it. Ah made a promise, didn’t Ah, Haystack? That no matter what, Ah would keep y’all safe. But Ah’m not lettin’ our sister go in this alone.”

“But…are you sure, dearie?” Granny Smith asked him. She needed to be sure if this is his final decision.

“It is, Granny. Ah made my choice. Just like Applebloom.” Big Mac nodded firmly.

The non-Apple family members of the group stayed silent during the whole exchange. They had no right to interject or pry into the conversation as it was a family matter. Applejack and Granny Smith stayed silent for a few moments.

“…Alright…” The matriarch of the household gave her consent. “If that is yer decision, then Ah won’t stop ya. Just promise me that y’all stay safe, ya hear?”

“Yes, Granny.” Both siblings replied.

“Make it a Pinkie Promise!” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“Pinkie!” Her friends admonished her.

“What? Nobody breaks a Pinkie promise!” Pinkie pie argued. “It will be the surefire way to keep their promise to her!”

Seeing the pink haired girl’s point, both Applebloom and Big Mac performed the deed and sealed the promise, believing neither one to be bear to break it lest they feel Pinkie Pie’s wrath.

The Next Day…

Due to the commotion caused by the Smash, Applebloom’s, and now Big Mac’s, departure was delayed to the following morning.

All of their friends had arrived to help see them off. Big Mac loaded the rest of his and Applebloom’s luggage into his truck.

They all said their farewells and best wishes. Soon, the two Apple siblings drove down the road to their temporary place of residence.

All the while, none of them knew about the red figure that watched their car leaving Canterlot City.

Blood Stalk observed the vehicle with a critical eye. Particularly the man driving said vehicle. What he witnessed earlier was unique. Most humans he came across either died when exposed to Nebula Gas, or mutate into Smashes.

To see a human capable of gaining strength from it was a phenomenal sight to see.

“…how interesting…”

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hello Everyone. Thank you so much for your support and criticisms. This chapter marks the start of events that shall set things in motion. Please stay tuned for what comes next!

Bottles Possessed:

Rabbit

Tank

Hedgehog

Gorilla

Diamond

Lion

Cleaner

Gatling

Hawk

Dragon

Bottles Obtained:

Ninja

Chapter 5: The Pressing Issue of Stalk

A few days had passed since the departure of Applebloom and Big Mac. School had still been suspended since then, but the students were notified that it would start back up again in a couple of days.

This gave Team Build another break after the Smash attack at Applewood Acres.

Flash decided to take this reprieve to visit his hospitalized bandmate, Ringo alongside his band’s drummer, Brawly Beats.

The rest of Team Build was found inside the hidden lab. Micro Chips was at one of the desks, working with the various tools to construct a device of some sort. Sandalwood was inside of the Bottle Purifer working on their latest addition.

Sol was off in the corner of the room doing pull ups. Over the past few days, he moved some of his workout gear into the lab to help give him something to do while the others were working on their respective tasks. As the teen finished another set, he took a break to think.

He had been working with Team Build for about a week and a half, but he’s no closer to solving the mystery of his dad’s death since before he met them. Granted, he’s been through a lot. Fighting Smashes, creating Fullbottles, and even discovering a solid enemy: Night Rogue. But even with all of that, they were still no closer to the truth.

To say that it aggravated him was an understatement. This is another reason why he worked out like this. To stave off any frustrations that would affect the team dynamic. As Flash put it, it was better to do this than to constantly butt heads with the others, specifically Micro.

Despite his talk with the Rider, he still found it difficult to be on the same page as their tech support. Part of it was due to their initial argument about his father and Gizmo. Sol knew what he saw. The only one who could’ve been responsible for his Dad’s death was Gizmo Poindexter. Yet Micro adamantly refused to believe it.

Both of them were pretty stubborn, and their stubbornness translated on how they interacted with one another.

He didn’t think he would ever come to a mutual understanding with the bespectacled teen.

*DING!*

“There’s another one done…” Micro went over to the Bottle Purifier and retrieved their latest addition. Sandalwood, as usual, stumbled out of the machine and collapsed onto the bed. “Comic, huh?” Micro said as he held the yellow, comic-themed bottle in hand. “How odd…”

Before heading off to see Ringo, Flash and Brawly took the time to hang out at a nearby café. It’s been a while since they got together and hung out outside of band practice. The Masked Rider figured it would be best to keep in touch with his other friends.

As they ate lunch, Flash listened intently as Brawly spoke. Their topic of discussion was the Masked Rider Build.

“I still can’t believe there was a Smash attack on Applewood Acres…and you were right there!” The drummer exclaimed. After said attack, Pinkie Pie posted the identity of the strang creatures that terrorized Canterlot.

“Yeah…none of us ever saw that coming…” The guitarist replied. Truthfully, none of them ever foresaw a Smash attack during their search for Applebloom. They certainly did not expect the mob of robots either. How Sol managed to deal with all of them quickly he did not know.

“Thankfully, Build swept in and saved the day, right?” Brawly said as he finished his drink. “The dude’s been saving our butts ever since the Smash appeared two weeks ago! I mean, he even found and saved Ringo!”

“Yeah…never thought he was a Smash. I’m just glad we found him after so long.”

“I know…but how do you think that even happened?” The drummer asked puzzled. “I mean, we know he went missing, but how did he become a Smash? Was he kidnapped by some shady organization or something?”

“Don’t know. Sounds like the plot of some sci-fi novel.” Flash shrugged. Then again, his entire life did turn into a sci-fi based story. “But at least we know he turned out okay. Speaking of which, we should probably get going. His visiting hours won’t last forever.”

“You’re right. Let’s go! Our bass guitarist must be bored out of his mind right now.”

The two left the café, unaware of a person watching them from a few tables over.

“Hm…how interesting.” The man rubbed his chin.

Flash and Brawly had almost made it to the Canterlot Hospital without any issue.

But as they neared, a two black vans and a series of motorcyclists came into view.

“What the? What’s going on?!” Brawly questioned. Flash on the other hand, paled. He recognized those figures on the cycles. They were the robots!

The vehicles soon surrounded the duo. The robots stepped out and aimed their guns at them. Brawly raised his arms up in surrender while Flash noted that their weapons got an upgrade. Their rifles were bulkier and had bayonets that looked like combat knife blades.

“Come with us.” The lead robot ordered in a monotonous voice. “Or face the consequences.”

“Are…are we under arrest or something?” Brawly asked.

“We’re not.” Flash got into a fighting stance. “These are the robots that kidnapped people at the mall.”

“Wait, seriously?!”

“Resist or flee, and you will be shot. Come quietly.” The robot repeated.

“Hm…how about….No!” Flash grabbed the gun from the robot’s hands and bashed it in the head with the butt of it.

The robots then opened fired, prompting the two teens to scramble for cover, which happened to be an alleyway with trash cans. As they fled, Brawly yelped as he was shot in the leg, the limb falling numb. Nothing bled, but he couldn’t feel anything below his knee.

“Wh-what the heck’s going on?!” The drummer screamed as the stun bullets ricocheted off of the stone and metal.

"I-I don't know!" Flash yelled back. He truly didn't. Just why were these guys so adamant about kidnapping people in broad daylight?!

Meanwhile, back at the lab, Micro continued to work on his latest invention while Sol took a break from his workout.

Sandalwood remained asleep. But his phone soon started beeping, alerting the two.

Curious, they walked over and Micro opened the notification. His eyes widened as he saw it was a post from Pinkie Pie on her blog. It read:

Posted by Pinkie Pie:

“Hello everybody! Happy 2 week-a-verssary of Masked Rider Build showing up and saving us from those Smash Monsters! In other news....

THE ROBOT HORDE IS BACK AND KIDNAPPING PEOPLE BY THE HOSPITAL! WHERE’S BUILD?! SOMEONE’S GOTTA STOP THEM! HEEEEELP!!!!”

“What the-?! Why did Pinkie Pie post that?! For that matter, why is Sandalwood following her on the Build Blog?” Sol questioned.

“Everyone in CHS follows Pinkie Pie.” Micro answered him. “Why don’t you?”

“Are you serious? I just got here a week and a half ago! I still don’t know her that well!” The fighter exclaimed.

"Better not let her know that. She'd probably think you don't follow her because you don't like her, so she'd do whatever it takes to make you into her friend. You should have seen what happened with Mr. Doodle when he transferred here two years ago.”

"Why? What happened?"

Micro looked him in the eye with a grim expression. "…You do not....I repeat, do NOT....want to know..."

"...okay then..." Sol wisely backed away. He made a mental note to follow her blog as soon as possible, for the sake of his sanity. "Well, since the robots are attacking, I guess I'd better get out there." He headed towards the door, grabbing his disguise.

"Hang on," he turned to Micro as the teen picked up whatever crazy invention he'd been messing with. "I've finished a little something for Flash. He’s going to need it."

Flash tried to strategize their next move. The situation was not good at all. He then heard something over the gunfire. A series of screams. He peeked into the small gap and saw that other civilians fled in terror, only to be shot and captured by the robots. He cursed. It seemed like they weren't the only victims.

Of all the days to leave the Build Driver and Fullbottles in the lab. How was he supposed to know an attack would happen today?!

He had to get Brawly out of here and contact the lab. He gripped tightly onto the rifle he took. While it would help, they were outnumbered. He turned his head forward and noticed how the alley seemed to go deeper before making a turn. Maybe they had an escape route.

"Hey Brawly, can you move?"

"K-Kinda! My leg's still numb though." The drummer said, smacking his shot leg.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. You go down the alley and see if you can make it to the other side. Try and get help. I'll cover you with this." He raised the rifle in his arms.

"Dude, are you crazy?!" Brawly gawked at him. "You're gonna get shot!"

"And we're gonna get taken unless we do something!" Flash snapped back. "We don't have any other ideas! We gotta get out of this! So you in?!"

"....alright!" As much as the drummer hated this plan, he didn’t see any other option.

"Good....let's go!" Flash ran out of their cover, guns blazing. His random fire managed to hit a fair number of the robots. Some of them dropped their captured victims and returned fire. He ran around, trying to avoid getting hit. By some miracle, the stun bullets missed him. He dived down to take cover behind a nearby car.

“Alright, Flash. Let’s not panic. It’s just like a first person shooter game….only its real! It’s just like a video game…!” He peered over the car and returned fire. He struck two of the robots in the head and shot their weapons out of their hands. However, he got careless and one of the bullets got him in the arm. He felt a shock and his arm fell numb. He ducked behind the car once more.

“Ow! Not like a game! Not like a game!!” Flash cried as he tried to shake the numbness from his arm. He managed to get enough feeling to grip his gun. Gamer strategy was not working. He needed to take a different approach…

“Aaaaugh!” Brawly’s scream tore him from his thoughts. Flash’s head whipped around to see the flashes of light emanating from the alley. Two robots walked out dragging an unconscious Brawly Beats.

“Brawly!” Flash tried to help his friend, but the rest of the droids surrounded him and blocked him off. The guitarist’s rage grew as he saw his friend carried off to who knows where.

“Get out of my way!” Fueled by panic and adrenaline, Flash stabbed the bayonet of his gun into a nearby robot. The others turned to fire.

Flash spun around with the robot still on his bayonet. He used it as a shield to block the bullets as he charged in and tackled a line of robots to the ground. The lifeless droid on his blade flew off and pinned the others to the ground.

He tucked into a roll and grabbed a nearby rifle. He landed on his feet, dual wielding a pair of stun rifles. He whirled around with his fingers on the triggers. The stun bullets produced enough of a jolt to stun the robots’s movements upon contact. Some of the projectiles also knocked the rifles out of their hands.

Once the robots were disarmed, he ran up to them and swung at them using the rifles as clubs. Some of them went down, but one of them tackled him to the ground. The two rolled as the firearms clattered out of his hands. Flash landed on his back and kicked the robot away. As he stood, he found himself surrounded by armed droids once more.

But before they should shoot, a familiar barrage of lasers impacted them and punched holes through their chassis. Flash turned to the source and saw a disguised Sol closing in on the Machine Builder. He swerved to a stop with the Drill Crusher in gun mode in one hand.

“Take this!” He threw Flash an object that he caught. Looking at it, he saw that it was a watch of a unique design. How was this supposed to help him?!

“Put it on and press the top button!” Sol instructed as he shot more at the robots. For those that came close, he punched or kicked away with the Dragon Bottle bolstering his strikes. Flash did as instructed. A series of tubes manifested from the watch and wrapped themselves around him. They converged and he soon realized he was wearing his disguise. Mask, goggles, and all.

“Wh-whoa! What is this?!” He looked at the watch in amazement.

“Micro’s new toy! Now hurry up and transform so we can beat these tin cans!”

“But I left my driver at the lab!” Flash argued. While he had his disguise, it didn’t help if he couldn’t fight the robots.

“Press the right button!” Sol kicked one of the robots’ head clean off its shoulders.

“Right button-whoa!” Flash yelped again as the watch manifested the Build Driver and a set of Fullbottles. The former appeared on his waist while the latter appeared in his hands. “How did-?!”

“Stop gawking and transform already!” Sol screamed as he dove behind an upturned car to avoid gunfire.

“R-right!” Flash did as he was told and shook the bottles and twisted the caps before inserting them in the Driver.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?”

“Henshin!” Flash yelled as he was donned in the armor once more.

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

“Now that I’ve got the Winning Formula…” Flash begun. His left leg glowed as the spring wound up. Using Rabbit’s power, he sped over to the nearest robot and punched a hold clean through its torso with Tank’s power. “…I’m sending you all to the scrap heap!”

The other robots diverted their attention from Sol and open fired at Flash. The stun bullets bounced harmlessly off of the Build Armor. While they were distracted, Sol jumped out of his hiding spot and inserted the Hedgehog Bottle into the Drill Crusher.

"HEDGEHOG!"

“VOLTECH BREAK!”

Sol pulled the trigger and a volley of energy spikes shot out and impaled half of the remaining forces. Flash dispatched the other half with a series of quick, consecutive strikes with the power of a Tank.

Soon enough, the two remained standing amongst a mass of broken, smoking mechanical parts.

Once the immediate danger had passed, Flash scanned the area for his missing friend. He then saw Brawly as he got carted off in one of the vans. The robots got in as it drove off.

“Get back here!” Flash rushed over to the Machine Builder and started it up. Before he could race after them, the sound of slow clapping was heard.

Out from the alley where Flash and Brawly previously hid, a red, cobra-themed figure stepped out. “Bravo, bravo….you truly did well in dispatching the small fry, Build.” The man said in a deep voice.

“A…Cobra…?” Sol asked quietly upon seeing the insignia on his chest.

“Out of the way! I need to go after them!” Flash yelled at the stranger.

“Of course you do….that is precisely why I’m here.” The man said, standing right in front of the machine. The two then realized he was here to stop them.

“Who are you?!” Flash demanded, noting how similar his armor was to a certain bat-themed figure. “Are…are you with Night Rouge?!”

The Cobra man chuckled. “Indeed I am. We’re partners in this little venture. Which is why I cannot let you to take back our much needed guinea pigs.”

Flash growled at the statement while Sol stared with tightly clenched fists.

“As for me….well…call me Blood Stalk.” The man, now identified to them as Blood Stalk, said before he pulled out his steam-punk gun. “And I’m here to put you two to sleep.”

Before Flash could react, Stalk pulled the trigger and a burst of energy struck him point blank. Flash was thrown off the Machine Builder and tumbled away. Stalk steadied his arm to shoot again. But his aim was diverted by Sol, who wrenched his arm to the side and pushed him back.

Stalk didn’t seem fazed. The fighter charged in for a punch to the face. But the Cobra man caught the fist with ease. Rather than counterattacking, he seemed to examine the appendage in his grip. Sol tried to pull away, but the grip was iron-clad. Finally, Stalk spoke.

“Hm…2.2. Haa…you know, Sol,” The fighter perked up as the man spoke his identity. “…your father would be sorely disappointed in you. Your hazard level is simply too weak.”

“Y-you…you know my Dad?” Sol asked, pushing aside as to how Stalk knew him in his head. This was more important. Could he have finally found something?

“Why, I know a lot about him. I know a lot about you as well…” Stalk said as he twisted the fist in his hand. “But…why should I tell someone as weak as you?”

“Why you-!” Before Sol could finish, Stalk pulled him in and kneed him in the stomach. He then threw the winded teen at the rising Build. The masked rider saw him coming and managed to jump over him before Sol could knock him over.

Build landed near where Sol had dropped the Drill Crusher and picked it up and pointed it at Stalk. The armored man in turn, pulled out a machete like weapon that he then folded up before attaching to the end of his gun. Now in a bayonet like design, Stalk began firing at Build.

Seeing this coming, the rider used Rabbit’s jumping ability to leap away while firing his own blasts. Stalk saw them coming and used the knife on his weapon to slash at said attacks and knock them away. Then, from out of his right arm, he launched a long black whip like cord with a stinger on the end of it.

Build saw it coming and jumped away, back-flipping as he switched the Drill Crusher to its sword form. Once he'd landed, Build used the sword to knock the cord away and he rushed towards Stark and swung the weapon at him. But Stalk, holding his weapon in a back handed grip, blocked the first swing and leaned back to avoid the next one. Build then attempted to slam his foot into Stalk's chest, but he crossed his arms to block the attack while staggering back.

Build followed after him and swung the Drill Crusher at him again, Stalk once again managing to block it with his own weapon. But Build had been expecting this and pushed both weapons upwards before spinning on his heel and swing the blade around, striking Stalk's chest. With the armored man staggering back, he then thrust the lance forward in an attempt to impale him. But even though his attack struck a bulls-eye, all it did was push Stalk back a little more.

"Not bad," Stalk said as he watched Build rushing at him. The Drill Crusher began to spin as he swung it down towards him, but he simply raised his own weapon to block. The Drill Crusher hit the bayonet, the spinning drill causing it to roll off the end and knock Build off balance. Stalk used this opening to perform a spin kick and hit the masked rider in the stomach, an explosion of purple occurred upon impact and sent Build flying backwards.

Build grunted as he hit the ground, but quickly rolled back onto his feet and jumped up. Seeing Stalk was skilled enough to counter his weapon, he threw it away before he began to turn the crank.

“READY?! GO!”

Red and blue energy covered Flash's body as the spring on his leg compressed. He jumped up high into the air before flying forward.

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

Stalk seemed to chuckle as he watched Build flying towards him, ready to deal a powerful kick to him. He threw his own weapon away before holding up his hand, actually managing to grab Build's foot.

“YEAH!”

The two forces pushed at one another, Build expecting to break through but was shocked to see Stalk was able to hold him back. "What?"

"Nice kick," Stalk told him before putting some more effort into his arm and pushed Build away. He grunted as he hit the ground, quickly sitting himself up to see Stalk waving a smoking hand around. "I'd put that Hazard Level at 3.2." He turned towards him, "but there's room for growth." He moved over to where he'd tossed his weapon and picked it up and detached the blade from it. "Now, as much as I’d like to play with you more, I’ve done my duty. So for now….Ciao~” With a pull of a trigger, the gun produced a mass of steam that swallowed him. When it dissipated, he was nowhere to be seen.

“What the…where did he go?!” Sol questioned as he scrambled up.

“I…I don’t know…” Flash shook his head as he called Micro in his helmet. “Guys! Any sign of him?”

“No. I’m trying but…I can’t find anything. No trace, no trail…it’s like he just disappeared! But that’s impossible!”

“So you’re saying he just vanished? Or teleported?”

“Uh…speaking of vanishing,” Sol shook his shoulder, alerting him to the sound of sirens. “We should probably vanish ourselves before the cops get here.”

At the Research Center…

Multiple reporters could be seen entering the building, ready to watch a press conference that the research center's head was going to give. As everyone sat down, the reporters spotted the head along with the rest of his family.

Night Light stood at the podium while the Sparkle Family sat off to the side. Cadence, Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike sat down in a row of chairs. Next to Twilight was her mother, Twilight Velvet. She was a middle aged woman with a light gray complexion, light blue eyes, and purple, white streaked hair. She was dressed in a blazer and skirt just like Cadence and her daughter given the professionalism of the event. Shining Armor and Night Light were dressed in suits themselves. Spike was the only one exempt for obvious reasons.

Standing next to Night Light was his assistant, Dusk Walker. The bespectacled man stood at attention.

The head of the research center began the conference, soon being swarmed by multiple, overlapping questions. “Please, settle down.” Night Light said to control the crowd. “Questions one at a time, please. First, you in the back.”

The designated reporter stood with a notepad in hand. “Director Light. Given the recent string of attacks and kidnappings here in Canterlot, has anything been found from the remains of the robots you and your team retrieved?”

“We have thoroughly examined the parts. However, whoever engaged in direct combat with them had been thorough themselves. The memory chips housed inside the head have been damaged. The very few that we had found to be mostly intact have been wiped clean. As we scanned them, we discovered that they contained a deletion program that erases all relevant data should the unit be substantially damaged. My scientists are currently working to see if there is a way to restore the data and discern the truth of their motives.” Night Light answered.

Satisfied by the explanation, the report sat down as another stood up. “Director Light, even if your company hasn’t discovered anything regarding the robots, have you and your team found anything about these Monsters?”

“Unfortunately, we have not discovered anything new.” Night Light shook his head. “We interviewed the victims who were discovered to be the monsters. However, they all displayed a common trend of memory loss. It would seem that whatever mutation or transformation they went through, their minds haven’t been able to properly endure it. We are overlooking their recovery at the moment to determine if their memories will eventually return. Other than that, there is not much else we can do at the moment.”

Another reporter stood. “Sir. In light of recent events, what are your thoughts on the Masked Rider Build, who has been making an effort to save people from these attacks?”

Night Light paused for a moment to take a sip of walker, collecting his thoughts. In truth, he was curious about the man behind the mask. He was sure it was not Gizmo, given his disappearance months ago. He wondered how someone could even access his equipment.

The Director finally spoke. “In all honesty, I am elated that there is someone who is capable of fighting these creatures and keeping the populace safe. I was informed by my son, Officer Shining Armor, that conventional weaponry does not seem to affect them. However, this unique equipment of Build is able to properly defeat these monsters and return them to normal. I could only hope to meet him in person one day to inquire about his technology. If used properly, then maybe we can discover other means to keep the public safe.”

“On that note, Director.” Another reporter towards the front said as she stood. “As a whole, have you and your team taken measures to ensure the safety of the public?”

The Director of the Research Center paused for a bit before he chuckled, confusing the audience. “I am so glad someone had asked that. Given recent events, I felt that it was time to upgrade our security. Not only to keep the Research Center safe, but all of Canterlot as well.” He gestured to Dusk Walker, who nodded and signaled a pair of workers off stage.

The two workers walked on stage with a new figure walking between them. It greatly resembled one of the robots that had been on the news recently. However, it was different as its helmet was colored a lighter gray than the ones kidnapping people. It also wore a dark blue jumpsuit with the Research Center Logo on its breast. Its appearance had caused uproar in the audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen…” Night Light announced, quieting down the reporters. “Allow me to introduce the Canterlot Research and Development Center’s latest form of security, the Guardians.”

“Director, isn’t that one of the robots that assaulted and kidnapped civilians the past week?” One of the reporters questioned.

“It is true that the Guardian greatly resembles those robots. That is because we reverse engineered the parts that we obtained to create them.” The Director answered. “I admit it was a controversial decision to make. However, given the recent dangers on the streets of our fair city, I believe it is a necessary endeavor. The Guardians were designed and created to protect the people of Canterlot from these unknown robots and monsters.

“While it is all well and good that the Masked Rider has made an effort to keep us safe, he is but one man. He cannot be everywhere at once when danger arises. We hope that through the Guardians, his workload would be alleviated, if only slightly, as we can rest easy knowing our friends and family are safe.”

From the side of the stage, Night Light’s family smiled at his decision. However, Twilight felt a sense of unease. While these Guardians were made from scratch after utilizing the originals’ design, she can’t help but feel wary of them.

The Director then scanned the crowd. “Now, are there any more questions?”

Everyone’s hands were raised.

“Well….that was exhausting…” Night Light sighed as he reclined in his office chair. He didn’t expect every single reporter to have more questions. But then again, that’s the way of the media. They wanted every detail as possible.

“You did fantastic, honey.” Twilight Velvet congratulated her husband. “You did well to last during that two hour press conference.”

“I’m amazed that we lasted that long as well.” Shining Armor said as he sat down in one of the guest chairs. “Never thought it would go for that long.”

“Well, given the recent string of attacks, the media is no doubt looking for answers.” His fiancée answered. “So you can’t really blame them with all of the questions.”

“Good point…now all I need to worry are your Guardians replacing the police and putting me out of a job.” He joked to his father.

“Believe me, son.” Night Light chuckled. “That was never my intention. If anything, the Guardians will help you and the others so much; you would have much more free time. That way, you and Cadence would have more time to plan that wedding of yours.”

As the father and son went back and forth, Twilight Sparkle remained quiet. Her face was one of deep thought. Spike, who had been in her lap, looked up at her in concern.

She had so much going on in her mind right now. The recent robot attack, the new Guardians her parents’ department had created, and most of all…Build. He was a complete enigma to her. She saw that he was a relatively skilled fighter with a wide variety of gadgets that were just so technologically advanced and unique. His belt, his weapons, his armor, all of it stimulated her scientific hunger to know more. Her curiosity also extended to who was behind the mask.

It was a common question amongst her friends. They wanted to know who Build was as well. Sunset was still wary of him as they don’t know what his motives are. But since he hasn’t actually done anything malicious, she had given him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. The rest were as curious as she was to learn of the identity of the man who saved them time and time again.

Even back at Applewood Acres, he had been wearing a disguise before he changed into his armor. Just who was he?

“-ly? Twily?!”

“H-huh?” The youngest child of the Sparkle Family snapped out of her thoughts. Her brother had shaken her out of it. “You doin’alright? You’ve been pretty quiet.”

“Oh, sorry. I….I was just thinking about the Guardians….” Twilight answered. “It’s surprising that you used those robots as a basis when making them. Have you made any additional features or modifications to them?”

“If you’d like, I can tell you more about them.” Dusk Walker said as he entered the room. “Director Night Light’s truly outdone himself on them.”

“Come now, Dusk. I can’t take all the credit.” Night Light waved him off. “It’s only because of you and the others that these Guardians came to be.”

“But it was only because of your ingenuity that the concept came to be in the first place.” His assistant countered. The rest of the family watched as the two went back and forth trading compliments. It was mainly how the two proverbially ribbed each other. Twilight giggled throughout the exchange.

Twilight was surprised by his appearance, but didn’t find it unwelcome. Over the years she’s known him, Dusk Walker has always been an intellectually gifted individual. She was able to relate to and understand him when discussing advanced topics. Their conversations were fresh breath of air from the stifling, isolationism back in her time at Crystal prep.

Given his intelligence, it was no wonder that Dusk Walker was her father’s personal assistant.

“Speaking of opportunities,” Twilight Velvet asked her daughter. “Have you already sent in your applications to ChangeMaker Incorporated and DarkShroud Industries?”

“I did. And tripled checked to make sure everything was in order before submitting. I hope they get back to me soon.” Twilight answered.

“Don’t worry, Honey. I know for a fact that either company would love to have you for that internship program.”

In order to build up her college resume, Twilight thought it would be best to gather some experience and credit. So she applied to two of the three largest corporations in Canterlot City for internships. She would’ve applied to the Research Center as well, but given that her father runs it and her mother is the lead scientist, it could’ve led to some issues regarding familial bias.

The exchange soon came to an end as a swift knock rapped on the closed door. Dusk Walker walked over to let the person in. His eyes widened when he saw who came into view.

It was an elderly, red-skinned man that stood about half a head shorter than Dusk. This was mainly due to his hunched posture. His suit seemed to hang over his thin, wiry frame. He lacked any hair atop his cranium, yet had a show white beard that was long enough to reach his waist. His yellow eyes were sharp and focused. In his wrinkled hands was a walking cane that supported him.

“D-Director Tirek.” Night Light shot out of his seat upon seeing his facility’s benefactor. “What brings you here, sir?”

“Hello, Night Light.” Tirek greeted with a deep, scratchy voice as he hobbled in. “I’ve heard about your little Guardian project and thought it is best to speak with you about it, personally.” His eyes scanned the room. “Although, I did not expect your family to be here as well. But where are my manners…?”

Tirek bowed his head in greeting to the rest of the Sparkle Family and Cadence. “Greetings, everyone. My name is Tirek. I am but a simple benefactor to the Research Facility.” He then turned back the Night Light. “I apologize for my abruptness, but I have something that I need to speak to you and your wife about immediately. Alone.”

Night Light and Twilight Velvet realized what he was referring to. The Director gestured to his assistant, who picked up immediately.

“This way, everyone.” Dusk Walker told the Sparkle Siblings, Cadence, and Spike as he ushered them out. “Allow me to show you to the Guardians to get a closer examination. Once everyone filed out, the door closed and locked behind him.

The red skinned man then turned back to the two. “I take it I don’t need to explain why I’m here?” Unlike his jovial visage before, his expression was stern.

“About the Masked Rider, I take it.” Night Light grew serious as he folded his hands on his desk.

“Why else would I be here? Considering it’s the secret project your little missing scientist has created. Yet he’s still missing and someone is running around using his equipment.” Tirek eased himself into a chair and sat across from the Director. “Tell me this. Why were you unable to find the Build System until some random element appears wearing it?”

“I’m sorry, sir. But Gizmo was extraordinarily thorough in erasing evidence and traces of his data and information when he went off the radar. We weren’t even aware of an unknown group manufacturing the Smash and the rogue robots.”

“Obviously.” Tirek scoffed. “I had hoped that the money that I invested into your department was being put to good use. But given in light of recent events, I am beginning to have some doubts.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I truly am.” Night Light bowed his head. “We were unprepared for these events. But we are doing our best to properly address them.”

“I see…” The elderly man tapped a finger on his temple. “I sincerely doubt your little Guardians are enough for what is to come. But I’ll withhold my judgment until results are produced.” He then pulled himself up and hobbled over to the door. “I suggest that you work harder to uncover this little ‘shadow organization’ and retrieve the Build System. Otherwise I may have to reallocate resources and finances to ChangeMaker Incorporated and DarkShroud Industries, who I know will do whatever it takes to get the job done.”

Tirek opened the door. But before he stepped out, he gave the two one last look over. “Do not disappoint me.” He then slammed the door shut.

Night Light and Twilight Velvet were left alone in the office. The Director bowed his head….and slammed a fist onto his desk.

At the Lab…

After the recent Robot Attack, Team Build was in a buzz. Flash had been restless since they got back. He wanted to go out and chase after the robots to get his friend back. But Micro adamantly told him to wait to plan their next move. Sol on the other hand had been playing with his own Storage Watch, as Micro named the device. Using the Build Driver as a basis, he had created portable devices that would allow the two to store their disguises and don them quickly when the need arises.

In Flash’s case, it also stored the Driver and Fullbottles in order to transform on the fly. Granted, they were untested prototypes, but their first activation seemed to work well.

Sandalwood on the other hand, was still snoring on the bed.

“I still can’t believe I let them get away!” Flash punched Sol’s punching bag that he brought. “I could’ve stopped them, but…!”

“Flash! Take it easy…” Micro tried to calm his friend down. “What’s done is done, alright! Blaming yourself like this isn’t helping anyone!”

“But what else can we do?!” Flash retorted. “We don’t even know where they took Brawly! For all we know, they made him into a Smash by now!”

“We would’ve saved him if that Stalk guy hadn’t got in the way…” Sol interjected as he approached the two. “It’s because of him we failed. Heck, we didn’t even come close to scratching that guy!” Not to mention, Stalk knew about his father. He was just itching to go after him for answers.

“Where are these guys even coming from?!” Flash exclaimed. “It’s like they’re popping out of the woodwork! First Night Rogue, now Blood Stalk? Just who are they?!”

“I don’t know…” Micro admitted. “But fortunately, my drone took a few pictures of him during the battle.” He gestured to the supercomputer in the lab. “I’m having the computer scan them. Hopefully, given that his gun seemed to use a Fullbottle, or at least something similar, we can find a match.”

Almost immediately, the computer beeped to indicate that it found something. The noise woke up Sandalwood as he stared at the screen in confusion. The four went over and saw that a new video file pulled up. One named Transteam Gun. It started to play as Gizmo Poindexter appeared on screen.

“Salutations members of the scientific community.” The genius scientist greeted with a wave. “To continue off my earlier discussions regarding nebula gas, allow me to show you another invention I have created.”

He showed off a black handgun with silver engine parts that lined up the side. It also had red, green, and yellow tubes connected to the side. At the bottom was a rectangular extrusion connected to a notch about as large as a Fullbottle cap.

“Let me present to you….the Transteam Gun!”

“Hey, that’s the gun Stalk used on us!” Sol pointed out.

“Man…is this convenient or what?” Sandalwood added.

“Both of you, quiet!” Micro shushed them, wanting to hear the explanation.

“You see, after completing the Build System, I realized that not everyone can properly use it since having a natural hazard level of 3 is a rarity in itself.” Gizmo explained. “So, I devised a simpler means of transformation that is accessible at a lower natural Hazard Level of 2.5. You see, the Transteam Gun is a device that allows the user to done a suit of armor like the Build System.”

He pulled out a new Fullbottle with a snake-like motif and stuck it into the underside of the gun.

“COBRA!”

“The activation command is Blood Mist in Neighponese, which is Jouketsu.”

He then pulled out a card and slid it into a machine off screen below the camera.

A hologram appeared next to Gizmo, revealing the visage of the Cobra-themed warrior.

“Wait, that’s Stalk!” Sol cried in outrage. “I knew it! I knew that bastard’s up to no good!”

“Calm down!” Micro snapped back. “It’s not my brother! That’s just a hologram of the suit! They don’t even sound the same! It’s clearly someone else using the gun!”

“But how did they get it! Can you answer that?!”

“He…he probably stole it from him!”

“Then where is he now?!”

“Come one dude, break it up!” Sandalwood and Flash pulled the two apart before they could get into another argument. “Fighting’s not gonna solve anything!”

“He’s right! Let’s just keep watching the video and see what we learn. We still don’t know much about the gun.”

The two glared at each other before reluctantly obeyed. Gizmo continued to explain.

“This is Blood Stalk. The next step for the Rider system, allowing normal people with the minimal required Hazard Level to transform. This was intended to be a mass produced system that would allow soldiers and police officers to combat the Smash.”

His expression grew grim. “Unfortunately, we currently unable to lower the required Hazard Level value. While we do have means to increase them via enhancement procedures…I highly advise against it. The success rate to even obtain a 0.1 increase is simply too low….and the risks far too great.”

The implications were not lost on the teens. And based on how Gizmo said it, he’s witnessed these risks first hand.

“Now, before I continue. I must be fair to warn you all. While a person can use the Transteam Gun with a low Hazard Level…there is a contrast to using it.”

“What cost would that be? Must not be great if it’s a project to mass produce super soldiers…” Sandalwood wondered.

“You see, while a lower Hazard Level is used to transform, the power gained from it is fixed. What I mean is, that unlike the Build Driver, the Transteam Gun has no capability of increasing the user’s Hazard Level. You see, during my research, I learned that one’s Hazard Level is related to one’s power when influenced by Nebula Gas. For instance, a person with a Level of 3.5 will be stronger than a person of 3.1.

“It is because of this lacking capability that the user of the Transteam gun must rely on their natural skills, abilities, and fighting experience when engaged in combat.”

“Wait, so the higher our Hazard Level is, the stronger we’ll be?” Sol questioned in interest.

“It seems that way. And the Build Driver has that ability…” Flash trailed off before recalling what Stalk said earlier. “Wait…3.2? Hey Micro. What are our Hazard Levels now?”

“Huh?” Sandalwood asked. “Why? Aren’t they the same?”

“Well, that Stalk guy said something about 3.2 when he touched me, and this video got me thinking…what if my own level increased?”

Micro realized what he was getting at. He quickly grabbed the scanner and pointed it at him. “3.2….it…it really did rise!”

“So, going off of this…if the Driver is raising my level…then wouldn’t I grow stronger too?”

“That seems to be the case. But what triggers such a change?”

“Hey, hey!” Sol jumped in. “What about me?! Stalk told me I was a 2.2 or something!”

“What?! But that’s impossible! You couldn’t even wear the Driver! It couldn’t possibly increase by natural means!” Micro refuted.

“Just give me that!” Sol snatched the scanner out of his hands and pointed it at himself. The screen beeped as it said 2.2. The fighter showed it to the intellectual, who stared gobsmacked.

“It did increase! But…but how?!”

“No clue…but does this mean I’ll be able to use the Driver too?” He questioned the two. “Hey, maybe we can take turns on who gets to be Build…”

“Maybe…” Flash waved him off as he stared back at the screen. Going by the logic of this revelation…the musician became disturbed. If the Transteam Gun was unreliant on the Hazard Level for the wearer’s power…just how strong was Stalk naturally?!

He could take whatever he could dish out…just how much of a gap was between them? He stared at the gun held in Gizmo’s hand on screen. Noting how it only utilized a single Fullbottle to initiate a transformation, in contrast to the Build Driver needing two.

“But now we know what we’re up against…” Micro said, snapping out of his stunned stupor caused by Sol. “Given how your fight went, you two lack the means to defeat him. But this is also good news.”

“How is getting our asses kicked good news?” Sol questioned while he picked up the Ninja Fullbottle and tossed it in his hands.

“Didn’t you hear what my brother said? Transteam Gun users have their Hazard Levels locked. In other words, they can’t get stronger through the means of Nebula Gas. Flash, and you to a lesser extent, on the other hand, are capable of increasing your Hazard Levels. Given enough time, we may be able to beat him.”

“But we don’t have time.” Flash pointed out. We don’t even know how the rising Hazard level thing works. And the more we wait around, the more people are going to get hurt. And more of a chance they’ll be made into Smashes.”

“I know.” Micro nodded. “That’s why we have to increase our arsenal.” He scowled at the Comic Bottle inside the Build Driver on the table. “If only I knew what to pair this up with! I tried Hedgehog, Lion, even Sol’s Dragon! But nothing works!”

While Micro tried to figure out which bottle to test next, Sol looked down at the bottle he had been tossing in the air. His vision shifted between it and the Comic Bottle before something inside him seemed to click.

Before anyone could ask what he was doing, he knelt down and slotted the bottle into the slot next to the one holding Comic. "What are you-" Micro began to ask before seeing the circuits light up, revealing what he'd been looking for. "No way."

Flash and Sandalwood rushed over and looked down at the panel, seeing the combo that was making it glow. "Ninja...Comic?" Sandalwood asked.

"Weird combo," Flash said before turning to Sol. "What made you try them?"

Sol hummed for a moment, trying to think up the reason. "I'm...not sure. They just looked like they went together." If this had been a comic, a light-bulb would have appeared above his head as he realized something. "Wait a minute, it's like that comic."

"What comic?" Micro asked.

"You know," Sol said. "That Neighponese comic. The one with the ninjas and the main character has some kind of...wolf monster sealed inside him." He saw the others weren't catching on. "It got made into an anime." Still nothing, "Which spawned several movies." Zip, "It just got a sequel series!" Zilch. "Have you guys been living under a rock?! Micro! I thought you watched anime!"

"Not the mainstream ones. I tend to avoid those," Micro said while looking back down at the panel. "I wonder what kind of weapon we could make for these?"

"And that's where I come in," Sandalwood said while grabbing some pens and paper before pulling Sol over to a pair of chairs. He sat them down, "Tell me everything you can about this show." Sol hummed before remembering several details, Sandalwood nodding while drawing. Eventually, he completed his work. "Behold," he spun it around, "My masterpiece."

The three looked at the drawing and once again, the design was barely understandable. A collection and yellow and purple boxes with stick men scribbles inside them. "Err...Flash?" Micro asked.

"Yeah," Flash took the drawing and grabbed the art supplies before quickly drawing a more understandable design. When he was done, he held it up for everyone to see. "What do you think?" The three looked it over and saw it was a sword like weapon with a blade that was split into four sections, each one designed after a comic panel which were all shown to be blank. "I wasn't sure how to do the drawings," he said while looking at Sandalwood. "Is this what you were going for?"

Sandal scratched his head, "Don't know what you decided to make another. They look exactly the same to me."

"Right," Micro sarcastically replied before taking the drawing and moving it over to the computers for scanning. "Just tell me what’s supposed to be in the panels."

"No prob," Sandalwood said. Now that the team had their goal set, they got to work.

Later that night…

Night Rogue sat in his chair, deep in thought. He ignored the screams of terror and pain from the glass chamber as another human was converted into a Smash for their purposes.

But that was precisely why he was mentally debating. Their next target is the Canterlot Research Center. Given how the Masked Rider and his compatriot thwarted them at every turn, they decided to strike and take Pandora’s Box .

Originally, he would not resort to such a hasty plan. However, their plans were proceeding much too slow. Build’s power grew at an alarming rate while they were still unable to produce the Smash necessary for their complete plans. They needed to speed up the process. As such, they needed more Nebula Gas, much more than what their own Panel could produce. Only the Pandora’s Box was capable of providing what they required.

But the more he thought about it, the more he felt…odd. As if something inside of him was dissuading him from following through the plan of attack. For some strange reason, he started to feel as if he had reservations about it.

“Penny for your thoughts?” A voice spoke from behind him and tore him from his musings. Night Rogue turned to see Blood Stalk approach.

“Why…why are you here?” Rogue questioned.

“Is that supposed to be a trick question?” The Cobra-themed man tilted his head as he leaned on the railing. “I was just dropping by to see the next subject’s progress, only to see you brooding over something. Care to explain?”

Rogue scowled at his words, but stayed quiet. As he thought about it, maybe Stalk could help him with his dilemma. He always seemed to know the right words to spur him on, to continue and pursue their grand design. So he spoke.

“I…am not sure about this plan anymore.”

“Hm? Why is that? Just a while ago you were all gung ho about attacking the R&D Center.” Blood Stalk pointed out.

“I know….but that’s what vexes me! I don’t know why! Why do I feel hesitant now?!” Rogue slammed his fist onto the arm of his chair. “Why have I lost my nerve now of all times?! I don’t understand! It’s as if something is telling me to refrain! I don’t know what to do!”

“Easy, easy boss…” Stalk said as he rested a hand on Night Rogue’s shoulder to calm him down. “You’re worrying too much. Don’t worry. After all…everything you do is for the greater good. Remember?”

Night Rogue remained still as the words sunk into his brain. “…Greater…good…yeah…for the greater good…that’s right…”

“Exactly!” Stalk nodded as he walked over to peer over the railing. “So…what is it that you want to do?”

The bat themed warrior stood on his feet and gave his orders with determined clarity. “…We will proceed. We will send the Smash to attack the Research Center. Initiate the process.”

“Perfect~! Well said, leader.” Blood Stalk praised. All the while, he had a malicious grin beneath his helmet.

The Following Morning…

As soon as Flash and Sol arrived in the lab, they were met by the sound of Micro's voice. "FINISHED!" They followed the voice and saw him sitting at a desk with a sword like device in hand. Like in Flash's drawing, the sword was split into four sections and each section hand a cartoonish drawings on it.

He stood up and swung the sword around. "I can't wait to see how well it works!" He then swung in so much the weight overtook him and he fell back, "WOW!" Flash quickly grabbed the sword and pulled it out of his hand, wanting to get the weapon away from him before he hurt himself.

"So this is Ninja Comic's new weapon," he looked it over and noticed the images on each panel. "We got a name for it yet?"

"You know it," Micro replied as he stood up. "I spent the whole night thinking about it and I've decided to call it the four panel ninja sword."

Flash and Sol both shared a look, not happy with the name at all. Flash looked back at him, "how about...Sketch Sabre."

"Huh," Micro thought it over, "I guess it could work."

"I just tried to think what Sandalwood would suggest," Flash looked around. "Where is he anyway?"

"Oh," Micro pointed at the bed, "He fell asleep." The two saw he was indeed asleep on the bed, but not for long.

The smash detector suddenly went off, waking Sandalwood and making him cry out in surprise. "What the-?" He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, as Micro rushed over to the computer.

"The Smash appears to be heading towards the Research Center!"

"What?!" Flash asked before rushing over to him and seeing he was right, "Oh no! Mom should be getting into work right now!" He clicked the button on his watch and morphed into his disguise.

"Shouldn't we let them handle it?" Sol asked as Flash headed to the door. "They've got those new robots." As the Team worked on the Sketch Saber yesterday, they learned about the Research Center's new Guardians on a News Channel Micro pulled up to keep updated. It was interesting to know that they took measures to defend against the Smash....even thought they essentially reused the kidnapping Robots designs to be remodeled as protectors.

"They might not be enough," Flash replied. "And besides, even if they did beat it. They don't know how to extract the essence." With that, Flash rushed out the door.

As he left, Sol couldn't help but think about what he'd said. "What do you think would happen?"

Micro looked up from his computer, "If what?"

"If you beat a Smash but don't take its essence." Micro thought about this, obviously intrigued by the question. But it was Sandalwood that replied.

"Well the Smash are basically animals, right?" The two turned to him, as he continued to lie in bed. "What do you think happens to an animal if it loses a fight?" He looked over at Sol, expecting an answer, but the teen just shrugged his shoulders. "They'd go home to lick their wounds and recover."

This got Sol thinking. If Smash really were like that, then where would they go after losing a fight? Maybe...back to the lab they were created in. "Aren't you going?" He turned to Micro.

"Yeah," he replied before heading for the door, "I'm going."

Going to find some answers.

The Research Center…

Everything was in chaos.

People fled in fear as the building fell into lockdown. Approaching it was a Smash.

This one was one of the oddest yet. Its appearance could be best described as a mass of chain links one would see on a bicycle of motor. Its body had varying shades of gray and some yellow rivets. Its arms were a mass of chain links that resembled fists.

The Guardians stationed outside lined up to prevent it from advancing any further. They kept shooting it with their rifles. Unfortunately, their own version of stun bullets did not faze it in the least.

The Smash roared as it swatted two Guardians away and continued its march. Another row of Guardians tried to rush it using their bayonets, but the blades did nothing to pierce its thick, armored hide. But they did scratch the monster. As it did puffs of an unknown gas spurt out and made contact with the machines.

The Guardians glitched out before they collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.

This continued as more and more Guardians fell trying to stop the Smash. It was all for naught. The Press Smash soon stood among the decommissioned robots.

It wasn’t until a series of laser blasts struck it, forcing it to stop.

Flash and Sol pulled up on their respective motorcycles, the former shooting it with the Drill Crusher as the latter shook the Dragon Fullbottle.

“Well what do you know? Guess the Guardians weren’t enough after all.”

“At least it’s one less thing to worry about.” Flash said as he reverted the Machine Builder into the Build Phone and pocketed it. He then equipped the Driver and shook the bottles before he inserted them.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!”

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

After transforming, Flash changed the Drill Crusher into sword mode and rushed at the Smash alongside Sol. Build struck its side with the rotating blade, causing it to stumble. It recovered and tried to swing at him, but he ducked underneath the punches. Sol followed in next. He weaved through the Smash’s strikes and punched it right in the chest.

An explosion of fire forced it back as Sol continued his assault. He followed up with a roundhouse kick to the face a reverse hook kick to the side. As it staggered, he delivered a series of consecutive strikes to the upper torso before he forced it back once more with a strong punch.

He immediately backed up to give Flash a clear shot. The Rider inserted the Hedgehog Bottle into the Drill Crusher and pulled the Trigger.

“HEDGEHOG!”

“VOLTECH BREAK!”

Energy spikes impacted the Press Smash, knocking it down. However, the monster proved strong and pulled itself up, rearing to go for round to.

The two were happy to oblige it.

As the fight continued, Blood Stalk peered around the corner. He shook his head in disappointment at the sight.

“Huu…given how they based these Guardians off our own bots, they should’ve done better than this. But then again, they weren’t built to withstand a Smash individually. But against a Rider together on the other hand….”

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. All around the three fighters, the lights in the robots heads blinked as they restarted. They stood up at attention and marched together to form a platoon. The sight momentarily distracted Flash and Sol.

“What the-? How are they getting up?!” Flash asked in confusion. He also didn’t like the fact that their visors were trained on them.

“Oh relax! If they’re anything like the ones at the Acres, then these guys will be easy! We can take them no problem!”

The robot platoon before them turned around and flexed their bodies. Their jumpsuits ripped apart as their armor plating tore through. Then...much to the shock of the two, they stacked themselves on top of one another, creating a giant, bipedal mech that stood several meters above them. Underneath its head was some sort of gun wheel composed of the gathered soldiers and their rifles.

As if it were a beast, the mechanical monstrosity raised its head and roared.

“....well crap.” Flash bluntly commented.

“...Since when the hell could they do THAT?!” Sol screamed. Seriously, they never knew about this.

The giant mech immediately spun its turret, hailing gun fire upon them. The two fled and found shelter behind the stone sign of the building.

“Okay, just how can it get any worse than this?!” Sol questioned.

“Dude? Don’t jinx us!”

“Isn’t there anything that we can do?!” Night Light asked in alarm. Everyone in the monitor room had just witnessed their previously decommissioned Guardians re-activate and somehow combine into a towering, bipedal monstrosity.

“I-I don’t know!” Twilight Velvet answered. “We never even gave the Guardians a function like that! We also programmed them to minimize collateral damage not….this!”

On screen, the mech continued to fire indiscriminately without any focus towards the Smash. It even chose to attack Build and his companion just because they were nearby.

“Isn’t there anything you can do, Dusk?” The Director questioned his assistant.

Dusk Walker was at the monitor. He tried to override the Guardians programming and regain control to no avail. “I’m trying! But none of the override commands are working! It’s as if someone else is controlling them remotely!”

“Did you try shutting them down?”

“First thing I tried, but it’s not going through!”

The rest of the department struggled, trying to find a way to regain control of their rogue Guardians.

The mech continued to fire indiscriminately. Flash and Sol remained behind the stone sign devising a new plan of attack. As they did, the press Smash continued to advance to the Research Center.

Sol noticed this and realized they were out of time. “Hey Build.”

“Yeah?” Build turned to him.

“You go handle the Smash. I’ll deal with the mech.”

“Are you serious? Dude, that’s not like with the robots! That thing is massive and could crush you!”

“Well, we don’t have a choice! Unless you have any other ideas!” Sol argued.

Flash bit his tongue, knowing he had a point. If they didn’t act fast, the Smash would break into the building and attack innocent people. And his mother…

He clenched a fist as he finally relented. “Fine.” He pushed the Drill Crusher into the fighter’s hands. “But you better not die on me!”

“Don’t worry.” Sol nodded. “I plan to live!” Without another word, Flash activated the Machine Builder and summoned it. He got onto the bike, revved it, and shot forward like a bullet. He waved through the gunfire and rammed right into the Press Smash.

The crash took it off its feet as Flash pushed it away to another location, safely away from the Research Center.

Sol breathed deeply, knowing that this will be an intense fight. He dashed out of his cover and shot at the giant mech.

Said mech diverted its complete focus to the teen. All of the hanging guns turned and pointed at a single direction before firing once more.

With impressive reflexes, Sol dodged the gunfire and returned fire. He aimed at the joints of the mech, believing them to be a weak point he could exploit.

He successfully knocked off a few of the robots from the main body. But to his dismay, the robots got up and reassembled themselves onto the mech.

“Oh, come on!” He yelled, frustrated by the fact it could rebuilt itself. He then yelped as he narrowly missed a stray shot and ducked behind cover once more behind a wall. He peered past it and fired another volley of lasers, this time at the gun mounts. Like before, he knocked a few robots off the mech, but they reassembled soon after.

He ducked behind the wall once more to try and think. While he found he could break off some of the robots, it is useless as they could reassemble themselves. He needed a way to take out most of them in one shot.

Flash tore through the streets as fast as he could on the bike, making sure that the Smash had no reprieve to stand its ground.

“Is there anywhere I can fight this guy without dragging civilians in?!” Flash asked through the comm.

“There’s an empty lot just a few blocks ahead! You should be fine there!” Micro responded.

“Awesome! Be sure to let Sol know when he’s done with his fight.”

“Will do.”

Flash cut the call and revved the Machine Builder to go faster. In under a minute, they arrived at the aforementioned spot and he skidded to a halt. The Smash flew forwards from the sudden loss of momentum and tumbled to the ground. But it pulled itself up and charged at Build as soon as he got off the machine.

He ducked under one swing and jumped back to avoid another. As the Smash reared its arms for a double handed over smash, Build jumped above it using his Rabbit foot and kicked the Smash in the head. As he landed, however, he learned that it didn’t have much effect. He then decided it was time to changes tactics.

“Well, seeing as I gave my weapon to Sol…” Flash pulled out the Gorilla and Diamond Bottles and shook them. “Why don’t we settle this with a fist fight?” He replaced the bottles and turned the crank.

“GORILLA!”

“DIAMOND!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” RabbitTank became replaced by GorillaMond as the runner-like constructs slammed into him.

“THE DAZZLINGDESTROYER!”

“GORILLA-MOND!”

“YEAH!”

The newly armored Rider pounded his fists before he fell into a fighting stance. “Let’s go, big guy!”

The Smash roared as it charged at Build again. It swung with its left, but Build raised his Gorilla arm to block it. He staggered from the impact, but stood his ground. He countered with a Diamond fist punch. The Press Smash withstood it as it went to return the hit.

Sol grunted as he tried to force the massive metallic foot that had him pinned to the ground.

The mech found his hiding spot and dragged him out. He tried to shoot it again, but it just kept reconstructing itself and gave chase. It soon caught up with him and pinned him with its foot.

He continued to struggle for his freedom. He tried punching it, shooting it, but nothing worked. He thought about using a Voltech Break to blast the monstrosity and break free.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t use a Voltech Break because Flash took back the Hedgehog bottle. That was when he remembered he actually DID have another Fullbottle. He pulled out the Dragon Bottle from his pocket and stared at it. His resolve hardened as he shook the item and twisted the cap. He plugged it into the Drill Crusher.

“DRAGON!”

The mech saw what Sol was doing and aimed its guns at him. Sol responded by pointing the gun at it and pulled the trigger.

“VOLTECH BREAK!”

A mass of blue flames gathered at the tip of the barrel before launching itself at the fused mech in the shape of a dragon. The blast struck it head on, forcing its body off of Sol as it staggered. The robots that made up its limbs broke apart from the force of the impact, crippling the structure and sending it crashing to the ground.

“I did it!” The disguised teen cheered as he got up. However, that cheer came to an abrupt end when he saw the fallen robots reassemble themselves onto the mech once again. “Oh come on!” However unlike before, he noticed something. While the majority of the robots seemed to shift positions while rebuilding, one of them appeared stationary. Could that have been the cornerstone that held it together?

Either way, Sol realized that the mech had a weak point. And while it was putting itself together, he needed to strike now! Instead of using a Voltech Break to try and melt the robots, he decided to strike its weak point through brute force.

He changed the Drill Crusher back into sword form and removed the Dragon Fullbottle. He shook the small item in his hands, letting its contents empower him in a blue haze that covered his hand. He switched the Drill Crusher into a back hand grip, reared his arm back, and threw it as hard as he could.

The weapon shot through the air like an arrow. It flew through the gap of shifting robots and impaled the stationary Guardian straight through the chest. The robot sparked from its gaping hole before exploding. Upon its destruction, the rest of the giant mech fell apart, the other robots deactivating.

Sol breathed a sigh of relief, now assured that the mech was defeated. He rushed past the remains and picked up the Drill Crusher. Now that his opponent was defeated, he had no other reason to stay. He got on his motorcycle and rode after Build, hoping that his fight hadn’t ended yet.

Then he realized that he had no idea where Flash had gone with the Smash, causing him to stop. But as he did, his cell phone rang. He pulled it up and saw that the caller was Micro.

The exchange of fists between Build and the Press Smash continued. It wasn’t until the Smash went for a wide swing that Build ducked underneath and chose to end the stalemate. He jumped up and tried to counter with an uppercut, but the Smash leaned back to avoid the hit. Surprised by the dodge, Flash didn’t expect the chain-covered fist strike his solar plexus.

He grew winded from the punch, leaving him wide open to the Smash’s assault. A barrage of chain-like fists rained down on his, barely giving him any time to recover and counterattack.

But as Flash endured the blows, he couldn’t help but feel something was off. Normally, the Smash were wild and attacked mindlessly. So why...?

Why was this Smash attacking in a pattern? In a certain tempo? Left. Right. Left. Left. Both. Left. Right. Left. Left. Both. Etc.

This wasn’t some random series of punches. It was the exact drum beat to one of his Band’s Songs.

As the final punch tossed him into the air, he was slammed with the realization. There was only one person he knew who knew that type of beat. Was this Smash....? Could it be?

"Brawly," Flash pulled out two of his bottles and began to shake them, new mathematical formulas appeared around him. "…if that's you in there, then I'm sorry…but I have to do this." He stopped shaking the bottles and quickly used them to replace the ones in his Driver.

"NINJA!"

"COMIC!"

"BESTMATCH!"

He turned the crank as new armor pieces appeared. One side was purple, the other yellow.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” The runners slammed into him, donning in a new suit of armor.

“THE STEALTHYENTERTAINER!”

“NINNIN-COMIC!”

“YEAH!”

The new armor that encased Build was unique. The organic parts of the armor greatly resembled that of a ninja from feudal times. It was a mix of dark purple and black with a long, ninja scarf trailing from his right shoulder. His left eyepiece was an elongated, purple shuriken. The inorganic parts of the armor were black and yellow. His left shoulder had a series of images that resembled comic pages while his left hand was covered by a piece of armor that resembled an inkwell pen. The right eyepiece resembled a pen drawing inside an open book.

As his armor changed, the Sketch Saber appeared in Build’s hand. He gave it a twirl as his scarf fluttered.

The Press Smash roared as it charged at Build….again. Build easily sidestepped its punch as his visor shone a bright yellow light. Humanoid images of light appeared around the Smash.

Build raised his sword hand and slid it along the eyepiece. “With this, I have the winning formula!” He twirled the Sketch Saber and pressed a button on the handle. The first panel on the blade glowed.

“CLONE JUTSU!”

He swung the blade as swirls of purple and yellow light converged at various points around the Smash. Said points exploded into clouds that read BOOM! From those clouds appeared solid copies of Build’s NinninComic form.

The clones rapidly jumped around and over the Smash. While it was confused, Build rushed in and slashed the monster along its chest. Then another clone dropped in and kicked it. The rest continued to leap all around it. The clones then ran circles around it, greatly disorienting and confusing it.

“Let’s end this!” Flash pressed the trigger on the Sketch Saber twice, causing the second panel to light up.

“FIRE STYLE!FLAME SLASH!”

The circling Builds glowed a fiery red as their swords ignited. The real masked Rider jumped high into the air, blade brandished. He swung down and slice through the Press Smash’s body, causing it to explode in a mass of green flames. Its body collapsed to the ground as the clones converged back into a single Build.

Knowing that the threat was now over, Flash removed the bottles and undid his transformation. He then pulled out an Empty Bottle and used it to capture the Press Smash’s essence. Once it was fully extracted, it reverted into the form of Brawly Beats.

“So it really was you, Brawly…” He knelt over the unconscious teen, relieved that he was alright. “Just hang tight, buddy. We’ll get you help.”

“Hey Build!” Sol called out as he ran up to the two. “Finished your fight?”

“Yeah. Got the Essence extracted and everything.” Flash stood up and dangled the Smash Bottle in front of the fighter. “Guess you took care of the-Guh!”

He was cut off as Sol buried his fist into Flash’s solar plexus. The musician choked as the air was forced from his lungs and the pain flared. His eyes shakily shifted over to Sol, whose eyes were hidden by his hood.

“Wh….why….?” That was all he could say as he lost consciousness. Sol grabbed him and gently set him on the ground. He then picked up the fallen Smash Bottle and walked over to the unconscious drummer.

Without hesitation, he twisted the cap open and sprinkled the essence onto Brawly’s body. Before his eyes, the body mutated back into the Press Smash. He grabbed Flash’s body and hid behind a slab of concrete.

The Smash got up and looked around. But it failed to find any enemies. Given its wounds, it needed to recover. It turned around and left the lot. Sol quietly tailed it, leaving his motorcycle behind.

“I’m sorry, guys…”

It pained him to do this, but this was his best chance to find out more about the Smash, Blood Stalk, and the incident.

And he’d be damned if he let those answers escape his grasp.

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hello Everyone. Thank you so much for your support and criticisms. We have noticed all your thoughts and reviews and...well....we do not confirm nor deny them. You'll just have to wait and see. Please stay tuned for what comes next!

Bottles Possessed:

Rabbit

Tank

Hedgehog

Gorilla

Diamond

Lion

Cleaner

Gatling

Hawk

Dragon

Ninja

Bottles Obtained:

Comic

Chapter 6: Disputes and Reconciliation

Sol hid behind a mailbox as he kept the retreating Press Smash within sight, yet far enough to escape its notice. He had been running through the streets for several minutes, passing by various buildings and structures.

As he did, he failed to notice the drone that followed him.

Eventually, he found himself sneaking through a series of warehouses. He tried his best to keep pace with the Smash as it hobbled past the corner. As he reached the end of the array of Buildings, he found what he had been looking for.

He peered around the corner and saw the warehouse that was surrounded by many others, effectively hiding it in plain sight. The Press Smash shambled into the building, the doors closing behind it.

“So that’s where they’re hiding…” Sol mumbled. Now that he had the location, all that was left was to raid the facility. He crept out and approached the building. But as he did, the doors slammed open and a group of six robots rushed out and trained their rifles on him. “Seriously? I’m getting real tired of robots right now!”

Sol pulled out the Drill Crusher and fired at the armed androids with lasers. He neglected to return the weapon to Build when he regrouped as he needed another weapon to use just in case he found the enemy’s base.

The robots scattered as they returned fire. The first three fell to the initial volley of lasers. Sol then charged in changing the weapon into its sword mode. The robots fired at him, but he raised the Drill Crusher in front of him as the blade spun. The rotating drill deflected any shots that would strike him directly, allowing him to get close enough to strike. He slashed at the nearest one, tearing its metal plating apart from the spinning drill.

He then spun around and slashed through another robot’s rifle, leaving it unarmed as he stabbed the blade through its head. He yanked it out as he ducked underneath a swinging bayonet. He quickly used his free hand to shake the Dragon Bottle. Power welled up within him as he swung upward and cleaved the final robot in two.

The martial artist panted as the threat was neutralized. He turned to enter the building once more, but a sudden voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Impressive.” He whipped around to see Blood Stalk sitting on the edge of the roof, playing with the Steam Rifle in his hands. “You seemed to have improved substantially since we last met. Then again, those were only mindless robots…”

“Stalk…” Sol glared as he approached the armored man. “I’m here for answers.”

“Of course you are. Why else would you come to a place like this?”He hopped off the ledge and casually strolled toward him.

“Stop joking around!” He ran at Stalk to punch him in the face. But like before, he caught the attack quite easily.

Based on his concealed mannerisms, he seemed…amused. "Oh," Stalk chuckled, "seems getting you all riled up will boost your level. Let's see how strong that anger makes you."He then kneed Sol in the ribs and flung him away.

Sol recovered and got back on his feet. “You wanna see angry…” He put away the Drill Crusher and angrily shook the Dragon Bottle as blue flames gathered on his fists. “Then you got it!” He charged at Stalk, who appeared bored with his choice of action.

“Is that all you can do? Rush in recklessly?” Sol swung with his right and the man moved to block. But it proved to be a feint as he pivoted on his heel and buried his right foot into Stalk’s exposed side. A burst of flames was produced that forced the man away in a stumble. He followed up with a corkscrew punch to the face and a jumping knee strike. Stalk staggered backward from the combination of hits. “Oof…not bad, kid.”

Sol closed the distance to deliver the final blow: a jumping axe kick. However, Stalk intercepted the outstretched foot with ease and held it in an iron grip. “…but not good enough.” With inhuman strength, the Cobra armored man flung him away into a stack of empty oil barrels.

The martial artist pulled himself out of the mass of crumpled containers and brandished the Drill Crusher once more.

“I’ll applaud your efforts, Sol….but you’re still not good enough. I’m afraid I’ll have to put you to sleep.” He held up his Steam Rifle and aimed to shoot him.

But before he could pull the trigger, a massive blade of wind flew in and knocked him off his feet.

With Stalk on the ground, Flash in his NinninComic form pulled his bike up besides Sol and turned to him. Despite his helmet, Sol could tell he was glaring at him. "Get on," he said in an angry tone while holding out a helmet. Sol wanted to refuse, but more soldiers were beginning to march out the warehouse. Their numbers continued to pour out like water on tap. In mere moments, they would be outnumbered and surrounded.

“Now, Sol!” Flash gave him his final warning. It took everything he had to hold himself back from knocking the martial artist out right then and there.

“…Dammit all!” He finally obeyed and hopped on the Machine Builder behind Flash. But before the latter could use the NinninComic’s concealment Panel, Stalk sat up as if he woke up from a nap.

“You sure you want to leave like this? You haven’t even taken back the Smash you graciously returned.” The red armored man questioned in befuddlement.

“We’ll be back for him!” Flash retorted. He was about to turn to leave, but Stalk’s next words made him pause.

“For his sake, you best return soon. Reverting back to a Smash after extracting their essence takes quite the toll on the subjects Hazard Level...Eh. I’ll give him about a day or two before he kicks the bucket.” Stalk shrugged as he crossed his hands behind his head and lay back on the concrete.

“Wait, what?!” The Rider and the fighter turned to the man in confusion, but the impeding stun bullets left them no other choice but to retreat. Scowling under his mask, Flash pressed the trigger on the Sketch Saber four times.

“CONCEALMENT SKILL!”

A smoke screen enveloped the area, hiding them from sight. He revved the Machine Builder and fled the area at top speed.

Later at the lab, Flash dragged Sol down the stairs and into the room, despite the fighter’s protests.

“Let go of me already! What’s wrong with you?!” Flash threw him onto the floor.

“What’s wrong with me?! What the hell was wrong with you?!” Flash shouted back. He got on top of him and grabbed him by the shirt. “Why the hell would you do that?! I just saved Brawly, and you made him into a Smash again!”

“If I didn’t we wouldn’t have found their base!” Sol threw the Rider off him and got up. “I needed to know where Night Rogue and Stalk were! And he was the best option I had!”

“So you planned on using my friend as bait?! Screw that! He doesn’t have anything to do with this!”

“I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known!”

“So you’re saying you would’ve done it to a total stranger?!”

“Why not?” Sol replied without hesitation. “They wouldn’t have anything to do with me!”

“Don’t you even care? Those are innocent lives you’re talking about!” Flash grabbed him by the neckline of his shirt again. “They have friends and family that care about them! And you’re willing to risk their lives for some selfish goal?!”

“It’s not selfish!” Sol grabbed his wrists to pry his hands off. “I’m just getting justice done for my dad! Is that so wrong?!”

“It is! It’s selfish and egotistical because you can’t just move on from a dead guy that’s buried six feet under!”

Sol replied by bashing his head into Flash’s forcing him to let go.

“You take that back you bastard!” Sol yelled out as he ran towards Flash, slamming his fist into the teen's stomach and knocked the wind out of him. Before Flash could react, Sol then swung his blazing fist around and punched him in the cheek.

"FLASH!" Micro and Sandal cried as they saw Flash fly across the room, his driver and the Fullbottles clattering along the floor as he hit the ground. They turned to Sol as Micro yelled, "Are you nuts?"

"Stay out of this," Sol silenced them with a fierce glare. The two weren’t sure if their eyes were just playing tricks on them, but they could’ve sworn that Sol’s eyes glowed red for a brief second.

Flash groaned as he picked himself up, his cheek stinging from the burn. He looked around and saw Sol charge at him, but managed to act quickly and thrust his leg out. His foot slammed into Sol's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and giving him the time to get back to his feet. "Your anger makes you stronger, but it also stops you from thinking straight."

Sol growled, "Aren’t you angry?" He rushed forwards to try and punch him again, but Flash managed to side step him. Then he grabbed the teen by the wrist and threw him over to a nearby wall.

"Yeah," he replied as he approached, "I am. But I learned to control my anger a long time ago. I realized it made me stupid, like you."

Sol yelled and jumped up, delivering a knee strike to his face. The musician stumbled and held his nose as Sol grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the wall. The fighter then punched him across the face repeatedly. Soon, Flash regained his bearings and grabbed the fighter’s hand. He used his free hand to punch his opponent in the face. While he was stunned by the hit, Flash kicked Sol away. He tried to follow up with a spin kick, but Sol grabbed his leg and flung him onto a table, causing it and the items on it to topple over.

All the while, Micro and Sandalwood stood off to the side, unable to bring themselves into the fight. They knew the situation was dire and the circumstances extreme, but they never expected things to get this violent!

Flash pushed himself off the floor and panted. His vision came back into focus to see Sol trying to tackle him. Thinking quickly, he got onto his back and used his legs to fling the fighter away. Sol flew and crashed into his own workout equipment, sending it into a messy heap on the floor. The musician shakily stood up, warily watching his opponent.

The gray skinned teen pulled himself out of the mess and snarled.

He rushed at Flash, wildly swinging his fists at him without any of the skill you'd expect from a trained fighter. Because of this, Flash was able to block and dodge the strikes before once again slamming his foot into Sol's gut and knocking him on his rear. "You only have one bottle, you really think that'll be enough to take out all those robots."

Sol panted before spotting the Build Driver and Fullbottles on the floor. It was then he remembered what Stalk said. If his level had risen…

He crawled toward the dropped items and picked them up before the others could stop him. He equipped the Driver and shook both the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles in his hands. He stood up as he glared at the musician.

“I’ll just use this instead!” He inserted the bottles.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

He turned the crank and two blue halves of the armor manifested.

“ARE YOU READY?”

“Are you crazy?!” Flash tried to stop him, but was pulled back by Micro and Sandalwood before he could get caught up in the moving parts. “Your Hazard Level’s not high enough!”

“You don’t know that!” Sol yelled back. “Henshin!”

The runners slammed into the fighter’s body. But instead of donning him in armor, the Driver electrocuted Sol and produced a negative feedback. He was sent flying into the wall while the Driver and Bottles were forced off of him. He hit the wall and collapsed onto the floor. His Dragon Bottle clattered away from him.

As he dragged himself up, ignoring his protesting limbs, his face was set in a frustrated scowl. “Dammit...! He said my Level increased! So why can’t I use it?!”

“Evidently, your Level isn’t high enough.” Flash said as he picked up the items. He made sure to keep the Dragon Bottle away from Sol lest he do something stupid with it. “This isn’t about personal goals or a game, Sol. This is real and dangerous. What we’re up against is bigger than just you! You and your selfish actions have all but put Brawly at risk of dying!”

In response, Sol just laughed. “You...you really believe that? Newsflash Sentry. Stalk was the one who told us that, and he’s the enemy! He just wanted to psyche us out!” So, used the wall to support himself while standing. “We’ll get him back, so don’t worry.”

“Actually, we have every right to worry...” Micro interjected, causing the others to turn to him. He pulled up visual data on the monitor. “During your...dispute, I scanned Brawly’s body, and learned that his current Hazard Level is lower than from when he turned back to normal. Before it was a 1.5....now it’s sitting at a 0.9.”

He cleaned his glasses and turned to face Sol. “Based on Stalk’s words, reverting back into a Smash weakens the host’s Hazard Level, leaving them less resistant to the effects of Nebula Gas. I don’t know if it will continue to drop, but given my brother’s data…those with a Hazard Level of Zero won’t be able to survive the extraction process and will die. In short…you just sent Brawly to his death.”

Silence loomed within the room as the realization finally kicked in Sol’s head. He looked as if he just got stabbed. His legs gave out from under him, causing him to fall once more. He made no bother to pick himself up. The revelation played through his head like a broken record.

He sent someone to their death. He sent someone to their death. He...in clear conscience...sent someone to die.

His vision grew blurry. At first he thought he was passing out. But the wetness streaming down his cheeks made him realize that they were tears. He curled himself up into a ball and sobbed uncontrollably. Heavy guilt gnawed away at his heart.

The rest of the boys could only stand and watch as Sol had a mental breakdown. They honestly didn’t blame him given what he did and what he just learned. They were still angry at what his did, but it was moreso because of his rashness and willingness to involve innocents. But seeing him like this proved to them that he in fact did have a conscience. Flash stared as the anger and adrenaline finally died down. He finally felt the aches of his own bruises and injuries, but kept himself standing. He frowned due to his own guilt as his scathing words resurfaced in his mind.

None of them approached him, as they had no idea what to do. After what seemed like hours, Sol finally pulled himself off the floor in slow, lethargic movements. He walked past the boys in slow, lifeless movements.

His expression was haunted and his eyes no longer had any spark. Sol trudged up the steps and closed the door behind him. The room was filled with silence once more.

Flash sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He collapsed into a chair with his eyes downcast. “...Dammit all...”

Sol Burner did not know where he was going nor did he care. He just wanted to be alone. After learning what he had done earlier, he felt like he wanted to crawl in a deep, dark hole and die. He left the tech shop on foot, not even minding the fact he had left his motor cycle back at the empty lot.

He trudged through the streets of Canterlot, ignoring the stares he got from people who eye his injuries.

He didn’t care. He deserved it. Now that the rage and drive had vanished, all that was left were guilt and soul-crushing regret.

What was he even thinking back then? Why did he act so impulsively? He turned an innocent victim back into a Smash just to track down the bad guys’ base. What hurt even more was that said victim was his friend’s friend. And he just risked his life without hesitation. He never knew about the deal with Hazard Levels and reverting Smashes….but it did not excuse his actions.

The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. He claimed he was doing it to find the truth and give his dad closure….but it wasn’t entirely his motives. Deep down…he wanted revenge for his father’s death. He wanted to know why he had to die, and who would want to kill a man like Knuckle Blaze? He was nothing but a retired pro fighter and a caring father.

He went in and acted rashly. Now other people were going to pay the price for his mistakes? What would his dad say if he saw him now? What would his mom say if she knew?

His eyes grew misty as they became downcast. He hadn’t changed at all….he never actually grew up, didn’t he?

“Sol?” A familiar voice snapped him out of his guilt-ridden state. His eyes turned upward to see the concerned visage of Sunset Shimmer.

When Sunset Shimmer walked home from her shift at the mall’s sushi restaurant, she never expected to run into Sol Burner.

She also did not expect him to look like he came out of a fight. Given his profession, she wondered if that was what actually happened? His body was covered in soot. He had visible bruises on his face. He even had what Sunset presumed to be shoe prints on his front.

Above all…she never expected to see him on the verge of crying. His dimmed eyes were filled with unshed tears.

“Are…you okay?” She couldn’t help but ask. Unlike the bright disposition he had when she usually saw him, it seemed like all life was sucked out of him. That he was a dead man walking.

“Uh…y-yeah…” Sol hurriedly wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I-I’m fine….just…allergies…”

Sunset didn’t believe him, but chose not to pry. She may have the power to read minds and memories, but she chose not abuse that privilege. While she definitely could’ve used her magic to see into his mind and satisfy the curiosities and suspicions she had over him the past two weeks, she immediately dashed those ideas.

Right now, she wasn’t looking at a professional fighter or a guy with secrets. All she saw was a frightened kid beating himself up.

“Um…why are you dressed like that?” He asked, noting her current attire. She was dressed in her work uniform, which consisted of a blue, sleeveless yukata with a blue and white striped obi tied around her waist. On her front was a white apron that had green, chibi-esque octopus and blue waves. Her hair was tied up and had a green, pufferfish ornament in it. Unlike her previous footwear for work, which consisted of wooden sandals, she wore a pair of comfortable sneakers.

“Oh, this? I just got off work. I was heading home, but then I saw you. Is something the matter?”

The martial artist opened his mouth, but his growling stomach answered for him. Now that he thought about it, he missed eating dinner.

“Guess you’re pretty hungry.” She giggled. Then she held up a takeout bag. “Why don’t you have some? I know I can’t think or act on an empty stomach.”

Sol could only nod with flushed cheeks.

The two teenagers found themselves seated at a park bench. Sol picked out pieces of sushi from the To Go box Sunset offered him. He ate quite ravenously, which demonstrated his large appetite. The bacon-haired girl sat patiently as he ate. She was relieved to see that he seemed to have cheered up a bit from before.

Once half the sushi was finished, Sol finally came up for air. “Haa….that hit the spot. Thank you, Sunset…I appreciate it.”

“No problem. Those were just leftovers my boss was going to throw out anyway. But I took them off her hands cuz why not? Free food.”

“Well, tell your boss that its some of the best sushi I’ve had.” He gave her a small smile as he handed her back the box.

“That’s good. And hey, you’re smiling again.” The girl noted. However, his grin immediately fell.

“I…I was…?” Sol’s gaze turned downward. “…I…I don’t think I deserve to do that….”

Now Sunset was both curious and worried. His current behavior is a far cry from their initial meeting weeks ago. She was tempted to use her magic to find out, but she chose to respect his privacy. Furthermore, she didn’t think his current state needed any more alarm or stress from Equestrian magic.

“…do you…want to talk about it?” She finally asked. “I know it’s not my right to pry…but I’ve learned that if something’s bothering you, talking to a friend helps.”

“Huh?” He turned to her. “We….we’re friends…?”

“Of course we are.” Sunset looked him in the eye. “It may have been a short time, but I’ve thought of us as friends after getting to know you. Of course, there’s more we need to learn about each other to be good friends, but good friendships take time and….sorry, I’m just rambling again.” She shook her head.

“No, no it’s fine…I just…it just surprised me was all…” He admitted. “Sorry….I was just thinking about earlier…”

“Did something happen?”

“I….I made a huge mistake…”

“A mistake?”

The martial artist bit his lip and nodded. “A pretty big one. I…I was just too impatient and….and now other people are paying the price for my idiocy…”

The bacon haired girl was surprised. She didn’t know the specifics about what happened. But the way Sol said it….it sounded pretty dire. She wanted to ask him, but his anguished expression dissuaded her.

“…I just don’t know what to do now…” He ran both hands through his hair.

Sunset stared at him. He was in genuine anguish. He was frightened, guilt-ridden….everything she had been after Princess Twilight saved her from the Element of Magic. She could see a bit of her past self in Sol. He regretted his actions and wanted to make things right.

He just needed a push in the right direction.

“…that sounds a lot like what I went through about a year ago.” Sunset said, causing Sol to face her.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean what I said. About a year ago, I did something pretty stupid all because I was too impatient to wait. And what happened? A lot of people got hurt because of me. All because I was so blind to every other method to get what I wanted. I chose to go the easiest route, even if it was the wrong one.” She divulged the turning point of her past, yet omitted the details regarding Equestria and magic, knowing that Sol Burner had no idea about either topic.

“…why are you telling me this?” The martial artist asked in confusion.

“It’s because mistakes are just a part of life.” Sunset answered easily. “People always try to avoid them no matter what. But in doing so, they would end up making other mistakes. It’s not always a matter of not making them, but how you act after making them.”

“But how should I begin to act after what I did?” Sol asked, desperate for an answer.

“I don’t know. Mainly because I don’t know what your mistake was or who was involved, but I won’t pry into that.” She shook her head before continuing. “…In my case, whenever I make a mistake, I think about the people I respect the most and how they would act. It usually helps me figure out what to do.”

Sol sat there, letting Sunset’s words of wisdom sink into his mind.

The girl’s phone then beeped. She took it out and her eyes widened. “Oh wow! It’s gotten that late? Sorry for leaving abruptly, but I need to get home. I need to feed my pet lizard Ray. I hope what I said helped.”

The martial artist nodded. “It did. Thank you, Sunset…thank you…”

“It’s no problem. See you later.” With a wave, Sunset headed for home.

Sol Burner was left alone. He had a lot on his mind as he processed what Sunset told him. Soon, he knew what he had to do next.

He needed to see his mother.

Meanwhile…

Back at the lab, the atmosphere around Team Build was somber as they cleaned up after Flash and Sol’s scuffle. Flash and Sandalwood handled the heavy lifting while Micro looked over the blueprints for the warehouse that Stalk, the robots, and Brawly were hiding in.

He analyzed the blueprints once. Twice. Thrice. Four times. But after each critical observation and search, he couldn’t find any other way to get inside.

“Dammit!” The intellectual of the group cursed as he threw the blueprints onto the table. “There’s no other way inside!”

“We can’t give up though! Brawly’s gonna die if we don’t do something!” Flash argued.

“I know! But I can’t find any other way how to sneak in!”

“I have an idea!” Sandalwood interjected. “What if Flash posed as a pizza delivery guy and they let him in?”

The blue haired and bespectacled teens glanced at one another before turning to their green haired friend. “Uh, dude? I’m pretty sure they would know that none of them ordered pizza. That’s just asking for me to get captured and/or shot.”

“Oh…” Sandalwood visibly deflated. “Oh, how about acting as a warehouse inspector? They would have to let you in to see if their building is up to standard.”

“Is that even a real thing? Because if it were, then I’m sure they would know about inspection schedules. If not, then I’m gonna get shot.” Flash rebutted.

“Then how about…” From there, Sandalwood suggested one crazy plan after another. Some consisted of acting as a guy looking for a warehouse job using a fake ad, driving a van straight through the front entrance, even to the point of acting as a girl scout selling cookies.

The first was a no-go because they would immediately see through the deception.

The second was doomed to fail because they were trying to save Brawly, not accidentally hurt him.

And the third was a definite no because:

He was a guy.
He’s older than the membership age for girl scouts.
They had no cookies to sell, and he wasn’t taking his sister’s girl scout cookies because she needed to sell them.
He had more dignity than that.

So as it stood, they had no plan to gain entry into the warehouse. As Flash stared at the blueprints of the building, he couldn’t help but recall the truck that pulled up to the warehouse earlier.

Maybe…

About an hour later, Sol Burner found himself in front of the Canterlot Hospital. He sighed as he entered the building. He checked in with the front desk, the receptionist smiled upon seeing him.

“Oh, Sol. You’re back.” She then noticed his scuffed up appearance. “Oh dear. Are you alright?”

“I’m alright. I just…fell down some stairs. I’m fine, really.” Sol said with a tired smile. “Something like that won’t keep me down.” The receptionist looked unsure, but decided to trust the boy as she knew him quite well. “I’m just here for a visit. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is.” The woman nodded as she typed at the computer. She then handed him a visitor’s pass. “You know where the room is. Please be aware that visiting hours will end in two hours.”

“Got it. Thank you, Ms. Aid.” The fighter then made his way to the designated room. He found himself standing before a room numbered 107. He opened the door and peered in. “….Hi mom….I’m back.”

Silence greeted him. He quietly closed the door behind him, pulled up a chair, and sat by his mother’s bedside.

Every time he came here, it was never easier.

His mother, Spirit Healer, was one of the hospital’s top doctors. She was strict yet kind when raising Sol. He remembered when she told him that she and his father met when he came in after a match and needed his dislocated shoulder treated. From his memories of her, she had always been a strong, smart, and kind woman.

This is why the sight before him breaks his heart.

Spirit Healer lied motionless on the hospital bed, her entire body wrapped up in bandages. Her right arm and left leg were encased in casts and suspended while an IV drip was attached to her arm. The only other sounds that came in the room were the steady breathing from her respirator mask and the heart monitor she was hooked up to.

No matter how many times he came here, it still hurt all the same. It all started a few years ago. His mom had been coming home from work when she got caught up in an accident on the highway. It had been bad. Her entire body was burned and her arm and leg were crushed. The combined shock and head trauma sent her into a comatose state.

Even after three years, she still hasn’t woken up.

Sol shook his head. He didn’t come here to reminisce. “….Hi…mom…it’s me, Sol.”

The body didn’t respond. But he continued.

“I’m sorry….I screwed up, mom….I screwed up bad…” He rested his forehead on his knuckles. “Remember those friends I mentioned last week? The ones that can help me find out what happened to Dad? I…I went behind their backs and did something to get one of their friends in danger…he could even die from this. I…I didn’t know it would happen, but I did it anyway…It’s all my fault and I can’t take it back…”

His voice cracked as his body trembled.

“Even now, I still haven’t grown up from being that selfish, short-tempered jerk, have I…?” Even though he had an idea of what to do thanks to Sunset Shimmer, he still felt disappointed in himself. He failed to properly learn from his parents’ teachings. He just kept getting swept up in his anger again and again.

It seemed that he would end up making errors again and again. But like Sunset said, it was simply a part of life. Looking back, he can recall one time when he screwed up as a child.

“What am I gonna do…?” A young Sol Burner questioned as he picked up the broken pieces of his dad’s Championship trophy. He just wanted to get a closer look at it from the shelf. How was he supposed to know it wasn’t strong enough to support him?

“Sol? Are you okay, honey? I heard a crash!” His mother, Spirit Healer, appeared in the room. She was a young woman with ashen gray skin and azure hair that fell down to her nape. Her orange eyes shimmered in concern.

“No…” Sol sobbed as he held up the broken trophy pieces in hand. “I….I broke daddy’s trophy…!”

"Oh sweetie..." Spirit knelt down and hugged her son close. "It's alright. It'll be okay..."

"B-but...daddy's..."

"Not going to be mad at you. It's just a mistake. He'll understand."

"But...what should I do? I just wanted to see it closer and...!"

"It's alright Sol. You just made a mistake, that's all." She held him at arms length and looked at him in the eye. "We all make mistakes from time to time. And it's alright that we make them as long as we own up to them and do everything in our power to make it right. Do you understand?"

"....N-not really..." Sol admitted.

"That's okay." She giggled as she hugged him again. "You'll understand someday. When that happens, you'll know what to do. I'm sure of it."

Sol opened his eyes as he left the memory. He didn't know why he recalled that specific scene from his mind right now. He didn’t know if was divine intervention, or if his Mom really answered his pleas, but it was definitely what he needed. He stared at his mom's unmoving body and stood up. He gently wrapped his fingers around her hand. "....Thanks mom. I know what to do now. I'll do whatever I can to make things right. I love you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before exiting.

All alone in the room, Spirit Healer's unconscious body lied there. Unbeknownst to anyone, a single word escaped her lips.

"....Sol...."

After Flash explained his plan of infiltrating the warehouse via sneaking onto the delivery truck, Micro and Sandalwood stared in silence.

“Dude…I’m gonna just say this but, that plan is totally crazy! In a bad way!”

“We don’t have any other options though.” Flash countered. “It’s the only one we have.”

“But you’ll be going in alone in a warehouse filled with armed robot minions, mutated monsters, AND Blood Stalk! Heck, even Night Rogue might be there! This plan is suicide!”

“That’s why he won’t be going alone.” A familiar voice interjected. All heads turned to the stairs to see Sol Burner enter. “I’ll be going with him to make sure Brawly is saved.”

Micro’s face twisted in a scowl. “After what you just pulled earlier, why should we even trust you? You’re the reason why we’re in this mess in the first place!”

“I know.” Sol turned to him, his eyes completely serious. “That’s why I’m here now. I just want to help undo my mistake.” He then bowed before them. “Please….just let me help...let me make things right…”

Flash stared at him suspiciously. He couldn’t simply forget what Sol did and what he said earlier. But then again, he said some pretty hurtful things himself earlier. And he seemed sincere in his request to fix things. Finally he relented. “….Fine. You can come with.”

All eyes turned to him in surprise. Sol was visibly relieved and opened his mouth.

“But!” He raised a finger to cut him off. “You have to follow every order we give you. If you can’t do that, then you can forget about helping us. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” The gray skinned teen nodded.

“Okay. So here’s the plan.” He quickly went over it, sparing no detail about how he intended for them to get in. "But whatever you do, do not engage in a fight unless absolutely necessary, understand, Sol?"

"Got it. But what if we run into that Stalk or Night Rogue guy again?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to fight. But only then. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Sol nodded before letting out a yawn. "Sorry...I'm just....tired...." he had been through quite the emotional turmoil in the past couple of houses. He then walked over to the bed and fell on top of it. In seconds, he was sound asleep.

The others just stared at his unconscious form.

“…Are you sure we can trust him with this, Flash?” Micro questioned their Rider. “After what he did, can we really trust him with anything anymore?”

“Guys, I know what Sol did was pretty bad. But deep down, he’s a good person at heart. He wouldn’t have saved all those people or cry after learning about Brawly’s condition if he wasn’t. He just needs the right guidance. Besides…”

He looked back the Sol’s sleeping form. “If his Hazard level really is growing like Stalk claimed, then he could become a threat if he’s not shown the right path. I just can’t let that happen in good conscience.” Flash thought back to his days as a child after his dad died. If it hadn’t been for his family and friends, he wasn’t sure what type of person he’d be.

He knew Sol was going through the same thing he did, but it didn’t seem he had anyone close to properly guide and support him. He wanted to help, but he didn’t know how. As he mentally debated, his eyes caught the sight of the Transteam Gun on the main monitor.

To think Gizmo made a device that only used a single Fullbottle to transform. If Sol’s Hazard Level eventually did reach 3.0, then he could become a Rider to and properly help out in a fight. But he only had the Dragon Bottle to use. His gaze lingered on the draconic Fullbottle. If only there was a way for him to use it alone to transform….

His eyes widened as realization struck. His friends were confused by his sudden change of demeanor.

“Flash? Is something wrong?”

“Guys? I think I have an idea.”

Meanwhile…

Back at the warehouse, Stalk stood over the glass chamber that housed the Press Smash. He tapped the glass as if it were a fish aquarium. The Smash inside groaned in agony.

Further back on the platform sat Night Rogue in his chair with folded hands. “All you’ve done so far is to use him to raise Build’s Hazard Level. Just what are you trying to accomplish?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Blood Stalk asked as he turned and leaned against the tank. “I’m just hungry for strength.” He then climbed up the steps to stand beside the bat themed warrior. “Before we have the boys take the next step, they need to learn a bit about themselves…”

The next day, Team Build put their plan into action.

Multiple workers could be seen around the warehouse loading and unloading boxes. Many of them walked around the warehouse tending to their duties.

Off to the side were a stack of crates that the workers had finished unloading. The heads of Flash and Sol peered out over the mass of boxes, silently observing the area. The two were dressed in the same jumpsuits as the workers to blend in. Flash carried a duffle bag that hid their change of clothes and a surprise.

They still waited to see if the truck had arrived yet. Flash quietly spoke into his phone. “Micro, any sighting yet?”

“Yeah. One is on its way ETA is approximately three minutes. Get ready. Be careful out there.”

“Got it. Thanks.” He ended the call.

“So, how are we going to get on the truck when it arrives? Should I run decoy so you can get on?”

“No, I have a better idea.” Flash set the duffle on one of the crates and opened it. From the bag flew out a small, hand-held sized creature. Its appearance was dragon-like with a bulky body and a slot on the top. It was primarily black and gold with blue metal lining its torso. It let out a small cry as it flew around, playing a techno beat as it did.

“Wh-what is this…?” Sol asked as he approached the creature.

“This is Cross-Z Dragon. It’s for you.” Flash answered. “There’s no telling what kind of trouble you’ll get into. So he’s your pet and babysitter.”

Sol just silently stared at the mechanical dragon, transfixed by it. Flash wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but were Sol’s eyes sparkling? “Uh…you okay?”

“It’s…it’s…” The gray skinned teen stammered before he snatched the critter out of the sky and pressed it close to his cheek. “Soooo adorable~!”

“….uh, what?” The musician blinked.

“It’s just so cute! It’s like a little dragon partner!” He nuzzled his cheek into the mechanical creature. “Who’s a good little dragon? You are, yes you are~!”

Cross-Z Dragon wasn’t sure what was going on, but it seemed to enjoy the affection its new master was giving it.

Back at the lab, both Micro and Sandalwood were speechless about what they were seeing through the drone’s video feed.

Flash continued to stare silently, slightly disturbed at what he was witnessing. He blinked before he cleared his throat. “A-anyway…we’ll have Cross-Z Dragon cause a distraction while we hop onto the truck. It’ll follow us to the warehouse. Got it?”

“Right.” Sol said as he reluctantly set the little dragon down. “Do your best, okay? Don’t get caught and stay safe.”

“Burrah!” The mechanical critter chirped as Sol pet its head before it flew off.

“Bye-bye!” Sol waved before turning back to Flash. “So, ready to go?” He was greeted with Flash’s bewildered stare. “…you okay?”

“….Sol? Just what was….that?” That surprising exclamation and contrast previous known personality traits that disturbed the musician.

“What? Can’t a guy like cute things?” The fighter shrugged.

“No, but…you know forget it. Let’s just go.” With that, the two initiated the next phase of the plan. As if on cue, the truck arrived as workers loaded several boxes onto it. Cross-Z Dragon did its part by making copious amounts of noise in the background in the form of falling objects. While the workers were distracted, Flash and Sol snuck aboard inside and hid behind stacks of crates.

Once the noise stopped and the workers found nothing out of the ordinary, they continued their task. Before long, the truck was filled and ready to be shipped off.

Cross-Z Dragon flew inside the truck and remained unnoticed.

The ride continued in silence as the two waited. Eventually, Sol decided to break it. “….hey.”

“Yeah?” Flash faced him.

“Y’know, about Brawly…” Sol looked down. “…I’m sorry.”

Flash stared wide eyed for a brief moment before looking back down. He raised his head again with a small smile on his face. “Thanks…but I’m not the only one you need to apologize to.”

“I know. I’m just…sorry. I didn’t know what I was thinking.” The fighter looked back with shame.

The musician stared at him, noting how the guilt still ate away at Sol. He thought it was good that he felt remorse for his actions. But it obviously weighed heavily on his mind.

“…Did you know? At first, I was terrified about being Build. To be a hero. I was afraid I would slip up and get myself killed, ending up like my own dad and making my mom and sister sad. But when I got the courage to act and saved my friends and sister, that’s when I realized. When I use this power to help someone, I can’t help but smile. It makes me happy from the bottom of my heart….you just can’t see it because of the mask.” Flash admitted.

Sol stared at Flash before his face grew downcast.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong.” The musician continued. “I’m still trying to find the truth of what happened, but I don’t prioritize it above everything else. As long as the Smash exist, innocent people are gonna get hurt. And I’m the only one who can fight them off. So if it’s a choice between finding the truth or saving people….I will always choose to save people.

“…I thought by helping you guys, I could learn the truth of that night. That’s why I joined you and helped you fight.” He then turned to look Flash in the eye. “But you….you’re different. Even when you saved strangers, you still smile. Me? I’m just the selfish jerk who fought for his benefit. I just wanted to know what happened….why did my dad have to die? Why did they leave things like that?!”

The musician stared at the fighter with empathy. He knew what he felt. He experienced the same thing a long time ago. “…I honestly don’t know. When my dad died, I always thought it was some big conspiracy caused by other people. That they killed my dad for some reason. But it turned out to be nothing more than a simple accident. Something went wrong at the wrong time. I just…refused to accept it. I wanted someone to blame. Someone to take revenge against. But it never worked out. In the end, Sol…you just need to accept things and move on, no matter how long it takes.”

The martial artist sat there and digested those words. Flash continued.

“And….I’m sorry, too. I….I shouldn’t have brought up your dad like that yesterday. It was disrespectful and completely uncalled for. I was just angry and…I’m sorry.” The musician bowed his head in apology.

“…It’s alright. We both did some pretty stupid things. So I guess we’re more or less even for now.”

The rest of the trip was in silence.

The truck soon slowed to a stop before turning and backing up. “Looks like we’re here. Get ready.”

“Right.” Both Flash and Sol got into position, donning their hard hats and bandannas to hide their features.

The truck door raised itself. The drivers started to move the boxes out one by one. By the time they nearly reached where Flash and Sol were, Cross-Z Dragon flew out and blared loud techno music. The noise alerted the workers and the robots towards the source. The little dragon led them away from the truck and the entrance, providing an opening.

The musician and the fighter snuck through the open door and into the warehouse. Flash quickly pulled Sol to the side and hid behind a stack of barrels. They peered out and saw a pair of robots moving some of the boxes. They soon stopped in front of a stack of crates. One of them opened the side and revealed a hidden staircase that led underground.

They walked through and closed the door behind them. Once the area was clear, the two teenagers approached the hidden exit. “Man, they even have secret doors too.”

“What else do you expect from some evil organization?” Flash rhetorically asked as he opened the crate door. “C’mon. Let’s see if Brawly’s down there.”

They then heard a techno beat, which notified them of Cross-Z Dragon’s arrival. It landed on Sol’s shoulder while Micro’s drone hovered over Flash as they climbed down the stairs.

“Wow…it’s like a maze down here.” Sol commented as he looked around the metal pathways.

“Yeah, it’s not gonna make finding Brawly easy.” He then pulled out the Build Phone to contact their team mates. “Micro, have you found anything?”

“I’m having the drone scan the area. Right now, I’m getting data to piece together a map of the floor you’re on now.”

“Think you can guide us to where Brawly is?”

“I’ll do my best. But my scanner is pretty basic. I can only detect readings when they’re within a range of 5 meters and not obscured by anything. I’ll have to upgrade it later. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. We’ll take what we can get at this point.” Flash sighed. “So where to first?”

“If you go down the path you’re on, you should come across a clearing that leads to an underground water way. Be careful, I’m picking up moving objects. Likely more robots.”

“Got it.” He ended the call and turned to Sol. “Looks like we’re going ahead. Stick to the shadows, there are more robots further up.”

Sol Burner nodded in confirmation as the two crept through the corridors. They made it to the clearing and saw two robots patrolling over a platform. They kept vigilant watch for intruders.

“Sol…” Flash said as he took off his warehouse overalls and donned his disguise. The fighter did the same. “Distract those two, and I’ll take them out.” He strapped on the driver and shook the Ninja and Tank Fullbottles.

The fighter nodded and quietly darted around to get in position. Flash inserted the bottles.

“NINJA!”

“TANK!”

“Hey!” Sol announced after popping up from under the platform. “What’s up, rust buckets?” The robots pointed their guns at him. But a transformed Flash appeared and attacked the closest robot. He cut its weapon in half with the Drill Crusher before he tossed it over the railing. The second tried to attack but Build parried its strikes easily slashed it with the Drill Crusher and Sketch Saber simultaneously. It fell to pieces as it clattered down the steps. They stopped next to its inactive, sparking companion.

“Okay, we’re good.” Flash and Sol crossed the room and climbed the steps of another platform. What they saw caused them to stop at the top.

“Help!” A terrified victim cried. “Help me!” He was currently being handled by two men in white hazmat suits and gas masks. They were leading him into a glass chamber while a third suited man held the panel open.

The one with the panel looked up and saw the two disguised teens, quickly alerting the others. “Wh-what the?!”

“What…is this place…?” Sol questioned as he went to the ground floor. Flash was equally perturbed by the evil laboratory setting.

“Flash!” Micro voiced in. “This must be where they turn people into Smash!”

“You sure?”

“What else would they use an evil laboratory like this for?!” Micro asked rhetorically.

“Wh-what are you doing here?!” One of the workers cried. His shout snapped Sol back to reality as he recalled what he wanted from here in first place: answers. Without warning, he grabbed the nearest worker by the arms and pried him away from the terrified victim. The others tried to pull him off, but were unable to even budge him.

The fighter spun around and kneed him in the stomach. He then delivered an axe kick to his back and knocked him out. He then grabbed one of the supposed evil scientists and slammed his body through a metal rack and into a wall.

“You work here! So you must have answers! What happened on the night of October 15?!” Feeling his frustration and ambition spur him again, he shook the scientist in his hands. “Why did my dad have to die?! Where’s Gizmo Poindexter?! Talk!” His screaming set off a chain reaction as many of the kidnapped victims strapped to rows of beds screamed for help and terror.

The only freed prisoner tried to make a run for it, but an energy projectile struck him in the back, causing him to collapse in a still heap.

“Stop shouting!” A familiar figure shouted as he walked down the stairs on the far side of the room. The rest of the prisoners quieted down, fearful of being shot as well. The figure stepped into view, revealing himself to be Blood Stalk…with a wicked-looking gun in his hand. “…It’s rude to our guests.”

Sol flung the terrified scientist to the side, his attention focused on the Cobra man. “….Stalk…”

Flash prepared himself for an inevitable fight.

“Don’t move now.” Stalk said as he causally strolled over. “I’d hate to kill an important specimen.”

“…Specimen?” Sol repeated. A second later, his anger flared up again. “I ain’t no one’s lab rat!” He charged at Stalk to punch him. But he easily sidestepped and caught the arm in the crook of his elbow.

“I warned you.” With his free hand, he extended his wrist to Sol’s neck. A sharp black tube extended from his bracer and pierced the fighter’s neck. A second later, his skin started to become horrendously discolored as he screamed in agony. He collapsed on his knees as the venomous purple spread throughout his body.

“Sol!” Flash rushed to the aid of his friend who managed to crawl away from Stalk. The musician got a better look at his condition and blanched. The fighter’s ashen skin turned a sickly shade of purple as he continued to scream in pain. Flash then realized what it was. “P-poison…?” Sol’s cries gradually fell as he fell limp. “Hey! Sol!”

“What a shame.” Stalk lamented as he crouched down. But his disappointment faded quickly. “Oh well. We got another specimen after all.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Despite your lack of exposure to Nebula gas, your body has achieved a Hazard Level that is exceptionally greater than the norm. Most have a range of 1.0 to 1.9, causing them to transform when given a dose. But you have the 3.0 needed to use that Driver of yours. Well, 3.2 now, anyway.” He pointed at the device on his waist.

Flash and the others were startled by this. Just how did he know about the Driver?

Stalk walked to the side and leaned on a set of pipes. “That’s what makes Faust so interested in you. Little Sol Burner is exceptional as well.” He then pointed to the agonized teen who tried to lift his head. Now the others were terrified. How did he know Sol’s identity? Did he know all their names too?! And what was Faust? The name of their group? “He has a unique gift of adapting to and synchronizing with the Nebula Gas, particularly that bottle he has. Not to mention how rapidly his Hazard Level is rising.”

He then looked back at Build. “And to think that you of all people happened to luck into be the Masked Rider…That makes you extremely unique specimens!” Stalk cheered whilst pointing his gun in the air.

“So…that’s all we are to you….what everyone is to you…?” Flash growled as he stood up. “Just…specimens under a microscope?!” The way Stalk spoke aggravated him, as if he simply treated everyone as test subjects. Lab rats with complete disregard for their well-being. He annoyed him when he stopped him from saving Brawly yesterday. But now just listening to him angered him even more. How can anyone have a complete disregard over human life?!

“Pretty much.” Stalk waved his hand. “But like I said, you are the extreme rarities. Much more interesting than the others; couldn’t handle the procedure before they expired. Oh well, there are plenty more people in the city to use.”

Just like that, something within the musician snapped.

“You bastard!” Flash roared as he replaced the Ninja bottle with a shaken Rabbit Bottle.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

He ran at Stalk as he turned to crank, completing his transformation.

"FULLMETALMOONSAULT!"

He swung the Drill Crusher at the Cobra. Stalk spun around and avoided the attack, which hit the pipes and released a blast of Nebula Gas into the Rider's face.

Build was disoriented for a moment. But he found his target and attacked again. Meanwhile, the other prisoners screamed in fear from the fight. They were afraid they would be dragged into it. The scientists on the other hand dragged their unconscious co-worker and fled the scene.

“Stop!” Sol yelled out before he cringed in pain. The poison continued to eat away at him.

Stalk backed away and sidestepped another swing. The Drill Crusher sliced through a computer module like butter. “Don’t screw with me!”

Blood Stalk hopped and spun as if he were playing a simple game. He stared at the enraged rider with intrigue.

Sol Burner tried to pull himself up, but the poison completely overwhelmed him. His body was on fire as every little movement, every twitch, every breath was agony.

“Burrah!” A familiar cry made him look up. Cross-Z Dragon flew down and bit on his neck.

“Wh-what are you doing…?” The dark patches on his skin rapidly receded as a sucking sound was heard. Once his skin color returned to normal, Cross-Z Dragon let go and flew up with a cry.

No longer in pain, Sol sat up and examined his poison free body. “I’m better now…” The mechanical critter turned and spat out the poison that plagued him. He looked up to his savior and smiled. It landed in his hands with a happy cry. “That was amazing, buddy.”

Back with Flash, he continued to attack Stalk relentlessly. Stalk dodged or blocked the attacks with ease, as if he wasn’t even trying.

Tired of seeing his mask, Flash grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him aside. He then delivered a heavy punch right in the face, sending Stalk to crash into the pipelines. He grabbed him again and threw him to the ground. He mounted the Cobra and delivered punch after punch to his face.

“Who?! Who put that gas in my friends?!” Flash shook him before punching him again. “Who took away their freedom?!” Another punch. “Who toyed with their lives?!” And another. “Who toyed with everyone’s lives?!” Another. “Was it you?! Was it Rogue?! Who’s in charge?!”

Sol and the other members of Team Build could only stare in shock. Never before have they seen Flash so angry. Not even in his fight with Sol yesterday. While he was mad, he kept his rage in check, which let him win over the enraged Sol.

But here? He had no such restraint. Every move was to lash out. Every attack was unfocused. Every strike lacked finesse.

“Answer me!” Flash screamed right in Blood Stalk’s face.

The man in question could only laugh in amusement. “hehehehahahahaHAHAHA…!” It only served to aggravate the Rider even more.

“What’s so funny?!” Flash yelled as he hit him in the face over and over again. “Give them back! Give back the lives you stole!”

“So you lose control the second you learn the fates of the failed subjects?” Stalk questioned. He detached the bayonet blade from his Transteam gun, pressed it against Build’s body, and pulled the trigger.

The Blast sent Flash high into the air, his damage monitor going critical at an instant. He crashed onto one of the empty prisoner beds and rolled to the floor. His transformation was automatically cancelled. The musician clutched his stomach in pain.

“Build!” Sol yelled in concern.

‘That blast was no joke…’ Flash thought with a cringe. ‘Just one shot forced me out of the armor…!’

“Frankly, you’ve disappointed me!” Stalk proclaimed a he stood. He then aimed his gun at the unarmored Flash. “I suppose the party’s over, now.”

He then turned the gun up, and pulled the trigger. The ceiling broke apart as concrete rubble rained down on them.

“Thanks for the fun~!” Stalk raised his arms and spun around before he walked away.

Behind him, the robots rushed in and unchained the prisoners from the beds. Flash pulled himself up using a bed as leverage. “Wait!”

Right before he left, Stalk patted a weakened Sol on the shoulder. “See ya.” The fighter quickly shrugged it off.

“Get back here!” Flash yelled after the retreating Cobra. Before he could get far, Sol grabbed and held him in place. “Let go of me!!”

“Fuahahaha…!” The red armored man’s laugh echoed through the lab as he retreated.

“I won’t let you escape!” The musician tried to break free. The robots dragged the hostages away.

“What about the hostages?!” Sol retorted. “We haven’t found Brawly either!”

“Shut up! This is the only chance I got!” Flash continued to thrash around. “Let go of me, dammit!”

Sol had enough. He threw Flash against the metal banister and held him by the shoulders. “Snap out of it already!” He punched him across the cheek for good measure.

Like magic, Flash stopped as his rage gradually died down.

“…Did you forget already?” Sol asked. “Yesterday, you told me that anger made you stupid. Act all crazy. That’s why you learned control. And earlier you told me that you put saving others over finding the truth. Back then…I was so envious. You were able to know what to do what’s right without hesitating. I knew you were a better person than I was…”

He threw Flash onto the steps. “So where is all that now? The truth? Or saving people? Which is it?”

Sol crouched down to Flash’s eye-level. “What’s it gonna be?”

Back at the lab, Micro and Sandalwood remained silent during the exchange.

Flash kept silent as his eyes took in all that was around him: the destroyed machines, the collapsed ceiling, and the hostages being dragged away. It was because of his mindless rage that things turned out the way it did. He missed a chance to properly save the people imprisoned and find Brawly. He acted rashly and it cost them.

As he thought and reflected, finally, he had an answer. “…isn’t it obvious?” He pulled himself up with a new spring in his step. “I choose to save people!”

Sol’s face broke into a genuine smile and stood next to him. “Hell yeah.”

“Try not to get in my way.”

“Right back at you.”

The two faced forward as Flash pulled out two familiar Fullbottles. “Now….let’s begin the experiment.” He shook the bottles as another series of math equations floated around him. He twisted the caps and inserted them.

“NINJA!”

“COMIC!”

“BESTMATCH!”

He turned the handle as Sol stepped to the side, knowing what was coming.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” The runners slammed into him and donned him in the Best Match.

“THE STEALTHY ENTERTAINER!”

“NINNIN-COMIC!”

The Sketch Saber materialized in his hand in an underhand grip.

“YEAH!”

“Let’s go!” Sol charged in whilst shaking the Dragon Bottle.

“Right!” Flash followed with gusto.

Build struck the robots first, while Sol knocked another away, freeing one of the hostages from its grasp.

“Get out of here!” Sol quickly escorted the man away from the battle.

The trend continued as Flash attacked the robots to prevent them from interfering while Sol corralled the hostages away from the fight.

Once he got the last hostage away, Sol inquired if they were alright. They failed to notice the cracks in the ceiling propagating until the room started to shake.

“The exit’s over there!” Build pointed. “Come on!” The group fled to the stairway, but stopped in their tracks as the Press Smash appeared. Electricity crackled along its body and didn’t seem to fare well. It walked into a wall and fell down; it struggled to get back up.

“Brawly…”

The Smash’s body continued to spark as it growled in pain.

“Is it just me, or is his acting strange?” Sol questioned. The two looked at one another before back at Brawly.

Build’s forehead emitted a light as it scanned the Press Smash’s body. Multiple equations and readings popped up on his visor, explaining what the case was.

“He was given more gas than he could take. If the growth continues, he’s gonna rupture in a minute.” He said morosely.

“No way!”

“Get the hostages out quick!” Build ordered as he kept the Smash occupied.

“On it! This way!” The martial artist led the prisoners up the stairs while Build fought Brawly.

The fighter led the hostages above ground. “Keep going!” They listened and kept running away from the collapsing building.

Sol turned around to see if Flash and Brawly made it out yet. To his dismay, he saw no sign of them. “Are…are they seriously still in there?!” Going against normal rationale, the martial artist ran back inside the warehouse.

Meanwhile, Flash and the Press Smash continued to fight. He ducked underneath a punch and countered with an uppercut. As it stumbled back, Flash pressed the trigger on the Sketch Saber thrice.

“WIND STYLE:TORNADO SLASH!”

A gust of wind swirled around the blade like a tornado. As the Press Smash charged in, The Masked Rider swung the blade again and again in a succession of direct hits. However, with each hit, the ceiling grew more unstable.

After the fifth swing, Brawly as knocked down as green gas exuded from his wounds. Flash panted heavily, exhausted from the ordeal. But at least it was over. He pulled out an Empty Bottle to extract the essence. But before he could, a slab of rubble broke loose and slammed between him and his friend.

“No! Brawly!” Flash tried to get over it, but could not fit through the gap with his armor on. The shoulder pieces and eye visors got in the way.

“Flash?! Brawly?!” Sol yelled as he entered the room. He saw Build, but no sign of the Smash. “Where’s Brawly?”

“On the other side! Ceiling came down….I can’t reach him!” Flash panicked. Everything happened too quickly and they were running out of time before Brawly exploded or they’d be buried alive.

The blue haired fighter stared at the Empty Bottle and the gap through the rubble. Steeling himself, he snatched the Empty Bottle out of Build’s hands and squeezed through the opening after the transformed drummer. As soon as he did, more pieces of the ceiling crashed down and closed the opening.

“Guys!” Flash tried to get to them, but the raining concrete made it difficult to advance.

“Dude, get out of there! The place is coming down!” Sandalwood screamed in alarm.

The Rider wanted to retort, but knew his friend was right. “….Dammit!” Left with no other option, he exited the lab and ran up the stairs.

As soon as he got away from the warehouse, the building caved in and blew up in a fiery explosion. The blast was so intense that Flash had to shield his eyes. When it died down, he and the others could only stare in horror.

The warehouse was in pieces and the surrounding area had collapsed. Some parts were still on fire.

The Rider fell on his knees and felt like crying. Just like that, both of his friends were gone. “They….didn’t make it….” Before he could lament further, he noticed a figure in the dust.

From the ruins walked out Sol Burner with a living, yet unconscious, Brawly Beats supported by him. They looked up and saw Build. Sol tried to say something until another explosion went off, sending them flying forward. The fighter hit the ground while the drummer rolled until he hit a stack of crates.

“Hey!” Flash screamed in relief as he rushed up to his partner. “Are you okay?! Please tell me you’re okay!”

“I can….honestly say…” Sol coughed before smiling. “…I’m surprised….that we’re even alive…!” He then turned to the drummer. “How’s Brawly?”

The drummer groaned in pain in response. The two were relieved that he was alive.

They then turned to the exploding ruins of the warehouse. Another explosion occurred, this time swallowing everything above ground, robots included, into the fiery chasm below.

“Well…we’ve done it now…” Sol said. If they hadn’t got the attention of Faust before, then they definitely have now.

“Yeah…But at least we saved innocent lives.” Flash looked back to the rescued hostages, who were celebrating their freedom. He noticed that the number was fewer than the people he remembered being kidnapped weeks ago and yesterday. He frowned upon recalling Stalk’s words. Many of them hadn’t survived the experiments. But he hoped desperately that others were still alive, just housed in different facilities. He doubted Stalk or Faust would destroy their only base.

But for now, he needed to make sure the others were okay. But first, he needed to make sure of Brawly’s condition. He scanned him with the helmet and was relieved to find that his life was not in immediate danger, but he needed medical attention. He did the same for the other hostages. They were definitely traumatized and needed medical attention as well, but they would live.

Then they heard the sirens of police cars and ambulances. Given the explosion, it was surprising they hadn’t arrived sooner.

“We should go.” Flash activated the Machine Builder as Sol gave the unconscious drummer to one of the freed hostages.

“Make sure he gets to a Hospital safely when the police and paramedics arrive. Okay?”

“Sure but…who are you guys?” He asked, wanting to know the identity of their saviors.

“…I’m the Masked Rider Build.” Flash answered as he and Sol got on the motorcycle.

“And I’m his partner…” Sol tried to think of an alias name before Cross-Z Dragon landed on his shoulder. He suddenly realized what to call himself. “…call me…Cross-Z.”

Build pressed the Saber’s Vortex Trigger four times; the fourth panel lit up.

“CONCEALMENTSKILL!"

Smoke covered them as they left on the Machine Builder. By the time the authorities arrived, they were already gone.

The police and paramedics drove to the warehouse district as soon as they caught wind of the explosion.

They were surprised and horrified to see the scene of the incident. An entire Warehouse had blown up and caved in on itself, being reduced to a fiery pit.

The ambulances carefully examined and treated the hostages while a pair of workers loaded Brawly Beats onto an Ambulance for hospital treatment. To their relief, despite his injuries, his condition was stable. At the cornered off scene, Lieutenant Shining Armor examined the wreckage. The officers stationed under him worked to find pieces of evidence and gathered testimonies from the victims.

Shining Armor was not surprised to learn that Build and his partner, now dubbed Cross-Z, were involved in this. But the other stuff he learned greatly disturbed him. Human experimentation? Transforming into monsters? What kind of sick people would do such a horrible thing?!

As an officer of the law, Shining Armor swore to uncover this fiendish group and bring them to justice.

As much as he didn’t like to admit it, he had to thank the Masked Rider for saving the people today.

But just was that weird feeling in the back of his mind?

“So the organization is called Faust?” Sandalwood questioned. Flash and Sol made it back to the lab to discuss their findings with the rest of the group.

“It would seem so.” Micro nodded. “At least we now know that Blood Stalk isn’t acting by himself.”

“But what does it mean though?” Flash questioned. “We know that he’s working with other people, but we don’t know who they are. We’re still no closer to the truth.”

“But didn’t you say that they may have other bases in the city?” Sol asked. “You said that Stalk wouldn’t destroy their only base like that. So we might have other chances.” He then looked down. “That is…if I’m still on the team.”

The three other teens looked at one another before turning to Sol Burner. While he did do something horrible by reverting Brawly back into a Smash, he definitely owned up to his mistake in today’s actions. He even stopped Flash from going crazy and leave the hostages to die.

“…What are you talking about?” Flash asked. The decision was unanimous. “You never left in the first place. And that’s not changing anytime soon. After all, we’re partners aren’t we?”

The martial artist stared at them in shock before a genuine smile spread across his face. Cross-Z Dragon cheered, sharing its master’s joy as it landed on his head. “Thank you guys….thank you….”

“No problem, man.” The guitarist nodded. “Now that we know about this Faust group, we should probably start investigating where their other bases might be.”

“Well, that’s probably not going to happen for a while.” Sandalwood rubbed the back of his neck. “We won’t really have the time to do something like that.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It’s because school’s starting back up in a couple days.” Micro answered. “They finally got the building repaired and we’re heading back. So we should probably lay low for a while. With everything that’s happened this past week, all the students are gonna gossip about Build and you….Cross-Z.” He looked to Sol with a raised brow at the last part.

“Hey, Flash has a code name to use. I figured that since I’m fighting, I’d need one too. By the way…” He reached up top to pet the mechanical dragon. “Thanks a lot for this cute little guy. He saved my life.”

“Burrah!”

As the conversation continued, the super computer beeped. Micro walked over and pulled up the news. He programmed it to alert them of any news stories or new developments regarding the Masked Rider, Smash, robots, or anything related to keep them up to date. It was another press conference held by Research Center Director Night Light.

“I would like to formally thank the Masked Rider Build and his partner, Cross-Z, for their actions the past two days.”

“Hey, that’s us.” Sol stated.

“If it weren’t for these two heroes, the monster would have attacked and destroyed this very building, putting hundreds of lives at risk. They have also given a lead to the true culprits behind these monster attacks and robot kidnappings; and organization that calls themselves Faust. They have discovered their base and rescued the hostages imprisoned inside. Build. Cross-Z. If you two are watching this, then thank you for everything you have done for this fair City.”

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hello Everyone. That concludes chapter six of To Build the Winning Formula: Disputes and Reconciliation. I will admit this chapter was a bit difficult to properly write out. Mainly because I lack experience on how to properly write resolutions to character disputes and dramatic scenes like the ones seen in this chapter. Hopefully I did them justice.

With all the craziness that's happened in the last two chapters, it is time for a reprieve for our heroes....at least...that's what they believe.

Please stay tuned to see what happens next!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic

Chapter 7: Science of the Devil

A week after the insanity that took place at the warehouse, classes at Canterlot High fell back in session. Team Build could not be any more glad to be back in school(although it was a bit iffy for Sol Burner), eager to get back to normalcy even on a Friday.

But as they feared, the student body could not just shut up about the Masked Rider Build and his newly dubbed partner, Cross-Z. The students gossiped about the events that took place over the break, which included the Smash attack at Applewood Acres, the Smash attack at the Research Center, the giant bipedal mech that was somehow formed out of the Research Center’s new Guardians, and the explosion at the warehouse district.

It wasn’t just gossip exchanged through the halls. The Build Blog has been flooded with comments and posts of news stories regarding the two mysterious heroes of Canterlot. The latest was Director Night Light’s press conference thanking the two for what they did the other day.

All in all, it was an exhausting first day back for those directly involved. Team Build because they had to maintain secrecy and avoid detection. Twilight Sparkle had it rough because of her family heading the Research Center, making her into a beacon for people who wanted to know more.

The bespectacled girl sighed as she rested her forehead on the table of the science lab. “I swear, if I have to answer another question about the attack I’m gonna scream…”

“It’s been that bad, huh?” Flash asked in concern as he carefully added another chemical to a heating mixture using a pipette.

The two were currently at their Chemistry Club meeting after school. The moment classes ended, Twilight rushed to the lab to seek refuge from the constant pestering and questions about the Guardians and the attack.

She and Flash were currently the only members present today as Rarity had an emergency clothing order she needed to fill out while Derpy was out sick.

Thankfully, the other students that hounded on Twilight had their own clubs to attend, which gave the girl much needed peace and quiet.

“You…have no idea…” Her voice was muffled as she was face down. She raised her head and looked up at her fellow club member. “I keep getting questions asking about the Smash attack at the Research Center that I haven’t seen since I wasn’t there. I was also asked about the Guardians on how they were hacked and combined into that giant mech weapon. I didn’t even know they had such a function, and I was told they couldn’t be hacked so easily!” She slammed her head on the table once more. “What a mess…”

“I hear that…” Flash nodded. Things had been messy on their end as Team Build. Since the latest victim was Brawly Beats, a close friend of his, he’s had his fair share of inquiries from other students. All he could tell them was that he was caught up in the robot attack and barely managed to escape, but lost sight of Brawly in the process.

Then Sunset Shimmer approached their table at lunch. At first, he was scared that she figured something out. But he was relieved that she just wanted to talk to Sol Burner regarding their meeting the previous week. She noted how much better he looked, concluding that he made things right in the end with his mistake.

He and the others realized that it must’ve been Sunset who helped Sol that time. The musician was grateful for her help, despite not knowing the circumstances.

“So…aside from getting hounded by gossipers and curious students, how you’ve been Twilight?” Flash decided to strike up a conversation to help get her mind off of things.

“Pretty good, all things considering.” She mumbled.

“I heard from Sunset that you and the others have been getting better since the first robot attack. Is that true?”

“Yeah. Frankly, I’m surprised our injuries healed this quickly.” She gazed at her bandage free limbs. “I was expecting us to be on the mend for another week or two. Although rainbow still needs another day or two to heel her ankle.”

“Guess you got the magic to thank for that, huh?” The musician asked. Now that he thought about it the injuries that Sol had from the warehouse incident last week have mended quicker than they were expected to.

He noticed this fact on himself when his injuries from his fight with Sol healed in a day. They consisted of a bruised nose, cheek, diaphragm, and a black eye. Yet they healed in approximately a day. Micro hypothesized that maybe their recovery rates were linked to their Hazard Levels and Nebula Gas exposures, but it was too early to be sure.

“Maybe. But I just wish that we didn’t have to deal with these Smash in the first place. Just where are they even coming from?”

“Well, didn’t your dad say that it was an organization named Faust that made the Smash at that Press Conference? Something about human experimentation?”

“He did. But that’s all we managed to figure out. We don’t know if they even have other hidden bases in the city.” Twilight answered.

“Well, at least they’re doing their best.” Flash answered.

“Maybe. But it’s certainly disheartening that the Guardians were useless against the Smash. And the fact they were hacked and manipulated like that is just scary.”

“But your dad said they were prototypes, right?” Flash argued. “With robots as complex as them, there’s bound to be bugs to iron out. It’s just that the first batch wasn’t Build for the job.”

“That may be true but….wait, what did you say?” The bespectacled girl looked at Flash oddly.

“What? I said that the prototypes weren’t Build for the job.”

Twilight stared at the musician as the words clicked in her mind. “….pft….hahaha…!” She giggled. “F-Flash….that….that was just terrible…!”

“What?” The blue haired teen cracked a grin. “I thought it was real punny!”

“Haha….that was even worse! Just…just stop…!”

Both Flash and Twilight shared a laugh, breaking the serious atmosphere from a moment ago. The laughter soon died down.

“Whew…I…I actually needed that. Thanks, Flash.”

“No problem.” He answered as he put the pipette back and recorded values in his note book. “After everything that’s happened, you looked like you needed a laugh.”

“I did…just didn’t expect you to break out terrible puns.”

“Eh. I improvised. Oh yeah. How’s the progress on that internship you applied to?” He remembered that Twilight had talked about an internship opportunity she applied for at ChangeMaker Incorporated. They were a company that focused on improving the social welfare and medical care of the people and had their headquarters right in Canterlot City.

“Pretty well, actually. I just got back from them. They want me to come in and tour one of their facilities before my interview with them.”

“Really? That’s great! I’m sure that you’re a shoe-in for the job.” Flash nodded. “Any company would be lucky to have someone as smart as you on their team.”

“Heh. Flatterer.” Twilight playfully swatted his arm. “By the way, how has Sol Burner been doing?”

“Why so curious?” Flash asked, slightly wary that she may be onto Team Build.

“Nothing much. Just wondering if he’s adjusted to Canterlot High. I know what it’s like being the new kid here, and you were his friend so I thought you’d know.”

“Oh, that’s fine.” Flash nodded in relief. “He’s been doing pretty well. I think he said that he joined the school Boxing Club…”

In the gymnasium, a mass of students could be seen surrounding a mat in the center of the room. Off to the side of the room were a group of female students dressed in white fencing attire.

Due to the size of the room, both the Fencing and Boxing clubs were situated in the gymnasium for practice. The fencers practiced their thrusts and parries as the commotion went on. Sunset looked off to the side, curious about the match the Boxing Club was having.

Both fighters were clad in t-shirts and shorts with protective padding. The one that wore a pair of blue gloves and helmet was Sol Burner.

The other fighter was a tall, muscular teen that stood a good head above Sol. His skin was white and had red eyes. His ears were pierced with silver rings and his blonde hair was fashioned in a mullet with the top of it buzzed. This was Bulk Biceps, Canterlot High’s resident weight-lifter. He was fairly new to the sport as he joined the club as a means of learning self defense.

“Round….begin!” The club advisor who refereed the match announced before he backed up. Bulk yelled and started with a left straight that Sol easily sidestepped and countered with a right jab. Bulk quickly blocked with his right glove and backed away.

The two circled with shuffling feet, trying to find and opening. Sol moved for a quick feint. Bulk flinched, giving the fighter the opening he needed. He rushed in and began with an uppercut to the torso. The muscular teen was winded by the hit and was unable to react when Sol followed up with a right swing to the face and left straight to the shoulder.

“Point!” The referee drew another line on the white board.

In the Boxing Club, sparring matches are based on a point system. Every clean hit or knock down was worth a point. Penalties were given for illegal moves such as kicks or grapples. Each match lasted for three rounds with a three minute time limit. The winner was decided when a fighter accumulated a total of ten points, or if they had greater points than their opponent when time ran out in the final round.

This was to ensure the safety of the students and prevent them from taking a fight too seriously to the extent of knocking out their opponent.

Sol and Bulk were currently in the middle of their second round with the score of 7 to 4, respectively. While Bulk was larger than Sol, the latter was a fast opponent and was stronger than he looked. Bulk did not have much experience in boxing outside the club, and it reflected in his simple movements in trying to swarm the opponent with fast and heavy hits and use his physique to his advantage. It wasn’t a bad strategy, but to a seasoned fighter like Sol, his movements were predictable and are easily avoided. But large teen was definitely improving, especially with Sol’s advice during practice.

They bore fruit as Bulk had scored two more points than usual against Sol in the previous round. The onlookers were hooked onto the match.

In fact, not just Sunset, but the entirety of the fencing club paused their practicing to watch the fight as well.

The match continued as Sol and Bulk continued to trade blows. Despite being new to boxing, Bulk held his own well enough against Sol. But given his movements, it seemed that Sol took it easy on the muscular teen. The second round ended with a score of 9 to 6 in favor of Sol. Bulk seemed exhausted from the long bouts while Sol seemed like he was still rearing to go.

Sunset noticed that he was smiling during the fight and purposefully left openings for Bulk to capitalize on. It appeared that he was subtly teaching Bulk how to improve in his actions. That and he also appeared to genuinely enjoy the match.

The third round begun as the fighters circled one another. Bulk moved his back hand which caused Sol to react. But the move had been a feint as he rushed in with a punch with his forehand.

But in his exhaustion, Bulk overextended his punch, allowing Sol to duck underneath and dig his gloved fist into his stomach. He then followed up with a straight punch to the cheek. The force of the hit knocked the muscular teen’s mouth guard out from his mouth. Bulk fell on his knees as the final point was awarded to Sol.

“Winner! Sol Burner!” The rest of the boxing club cheered for their rising star’s victory. Bulk panted as he tried to regain his breath and sooth his aching cheek.

“Good match, Bulk” Sol extended a hand to the red eyed teen. “You’re getting better.”

“Yeah!” The bulky teen yelled as he grasped it. “It’s all thanks to you, buddy!” He gave the blue haired teen a one armed hug.

Ever since Sol first joined CHS, he had been searching for a martial arts club of any sort. Whether it be boxing, kickboxing, aikido, taekwondo, any form of martial art. He figured it would’ve been a good way to get some practice and double dip as an extracurricular activity.

That was when his classmate for Gym, Bulk Biceps, suggested the Boxing Club to him. He was a new member and wanted to learn how to properly defend himself. Sol took up on his offer and quickly became a rising star in the club due to his skills.

They then had a sparring match so Sol could test Bulk’s skills. Admittedly, the blonde teen didn’t have much fighting ability. But Sol helped him gradually during his time at the club.

The two became friends ever since.

Even though school was back in session and their time was limited, Micro put every second of his free time to good use. Since today was not when the Science Club usually met, he had the opportunity to continue Team Build’s search for Faust.

Granted, progress was slow as he couldn’t uncover further information than what was already found. He debated about using his drone to scout the city, but realized that he wouldn’t be able to cover the entire area without the battery dying.

He needed to find a way to improve the drone’s mobility and scanning capabilities. But he had no clue where to start. He had done all he was able to without completely compromising the rest of the drone’s functions.

And there haven’t been any further updates regarding attacks on the media. Faust must be taking a break to lick their wounds from the loss of a base, as well as stay out of the limelight.

As he continued to ponder, he received an email notification on his brother’s laptop. He stopped working on the sword-like device on the work desk and looked at the screen in confusion.

He never received an email on it before in all the time he’s had it in his possession.

Curious, he pulled it up. But when he saw the email, but was confused. He didn’t recognize the address. Normally, caution would have him indicate this as a hacker’s attempt to trick him and steal his data. However, the headline of the email instilled rabid curiosity and suspicion.

Plans for a new weapon Faust has created using Nebula Gas.

While Faust has been known by the public for a week now, he thought it would be too soon for some hacker to go around soliciting people for information through scams like this. Furthermore, the part about Nebula Gas dispelled any further doubts.

Because the use of Nebula Gas to create the Smash was never publicly known or revealed. As far as he knew, the only information available about Nebula Gas was in his brother’s videos. And those were only on his laptop.

He was concerned about the origin of the message, but was partly hopeful that it would kick start their hunt for Faust.

Apprehensively, he opened the email.

Dear Micro Chips,

You may be wondering who I am and why I sent you this information. First of all, I want you to know that I am not your enemy. I am your ally in this fight against Faust. But due to circumstances, I cannot divulge my identity to you just yet. I will only do so when I earn your trust that you can complete this.

All you need to know now is that the organization has devised a weapon that will make them more dangerous than they already are.

It must be destroyed. I have also attached schematics of the device that I uncovered and the location where Faust has it developed and stored.

I can only hope my words and what I have given you is enough to help.

Sincerely,

Anony-Mister.

Micro was skeptical of the message contents. But found himself intrigued and worried; intrigued at whom this Anony-Mister really is and worried that Faust has made a weapon to make Smash on the fly. He opened both attached files. The first was a series of blue prints for a weapon dubbed the Steam Blade. It looked exactly like the part on the Stalk had used in the warehouse.

The second was a marked map of an aerial view of the city.

The intellectual then understood their next plan of attack. He immediately contacted the rest of the team.

“I really appreciate your help, Sol Burner. But you didn’t have to go out of your way to carry all those soil bags.” A girl said as she and the fighter walked through the school halls. She had long green hair, green skin of a lighter shade, and brown eyes. She had a baby-ish face with freckles dotting her cheeks. She was dressed in a pair of gray jeans, a yellow, striped sweater, and gray slip on shoes.

“It’s no problem Wallflower. It was my fault for rushing and running into you. As my mom always said, I gotta own up to my mistakes.” Sol replied as he carried the four bags of potting soil with barely any effort on his shoulders.

After Boxing Practice had ended, Sol Burner had received a text from Micro that called all of Team Build to the lab due to an update on the search. Excited by the chance to go after Faust, he ran towards the school parking lot where he parked his motorcycle.

But when he opened the doors, he accidentally crashed into the girl, Wallflower Blush. She had been moving four large bags of potting soil on a dolly. When they crashed, she lost her grip on the dolly and it rolled on the ground before turning over. One of the wheels had popped off and rolled out of sight.

After he helped her up, the girl had been distraught as she had no other way to transport the soil they needed for the gardening club.

Sol felt bad about his mistake, and decided to make it up to the girl by carrying the bags for her. She tried to politely turn down his offer, but the martial artist went ahead and picked up the bags for her anyway. Fortunately, none of them broke open from the fall.

As they walked, the two made some small talk to pass the time. Wallflower told him that she was in the Gardening Club and she had to pick up the orders of soil the club put in as club president. Sol thought it was nice of her to do until she told him that she had to walk off campus to pick up the orders herself due to a mix up with the deliveries.

“Wait, so they accidentally sent you four bags of garden rocks instead of soil? Then you had to haul the rocks back to the store, and then haul the soil back here yourself?” Sol asked incredulously.

“Yeah…it just wasn’t my day, today.” The green haired girl shook her head.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it was all bad. At least you didn’t have to do all the work yourself. You got this guy lending a hand.” Sol grinned as he jerked a thumb to himself.

“I…guess so. Yeah.”She smiled in appreciation.

“So what’s it like in the Gardening Club?” The fighter asked with interest. “I know my parents liked to work in the garden when I was a kid, but I didn’t really see the appeal of it. Is it relaxing as they say?”

“It really is.” Wallflower replied eagerly. “But it’s also hard work. Taking care of plants is like taking care of a pet or a person. It’s a huge responsibility to make sure they grow up healthy and thrive. In fact, some of the ingredients Mrs. Smith uses in her food are grown in our garden.”

“No kidding? That sounds pretty cool! You guys must have quite a few members, then.” He missed the slight cringe on Wallflower’s face.

“Y-yeah!” She said with a grin. “So many members, it’s hard to keep track.” They then stopped in front of the club room. “Well, this is our stop. Thanks again for your help, Sol.”

“No problem.” Sol said as he lowered the bags. “You sure you don’t want me to bring them in the room?”

“It’s fine. You helped enough already. I can handle the rest.” She said in a bit of a hurry.

The martial artist opened his mouth to ask again, but his phone cut him off. He opened the screen and his eyes widened. It was Micro demanding where he was and why he was late.

“Oh crap! Sorry, I gotta go! I forgot I had somewhere to be.” He turned around to leave, but stopped and faced the Gardening Club President. “It was nice meeting you Wallflower. Maybe I’ll drop by some time and see what you guys do.”

“That…that’d be nice. Thank you, Sol.” Wallflower gave him a smile.

Once he was out of sight, Wallflower’s smile dropped and she sighed. She opened the door and entered the room. “I’m back…”

No one greeted her, as she was the only member of the Gardening Club left. After she dragged all the soil bags inside the club room, she dropped her backpack and opened it up.

She reached in a pulled out a gray, oval-shaped stone with intricate markings. They resembled an eye with three triangles pointing away from the top while swirl markings wrapped around the bottom.

Wallflower held the stone in her hands, her face filled with apprehension.

“Just where is he?” Micro scowled as he stared at his phone. “He’s not even responding!”

“He probably had an emergency of some kind.” Sandalwood shrugged as he played with the latest Fullbottle they created. It was a white Fullbottle that had the visage of a Panda Bear.

“But wouldn’t he have told us where he went?” Flash asked from where he sat.

“He better not be going off on his own again…” The tech support grumbled.

“I’m here!” The fighter announced as he hopped down the stairs. “Sorry! I had to help out the Garden Club president for accidentally knocking down her soil bags!”

“…We have a Gardening Club?” Flash asked in confusion.

“Is that why you reek of sweat and dirt?” Sandalwood questioned.

“Kinda. The sweat was from the Boxing Club.” The little mechanical Dragon then flew up to his master. “Hey Crozz. How have you been?” The tiny dragon rested in the palm of Sol’s hand.

“Burrah!” It chirped happily.

After getting back from the Faust warehouse, Sol Burner realized that calling the little guy Cross-Z Dragon every time seemed like a mouthful. So he shortened the name to Crozz, which the dragon seemed to enjoy.

He then turned to Micro. “So what’s up about another Faust base found?”

“Well, now that we’re here, we can get started.” The others sat down as they started the meeting. “Earlier today, I received a….anonymous tip about Faust developing a new weapon.”

“Really? And you’re sure it’s not some sort of internet troll or a hacker trying to get info?” Sandalwood inquired.

“I did at first. But then I thought otherwise because the email was sent to Gizmo’s laptop, and I never received a message on there before. And they knew about the Nebula Gas, which is information that was never disclosed to the public. They even sent in schematics and a location to where the weapon was stored. I verified it myself with the drone. There’s definitely Faust robots in that area. But what’s even more surprising is that the building is an off-location research center owned by ChangeMaker Incorporated. But I don’t think they even realize they know what it’s being used for.”

“So they built another hideout in a building owned by one of the most well-known corporations in the city? Talk about hiding in plain sight.”

“But we don’t know anything other than that? I don’t know, Micro. Seems a bit fishy.” Flash admitted.

“Maybe. But so far, it’s the only lead we got about Faust.” Micro countered. “As much as I loathe to admit it, we don’t have any other option if we want to learn more about them. Plus, this weapon of theirs concerns me.”

“Well, guess that’s all there is too it, then.” Sol said. “Flash and I will sneak in, find the weapon, and destroy it before Faust can use it.”

"And this might come in handy," Micro said as he held up a new weapon. It was a longsword with a black handle and blue crossguard that had a hole in the center of it.

Sol took the sword in hand, surprised by how heavy it was but still managed to lift it. "What is this thing?"

Sandalwood stepped up to him, "We call it the Beat Cross-Zer."

Micro nodded. "It's designed to harness the Dragon Fullbottle's power to allow you to attack with powerful slash attacks. Since I doubt Flash would appreciate you needing to take one of his weapons every time you're in a big fight."

"Since we didn't know what your bottle's match is, we had to improvise."

"We added the musical aspect to it, because originally it was gonna be a new weapon for Flash. But once we find its match, I can readjust it to use it as well."

"Huh," Sol gave it a few practice swings to get the hang of it. It was in that moment he noticed the pommel appeared to disconnect from the handle.

Micro's eyes went wide when he saw Sol was about to pull it. "Wait-!" But it was too late.

HIT PARADE!

Suddenly, the lab was filled with smoke as the sword overloaded and exploded. When it cleared, the lot of them were covered in soot. "I haven't finished working out all the kinks yet," Micro said as he pulled of his glasses to reveal his clean eyes while Flash spat out a cloud of smoke.

"Got it," Sol moaned.

While Team Build spent the rest of the afternoon planning and repairing the Beat Cross-Zer, Twilight Sparkle sat down with her family at the dinner table.

After the insanity at the Research Center with the Smash and the Guardians, her parents had been busy trying to get things under control. There had been public dissent over how the first generation of Guardians were useless against the Smash and were somehow hacked and combined into a giant, bipedal, weaponized mech that resembled a Metal Gear.

Thankfully, Night Light had been able to quell protests. He ensured that to prevent such a thing from happening again, the Research Center would start from scratch in developing the second generation of Guardians rather than basing their design off of the Faust Robots.

Twilight Velvet had also been working late at night developing said new generation of Guardians. Fortunately, both were able to get off work early after their hard work and have dinner with their children and future daughter-in-law.

Shining Armor had invited Cadence to their family dinner, and the woman accepted in a heartbeat. She enjoyed spending time with the Sparkle family and Velvet’s cooking.

But even as they ate, the events of the past two weeks remained in Twilight’s mind, especially the revelation of a group named Faust.

“Something wrong, Twily?” Shining Armor asked his sister when he saw her space out again. “You haven’t eaten much. You feeling alright?”

“Sort of. I’m just thinking about that Faust group. Out of curiosity, have you learned anything new about them?” The bespectacled girl asked.

“Sorry. But I’m not allowed to divulge that information.” The officer shook his head sternly. Ever since information about Faust came to light, Shining Armor has been appointed to lead the taskforce to investigate the mysterious organization. “It’s all classified, Twily.”

“Right. Sorry…” Twilight stared at her food and took a small bite.

“Say Twilight,” Cadence decided to change the topic of conversation. “I heard that ChangeMaker has offered to give you a tour of one of their research labs. How do you feel about that?”

“Pretty great, actually.” Twilight said, her mood improving. “I can’t believe the city’s leading group of social welfare and medical care even gave me this opportunity.”

“I think it’s because they realized just how one of a kind you are, dear.” Velvet smiled at her. Night Light nodded in agreement.

But despite their facades, they had deep reservations about this internship. Mostly because of the woman who was in charge of ChangeMaker.

The team decided to initiate their plan the next day since it was the weekend.

The Research Institute for ChangeMaker Incorporated was….to put it simply, enormous. Based on its apparent size, it seemed to be twice as large as Canterlot High School. Given how it’s owned by one of the most prosperous groups in the city, it was hardly surprising.

But it also left Micro suspicious when he first saw it. Why would they make an off-location research facility this large?

Flash and Sol walked right up to the front doors of the facility. They both wore a different set of disguises. Both wore a pair of dark green coveralls and black hard hats. Flash had worn a bald cap and a brown goatee and fake eyebrows to hide his features while Sol opted for a blonde wig and a bushy beard for his disguise. The guitarist held out an ID card up to scanner. The light went green as the doors opened for them.

“Nice. We got in without a hitch.”

“I was hoping that worked, this beard is itchy.” Sol complained as he scratched his chin.

Last night, Micro had used the drone to scan an employee’s badge and made a copy for them to gain entry. As for their choice of disguises, Sandalwood had made a suggestion:

“You wanna get an all-access pass, be the guy that cleans the place up.”

Given that they would have to potentially slip past restricted areas, the two teens agreed.

“Try wearing a bald cap. Now let’s see…” Flash unfolded a copy of the map Micro received from Anony-Mister. “It says here that the lab’s supposed to be in section C. Right now we’re in section A, so we gotta cross the building through section B.”

“Then let’s go and smash the thing.”

While the two made their way to their destination, a certain tour was taking place through section B.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sparkle.” The facility manager greeted. He was a middle aged man dressed in a pair of slacks, loafers, a buttoned down, and a white lab coat. A pair of safety goggles was on top his head. “My name is Basic Acid, the manager of this facility.”

“You as well, Mr. Acid.” Twilight shook his hand. “Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to see what this facility has to offer.”

“Please don’t mention it. After reading your resume, the company head was impressed by your work ethic and experience. She just wants to make sure that you’re dedicated toward the betterment of human health that ChangeMaker advocates for, hence the tour.”

“I’ll do my best to live up to those expectations.” She said in determination.

“Jolly good. Let us begin.” He led the intelligent girl throughout the facility. They peered through the motion capture labs where they test rehabilitation devices for the physically impaired. Following that was the construction lab where they manufacture the prototypes for testing.

In addition, she was given a brief history lesson over the founding of ChangeMaker, where the company president, Chrysalis, started the organization from the ground up nearly two decades ago. She desired to improve the medical field to help her twin sons, Thorax and Pharynx, due to a rare, genetic condition they have where their eyes are unable to filter light properly.

They had to wear special goggles to protect their eyes lest normal light burn their retinas.

“Right here is the chemistry lab, where our team of pharmacists and researchers work on developing new forms of medicine.” The facility manager explained to Twilight Sparkle, who avidly took notes.

The rest of the tour continued, where she was led around various rooms that the facility had to offer. She had to admit, it was quite expansive despite being an off-location building.

“Geez…and I thought the Faust warehouse was like a maze. This place is something else.” Sol commented as they backtracked through another hall. While they had a map of the building layout, it was difficult to determine their proper location as all the hallways looked the same.

Fortunately, as they walked through, none of the other workers or researchers batted an eye at them. It was strange, but they didn’t complain.

“Well, after going back through this hall, we just need to make a right down another corridor and there we’ll find the lab in the middle of the next hall.”

But as they followed the map, they were faced with a dead end….literally. Instead of a path to the laboratory like there was supposed to be, they faced a blank, solid wall.

“Wait…this can’t be right.” Flash checked the map again, but realized they followed it to the letter. “It should be right here!”

“Guess Micro was right.” Sol groaned as he leaned against the blank wall. “Should’ve known it was just a prank.” But after he put his weight on the surface, the wall seemed to indent.

The fighter let out a very manly yelp as a section of the wall slid up and he fell backward into a new hallway.

“Whoa!” Flash exclaimed as he entered the newly revealed path. “No wonder we couldn’t find it. It was a hidden room.” He checked the map again. “I guess that explained the small, dotted line on the map. Nice work, Sol.”

“Happy to help!” Sol, while on his back, gave him a thumbs-up in the air.

Meanwhile, in another room, Blood Stalk could be seen overlooking a scientist putting the final modifications to the weapon Team Build sought out to destroy.

“Excellent work as always, Doctor.” Stalk complimented the man as he leaned against the wall. “But can’t you speed things up a little? I want to try it out as soon as possible.”

“You cannot rush perfection, Stalk.” The scientist snapped back. “You’ll have your weapon, as long as you hold up your end of the bargain!”

“Yes, yes…your family will be returned to you unharmed.” The Cobra waved him off. “As long as your work meets the expectations, you have nothing to worry about.”

Before he could continue, the inside of Stalk’s helmet received an alert. He responded and was shown a video feed from the concealed entrance.

“Well, hello….what is this?” He mused as he saw two workers stumble upon their hidden door….one of them quite literally. But once the two entered the newly revealed hallway, they donned new, familiar disguises. He then saw them take care of the robots that he placed on guard duty with ease. “…Interesting…”

“Wh-what?” The scientist questioned.

“Never you mind. Also, you now have under a minute to finish.” He replied as he plopped into a randomly placed chair. “I suggest you start hurrying now.”

After her tour had concluded, Twilight had lunch in the facility’s mess hall. She had excused herself to the restroom to wash her hands.

However, when she made her way back, she noticed something quite odd.

She could’ve sworn when she entered the bathroom, there had been a solid wall to her right. Now there was an open pathway leading somewhere else in the facility.

She didn’t think that it was possible. She initially chalked it up to her eyes playing tricks on her, but given the existence of mysterious organizations like Faust and the danger they pose, she began to feel wary.

Her first thought was that she would inform Basic about this. But she immediately dashed the idea, as it may be possible that he already knew about the wall and kept it hidden for some reason.

If he wanted it to be known to the public, he probably would’ve explained that there was a hidden door like this.

And she wasn’t completely certain….but she heard some noises down the hall. Some of it was the faint beat of techno music while others were crashing sounds.

Her curiosity propelled her before her mind could register. Before she realized it, she had entered the hall and followed the noise.

“Kinda eerie down here.” Flash said as he and Sol, now in their hooded disguises, walked through the halls. “Like we could get jumped any moment.”

“That already happened.” Sol said as they left the remains of the Faust Guardians behind them. Halfway through the hall and they were already attacked by the robots. Fortunately there were few in number so they were able to handle them with ease. All Sol needed was to punch through their chassis to break them. “Please don’t jinx us again; I’ve had enough close calls in the past week.” He then gestured to the series of pipes that lined the walls. “And what do you think these pipes for? We didn’t see anything like them in the rest of the building. Could they be for Faust?”

“Not to sure. But I think we know someone who might. Crozz?” The musician requested as the blue, mechanical dragon flew up from Sol’s pocket and faced the pipeline. Since they were indoors, a drone would draw too much attention of they needed to scan their surroundings. Fortunately, when he built Crozz, he installed a camera and scanner system just like the drone to keep an eye on Sol. He also upgraded their masks to include a built-in communicator so they could keep in contact without using their phones.

Crozz’s eyes blinked as a light scanned over the length of the pipes. Both teens activated their comms. “Hey Micro. Think you can figure out what these pipes are for? Sol thinks they might be related to Faust in the weapon.”

“I’m scanning right now and…oh….oh no…” His voice was laced with dread and did not sit comfortably with the two.

“…how bad is ‘oh no’?” Sol questioned.

“Uh, guys? I’m running a scan on these pipes and….well….oh, heck, I’m just gonna say it. They’re carrying Nebula Gas through the building!”

“Wait, what?!” Flash exclaimed. “But I thought you could only get the gas from Pandora’s Box!”

“You can. However, we have found another source to exploit.” Stalk cut in as he approached the two with a strange weapon in his hands. It looked just like the blade attachment he had on his Transteam Gun the other day. It looked like a barrel of a gun. But it had a black handle, a scope on top, and a gold blade jutting from the end. On its side was a red valve. Attached to his hip was the Transteam Gun. “Hey! It’s been a while, you too. Well….not really.”

“Why are you here?!” The two teens fell into fighting stances upon seeing the Cobra.

“What do you mean you found another source?” Flash demanded, wanting an answer.

“It’s as I said.” Stalk shrugged. “A little lesson, kiddies. When Pandora’s Box fell to Earth 18 years ago, you didn’t think it wouldn’t have drastic effects, now did you?”

He received no answer. He continued. “As you already know, the Box is what produces the Nebula Gas that is needed for Smash experiments and your little power ups. However, when it crashed, it was buried deep into the earth, spewing gas like crazy. An abundant amount seeped into the earth and reacted with pre-existing gas pockets. They eventually formed underground pockets of Nebula Gas.”

He then spread out his arms in a grandiose manner. “And you know the best part? This very facility’s main purpose is to extract the gas from those very pockets!”

“Wait, what?!” A female voice cried out in shock. If the Team hadn’t been startled by the revelation before, they were now upon recognizing the voice.

All eyes focused on Twilight Sparkle, who couldn’t believe what she just heard. “ChangeMaker…is working for….Faust?”

“Well, I say it’s more along the lines of a business partnership.” Stalk shrugged.

“WAIT!” All eyes turned to a new voice down the hall on Stalk’s end. A middle aged man with a disheveled appearance ran at them. “A deal’s a deal, Stalk! I did what you asked! Now let my family go!”

“Oh yeah…that’s right. Forgot about you…” He glanced over at the man before he faced the teenagers again. “By the way, you’re probably wondering what this does, yes? After all…it’s what you came here to destroy.” He held up the blade weapon, the Steam Blade, for them to see.

Flash blanched, realizing they were too late to destroy the weapon while Sol was confused.

“…Wait, THAT’s the weapon? Didn’t we see you with that last week? What can it possibly do?”

“I’m so glad you asked.” The Cobra spun the red valve on the blade.

“DEVIL STEAM!”

A mass of blue gas gathered on the tip of the blade. He swung his arm and the glowing mass shot out and engulfed the scientist who let out a pained scream and collapsed on the floor.

“What did you just do?!” Twilight screeched in horror.

“Oh, relax missy. He’s not dead…something better is happening.” Stalk waved her off.

Within the cloud, the scientist’s body shifted and warped as he thrashed around. The cloud soon dissipated, revealing his form for the others to see. Like the rest of the Smash, this new one had a humanoid appearance. Its body from the stomach down was covered in monochrome armor plating, while from the chest up it was covered in sharp, blue armor pieces that resembled icicles. Its shoulder pads had a series of tubes and nozzles that seemed to produce a chilling mist. Its head vaguely resembled a mix of a snowflake and an ice cube with a tube running down each side of its face.

“Lady and gentlemen? I present to you…the Ice Smash!” Stalk announced as if he were showcasing a new product.

Said Smash roared as it lumbered towards them.

“You see,” The Cobra continued, waving the Steam Blade. “With this guy here, I can administer Nebula Gas without the usual equipment. A wonderful invention, isn’t it?” The teens stood frozen by the alarming revelation. The weapon in Stalk’s hands could produce Smash with just a turn of a dial.

But as the danger rose and Stalk continued to laugh, Flash snapped out of his stupor and growled. “An invention like that….doesn’t belong in this world!” He donned the Build Driver and shook a pair of bottles.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!”

“FULLMETAL MOONSAULT!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

Build got into a fighting stance as he summoned the Drill Crusher.

“This again, huh?” The Cobra sighed as he quickly attached the Steam Blade to his Transteam Gun, becoming the Steam Rifle.

“RIFLE MODE!”

He then pulled out a familiar-looking item. “Well, let’s see how you can handle this, then.” After shaking the item, he plugged it into the Steam Rifle.

“FULLBOTTLE!”

“STEAM ATTACK!”

“What the-?! He has a Fullbottle, too?!” Sol exclaimed.

“Fullbottle?” Twilight appeared confused by the term.

“But how is that possible?!” Micro exclaimed from the lab. “Fullbottles could only be made through the Purifier…which WE have!”

“You’d be surprised by what we have in our arsenal.” Stalk replied as he aimed his weapon at the three. “But I think it’s high time you all took a nap.”

He pulled the trigger and a rocket shot at them.

Reacting quickly, Flash swung up and knocked the projectile into the ceiling. A hole was made as debris fell on top of him. Sol made sure to pull Twilight out of the way so she wouldn’t get hurt.

“It’s too dangerous to fight in here…” He quickly replaced his current Best Match for a new one.

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!”

“SKY HIGHVANDAL!”

“HAWK-GATLING!”

“YEAH!”

Flash in his HawkGatling form grabbed both Sol and Twilight and flew out of the hallway and into the skies.

“Don’t you just hate it when they run?” Stalk prodded the Ice Smash with his elbow. “C’mon!” With impressive physical capability, the two jumped up after them.

Given that she was new to the prospect of being carried by a flying, armored fighter, Twilight did the one thing that immediately came to mind.

“KYAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!”

…She screamed.

Given that she was now several meters above ground with only an arm holding her tightly to prevent her from falling to a gruesome demise….she had the right to freak out.

“Please calm down!” Flash tried his best to reassure her. “You’re going to be fine, we’re almost there!”

“Wh-where are you taking me?!”

“To an open area!” Sol answered her over the rushing wind. “We can’t fight those two indoors! We could end up bringing the building down!”

Before long, Flash landed in an empty construction site on the edge of the city. It had steel girders assembled into the structure of a building, but no workers were present. If Twilight hadn’t still been shaking from the experience, she would’ve dropped and hugged the earth.

“You think they’re behind us, Build?” Sol called Flash by his codename.

As if the universe answered instead, Stalk and the Ice Smash landed a few meters away from them, looking no worse for wear from the landing.

“…Yeah, pretty sure.” Flash said bluntly. He then called out the Hawk Gatlinger. “Get ready Cross-Z.”

“Right.” The fighter pressed a button on his wrist and the Beat Cross-Zer materialized in hand, a feat that greatly surprised Twilight even further. However, the moment he grasped it, Sol was surprised by the change it weight. It was slightly heavier than the last time he held it. But he did his best to hide his behavior from their foes.

“Well, isn’t this just like a standoff in the movies? Two of you and two of us in a fight, waiting to see who makes the first move.” Stalk commented as he hefted the Steam Rifle on his shoulder. “Why don’t I take the initiative?”

In a swift, fluid motion, Blood Stalk aimed his gun at Build and fired a burst of energy. The Rider was quick to evade by taking to the skies and countered with a flurry of energy Hawk projectiles. Stalk ran from the blasts while the Ice Smash and Sol charged at one another.

Twilight immediately scrambled for safety behind a construction crane the moment the conflict began.

Build and Stalk exchanged fire in the form of energy hawks and rockets while Sol swung his sword to try and cut the Smash. However, his inexperience with a bladed weapon shows in his sloppy technique and wasted movements. Furthermore, the blade’s added weight slowed down his swings, making them clumsy. Since he was unused to the sword’s weight, the Ice Smash didn’t have much of an issue blocking the strikes with its arms or tendrils.

Build spun the HawkGatlinger’s Revol-Magazine thrice to charge up his shots. The rate and power at which the projectiles were fired increased. However, Stalk didn’t seem to have trouble keeping up with the increased firepower at all.

The Cobra, then spun around, inserted the Rocket Bottle into the Steam Rife, and aimed it at the airborne Rider.

“FULLBOTTLE!”

“STEAM ATTACK!”

He pulled the trigger and another explosive projectile was fired. Flash tried to fly away to avoid it, but the rocket’s flight path was locked onto him. To his surprise, it seemed to be increasing in speed. No matter how fast he flew, it closed the distance. He could not shake it off no matter how much he maneuvered or cornered.

As he thought of a way to evade the missile behind him, he never noticed the second rocket Stalk had fired.

He ran into the second rocket, which allowed the first to catch up to him. He was swallowed in an explosion from both sides and fell to the ground in a smoking heap. The explosion had overloaded his armor’s damage meter, forcing him back to normal as all of his Fullbottles clattered around him.

“Probably should’ve kept your eyes forward.” Stalk advised as he waltzed up to him. His weapon hung lazily at his side while he tossed the Rocket Bottle up and down. He then caught it and dangled it in front of Flash’s face. “To think you were forced out of your transformation thanks to this little guy. Guess that shows you how big things come in small-hm?”

He was cut off as a magenta aura enveloped the Fullbottle and shot out of his hand.

“…Eh? EH?!” For once, Stalk was surprised to see the Rocket Fullbottle fly out of his grip like magic.

Flash lifted his head and saw that Twilight Sparkle had grabbed the item with her magic and grabbed it. “Got it!”

“…Okay, I’ll admit that little magic trick of yours was impressive, little girl.” Stalk complimented before he aimed his weapon at her. “But I’m gonna need that back. Preferably now.”

But while his eyes were off of him, Flash grabbed the nearest Fullbottle to him and took a page out of Sol’s book. He shook it and opened the cap, letting its power fuel him. With it, he tackled Stalk to the ground to prevent him from shooting her. He then got back up and ran over to Twilight. “Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you that!” Twilight countered.

“Well…” Stalk’s voice cut into their brief exchange. The Cobra-themed man rose and patted off some dirt from his armor. “I will admit you got some guts, boy. And look at you…you finally learned how to use the Fullbottles by themselves.”

“Spare me the flattery!” Flash spat back as he tried to shake a pair of bottles to transform. But he immediately realized that he only had the one that he grabbed while the rest were scattered. Not only that, the bottle he had was Panda, a Fullbottle that they had yet to find its Best Match. “Well, crap!”

Twilight noticed his predicament. As far as she knew, he needed two bottles to activate his armor, but he seemed to only have one in hand. She then looked to the Rocket Bottle she pilfered from Stalk. “Here, take this!”

She handed him the light blue, Inorganic bottle. Flash was surprised that she would give him something like this, but he certainly wasn’t complaining.

"Thanks," Flash said before he shook the bottles. Like before at Applewood Acres, Twilight was surprised by the series of equations that manifested in the air. He then twisted the caps and placed the bottles into the driver.

"PANDA!"

"ROCKET!"

"BESTMATCH!"

Flash looked down at the driver in shock, "Seriously?" What were the odds? He quickly smiled before spinning the crank, the armor beginning to form around him. Twilight stepped back so she wouldn’t get caught up in it.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

"Henshin!" The armor sections slammed into him and exuded a burst of steam.

“BLASTING OFF IN MONOCHROME!”

“PANDA-ROCKET!”

“YEAH!”

In this form, Flash’s armor was mixed with black and white and light blue pieces. The Organic sections were black and white in resemblance to a panda bear while the Inorganic sections had the streamlined design of a rocket. His left arm had an actual rocket for a fist and a set of thrusters for a shoulder pad. His right arm had a large, bear claw. His right eyepiece was a rocket in flight while his left was an image of a panda.

The Rider raised his fists and charged at Stalk. The Cobra chuckled as he tossed his weapon, grabbed it by the stock in a back handed grip, and charged in as well.

While they continued their fight, Sol continued to fight against the Ice Smash. Suffice to say, he wasn’t doing that well with the Beat Cross-Zer. He struggled in dealing damage to the Smash as whenever he got close, it would exude a mist from its tendrils.

The mist had been so cold that his parts of his body had layers of frost on them, hampering his mobility even further.

He even had a few close calls when he learned that it could shoot a volley of sharp icicles from its face. He had been lucky that his frozen pants caused him to trip and avoid the first volley. Ever since, he had been using the Beat Cross-Zer to bat away the icicles and remained on the defensive.

Crozz realized the level of danger and tried to devise a way to help its master. It then noticed the scattered Fullbottles that Build had dropped and got an idea.

It flew over to the scattered items. It picked up the Gatling bottle in its mouth and flung it up into the air. It landed perfectly in the slot in its back as its power filled its body.

“CROSS DRAGON!”

It then flew over to Sol’s fight with the Ice Smash.

The mechanical dragon opened its mouth and unleashed a barrage of blue fireballs. The blue monster scrambled from the rapid series of attacks, giving Sol an opening.

He nodded gratefully to Crozz as he quickly broke off the frost over his clothes. He only had one shot, so he had to take it out in one hit.

"Hope you got all the kinks worked out egghead," Sol grabbed the sword's pummel and pulled it.

HIT PARADE!

The power built, but this time the sword didn't explode. And as the Ice Smash rushed forwards, Sol swung the weapon towards it.

SMASH IT!

The blade became covered in dark blue fire at the apex of the swing. It descended and sliced through the Smash’s body like a hot knife through butter. The Ice Smash sparked before it exploded in a burst of green fire and gas. It lied on the ground motionless.

“Phew…that was tough.” He then raised the sword and stared at it. “This thing works great though.” He was going to have to train to get used to it. He then peered up to see Crozz flying toward him. “Thanks for the save buddy! Really appreciated it.”

“Burrah!”

As soon as the fighter and his pet dragon finished celebrating, he extracted the Smash essence with an Empty Bottle he got from Micro, and went to pick up the dropped Fullbottles. As he did so, Flash continued his fight with Stalk.

Unlike before, since he lost his main source of heavy ammunition, Stalk resorted to using his Steam Rifle as a close quarter’s weapon. Due to its weight and sturdy design, it made a very effective club. The blade at the end only added to its lethality.

However, Flash had also been armed with long, sharp claws and a rocket fist to properly parry the hits and deal damage himself. As Stalk tried to slug him with the Steam Rifle again, Flash parried the strike with his claws and punched him away with his Rocket fist.

Unfortunately, he got so caught up in the fight that he failed to realize where he punched the armored man to. Stalk tumbled and fell close to a hidden Twilight Sparkle. She immediately backed away, but Stalk immediately noticed her. He extended an arm and a black tendril wrapped around her leg and pulled her towards him.

She screamed as she tried to scramble away, but Stalk grabbed her.

“No!” Flash tried to rush to her aid, but Stalk stopped him by pressing the blade of his weapon to her neck.

“Uh, uh, uh….” The Cobra said. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.” He kept his grip on the lavender haired girl tight, preventing her from struggling. She whimpered upon feeling the cold steel pressed against her flesh.

“Damn you, Stalk….!”

“Now, Mr. Hero…” Stalk taunted as he kept his grip on Twilight tight. “Here we have a damsel in distress held captive by an evil, yet devilishly handsome villain with a blade to her throat. What will you do now?”

Flash growled as his mind went into overdrive. He needed to save Twilight, but Stalk had him in check. He couldn’t move without risking his friend getting hurt or killed by the Cobra. As he pondered, he noticed something dangling in the uppermost part of his vision. He subtly lifted his head and an answer popped into his mind.

He locked eyes at Twilight, and saw that she was looking directly at him. He subtly moved his rocket arm and lifted his head. He then pressed his claws together before he pulled them apart. He hoped that she noticed his actions and obscure message.

By the widening and upward tilt of her eyes, she had.

“What will I do…?” Flash asked back. Stalk watched him carefully as Twilight’s pendant glowed. “How about….THIS!”

He raised his rocket arm upward and the rocket shot off from his hand. It continued to soar until it struck through the cable that held the pile of steel I-beams up. Once the cable had been cut, the beams started to fall on top of the red armored man and his captive.

Stalk had been surprised by the action that he loosed his grip on the weapon. This gave Twilight enough of an opening to use her magic to telekinetically force her and Stalk apart. They were pushed away from the strike zone of the I-beams. Stalk tumbled onto his back while Flash caught Twilight in his arms.

“You okay?”

“I am now!”

“Good.” Flash nodded in relief. The rocket flew and he extended his arm. It flew through his shoulder and stopped at his hand. “Now it’s time to finish this.”

He stepped away from Twilight approached Stalk, who tried to pull himself up. “I’ve got the winning formula!” He slid a hand across his eyepiece before he turned the crank on his Driver.

“READY? GO!”

He was propelled by his thruster shoulder pad and flew like a rocket. A series of white dotted ellipses and loops appeared around and through the red armored man as Flash flew along the lines like a roller coaster. He struck Stalk with his claws with each pass.

The loops then tilted up, allowing Flash to ascend as he spun back around with his clawed hand extended.

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

“YEAH!”

He flew along the loop once and stabbed his hand into Stalk before the rocket dragged him around. He dragged his claws again on the second pass. With the third and final strike, Stalk exploded and became airborne.

But to their dismay, he landed in a crouch and laughed. “Hehe…so you really have gotten stronger…”

Flash landed and approached the villain, but stopped when he held up a hand. “Now hold on. I’ll tell you something in exchange for entertaining me. It’s about Faust.”

This caused the teens to pause. Seeing as he now had their attention, Stalk continued. “You see, Faust was the one who first created the Smash…but it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of a certain scientist…one I believe you’re well acquainted with…”

“A scientist?” Flash and the rest of Team Build paused at the implication. Realization then struck them. As far as they knew, only one scientist had been directly involved with the Smash. “No…But that’s….it can’t be…”

“Correct!” Stalk cheered as he spread his arms in glee. “The reason why Faust has been able to produce the Smash…is all thanks to one Gizmo Poindexter!”

“What did you say?!” Flash and the others couldn’t believe their ears. Twilight stood shell shocked by the revelation.

“Well then…” Stalk turned around. “What are you gonna do now?” Without waiting for a response, his body turned into a red mist and flew away.

“Was…was what he said really true?” Sol turned to Flash. “…about Gizmo helping Faust?”

“I….I don’t know but…no way…I don’t believe it.” Flash denied it. He didn’t want to admit that his friend’s brother was responsible for these disasters. “There…must be something we’re missing! We…we just need more answers!”

“….So do I!” Twilight exclaimed as she thrust her hands forward.

A magenta aura encased around Sol and lifted him a few inches off the ground.

“Wh-what the-?!” Sol cried out in surprise. “Wh-what’s going on?!” He moved his legs and tried to run out of the aura. But his legs were unable to gain traction. He struggled and moved to break free. He even tried to use the breast stroke to swim his way out.

If the situation hadn’t been so dire, Flash would’ve laughed at the ridiculous sight. “What are you doing?” Flash inquired of Twilight.

The girl had been using her free hand to telekinetically grasp Build like she did Sol, but something was wrong. Every time she tried to wrap her magic around him, it would somehow dissipate.

“I’m not letting you leave until I get answers!” Twilight exclaimed, frazzled by today’s events. “You two obviously know what’s going on, but you just leave whenever the danger is over! I’m tired of being left in the dark like this! People’s lives are in danger and you two don’t even explain anything!”

Flash remained still as Sol continued to struggle. As much as he wanted to give Twilight information, he just couldn’t. Knowing what they did would only put her and the others in danger. He needed to get Sol out of here fast. Fortunately, it seemed like her magic had no effect on the Build Armor.

“And don’t even try doing anything!” She continued. “I already called the police and they’re on their way here!”

Flash silently cursed. Things just got from bad to worse. Sol continued to flail and try to break free from the telekinetic hold, still having no clue what was happening to him.

Fortunately, their salvation came in the form of a small, mechanical blue dragon that swooped in. With the Gatling bottle still in its body, it fired blue fireballs at Twilight. It made sure not to attack her directly, so it aimed at the ground around her.

The bespectacled yelped as her grip on Sol slackened. As the aura faded, Flash jumped at the opportunity. Using the power of the Rocket bottle, he shot toward the fighter and grabbed him. While he flew, he also grabbed Crozz from the air as well.

Twilight coughed from the exhaust from the rocket filling the air around her. By the time it dissipated and she regained her bearings, the Masked Rider and his compatriots were out of sight.

“Darn it!” She cursed. “They got away….” She then heard groaning off to the side. She turned and saw the scientist that Stalk had transformed slowly regain consciousness.

Relieved that the man was okay, she rushed over to his side. “Are you okay?”

“Wh-what….?” The scientist mumbled as his eyes opened. “Wh….where am I?”

“You’re in a construction site. I called for help and they’re on their way. But that’s not important right now! I need you to tell me something! What do you know about that Cobra man? His name was Stalk, right?” The scientist looked at her in confusion as he scrunched his brow.

“I…I don’t know….I met him months ago but….I can’t recall anything else besides that….” Twilight frowned at this. Whatever the man went through, it must’ve induced memory loss of some sort.

Then the blare of sirens cut in as a series of police cars pulled up. The lead car opened the door as Lieutenant Shining Armor stepped out and rushed to his sister. “Twily? I got your call! Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine Shining…” She assured him.

“Just what happened here?” He looked around and saw the destruction in the construction site and the downed man.

Twilight proceeded to explain to Shining what had happened. She started with the research facility, where she learned that ChangeMaker had been extracting a substance called Nebula Gas from the Earth and how an armored man named Blood Stalk was in league with them. Then she explained Build and Cross-Z saving her and leading Stalk and the Smash he made, which she pointed out was the scientist on the ground, to an area free of civilians to minimize collateral damage.

“…Okay, I can believe that Build and Cross-Z are involved. But a Cobra man turning people into Smash with a sword-gun, AND a mechanical dragon? Not to mention ChangeMaker being involved with a shady group like Faust? I think you probably hit your head during the commotion, Twily.” He said in disbelief.

“I’m telling you, it’s true!” She argued. She didn’t understand why he didn’t believe her! He knows about magic from the misadventures her friends got into! He saw what happened at the Friendship games!

“Yeah, sure. C’mon, let’s get you out of here and checked for a possible concussion.” As Twilight protested, she failed to notice the odd look in her brother’s eyes.

“…I don’t believe it.” Micro shook his head in denial. “He’s got to be lying!”

After Flash and Sol had returned to the hidden lab, they explained everything they learned from their mission to Micro and Sandalwood. They were disappointed they were unable to destroy the weapon, but were pleased to obtain another Fullbottle in their possession.

At least now they didn’t have to worry about Stalk shooting rockets at them the next time they met.

But when they told him about what Stalk had told them about Faust and Gixmo, Micro just lost it. He vehemently refused to believe that his brother would assist those monsters in any way, shape, or form.

“Dude.” Sol told him. “While I think we can all agree that Stalk is an asshole, you can’t deny that he’s been nothing but brutally honest with us so far.”

“So? Doesn’t mean he’s incapable of lying!” Micro countered.

“But what if he isn’t?”

“My brother would never aid those criminals! He would never resort to human experimentation!”

“Well, given that you didn’t even know he had all this stuff, I guess you didn’t know your brother as well as you thought!” Sol snapped back.

“Why you-!”

Before they could start a fist fight that would inevitably be in Sol’s favor, Sandalwood and Flash pulled them apart.

“Guys, cut it out! Now’s not the time to be fighting like this!” Sandalwood shouted.

“He’s right.” Flash agreed. “Besides, think about it. All Stalk said that it was thanks to Gizmo they could make people into Smash. What if he meant it differently?”

“What do you mean?” Sol asked as he and Micro settled down.

“I mean, what if he meant that instead of Gizmo being directly responsible, Faust was just using his research on Nebula Gas to make it possible?”

“But I thought all his research was locked in this room. How would they even access it?” Sandalwood asked.

“Maybe he had copies?” Flash added. “I mean, don’t all scientists and researchers have backups of their findings?”

“That’s true….yeah….yeah that’s it. That has to be it.” Micro said, desperate to believe that to be the case. “Faust must’ve gotten Gizmo’s research, which they used for their experiments. I knew he wouldn’t do it…”

“But…didn’t he say-?” Sol was about to say that it was just a possibility, but Flash covered his mouth before he could finish and shook his head. While the theory wasn’t disproved, he didn’t want Micro to think that his brother would aid in human experimentation. The fighter got the silent message from the look in Flash’s eye and relented.

As soon as the situation calmed down, Sol took the opportunity to discuss the other elephant in the room. “Okay, now that we got that cleared up…..can someone please explain just what Twilight did to me back there? It was like she had me in some kind of tractor beam or something!”

The other boys looked at one another unsure. “Well…” Sandalwood began. “It’s a long story, dude.”

“I’m not going anywhere, so I have time.” Sol crossed his arms. The three teens then explained the existence of magic, how it all started when their friend, Sunset Shimmer, first came from another world through a portal in the school’s statue. How it led to her stealing a magical crown from a Princess in that world, how said princess came to this world to steal it back, and how she repaired the friendship of the Rainbooms after Sunset severed their bonds and brought the students together.

They also had to explain that Sunset used to be nice before she gradually became evil and a bully, all because she wanted a shortcut to what she thought she deserved and didn’t know another way. It was then Sol realized what the mistake Sunset told him about had been.

Then they explained the Fall Formal incident, where Sunset got the crown, but changed into a raging She-Demon from its influence. But the Princess, who was the counterpart of their Twilight Sparkle, and the Rainbooms used the magic of Friendship to blast Sunset with a Rainbow laser and everything went back to normal, where Sunset got a second chance to redeem herself.

It was months later where three transfers came in for the Musical Showcase at school. In reality, the three girls were magical sirens who instilled conflict to the people around them and feed off their negative emotions. It was also their fault that the Musical Showcase became a battle of the bands, where the unified students split up into their various factions like how it was before princess Twilight’s arrival.

Flash admitted that it was his worst moment. Where he made Princess Twilight cry during the Battle, and openly antagonized her and Sunset Shimmer, who only wanted redemption.

They then explained that Flash had a thing for the Princess, but was later told by Sunset it wouldn’t work out due to the interdimensional aspect and other factors.

They continued with explaining how the Rainbooms were able to utilize magic while playing their instruments. And during the finale where the Sirens were at their apex strength, Sunset helped the Rainbooms defeat them and everything went back to normal….until the Friendship Games with Crystal Prep.

That was when their Twilight Sparkle, or Sci-Twi, showed up and revealed to be a Crystal prep student who studied the magical incidents they had previously. During the games, the girls had demonstrated feats of magic. But the device Sci Twi made siphoned off their magic, making things even more complicated during the competition.

It wasn’t until the final part of the games where things got crazy, where the Principal of Crystal Prep Abacus Cinch, forced Sci Twi to release the magic she stored, which turned her into another She Demon called Midnight Sparkle, who opened up interdimensional tears and put everyone in danger.

She was stopped by Sunset, who also transformed into a being called Daydream Shimmer, and everything went back to normal.

Following that was the incident at Camp Everfree, where the girls obtained magical geodes that let them use magic powers and stop the Camp Director, Gloriosa Daisy, who went mad from the magic, from keeping everyone trapped at camp forever.

They explained to Sol that the magic the Rainbooms had varied. Fluttershy can talk with animals. Applejack had super strength. Rainbow Dash had super speed. Rarity can make diamond shields. Pinkie Pie could make sugar confections into explosives. Twilight had telekinesis. And finally, Sunset Shimmer could read minds and memories.

At that last bit of information, Sol was greatly relieved that Sunset hadn’t used that on him during his grieving moment.

After all was said and done, the fighter remained silent as he processed the long story.

“…okay.” He finally spoke. “At first, I thought this Smash and Faust business were crazy…but that definitely takes the cake. I heard of magic from Las Pegasus, but didn’t think actual magic was a thing.” He then turned to Flash. “So…you seriously had a thing for a Princess that was a magical talking pony in her universe?”

The musician blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah…I was pretty naïve back then. Should’ve known something like that could never happen.”

“....wait a minute....if Princess Twilight was a Pony from another world....doesn’t that make Sunset a pony too?”

“Yeah. I thought we already established that.”

“Sorry, it just clicked in my head.”Sol never even guessed that the fiery haired girl was actually a pony from another world.

As their discussion continued, Sandalwood had taken the liberty of turning on the news. Given what happened, it would be best if they kept up to date. He landed on a news channel of his choice, and was surprised to see who was on screen. “Uh, guys? You might want to see this.” The rest of his friends joined him at the monitor and were surprised who they saw.

It was a middle-aged woman with black skin and bluish green hair that fell down to her waist. She was dressed in a gray business suit that hugged her frame nicely as she stood professionally. Her eyes were a bright shade of green that had an ambitious spark to them.

This was Chrysalis, the CEO and founder of ChangeMaker Incorporated. And she was in the middle of a press conference. But their full attention was directed at the headline of the news story.

Build and Cross-Z: Friends or Foes?

“In all my years, I have never seen anyone else with a complete disregard of human safety.” The woman announced. “Not only did they sneak into a secret, corporate owned facility, but they caused collateral damage in the form of rockets and explosions near top secret projects. Not to mention they somehow brought one of those Smash monsters of all things into the facility and start a fight. Just where had the Smash even come from in the first place? It certainly wasn’t present before their appearance.”

The implications of her statement went unsaid as some people started to put the pieces together. Her response to a reporter’s question about the incident continued, further painting them in a negative light. “Whatever is creating these Smash monsters is nothing but pure Devil Science. The public may view these….Riders as heroes. But they are simply menaces that need to be stopped before they cause further harm.”

“What the hell? That ain’t what happened!” Sol exclaimed. “That was all Stalk’s doing!”

“Yeah. But don’t forget about the Nebula Gas pipes we found in her facility. She’s probably trying to cover up the incident.” Micro explained.

“But why?” Flash asked. “What would she have to gain from all this?”

None of them had an answer as the conference continued. The media continues to hound her with questions. Some of which included:

“How did they gain entry?”

“There had been sightings of a Cobra man near the facility. Is he related in any way?”

“What projects were in danger?”

“Were they truly responsible for the Smash in the first place?”

Chrysalis answered each and every one of them easily. Whether with a straight answer or a twist to the truth. As for the final question, she left the implication float above their heads with a question of her own: Is there really other explanation?

The Press Conference came to a close as the woman walked off stage.

Team Build could only stare in silence as they had been condemned by a woman who is likely working with Faust given the findings. This no doubt was a plan to slander their name to keep a target off her back for the incident.

Given the division of opinions broadcasted following the conference….it appeared to have worked.

“Well, that was certainly tiring.” Chrysalis sighed as she lounged in her office. Once the conference had ended, she went straight to her private office on the top floor of ChangeMaker Incorporated. She had kicked off her heels and plopped onto the sofa, shedding part of her professional persona to try and relax.

However, her moment of reprieve came to a halt when her phone rang. Growling, she went over and picked it up. “Hello?”

“Yo, Chryssy! What’s up?” Stalk greeted through the phone. “Saw the news, and I must say that the camera caught your good side.”

“Enough with the pleasantries, Stalk.” Chrysalis said, irritation evident in her voice. “What do you want?”

“Like I said. Saw the news and saw that you condemned the Rider for what we did. Look at you shifting the blame like that.”

“This all happened because you couldn’t stop him from causing collateral damage. You couldn’t even stop him before he got in.” She accused. “All I did was to save face and dissuade public support so we can advance in our plans with less interference.”

“Fair point. Now things can progress smoothly.”

“Speaking of which, what is the progress on the new weapon system you promised? I want results.”She demanded.

“Don’t worry, I’m working on it. By the way, how’s that little present I sent you?”

“You mean the test subject? I will admit that he’s exceeded all expectations. Just a few weeks and his Hazard Level has reached 3.7. Just where did you find this unique specimen?” Her voice sounded that she was actually impressed.

“All honesty. It was just pure, dumb luck. But hey. Who’s complaining?”

“Quite. Now is that all? I must get back to filling out the paperwork to repair the damages you caused.”

“Right, right. Well, see you sometime, Chryssy.”

She hung up without further reply.

Stalk stared at the phone and frowned under his helmet. “Geez. What an uptight woman.”

“Stalk.” Night Rogue called as he approached him. “Just who were you talking to?”

“Just one of our informants. Nothing more.” The Cobra smoothly lied as he approached the Bat. “What’s up?”

“Given how you successfully obtained the upgrades to the Steam Rifle, yet lost the Rocket Fullbottle to Build, I believe it is time to initiate the next phase of our plan to acquire Pandora’s Box.”

Stalk winced at the second part of the statement. He knew the Bat man was pissed at him for losing such an important item. But he ignored it and acted nonchalant. “But how will we do that? I mean, we tried raiding the Research Center, but those guys will have it locked up tight now.”

“I know. This is precisely why our next step is to get our hands on someone who’s studied the Box and is quite knowledgeable about it. And I know just the person.” He held up a data pad and scrolled to a designated image.

An image of Misty Veil.

The rest of the team left with heavy hearts while Micro remained in the lab a while longer. He didn’t need a ride home as he brought his motorized scooter along.

After what happened in the last few hours, he wanted to be left alone.

Not only was his brother’s research data being used by a terrorist and/or criminal organization, but now the attention to Build and by extension, Cross-Z, had skyrocketed. He checked the Build Blog and to his dismay, was flooded with comments, arguments, refutations, and so forth.

Now the media would keep a more critical eye on their activities, making it harder for them to move to stop Faust.

In one of the rare instances of his life, Micro had no idea what to do now.

As he sighed, his brother’s laptop beeped again, receiving another email. He had a feeling that it was same person who contacted him before. Sure enough, it was the same address. He pulled up the email and read its contents.

Dear Micro Chips,

I have seen you and your team at work back at the facility. It’S unfortunate that you were unable to destroy the weapon, but you accomplished and disCovered the truth behind ChangeMaker. That in itself is quite the victory. Please do not be discouraged little micro-mite. You and your team did the best they couLd.

Now that you know of the company’s deAlings with Faust, your quest for the truth will only be that much harder.

Fortunately for you, you have a hidden weapon locked away amongst the Secrets of Gizmo Poindexter. All you need to do is solve the puzzle and bring it to light.

Well, hope to what I’ve said Helps.

Godspeed little micro-mite,

Anony-Mister.

Micro stared at the message in shock. It wasn’t due to how Anony-Mister seemed to know what they had been doing. No…it was the nickname he used in the message:

Little micro-mite.

That was impossible. There was only one person who called him that, and he’s been missing for six months! Was….was he alive? Could this Anony-Mister be….?

Be quickly shook off such thoughts. If it really were Gizmo, then he would have no reason to act all mysterious and secretive like this. He had always been a blunt type of person. So why would he beat around the bush?

Furthermore, there was something else about the message that confused him. The series of capitalized letters in random parts of the text. And when he took a closer look, he realized that they were also bolded.

Could he be trying to type out a message of some kind? Was this a message discretely telling him something about his brother’s research?

Steeling himself, he pulled up the file search on the super computer and typed in the letters.

S-C-L-A-S-H

As soon as he hit enter, a few windows popped up with streaming lines of code and data. They disappeared and reappeared until a different window opened up that read:

ACCESS GRANTED

A single file pulled itself up on the monitor. He clicked on it and opened up another series of videos, research data, and schematics.

The title of the folder stared right in his face and reflected off his glasses.

Project Sclash.

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hello Everyone. That concludes chapter seven of To Build the Winning Formula.

Before you guys ask, yes, the puns that Flash made in the beginning were not the best I could come up with. Even now they feel awkward and forced to me. Trying to whip up humor in instances like that isn't my strong suit. Hope you all liked it though.

Just when the team thought they got a break, a series of crazy events take place, and everything is built up for more insanity.

Please stay tuned to see what happens next!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket

Also, for those unfamiliar with the Build series, the name Cross-Z is pronounced as Crozz. I honestly didn't know this myself.

Chapter 8: Mother of all Mysteries

Two days after the ChangeMaker facility incident, Twilight sat at a booth in Sugarcube corner. She had been anxious ever since what took place the other day. As soon as she arrived home after Shining took her to the hospital for a checkup, she contacted her friends.

She told them how she had been present at the actual fight and learned more about Faust and its origins. She couldn’t explain everything over the phone, so she told them all to meet at Sugarcube Corner on Monday after school.

She would’ve scheduled a meeting on Sunday, but her parents kept her at home. They believed Shining’s claim that she hit her head and wanted her to take it easy after the incident.

She kept telling them that she was fine, coherent, and lucid, but they still kept her at home.

“We’re here!” Pinkie Pie announced as she, Sunset, and Rarity joined Twilight at the booth.

“Good. Where are the others?”

“They said they were on their way.” Sunset told her.

“Sorry we’re late.” Rainbow apologized as she, Fluttershy, and Applejack entered. “I had to get my cast off at the doctor’s. I’m one hundred percent good to go now!”

After the girls got seated, their meeting began. “Well, now that we’re all here, would you please tell us everything that happened Saturday, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

The bespectacled girl nodded as she explained everything that happened on Saturday after her ChangeMaker tour. How she found a hidden hallway in the building and followed where it led. Then she explained that she walked in on a conversation Build and Cross-Z were having with a red, cobra-themed, armored man named Stalk.

The information she learned was unsettling, a sentiment that her friends shared upon being told.

“Hold up!” Rainbow Dash stopped her story. “You’re telling me ChangeMaker’s somehow mining this Nebula Gas stuff for Faust?!”

“Shh!” Twilight shushed her. “Not so loud! The walls could have ears!”

“Oh, sorry…” The athlete calmed down. “But still, that’s just crazy! Like, you just walked in on a complete conspiracy!”

“What I find more troubling is what the Nebula Gas is used for.” Sunset added. “If Faust does have a weapon that uses it to make people into Smash….then virtually no one is safe anymore.”

“And it gets even worse…” Twilight grimaced.

“Well, don’t leave us hanging, Sci-Twi.” Pinkie urged. “What happened next?”

She then explained how after turning the scientist that worked for him into a Smash, Stalk fired a rocket at them. Build deflected it to the ceiling, and grabbed her and Cross-Z to change locations to minimize collateral damage.

Afterwards, she reiterated the battle the two fighters had against Stalk and the Ice Smash, granted she paid more attention to Build’s fight. She told them of how she plundered the Fullbottle item Stalk had after he blasted Build twice. He then saved her from getting shot, and saved her again from a hostage situation.

“Goodness!” Rarity gasped. “He had a blade to your neck and held you hostage? Why, you must’ve been terrified darling!”

“Yeah, it was pretty scary.”

“How did you escape?” Fluttershy questioned.

“Well…” She then explained how Build relayed a message to her using subtle motions. She didn’t get it at first. But the way he tilted his head up caused her to follow suit with her eyes. She then saw the load of steel I-beams above them and figured out his message. After that, he performed a Voltech Finish attack using his new set of bottles that defeated Stalk.

But upon his defeat….he revealed a critical piece of information about Faust.

“So…let me get this straight.” Sunset interrupted. “The reason why Faust has the ability to turn people into these Smash monsters…is all because of Gizmo Poindexter? The scientist that went missing?”

“That’s what he said.” Twilight nodded. “I also tried to get more info from Build and Cross-Z after Stalk vanished. But…it was weird…” She glanced down at her geode.

“Whaddaya mean?” Applejack asked.

“I mean….I used my magic to keep them in place…or tried to. I was able to keep a hold of Cross-Z rather easily. But when I tried to grab Build…it was as if my magic didn’t work on him.”

This revelation caused the girls to stare at her with wide eyes. “….Can you please elaborate?”

“Whenever I tried to grab him using my magic…it was almost as if the magic would dissipate when it comes in contact with his armor.”

“So…it’s pretty much like how our magic didn’t work on the Smash we fought weeks ago?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“That’s exactly it.” Twilight nodded. “I kept trying to get a hold of him, but their little mechanical dragon distracted me. Before I knew it, Build grabbed his partner and fled. I tried getting answers from the scientist that Stalk transformed, but he had a form of memory loss, likely from the trauma of the transformation. He didn’t even remember that his family had been held hostage…”

“How horrible…” Fluttershy trembled.

“So…what now?” Rainbow Dash asked. “At least we know that Build and Cross-Z aren’t total monsters like Chrysalis said. They’re the good guys! They saved people!”

“But we still don’t know if we can trust them.” Sunset added. “They obviously know more than they let on, and refuse to disclose it to anyone else.”

“So whaddaya suppose we do now?” Applejack questioned.

“Well, we at least know a name.” The bespectacled girl said. “The missing scientist, Gizmo Poindexter, is definitely involved one way or another.”

“Gizmo…isn’t he…?” Pinkie began.

“Yeah…” Twilight nodded solemnly. “…he’s Micro Chips’ brother.”

“So…you think he might know something?” Rainbow questioned.

“I don’t know. From what he’s told me, he hasn’t had contact with his brother for over six months.”

“But what if that changed since then?” Sunset suggested. “If Faust and the Smash really are his doing, then what if he got into contact with him when they started to appear?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think that’d be it. If it really was his fault, why would he reach out to his brother instead of hiding under the radar? And if he did make contact, he would’ve told the police to try and find him.”

“Would he really do that though? His brother got accused of murder, something that Micro absolutely refuses to believe. If anything, I think he’d try to prove his innocence somehow.” Rarity said.

“Well, all this back an’ forth is getting us nowhere.” Applejack said. “There are just too many things to keep track of. I mean, how do we even know for sure if Micro knows something? It could just be coincidence.”

“Maybe. But I have noticed something the past few weeks.” Sunset said.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“Haven’t you girls noticed that Micro, Sandalwood, Flash, and Sol all seem to hang out at every instance they have free time?”

“Yeah, but isn’t that normal for friends to hang out like that?” Pinkie asked.

“Maybe. But as far as we know, Sol is new to town and shouldn’t really know people that well. Yet back on his first day, he seemed like he knew the three despite not having met them before.”

“Didn’t he say they helped him outside of school though?”

“He did. But he never clarified what, even when I asked him. Not to mention the other day when…” She trailed off. She wasn’t sure if she should bring this up to her friends, as it seemed like it was a personal matter to Sol.

“Other day? What happened?” Twilight asked. The rest of the Rainbooms were just as eager to know.

Sighing, Sunset finally relented. She hoped that Sol would forgive her if he ever found out.

“Well…it’s like this…” She explained to them what happened after she got off work, how she came across Sol Burner, injured and on the verge of crying. He looked like a frightened child blaming himself. After they talked, he disclosed that he made a terrible mistake where his friends would pay the price for his impatience. It led to her admitting her own mistakes back at the Fall Formal, minus the magic involved. But she was glad her story and the lesson she learned helped him back on his feet. Looking back, those friends might have been Flash and the others.

When she finished, her friends stared silently. “…Whoa…that….that sounded pretty heavy.” Rainbow admitted. She never would’ve guessed Sol Burner would act like that.

“And this mistake…you think it might somehow be related to whatever Micro and the others were doing?” Twilight asked.

“It seemed that way.” The flame haired girl admitted. “But I can’t really say for sure.”

“Oh, hello there!” A new voice cut into their conversation. All seven heads turned to the source of the voice. To their surprise, it was a young man in his early to mid twenties. He stood at slightly above average height with a medium build. He had a clear, pale white complexion, piercing red eyes, and sterling silver hair tied in a ponytail. He was dressed in a pair of dark slacks, loafers, a white buttoned shirt, and a green apron. He wore a pair of spectacles over his eyes and a straw fedora on his head. In his hands were a paper pad and pen. In the girls’ opinion, he greatly resembled one of those pretty boy characters from anime Fluttershy watches.

“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner. I’m sorry for the delay, but I was preoccupied with another assignment. My name is Silver Speech, and I’ll be your waiter today. So, have you decided what you’ll be having?”

The girls were surprised by his sudden appearance. Pinkie Pie looked at him in scrutiny. “Say…I haven’t seen you around here before. Are you new?”

“Why yes. This is my first day on the job.” Silver Speech smiled. “I’ve always wanted to run my own café, and I hope working with the Cakes here will give me some experience?”

“Really?” The party planner asked with wide eyes. “That sounds amazing! I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from Mr. and Mrs. Cake! They helped teach me all I know about baking! I wish you luck!”

“Why thank you. Now, about your orders…”

To avoid arousing suspicion from their meeting, the girls placed in an order for three milkshakes, two iced teas, and two lattes. Pinkie also ordered three cake pops and two types of cookies. Once Silver left the table, the girls returned to their discussion.

They debated on the possibility of Micro, Flash, Sandalwood, and Sol being somehow involved with Gizmo’s research. Admittedly, it was a long shot given a lack of evidence. However, it was all they had to go on in order to learn more about Faust.

“…So we’re all in agreement?”

“Yeah. We’ll be keeping an eye on those four for now.” Twilight nodded before she turned to Sunset. “By the way, has Princess Twilight found anything yet?”

“Unfortunately, no. She still hadn’t found anything…”

Ever since their first few Smash attacks, Sunset had taken the liberty of writing to Princess Twilight about them. She made sure to entail how their magic didn’t seem to affect the first Smash in the slightest. She tried to describe the monsters as much detail as she could so she may be able to find something. At first, she thought the reason for these monsters was due to some new form of Equestrian magic.

However, even after weeks of searching, she still couldn’t find anything. According to the Princess, there are no records or even mentions of monsters like the Smash. And the man in armor she and Applejack saw, Night Rogue, yielded no results either.

And now with this revelation regarding Stalk, Gizmo, and the Nebula Gas, they may not even be dealing with Equestrian Magic at all.

“…And after what you told me, I don’t think we’re dealing with magic anymore…”

Later…

Meanwhile, at the lab, Sol watched as Micro fiddled with Crozz. Right next to him on the table was a newly made Fullbottle. It was colored red and resembled that of a fire truck.

"So what exactly are you doing to him?" Sol asked.

"Just working on an idea Sandalwood gave me," he replied as he finished resetting the wires and placed the side back on him. As soon as it was bolted down, Crozz's eyes flickered on and the little dragon flew back into the air with its tiny roar.

Sol smiled as he rubbed the top of his head. "Morning bud." He turned to Micro, "So what did you do to him." Micro smiled before grabbing a bottle off the table and throwing it to Sol, who managed to catch it and saw it was the Ninja Fullbottle.

"Put it in him."

Sol did so and placed the bottle in Crozz's slot. As soon as he did, the little dragon opened its mouth before shooting out a light. That light hit the ground and a few seconds later, a 3D image of Sol appeared. "Wow," the real one walked around his copy, "neat."

"It's basically using the same principal as the Sketch Saber's cloning jutsu. A hard light hologram that can move and act just like the real thing."

"Sweet," Sol said as he prodded his copy, only for said copy to swat his arm away. "But what's it for?"

"Just in case we ever to have you and Cross-Z, or Flash and Build in the same place at the same time. People might get suspicious if they don't see the two of you together.”

“That makes sense. But so far, we haven’t really needed to do that. Is it really necessary?”

“Yes. You guys were lucky the first few times with the Rainbooms. But luck can’t hold out forever. Sunset and Twilight are sharp. They’d definitely know if something were off. Can’t be too careful.”

“Makes sense. Got it.” Sol nodded as he returned to interacting with his body double. As he did, he failed to notice Micro sighing in relief.

In truth, the intellectual’s main motives for installing this hard light copy feature into Crozz was due to a disturbing tip he received from Anony-Mister.

The mysterious sender pointed out that Twilight Sparkle had been present at the fight scene against Stalk and the Ice Smash, and actively tried to capture Build and Cross-Z. He then suggested being careful, as, in his words, “Twilight Sparkle was quite the resourceful girl with connections…colorful connections.”

Micro had been disturbed by the implications. He was already suspicious of Anony-Mister’s awareness of him and his friends, but how did he know about Twilight Sparkle and the Rainbooms? Did he also know about Equestrian Magic? He had so many questions but so few answers. He would’ve brushed him off and interrogated him for what he knew, but he couldn’t.

For he had three reasons why:

1) He had intel about Faust, which is what they desperately needed to stop them.

2) He knows them. Somehow, he knows that Team Build has been doing and what they are capable of. If he terminates the relationship they have, who’s to say he wouldn’t expose them and get the authorities, or even the government involved?

3) He knows something about his brother, Gizmo. That is the only explanation as to how he called him by the nickname only his brother gave him, as well as his Sclash Project.

Micro didn’t like keeping this from his friends. But he didn’t want to alarm them about this potential security leak. But even more so…he desperately needed answers for his brother. If he told them, then Sol would end up acting rashly that could end up terminating this connection. He couldn’t risk it.

After several minutes, Sol left the lab to try and work on his homework with Crozz in tow, leaving the bespectacled teen alone. After ensuring that he was alone, Micro pulled up a series of files on the supercomputer.

Currently, they were all encrypted; a security measure that Micro believed Gizmo placed to prevent hackers from reaching whatever was hidden. But he didn’t let this deter him.

If this Project Sclash truly did have the answers he sought, then he would decrypt them, no matter what it took.

“Man, that was delicious!” Scootaloo cheered as she and her family left the restaurant.

“Yeah. Never knew there were so many types of Po-Boy sandwiches.” Flash commented as he burped. “Never knew alligator was so tasty.”

“I agree.” Misty Veil said. Since she was given the afternoon off, she decided to take her family out for dinner. They ate at a southern restaurant that one of her co-workers recommended and it certainly did not disappoint. To think they had 37 different types of cuisine from New Orleans.

It was moments like these that the family of three savored. Misty rarely got time off due to the nature of her work. Her workplace became even more hectic due to recent events regarding the Smash and the Guardians. Her own schedule became even more packed since she was in charge of organizing a field trip for Canterlot’s High Schools to the Research Center next week. The only saving grace was that the head researcher, Twilight Velvet, was her co-lead organizer for the event.

Fortunately, they managed to get the details and plans handled, granting her some time off for today. She chose to spend it with her children, as she was seldom at home to share dinner with them recently.

However, all good things must come to an end.

As the trio walked back home, a series of black vans pulled up alongside them. They became boxed in as another set of vans cut off the block.

“What’s going on?” Scootaloo questioned while Flash became filled with dread. He recognized this formation. His fears came to light as Faust Robots hopped out of the van and encircled them. Their firearms were raised, halting the family in their place.

The crowd of robots parted as a figure in black and silver strolled toward them. Flash stifled as gasp as he saw Night Rogue approach, Steam Blade and Transteam Gun in hand.

“Misty Veil…” Night Rogue announced. “Come with us. Come quietly and your children will be unharmed. Resist and I cannot promise their safety.”

“Who…who are you people?!” The researcher shielded her children. “What do you want?”

“Who we are is none of your concern. Will you comply?”

“Let’s see…being surrounded by armed robots, held at gunpoint, and threatening my family while demanding I go with you to who knows where?” Misty Veil quirked a brow. “…You must think I am quite foolish, or you’re a fool yourself.”

Inwardly, Flash cheered at her mother mouthing off the bad guy. But dreaded upon what would happen now.

“So be it.” Night Rogue gestured to his minions as a pair approached Flash and Scootaloo, intent on grabbing them.

But the musician refused to let that happen. He kicked a rifle out of one of the Guardians’ hands grabbed it. He spun around and used the blade to slice through the arms of the other. While it was stunned, he spun the rifle around and bashed it against the robot’s helmet. He then turned and fired at the line of robots that tried to close in from behind.

“Flash?!” Both Mother and daughter stared at his incredible feet. The tomboy wondered when her brother became such a badass. The mother wondered how he even learned to fire a gun in the first place.

“Get down you two!” The two complied and scrambled for covers he fired at the other robots. The Faust Guardians returned fire, prompting Flash to dive behind a trash can and avoid the shots. He even aimed to shoot at Night Rogue, but the ammunition simply bounced off his armor. The bat themed man seemed to be annoyed by the action.

Flash growled as he felt useless in this situation. He could’ve transformed and take them on if his family weren’t here. Now all he had to make due was a rifle that did nothing to the big bad.

“Well, it would seem your son chose for you. Good. I was afraid this would be boring.” He turned the dial of the Steam Blade and aimed it at the armed teen.

“ELEK STEAM!”

A burst of blue electricity shot out of the weapon’s barrel and electrocuted Flash. He screamed as millions of volts surged through his body, causing him to spasm and drop his weapon.

“FLASH!” Misty and Scootaloo yelled. The former turned to Night Rogue, her face set in desperation. “Just stop it! I’ll do it! I’ll go with you! Just leave my son alone!”

“I’m afraid not yet.” The bat armored man replied cruelly. “You refused my initial offer and your son forced my hand. Now you must deal with the consequences.”

“How about you pick on someone your own size?!” A familiar voice yelled out, one that made Scootaloo perk up.

“What-?” That was as far as he got before metal pipe slammed into his visor at extreme speeds. The force behind the blow made him stagger in surprise. His grip on the Steam Blade loosened, breaking off the electricity attack.

A rainbow blur stopped in front of the mother and daughter pair, revealing herself to be the latter’s idol.

“Rainbow Dash!” The girl exclaimed in surprise and relief. “How are you here?!”

“We heard the gunfire a couple blocks over and rushed here. Sorry we’re late, squirt.” The athlete consoled the girl and her mother. “Don’t worry, we got this.”

“Wait, we?” Misty questioned.

Just as Night Rogue regained his focus, a cupcake splattered onto his helmet. A second later, the dessert detonated and sent him stumbling. “Dammit!”

“Step away from our friends and their mother!” Pinkie Pie yelled, holding cookies and cake pops between her fingers. The party planner mentally noted that the explosion from the cupcake should’ve been bigger, but remained frosty. Sunset, Twilight, and Fluttershy rushed over to Flash, making sure that the teen was still alive. Thankfully, he was after a quick pulse check.

But as the group gathered, the Faust Guardians surrounded them. They open fired at them, but a wall of diamond constructs appeared and shielded them from the projectiles. While keeping her friends protected, Rarity conjured another pair of constructs to use as disc blades and slice through the shooters. Some managed to avoid getting hit with a quick retreat.

One of them tried to shoot again before an orange hand punched a hole through its chest from behind. “Git outta here ya varmints!” Applejack growled as she lifted and threw the robot at its comrades, causing them to crash to the ground. Just as they tried to rearm themselves, Twilight grabbed their weapons with her magic and pulled them out of their hands.

Night Rogue stood up after wiping off the soot from his face. “What an annoying surprise. Didn’t think we’d encounter you girls here.”

“Yeah? Well we’re here now, buddy.” Rainbow said as she smacked the pipe in her hands. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity lined up to form a protective wall for the family and their friends. The farm girl cracked her knuckles while the fashionista twirled a diamond construct in the air. The party planner took a bite out of one of her cookies before glaring at the bat man.

“So it seems. But while your little parlor tricks work on my Guardians…you stand no chance against me.”

“Wanna bet?” Applejack tipped her setson hat with a glare.

“No bet…” Night Rogue replied as he raised the Steam Blade. The tip crackled with lightning. “It is solid fact.”

“ELEK STEAM!”

He aimed and shot a blast of lightning at the group like before. Rarity conjured up a layered array of shields to intercept the attack.

Sparks and bolts flew as the attack impacted the shield. The girl struggled to keep the defense up, but the shield up true.

But during the bright light show, none of them noticed Night Rogue charging in and slashed at the barrier.

“ICE STEAM!”

Instead of electricity, the attack conjured a burst of ice that froze the shields in place. As their vision became obscured once more, none of them notice Night Rogue appear from their exposed flank with inhumane speed.

No one except Rainbow Dash. Seeing her friends in trouble, she rushed in and slammed her pipe against the bat man’s blade. But the blade proved to be superior as it sliced through the metal object with ease. Night Rogue followed up with a strong spin kick that flung Rainbow Dash away. The girl tumbled to Misty’s and Scootaloo’s feet.

The Bat man tried to shoot the girls with electricity again, but a fluctuating, magenta aura surrounded his blade. Twilight tried to pull the weapon out of his hands, but struggled in doing so. It felt like when she tried to lift Build with her magic.

While it didn’t disarm Night Rogue, it certainly caught his attention as he spun around and aimed the Transteam gun at her. With the Bat bottle in the gun’s slot, power gathered at the tip of the barrel. With a simple pull of the trigger, she’d be nothing but a cinder.

And yet…he was unable to pull it. His finger trembled over the trigger for some reason. Using this moment of hesitation, Rarity conjured up an array of shields around her friends as Applejack punched him from behind.

But as her fist made contact, instead of sending him flying like she intended, all she did was nudge him. Snapped out of it, Night Rogue turned to the farm girl, a nervous grin crossing her lips. “Ehehe…howdy.”

The Bat man was unamused and backhanded her away. As he did, several candies and pastries fell around his feet. He looked up and saw the pink haired party planner throwing more around him instead of directly at him.

He opened his mouth to question her madness but was silenced by the chain explosions beneath his feet. The force sent him into the air before he landed harshly on the ground. The Rainbooms got up and stood around him warily. As they did, with Sunset’s and Fluttershy’s help, Flash stirred awake, much to the relief of his family.

“…It would seem I underestimated you…” Rogue admitted, dusting off his armor.

“Heh. Guess your facts are wrong, pal.” Rainbow Dash smirked as he grabbed the remains of her pipe. “We got you outnumbered and, by the looks of it, outclassed. What can you possibly do now?”

“…this.” Night Rogue snapped his fingers. As a unit, all intact Guardians stood, gathered into a perfect formation and turned, their bodies expanding and ripping through their suits. They then stacked on top of one another to form a towering, bipedal mech.

The Metal Gear copy roared upon its completion before it loomed over the girls. Rainbow Dash had dropped her pipe while a jawbreaker fell out of Pinkie’s hair.

“…oh.”

To make matters worse, the mech had armed itself with guns upon assembly and fired indiscriminately. Rarity hastily erected a barricade of diamond shields to protect her friends and Flash’s family. The stun bullets ricocheted off the faceted surfaces, keeping the people safe. But while the mech had them distracted, Night Rogue’s armor exuded copious amounts of steam that concealed his body. When it faded, he was nowhere to be seen.

Sunset, who kept watch, noticed his disappearance. “Where did he go?!”

She was answered by the surprised yelp of Misty Veil. All eyes turned to her as they saw Night Rogue keep a tight grip on her arm and pulled her away from Scootaloo.

“Mom!” Both of her children cried. Flash tried to head over but his limbs failed him. His body was still numb from the electric shock while Rainbow held Scootaloo back and shielded her from the Bat themed man.

“You should’ve taken my initial offer.” Night Rogue reprimanded the woman, who continued to struggle. Pinkie Pie drew her arm back to pelt him with exploding marshmallows. But she stopped when Night Rogue pressed the Steam Blade to her throat. “I don’t think so. Try anything funny, and I cannot guarantee her safety.”

“You bastard!” Flash growled as he willed his limbs to move, with minimal success. The girls were just as angered by his cowardly, tactics.

“Fortunately for you, though…” The black and silver warrior told Misty. “You’re more valuable to us alive than dead…for now…” Before the others could stop him, his armor produced steam once more that enveloped both him and Misty Veil. Rainbow rushed in to try and take her back. But all she did was run through the mist and stir empty air.

Both figures had vanished.

“Mom!” Scootaloo cried as she ran to the spot where their mother once was. Flash could only watch with wide eyes and a distraught face. He bit his lower lip until it bled and pressed his forehead to the concrete below him.

His body trembled as tears leaked through his shut eyes. He was useless. He could’ve saved her. To hell with his cover, he could’ve transformed, fought off Night Rogue, and saved his mother. So why didn’t he?!

The girls stared at the musician in sympathy and guilt. They had magic, but they couldn’t do anything to stop Misty from being taken.

But their pity party was disrupted as the mech approached and kicked some of the diamond shields aside. It crouched down and roared at their faces.

“Crap! Forgot about this guy!” The athlete growled.

“Buzz off, ya varmint!” Applejack ran at the mech and punched it in the face. The impact blew some of the robots off its face, taking off its head and causing it to backpedal. The girls got their hopes up, feeling a sense of accomplishment after damaging the monstrosity.

But it all came crashing down when the robots started to reattach themselves onto the mech, reassembling its head.

“Oh come on! It can regenerate too?!” Rarity exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie threw a jawbreaker at the mech. The spherical piece of sugar struck and blew its leg off. However, like before, it rebuilt its body from the scattered pieces and roared. “….this is just like chapter 5 all over again…”

The Guardian mech trained its guns and fired at them. Rarity put up another shield as they all gathered behind it. “Now’s not the time for crazy talk, Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow exclaimed. “What are we gonna do?!”

As the girls tried to think of a way to take down the mech once and for all under heavy gunfire, they were answered by the roaring engine of a motorcycle.

Everyone was surprised; even the mech stopped its onslaught to turn towards the interloper. The girls and Flash peered out from behind their cover to see the hooded Cross-Z charging at them on the Machine Builder. In his hand was the Beat Cross-Zer.

To their added surprise, he removed his other hand from the handlebars to pull the pommel on the sword once.

HIT PARADE!

Power gathered in the blade as Sol hopped and stood on the seat of the Machine Builder as it drove itself automatically.

SMASH HIT!

Once he got in close, he jumped up and swung his weapon at the Guardian Mecha’s weak point; the blade ignited in blue flames as it tore through the keystone robot keeping the machine together.

He landed back on the Machine Builder as her swerved to a stop. Behind him, the mech fell apart before exploding in a fiery blast.

Once the blast subsided, Rarity deactivated her shield, leaving the gang in awe of what happened. Sol got off the back and approached them, silently wondering how the heck he managed to pull that move off on the fly.

“Is everyone okay? I heard the gunfire and came as fast as I could.”

“We….we’re fine but…b-but…” Scootaloo couldn’t say it. Once the adrenaline died down, the weight of what happened finally set in.

“Why…?” Flash mumbled as he pulled himself up, finally regaining the feeling in his body. Before the others could react, he ran at Sol, grabbed him by the front of his jacket, and yelled in his face. “What the hell took you so damn long?!”

“Wh-what?!” Beneath his mask, Sol was startled. He hadn’t seen Flash this mad since the Faust warehouse.

“Why weren’t you here?! If you’d been here she would’ve….My mom would still be…!” His voice croaked with despair as his grip finally loosened.

He collapsed on his knees, strength leaving his body. “She’s…gone…I….I couldn’t….save her…” He hunched over and slammed a fist onto the ground. “I couldn’t save her!”

Sol then realized what he was saying. He mentally kicked himself. He had been too slow. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t known about the attack until Micro alerted him. He still failed. Sol crouched down and assured Flash. He spoke softly enough so only he could hear. “I’m sorry. But I promise you, we will find her and get her back, Flash.”

The musician could only silently nod, afraid of his own voice failing him. The masked fighter then saw the Rainbooms approach. Now aware of their magic powers, he decided it was too dangerous for him to stay.

“I’m sorry…” he apologized. “But I need to track the bad guys down.” He spun on his heel and ran back to the Machine Builder before he shot off on the pavement.

Under normal circumstances, the girls wouldn’t let an opportunity of getting answers from one of the city’s vigilantes slip by.

But today wasn’t a normal circumstance. The girls stared at the siblings. Flash continued to punch the ground. Sunset and Fluttershy had to gently stop him from hurting himself further. Rainbow Dash held the sobbing Scootaloo in the hug.

All the while, Twilight Sparkle wondered one thing: why didn’t Build show up?

“Did you find anything, Micro?” Sol asked as he drove through the streets of Canterlot. After the encounter with Flash, he immediately contacted Micro about the situation. Because of their slow uptake, Flash’s mother was kidnapped by Faust. “Do you know there they might’ve gone?”

Back at the lab, Micro and Sandalwood looked over a map of Canterlot City and schematics for the Transteam Gun, the latter rushing over the moment Micro called him about the situation. “I’m going through the Transteam Gun data right now.” Micro answered.

“Why?”

“Because since Night Rogue’s using one, I thought it’d be best to understand their teleportation ability. Apparently, they can only move thirty to forty meters away from their designated spot at a time.”

“So what you’re saying is….they could be anywhere in the city and change places again and again?” Sol asked in dismay.

“I’m afraid so. And my drone can’t be everywhere at once….I really should build more of them for situations like these.”

“Yeah man. But how are we gonna break it to Flash…?” Sandalwood asked.

None of them had an answer.

Later that night…

Misty Veil was forced down into a chair in an enclosed room. The only light was generated from a single lamp overhead. She was held down by a pair of guardians with two more flanking her. In front of her was a metal door that soon swung open.

“Hello there~” Stalk greeted as he waltzed into the room. Following the Cobra was Night Rogue in a more professional gait. “How’s our little guest doing? Everything alright? Chair comfy? Lighting good?”

“Who are you two?!” Misty demanded, showing no fear. “What does Faust want with me?”

“Oho! Straight to the point I see. I appreciate a woman like that.” Stalk pulled up a chair from the side and turned it so the back faced her. He plopped down, leaned his arms on the backrest, and faced her. Night Rogue stood behind, gun in hand. “We’ll just cut to the chase…tell us what you know about Pandora’s Box.”

“I…I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean…” Misty tried to lie, but was replied by a swift jab to her shoulder by a rifle.

“Ah, ah, ah…no reason to lie, Misty Veil. We know you’re the head researcher of OOParts, and Pandora’s Box is just one of them. You’ve been studying it the past eighteen years making you the sole person that knows more about it than anyone! Also…” He leaned in close so that her reflection could be seen on his teal visor. “It’d be best if you told the truth from now on. Otherwise I cannot promise the safety of your children if you fail to cooperate. We simply let them go as a courtesy to you. But….there’s nothing stopping us from hunting them down and killing them while we force you to watch.”

Misty swallowed. The man before her had every intention of carrying out that threat. The fate of her children was well within his hand. So she complied. “…Why are you after the Box?”

“Why? Now that’s a silly question.” The Cobra chortled. “We all know that that Box generates mysterious energy. And your little division is charged with understanding and harnessing its properties. Simply put…we want it.”

“But how do you even know about it?” The researcher questioned. “Our security is top notch. We keep the Box under twenty-four hour surveillance with armed guards.”

“Oh, that’s simple.” Stalk snapped before gesturing to his associate. Night Rogue stepped forward into the light. “…We have a man on the inside…” The Cobra snapped his fingers as the Bat dismissed his transformation.

Misty Veil felt a sense of dread grow as her eyes widened upon seeing his true identity. “Th-that’s…! Impossible…! You….you’re…!!!”

“Ah, ah, ah!” Stalk covered her mouth with his hand while wagging a finger with his other. “No spoilers~”

“I am the leader of Faust.” The man told her. “Just as Stalk claimed; comply or your children will die.”

“There you have it.” Stalk said as he removed his hand from Misty’s mouth and placed it on her head. “Tell us everything you know about Pandora’s Box.”

The Next Day…

To say that Flash and Scootaloo were distraught would be an understatement.

After the conclusion of their mother’s abduction, the police and ambulances arrived. They were asked questions as their injuries were treated. The same happened to the Rainbooms. Once everything had ended, the two siblings were escorted back home.

Neither one had the heart to even gone to school the following morning.

How could they? Their mother got kidnapped by a secret, evil organization and they have no idea where to start looking or if she’s even alright.

His phone had been flooded with messages since then. Most of them from the Rainbooms, asking if he was alright. He generally ignored them. He knew they meant well, but he wanted to be alone for the moment.

The same went to his friends. They kept him updated for any possible leads. He only replied with one or two word answers.

Scootaloo locked herself in her room, only leaving for food or to use the bathroom. Flash sat despondently on the couch, staring off into space. His mind flashed back to the attack. Why did he hesitate? If he had transformed, he could’ve fought them off. Or at least, he could’ve prevented his mom’s abduction.

Why did he prioritize his secrecy over his family? Sure he fought off some of the Guardians, but he was no match for Night Rogue. He was taken out in one shot.

What he didn’t understand was why Faust had left him and his sister alone. If the really wanted his mom, why didn’t they take them as a means of insurance? It just didn’t make sense.

As he pondered, the doorbell rang. Confused by who it was, he got up and looked through the peephole.

It was Shining Armor.

Flash unlocked the door and opened it. “….Can I help you?”

“Hey, Flash.” Shining greeted, his tone solemn. “How are you holding up?”

“…Okay, I guess.” The musician shrugged.

“I see. Mind if I step in for a second? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Unless you got news about my mom being found or something, I don’t think I’m in the mood.”

“Please, Flash.” The officer pleaded. “This is important. And I’m sorry, but we haven’t found Misty Veil yet, but the police are doing their best to find her. Just…please.”

“…Fine…” Flash stepped aside and Shining Armor entered the building. They soon found themselves seated on the couch. “So what did you want to talk about?”

“….I heard everything from Twilight.” He admitted. “You and your sister were lucky to get away from there alive.”

“Yeah? It would’ve been better if all of us had gotten out of there.” Flash said bitterly. “….I could’ve done something….anything to save her. But that Bat guy knocked me out with one blow and I was useless!”

“You did all you could. You were outnumbered, but you still fought to save your family.”

“But I still failed.” Flash argued. “Now Faust has my mom and they’re doing who knows what to her! I don’t even know if she’s alive or dead now!”

“If what Twilight told me was true, then she’s most likely alive. Faust seemed to want her intact instead of killing her.” Shining Armor reasoned.

“But still…I could’ve done more….I should’ve done more…” He clenched his folded hands tighter.

"You did all you could.” Shining reassured. “You trying to protect your family with nothing but your martial arts....I believe it was right for you to do. All you were doing was to protect your mom and sister. That is never wrong. But even now, I can't help but worry about Faust."

His words made the Rider pause and turned to him with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, even though I've been assigned to lead the investigation unit against Faust, I'm still terrified when we eventually find them.” The police officer explained. “I mean, since I'm involved, what if they retaliate and go after my family after they slip away?"

"Shining Armor..."

"I know I told you all about courage, but even now, I'm still scared. I hate to admit it, but at times like these, I wish I could fight with a mask like Build. If I could keep my identity a secret, then I can go after Faust whenever I want without consequence towards me family." The man admitted.

The musician remained silent as he processed these words. He never thought of it that way. But Shining Armor was right. It stung that he failed to save his mom, but knowing Faust, he would get another chance to save her.

“I know this may be rather abrupt but…do you wanna play a game to take your mind off things?” Shining gestured to the console hooked up to the living room television.

While Shining Armor spoke with Flash, the Rainbooms took the opportunity to keep an eye on the rest of Team Build at school. They had been worried when Flash failed to respond to their messages, and hoped that Micro, Sandalwood, and Sol might know more.

All they could explain to the girls was that Flash was extremely distraught over what happened yesterday. They didn’t blame him since his mother was taken. But they explained no further than that.

Unfortunately, this still had not dissuaded the girls’ suspicion over the male group.

“…They’re still watching us, aren’t they?” Sol asked his friends with a bland expression at lunch. Several tables over, Pinkie Pie had focused her attention on them with a pair of binoculars.

“Yep.” Micro nodded as he ate his meal.

“I swear…I know they’re suspicious of us, but this is getting ridiculous! Earlier today, I found Pinkie Pie spying on me in the bathroom! Who does that?!”

“Don’t question Pinkie Pie.” The two teens replied simultaneously.

“But still dude…what are we gonna do?” Sandalwood asked in a whisper. “If they’re onto us, it’ll be harder for us sneak away if a Smash attacks.”

“We can probably sneak away in the confusion if it’s right near us. If not, then we can just resort to Crozz’s copy function to draw their attention.”

Just as he said that, Micro’s phone beeped. He pulled it out and clicked his tongue. “As I thought! Another attack two blocks down.”

“I’m on it!” Sol shoveled the rest of his lunch into his mouth before rushing out of the cafeteria. The rest of Team Build was wary as the Rainbooms followed him.

The girls kept their distance but kept him within sight. They passed through a series of hallways before he made a sharp turn through a corner. They made their way around and only saw the fighter calmly stroll down the corridor. The Rainbooms quietly followed but remained out of sight. Once they moved past an empty classroom door, said door opened up and Sol Burner poked his head out.

“At times like these, I’m glad to bring Crozz to school.” He had used Crozz’s Ninja function to create a copy of himself to distract the girls. Thankfully, it seemed to work. He quietly snuck away and made his way to the site of the attack.

Meanwhile, the girls stopped in front of the boy’s bathroom where they saw Sol walk into.

“Darn it!”

“Don’t worry Dashie, boys pee fast! He’ll be out of there soon. We got him!” Pinkie Pie said.

But as the seconds passed, time flew until it had been ten minutes.

“…He sure is taking a long time…” Fluttershy commented.

“…Maybe its number two?”

“That’s it! I can’t take it!” Without any reply from her friends, Rainbow pushed the door open and walked in.

“Rainbow Dash! We can’t go in there!” The girls tried to pull her back before someone saw them.

“Come on out, Sol! We got questions to ask!” However, as she entered the boy’s bathroom, there was no one there. It was completely empty.

The only sign that someone had been here was the open window on the upper part of the wall by one of the stalls. But considering the height and how small the opening was, there was no way he was able to get out that way.

“I don’t believe it! Where did he go?!”

While the girls were tailing Sol, Shining Armor and Flash were in the middle of their third round of Smash. Just as one of them was about to win, Shining’s cell phone went off.

“Oh, sorry. I gotta take this.” They paused the game as he answered. “Hello?...Wait, seriously?! Where?!...Okay, got it!”

“Did something happen?” Flash asked curiously.

“Sorry, but I gotta go. There’s been another Smash attack downtown, and the chief’s sending us to mitigate damage.”

“O-Okay, good luck!”

“Thanks!” The officer left the household as Flash was deep in thought. He then got a text from Micro, repeating the news he just learned regarding the Smash.

His mind flashed back to the previous battles he fought. The Smashes he battled ended up being people that were previously kidnapped. If his hunch was right, then there was a good chance that this next Smash….was his mother.

His resolve hardened as he grabbed the Build Phone and ran out the door, leaving a note for his sister that he would return shortly.

When a disguised Sol Burner ran through the streets to reach the Smash, he didn’t know what to expect.

He certainly did not expect to see so much collateral damage already. In the middle of it all, punching cars through buildings, was a bulky Smash with large fists. It greatly resembled the Strong Smash that Flash had fought when he first became Build. But instead of orange and blue, its entire body was a bleak, metallic gray.

The Smash roared as it threw even more vehicles off to the side or simply punched them through walls. It was on a rampage.

“Well…guess this will be a bit harder…” Sol mused before he pulled out the Dragon Bottle and shook it. Once his fists became swallowed in blue flames, he charged at the mutant and punched it in the back. At first, he had expected it to be thrown off its feet from the impact like the previous Smashes he fought.

He was greatly surprised when his momentum stopped and felt his knuckles throb. The Smash turned around, barely fazed by the punch, and moved to counter attack.

Seeing the fist swing at him, Sol’s instincts told him to duck so he did. The appendage impacted the lamp post, causing the metal to crumple like paper. The fighter gulped. If he hadn’t ducked, he probably would’ve gotten more than a few broken bones.

He quickly rolled away and put distance between them. If his fists wouldn’t work, then how about a sword? He pressed a button on his watch and the Beat Cross-Zer materialized in hand. He held it in a steady two handed grip as the Strong Smash lumbered forth and swung. He dodged the first swung and dragged his blade through its side.

Once he moved past it, he spun around and delivered an overhead swing to its back. Sparks flew when blade met Smash flesh. He quickly pulled the pommel.

HIT PARADE!

Blue Flames gathered along the blade when he raised it once more. But to his shock, the Smash spun around, faster than before with a fist reared back. He hastily lowered the Beat Cross-Zer as a makeshift shield to block the attack.

The impact sent him flying backward, causing him to crash into a nearby car. His body left an indent on the metal plating, winding him. His grip on his weapon loosened as his body collapsed in a daze.

A disguised Flash Sentry pulled up on the Machine Builder. He arrived in time to witness what appeared to be the Strong Smash punch Sol into a car, causing the metal plating to crumple under the force.

“CROSS-Z!” Flash called out in worry. He got off the bike and ran to help him, but a familiar, frustrating chuckle, stopped him in his tracks.

“Well, this is a surprise.” The Rider snapped his head to the right to see Blood Stalk. The red armored man sat at an outdoor café table with his feet propped up. In his hands were a saucer and a tea cup with a pinkie finger out. “You’re actually late to the party.”

“Stalk…” Flash growled, already strapping the driver to his waist.

“Now, now…” The man took a sip of his drink….somehow consuming it through his helmet. “…Should you really be concerned about me? If you stall any longer, that Smash is going to take out your little friend. But I’m truly impressed. That tenacity can only be from a mother who would give anything for her children…”

As the words clicked in his mind, Flash was filled with a sense of dread. His theory had been confirmed. “You…you mean….she’s…”

“Yes. That Strong Smash Hazard right there? Used to be a woman named Misty Veil, a woman who we took because you didn’t even appear to save her. Now her poor children are distraught with worry because you failed as a hero.” He downed the last of his drink. Once he emptied the cup, he tossed it and the saucer over his shoulder and stood up. “Now don’t mind me.” He pulled out the Transteam Gun and pulled the trigger.

He vanished in a cloud of mist before he appeared over Sol and grabbed him. “…But I’m going to take little Sol Burner here for a bit. You can handle the Smash in the meantime…if you can…” He broke out in a fit of laughter as both figures vanished in a cloud of steam.

“Hey, wait!” Flash cried, but was too late to stop him. As that were left was himself and his mother. The Strong Smash threw the car away after it realized its target was gone. Then it turned and noticed him. Flash pulled out his signature Best Match to fight, but couldn’t bring himself to shake the bottles. No matter how he perceived it, all he saw in the Smash’s place was his mother.

How can a child expect to fight his own mother like that? Lethargically, his hands dropped. He didn’t even notice the Smash rush up to him, a fist closing in on his face.

Said fist was intercepted by a diamond shield.

“Guh!” Sol grunted as Stalk through him on the ground. The fighter pulled himself up as his senses re-focused. He then realized that he was standing on the roof of a building.

“Guess you got your second wind.” Stalk taunted as he fiddled with the Steam Blade in his hand. “Why don’t you and I play for a bit while your friend handles the Smash below?”

“You bastard!” Sol yelled as he swung the Beat Cross-Zer repeatedly. Stalk effortlessly weaved around each attack before he parried the final strike and pushed him off.

“Wow, you are just clumsy with that sword of yours, aren’t ya?” He was greeted by a spin kick to the face. Stalk backed away whilst shaking his head from the blow. He casually raised the blade to stop Sol’s overhead swing.

As the fighter was forced off, he spun around and pulled the sword’s pommel.

HIT PARADE!

As he came around, the blade burned with azure flames.

SMASH HIT!

However, Stalk anticipated the attack and countered with his Steam Blade once more.

ICE STEAM!

Frigid cold clashed with burning flames. The two opposing temperatures counteracted the other as a small phreatic explosion pushed the combatant away.

“Hmph. Guess you’re not so bad after all…” Stalk dusted off his shoulder armor. “Still nothing outstanding, though.”

“Shut up!” He charged again and batted the Steam Blade aside. He then threw his fist into Stalk’s visor to shut him up. But the Cobra man caught it with ease. He held the hand in his grip and paused in contemplation.

“Oho~! 2.7 now. You’re just growing by the day. How splendid…” He pushed Sol back and whipped out his Transteam Gun.

When the girls tried to find Sol after the incident in the bathroom, the school fell into a lockdown due to the news of a Smash attack nearby. They would’ve complied with the procedures, but they were worried about Sol being missing during the events. After speaking with Micro and Sandalwood, they learned he never returned.

Given the circumstances, it only solidified Twilight’s hypothesis about Sol and the others being related to the Faust issue.

Which was precisely why they snuck away from school grounds to find the missing fighter. However, when they finally tracked down the Smash, they saw an untransformed Build about to be clobbered by it. Rarity hastily erected a shield to protect him from getting hit. Once its charge stopped, Twilight levitated a mass of debris to act as projectiles to force it away.

Once they saw Build out of danger, the girls rejoined the Rider. Rainbow was the first to speak.

“Why the heck are you just standing there?!”

Build stood frozen, failing to utter a response. The athlete rolled her eyes at the silent treatment. “Whatever! We’ll take care of this without your help!”

Her geode glowed as she zoomed past the Strong Smash to divert its attention away from the girls. She picked up pieces of debris to throw at the mutant.

Instead of injuring it, it only served to infuriate the Smash even more. It ripped a lamp post from the ground before it hurled the large object at the speedy girl. She avoided the object before she regrouped with her approaching friends.

“Careful there, Rainbow.” Applejack advised. “That thing kicked our asses last time, don’t run in there blindly.”

“I know, but we at least gotta try and beat it! Because the Rider guy won’t be of much help.”

Just as she said, Build had barely reacted. He simply stood still, lost in his own thoughts.

“Just, c’mon!” Rainbow led the charge as Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity joined her. The ones with support-type magic, like Twilight, Fluttershy, and Sunset, pulled Build off to the side so he wouldn’t get killed by random debris.

The girls knew that their magic had no direct effect on the Smash’s body based on prior experience. So they resorted to hit and run tactics to try and stop it. Applejack threw piece of rubble and other leftovers from the creature’s rampage, such as crumpled mailboxes and car pieces.

Her added strength packed enough force in each throw, forcing the Smash to stumble each time. Rainbow took on the role of a distraction, zooming around the Smash whilst striking it with broken tree branches.

Pinkie Pie stood back and hurled a volley of sweets and confections. While the items exploded, they failed to do as much damage as they should have, much like her earlier fight with Night Rogue.

When the Smash got to close to her friends, Rarity stopped its advance using her shields to bat it away. She also used them as disk-like weapons to keep it occupied.

Meanwhile, Twilight had erected a barricade using smashed cars and large pieces of rubble to prevent the Smash from attacking them.

Throughout all of this, Flash could only stand and watch. The girls, his friends, chose to fight the Smash, his mother, even though their magic had proven to be ineffective. Despite their efforts, they were gradually being beaten back. The Strong Smash grew smart and grabbed the diamond shields Rarity made then used them to swat the Rainbooms aside.

The girls were sent tumbling to the rest of the group by the barricade.

“….Why…?” The word left his lips, alerting the girls around him.

“Huh? Why what?” Sunset questioned.

“…Why do you girls keep fighting when you know you can’t win?” Flash asked them. He already knew they were stubborn and determined, but why would they keep fighting against something that can actually kill them with ease? Their magic doesn’t work, the Smash was stronger than a person! So why?!

“Pft! Aren’t you supposed to be a hero?” Rainbow Dash questions as she pulled herself up. “Who cares if we can’t win?! Doesn’t mean we should just stand here and give up like you!”

“What?”

“We got these powers here for a reason.” Applejack added as she used the barricade wall for support to stand. “After learning what we can do, we have a responsibility to do what’s right!”

“They’re right.” Sunset said next to him. “And even if something is right, it doesn’t mean that it’s easy. But we don’t care. No matter how hard it is, we will make sure we do the right thing with our magic.”

Flash stood as he reached an epiphany. His mind flashed back to the conversation he had with Shining Armor earlier. He realized that not transforming was the right course of action, as despite it being the hardest thing he had to do.

Earlier, he was just making excuses. Even if he didn’t want to hurt her, this Smash is still his mother. It was his duty to stop her and turn her back to normal. Clenching his fist, Build leaped over the barricade and shook a new pair of Fullbottles to use.

“So you finally decided to join in?”

“Sorry. Just needed a swift kick to the pants. You girls take five.” He twisted the caps. “I’ll handle this.”

“HEDGEHOG!”

“FIRE ENGINE!”

“BEST MATCH!”

Despite not saying a word, he was amazed by what he heard. Did he have a Deus Ex Machina or something? Because this is another Best match he found during a fight. He shook his head to get back in the game and turned the crank. “Here we go!” The runners appeared with the white and red half-body armor pieces.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Build fell into a fighting stance, completely determined. “Henshin!”

The runners slammed into him, donning him in a new Best Match.

“PIN-POINTRESCUE!”

“FIRE-HEDGEHOG!”

“YEAH!”

Build’s new armor was a vivid clash of red and white. The Organic armor pieces were white and spiky, reminiscent of a hedgehog with its spiked shoulder pad and morning star fist. Its Inorganic pieces were red with the design of a fire truck. Mounted on his wrist was a silver spout that resembled a fire truck’s ladder. The left eyepiece was a hedgehog while the other was a fire engine and its ladder.

The Strong Smash Hazard roared as it lumbered forward. Build simply slid a finger along the Hedgehog Eyepiece. “I’ve got the winning formula!” He charged in to meet his foe’s advance. The Smash threw a punch and Build responded in kind by smashing his right fist into it. The spikes dug into the Smash’s body, causing it to stumble. He then raised his hand and the spikes elongated, stabbing into it further.

Once it’s held in place, Flash saw a reading on his HUD, focusing on his left arm. It gave details on the weapon, called the Multi Deluge Gun, and figured out just how to use it. He pointed his left arm at the Smash and activated it. A highly pressurized stream of water shot out and pushed the Smash back until it collided and uprooted a tree. The Strong Smash rolled along the ground as it stood back up and charged again.

Switching tactics, Build raised his nozzle arm again. But instead of water, a stream of fire shot out and engulfed the Smash. Once it was distracted by the flames, he punched it twice with the Spine Knuckle glove and kicked it away.

“…I’m sorry, mom.” He said under his breath before his expression grew determined beneath his helmet. “Time to end this!” He turned the crank on the Driver again.

“READY? GO!”

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

"YEAH!"

The multi Deluge Gun extended and stabbed into the Strong Smash’s body. It struggled and flailed as it became pumped full of water as it became surrounded by a white energy chart. Flash then jumped up high into the air before he dropped back down and punched the enemy with the Spine Knuckle.

The Smash exploded in a violent cloud of green gas and collapsed to the ground unconscious. Build pulled out an Empty Bottle and extracted the essence, reverting Misty Veil back to normal. “…It’s finally over…” The girls slowly approached Build once the fight had ended, hoping to get some answers from him.

But they were interrupted by a scream of terror above them. All heads snapped up to see Cross-Z falling from the sky until he crashed on top of a wrecked car. The fighter choked as he fell on in a groaning heap. “Cross-Z!” Build yelled in concern.

But a cloud of gray mist appeared before Blood Stalk walked out, Steam Rifle hanging lazily on his finger. “Well…that was fun…” He then glanced to the Dragon Fullbottle wielder, who managed to pull himself up from the crash. “Impressive. You managed to survive a fall from that height and still walk.”

Sol was thinking the same thing. How the hell was he even alive from that drop?!

“You bastard!” Flash growled before he snapped over to the Rainbooms and gestured to his mother. “Make sure that she gets someplace safe!” Unable to wait for a response, he charged at the Cobra man.

Stalk hung his head before he switched his rifle into a backhanded, melee grip and charged as well.

Meanwhile, the girls followed Build’s orders upon seeing the condition of Misty Veil. She was unconscious and didn’t seem to respond. They carefully carried her off the site to get her proper medical treatment.

While the two warriors clashed, a figure walked through the shadows of an alley. Their form concealed, they pulled out a black and yellow Fullbottle and a Transteam Gun. He inserted the object into its slot, allowing the weapon to charge up.

“BAT!”

He raised the gun to his temple. “…Jouketsu.” He pulled the trigger as a cloud of black smoke completely enveloped his body, his outline flickering amidst the obscurity.

“MIST MATCH!”

“BAT…BA-BAT….FIRE!”

From the cloud, Night Rogue stepped out, his yellow visor and chest plate glowed brightly before bursts of steam shot out from the various pipes along his body.

He stepped out of the alley, both Transteam Gun and Steam Blade in hand.

His sudden appearance garnered the attention of the girls and Sol, who had finally regained his bearings.

Blood Stalk and Build continued their bout, Steam Rifle clashing against the Spine Knuckle. The red armored man’s movements were fluid like a snake’s. He easily evaded any shots he made with the Multi Deluge Gun and stayed out of range of the Spine Knuckle’s elongated spikes.

The Cobra man then noticed the new arrival once he got behind the Rider and started to choke him by pulling the rifle against his windpipe. “Oh, you’re here already?”

“You were taking too long.” Night Rogue replied. He paused as Sol rushed at him with the Beat Cross-Zer raised. He sidestepped the swing before kicking the teen back. Sol quickly recovered and pulled the pommel.

HIT PARADE!

SMASH HIT!
He swung again with a blazing blade. Night Rogue crossed his weapons in front of him and blocked the attack, despite skidding back a few inches. He pushed the sword back and swung his arm to strike the fighter with the butt of his gun.

Sol hastily raised his sword to block the attack. The force of it caused him to stumble back.

Back with Build, he threw his head back to strike Stalk in the face. His grip loosened allowing him to break free from the hold. He wrenched the Steam Rifle away and slammed him against a wall. He stabbed the Multi Deluge Gun into Stalk’s gut, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice.

“Why are you doing this?!” He demanded. “Just what is Faust after?!”

“Heh…that’s for me to know…” With inhumane reflexes, Blood Stalk used his free hand to yank the Multi Deluge Gun away, regain his grip, and smacked Build in the face with the butt of his rifle. While he was dazed, he kicked him away. "…And for you to stay up at night boo-hooing cause you're never finding out."

“Damn you!” Flash raised his left arm to blast him with pressurized water. But Stalk quickly pulled the trigger of his rifle, enveloping his body in steam and vanishing from sight.

Night Rogue had done the same, leaving two alone amidst the wreckage. The wail of sirens gradually closing in from the distance, signaling their time to depart.

While Build and Cross-Z had ended their fights, the Rainbooms were one block away from the battlefield, slowly carrying Misty to the city Hospital so as to prevent aggravating her condition. As they continued, a familiar voice called out to them.

“Guys? What are you….wait….MOM?!” Flash Sentry cried as he and Sol Burner ran up to them. The girls parted to let the blue haired guitarist hug his mother. The teen broke down crying as he held her in his arms, relieved that she is alright.

While the girls let Flash have his moment with his mother, they turned to Sol for answers. “What are you guys even doing here? Wait, more importantly, where were you in the first place?!”

“Why weren’t you at school when the lockdown hit?!”

“How did you meet up with Flash?!”

“How’d y’all know to come ‘ere?!”

“How come we never see you guys when Build or Cross-Z show up?!”

The fighter was bombarded with a plethora of questions, many of which he was unable to answer to on the fly.

As the girls continued to interrogate them, their voices became drowned out by the whirr of a motorcycle. Zooming past the group was the Masked Rider Build and Cross-Z on top of the machine Builder.

The Rainbooms were momentarily stunned by their appearance, disproving their initial suspicions between their friends and the vigilantes. Rainbow Dash was the first to snap out of it as her geode glowed. “Oh no, you don’t!” She raced after them, intent on getting the answers they seek. She followed them through the streets of Canterlot until they made a sharp turn into an alley.

She smirked knowing that they had trapped themselves at a dead end. But when she entered the enclosed space, all she saw was thin air. There was no sign of the vigilantes or their bike.

“What the-?! Where did they go?!” The athlete scratched her head in confusion and frustration, not noticing the small, blue, mechanical dragon fly above her head and out of sight.

After losing track of Build and Cross-Z, the girls went back to transporting Misty Veil to the hospital with Flash and Sol in tow. They made it without further complications, and even got Misty a room quickly thanks to Sol knowing the staff, which was something they would ask later.

After the examination, everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the researcher would be okay. During this instance, Flash phoned Scootaloo about their mother, and the athletic youth ran as fast as her adolescent legs could carry her to the hospital.

Her children stayed by her side until visiting hours were over. The Rainbooms had received a call from Principal Celestia earlier, demanding where they and Sol Burner were. All eight of them left earlier to properly inform her about circumstances in detention, a prospect that Twilight has been hyperventilating in anxiety and terror.

It was fortunate that she hadn’t passed out then and there.

Later that day, after Sol’s time in detention and Flash dropping off his sister at home, Team Build found itself in the lab once more.

All four teams sat in chairs, discussing today’s turn of events.

“So the girls really are onto us…” Flash lamented after being told about what happened at lunch by Sol.

“Yeah. If I didn’t have Crozz with me, I probably wouldn’t have gotten away…” Sol petted the mechanical dragon on the head.

“Indeed. But hopefully that image of Build and Cross-Z riding away would dispel said suspicions.” Micro replied. “Nice job telling Crozz what to do.”

“Didn’t take much. The little guy is incredibly smart.” The fighter tickled the critter’s chin, eliciting a pleased chirp.

“While it’s a good thing that we’re out of the Rainbooms’ eyes, for now at least, we still don’t know what Faust is planning. I don’t even know why they took my mom.”

The resident intellectual adjusted his glasses. “Well, until she recovers from the transformation, we can’t really get any answers from her. But even then, I don’t think it would be possible. In my brother’s notes, it said that reversion from Smash transformation induces short term memory loss due to the Nebula gas infused with their bodies.”

“Great…so we’re back to square one then…” Sol sighed as he kicked back in his chair. His expression then twisted into one of confusion. “…Say…you guys were watching through Crozz, right?”

“Yeah. Why?” Sandalwood asked with a raised brow.

“…Do you guys have any idea how I’m even alive right now?” His question startled the rest of the group.

“What do you mean?”

The fighter sat up straight and looked at them seriously. “I mean, when the Strong Smash punched me into that car, it crumpled underneath me. But none of my bones broke from the impact. Heck, the broken glass and metal didn’t even break the skin. What’s more, after fighting Stalk on the roof, he didn’t just teleport me a few feet above a car just for shits and giggles. Guys…he tossed me off a freaking five story building!”

The team became shocked by this revelation. “Sure the car broke my fall, but I still should’ve died from the impact! Or at least seriously injured! But instead I just got up and walked it off! Sure it hurt, but nothing was broken! Just what’s happening to me?!” He had gotten out of his chair and grabbed Micro by the shoulders, desperation and confusion laced in his voice.

Unfortunately, none of them had a solid answer. While they were aware that a greater hazard level resulted in greater strength, Sol’s own level was still below a three. And not even Flash could come out unscathed from incidents like that without the armor.

The bespectacled teen gulped before he finally spoke. “…I….I don’t know….”

The trepidation in the air was palpable. Sol was visibly distraught while the others were befuddled. He let go of Micro and backed away into his chair. He stared at his hands as Crozz tried to comfort him. "So...what is it then...? Am I...am I some sort of freak...? Was that the reason...for all those tests...?"

The three were confused by what he meant by tests, but chose not to bring it up due to his current state. Truth be told, they were all plagued by this sense of obscurity. There was so much they did not know. Whenever they sought answers, they were denied. They continued to wander in the dark. No matter how hard they fought, they still couldn't find answers.

But it was at that point that Flash realized something. He realized what was wrong....what they were doing wrong. Instead of actively searching for answers, they had simply been waiting for Faust to make the first move and act accordingly. That was because they lacked proper focus of where to look and searched aimlessly.

After staring at his friend long and hard, the musician stood up and took action. "Guys." All heads turned to him. "I know we haven't been doing well in finding answers. But I think it’s time we take things up a notch."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about being proactively searching for once. All this time we have been waiting for Faust to make a move for answers. We have been reactive instead of proactive in our search."

"But we tried looking for them!" Micro argued. "We sent the drone to fly over the city, but still failed to find them!"

"Then maybe we were just using the wrong method." Flash countered. "Instead of falling into insanity by using the same method repeatedly, why not try something new? Maybe we can find something, or maybe not. But we won't get any closer to the truth just by taking things easy."

The more Flash spoke, the more a driving force rekindled in their chests. His words struck a chord in each of them. He was right. So what if things were a mystery now? So what if their earlier methods failed? They need to do better.

"I say it’s time to stop waiting and finally take the initiative!" Flash balled a fist. "There's no way we're just gonna let Faust walk all over us! Now, who's with me?!"

"Yeah!" All four fists were raised. The previous tension forgotten as a new spark was lit.

Later…

“Well, that could’ve gone better…” Stalk sighed as he sat on the metal railing. “Well, at least we got all that we needed from Mrs. Veil.”

“Indeed. But have you erased her memories of us to hide our tracks?” Night Rogue questioned from his chair.

“Of course I did!” Stalk flung his hands up in the air. “I’m not some amateur, you know. Still though…” He waltzed over to the Panel that was embedded into the wall. “To think that she was organizing a little field trip from the local high schools.”

“It doesn’t matter if that’s the case or not.” The Leader of Faust added. “Nothing will stand in our way to procure the Box. We merely need the precise plan to do so…”

The Cobra man folded his arms and tilted his head as if to contemplate. A lightbulb went off in his head as he perked up. He then walked over to the railing, eyeing the scientists below. “…I think I have just the plan…”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Hi Everyone. Sorry about the delayed update. I will be honest, I got stuck with writer's block on some parts on this chapter, and I apologize if they seem a bit weak as a result. Anyway, since Flash got Fire Hedgehog, we can now get the ball rolling. Not too far until Cross-Z makes his debut. Please stay tuned, as the field trip to the Research Center and Pandora's Box is next!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine

Chapter 9: Research Center Showdown Part 1

Night had fallen over the fair city of Canterlot. Streets have quieted and stores had closed for the day. Almost a week had passed since the attack by the Hazard Strong Smash, and things have been quiet since. There had been no further attacks by Smash or Guardians, leaving the populace to rebuild and repair the damage in peace.

In the Canterlot Research and Development Center, Night Light and Twilight Velvet continued to work. Ever since Misty Veil had been rescued and hospitalized due to her abduction and mutation, Velvet took charge of her task to finish preparations for the school field trip. Her husband had finished approving the plans and they were all prepared for the students to come in tomorrow.

“This is so exciting!” Velvet smiled. “We’ve never had a student overnight trip to the Research Center before. Plus a lecture and workshops on top of it!”

“I know!” Night Light said in equal excitement. “The kids will definitely love it. After all, this center is a big place. So much going on and so much to do that I’d be surprised if anyone was bored at any point during the trip.”

The eagerness of husband and wife were extremely apparent. As scientists, they pursued knowledge to understand how the natural world works and discover various means of innovation to further human progress. Yet as scientists, they also had a duty to bestow and pass on their knowledge to others, especially the next generation, to continue where they may have left off. They both loved to educate fellow knowledge seekers.

As they continued their discussion regarding the field trip, Dusk Walker stepped inside the room. “Pardon me, sir. But I came to remind you about the meeting for the new Guardians?”

“Oh, that’s right!” The Director stood. “I completely forgot about it. Thank you, Dusk.” He then turned to his wife and gave her the stack of papers he had. “Think you can handle the distribution of these forms for me? I’ll catch up shortly.”

“Of course, dear.” The two shared a kiss before they walked out in unison. The assistant was left alone in the room. He glanced around to see if anyone else was nearby. He was alone. He pulled out his phone and dialed up a number. He pressed the device to his ear as the receiver picked up. “Yes, it’s me. Dusk Walker…Yes, everything is set.”

The next day couldn’t have come sooner for Flash Sentry. He had been looking forward to this field trip since the beginning of the semester. An Overnight trip to the Canterlot Research and Development Center; what bigger way to celebrate the half point of the Spring Semester? He wasn’t sure why and how exactly the Research Center could organize an overnight stay, but figured it could be a nice change of pace from prior circumstances.

A full week had passed since he rescued his mom. She woke up a few days after her hospitalization, and was expected to make a full recovery soon enough. Unfortunately, she was unable to recall anything prior to her abduction aside from having dinner with her children. Flash was disappointed, but also relieved that his mother did not recall such traumatic events.

He pulled up in the school parking lot in his car and rushed into the building. He got a text from Micro to meet up earlier than the assigned meeting time to talk about their plans for the trip.

He entered an empty classroom that was their designated meeting place. Sandalwood and Micro were already present while Sol had yet to join. “Morning guys. Sol here yet?”

“He said he’s on his way.”

“I’m here!” Sol appeared behind Flash.

“And there he is.” Micro added. “So now we can start the meeting.”

“You mean about Pandora’s Box, right?” Flash asked. That was another main reason why the four were excited for this trip.

“Indeed. Thanks to this field trip, we’ll be able to get a closer look at Pandora’s Box. While we’re there, we may be able to find some answers to what Faust is planning.”

“And because we’re students on this trip, no one would be suspicious of us wanting to get a closer look.” Sandalwood added.

“Precisely.”

“Finally…” Sol sighed in relief. “Finally we can get some answers…”

“It’s still too soon to say how much we’ll learn though.” The musician pointed out. “We still have to be wary for whatever Faust might throw at us. Knowing Blood Stalk, he’d probably find a way to sneak a Smash into the Building or something.”

“That’s true. But that also reminds me.” Micro reached into his pocket and tossed an item to Flash. “Here.”

The blue haired guitarist caught it and saw that it was a new Fullbottle. It had a golden hue with a lock motif. “I take it that this new Bottle is called Lock?”

“Yes. But so far, we haven’t been able to find its Best Match.”

“It’s fine. Hopefully we won’t have to use it so soon…” Flash pocked the bottle with the rest he had on hand. The meeting continued until the appointed meeting time arrived. The group of four made their way to the auditorium where all students were meant to gather.

They sat themselves at the left side of the bleachers. They noticed that the Rainbooms sat further up further to their right. They seemed to be preoccupied by their own conversations and didn’t pay much mind to them. Hopefully this meant their suspicious of them were dispelled.

Any further speculations were quelled when two women stood on the main auditorium stage. The first was principal Celestia. The woman next to her was of shorter stature, yet equally as beautiful. She had light blue skin and long, wavy hair that was in two different shades of blue. Her green eyes appeared strict, yet kind. She wore a pair of dark blue slacks and a light purple blouse with a white collar. On said collar was a black crescent moon. This was Vice Principal Luna.

“May I have your attention, everyone?” Principal Celestia called out. The clamor drew to a close as all eyes focused on the two. “Thank you. Now I know you’re excited for Canterlot High’s first ever over night field trip. But please be aware that we will be going to the Research and Development Center, the city’s institute for innovation of science and technology. Please be mindful of the workers and the projects being developed. Furthermore, as you all are aware, this is also a joint field trip with Crystal Prep Academy. Principal Cadence and we wish to have this as a pilot test opportunity for our two schools to intermingle outside of the Friendship Games. So please be on your best behavior. Other than that, please enjoy yourselves during this trip.”

The students erupted into cheers and applause. It eventually died down as Vice Principal Luna stepped up for her own announcement. “Hello. For this field trip, your Principal and I have decided to implement a buddy system to better keep track of you all.” She held up two plastic bowls. “The pairings will be one boy and one girl. Each bowl I hold has a set of numbers. The two people who pull the same number will be partnered up. Any one left over will be free to pick their partner from the remaining students. We encourage you to keep track of your partner in case of an emergency. Any other questions?” No hands were raised. “…Very well. Ladies, please pick a number from the red bowl. Gentlemen, a number from the blue bowl.”

The students approached the stage and lined up to obtain their pairings. One by one students picked up a number sought out their partner. Once Team Build and the Rainbooms picked their numbers, they wandered until they found their match.

After a few minutes, all the pairs were formed. Flash Sentry had been partnered up with Twilight Sparkle. Sol Burner had been paired with Sunset Shimmer. Sandalwood Forests was with Fluttershy Breeze. Micro Chips was partnered with Rarity Belle. Rainbow Dash’s partner was a fellow, blue skinned athlete named Soarin Skies. Pinkie Pie had been paired with a blue skinned, black haired member of the theater club named Wild Smile. And finally, Applejack was partnered with Bulk Biceps.

With everyone paired off, they boarded the buses and drove toward their destination.

Meanwhile…

In a narrow alleyway, two figures were in a meeting. One of them was a man in his late twenties to early thirties with neatly combed, brown hair and pale skin. He was dressed in a white buttoned shirt, slacks, loafers, and a lab coat.

The one opposite of him….was Blood Stalk. He places a small briefcase in the man’s hands. “As you may already know, today is a big field trip for the kiddies at Canterlot High and Crystal Prep. While security is distracted in getting them all checked in, sneak this in to the designated spot. Also…” He holds up a bottle filled with Smash essence and placed it on top of the case. “If things start to get dicey, don’t hesitate to use it. Don’t let anyone stop you.”

“…Alright…” The man agreed, pocketing the bottle in his coat. “…Can I really use Pandora’s Box to cure my son’s illness?”

“Of course you can!” Stalk answered passionately. “The Box is a unique object filled with otherworldly energy! Applied correctly, it has the capability of enacting the incomprehensible! Curing your son is simply child’s play! That….I can promise you, once you give it to us, your son will be right as rain.”

“...Okay.” He nodded gratefully before he set out to perform his aforementioned assignment, leaving Stalk alone in the alley.

The Cobra folded his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall. “…After all…it’s so easy curing a disease I gave someone in the first place.”

During the drive to their destination, the students of Canterlot High took the time to strike up conversations with their partners to get to know them better and/or discuss what their planned topics would be for their reports. Another part of the field trip was to write up and turn in a paper discussing a project or topic of interest from the field trip.

Such a topic of interest applied to sets of partners in particular. “So…what part of the research center are you looking forward to?” Twilight asked Flash.

“Well, I’m kinda interested in their aviation division.” The musician admitted. “I heard they’re trying to design new types of aircraft and composite materials to make them. Speaking of, do you have any idea what they may be?”

“Sorry.” The bespectacled girl apologized. “My parents might run the facility, but that doesn’t mean I know everything going on there. Some of these projects are classified due to sensitive information. Well, that and I didn’t have enough time to study everything available.”

“Knowing you, I’m surprised you didn’t make time to learn everything.” The two shared a laugh as the others kicked off their own inquiries.

“This trip is gonna be awesome!” Sandalwood cheered.

“You seem excited.” Fluttershy noted. “Is there any reason why?”

The eco-teen nodded in agreement. “Well, the Research Center is known for all sorts of innovative stuff, right?” The animal lover replied with a nod of her own. “It just so happens that some of their projects are meant to improve sustainability. Stuff like improved renewable energy, improved recycling, new building materials, better ways to clean up the oceans, all kinds of stuff. I know what I’m gonna write about.”

“Sounds exciting.” The quiet girl smiled. “I wish you good luck.”

“Thanks. So what about you? Anything you’re interested in?”

“Well…I’m curious to see their wildlife biology research. I would like to know their findings on how to properly preserve endangered species…”

“Sounds cool. And sounds so you, Flutters.” While the two nature friendly teens spoke, a certain fighter and fiery haired girl were equally excited.

“I can’t believe this is happening!” Sunset smiled.

“You seem happy.” Sol commented.

“How could I not? I’ve always wanted to see what goes on in the research center, but never got the opportunity for a proper tour or visit due to school and work. Now’s a great opportunity.”

“Know what you’re gonna write about?”

“Not yet. There’s just so much there…I think I’ll know it when I see it. But what about you?”

“Easy.” Sol smiled as he folded his arms. “I’m gonna see if they have any exosuits there.”

“Exosuits? You mean like the ones they use for industry or medical rehab?”

“Yeah. But I’m gonna go see if they have anything that can make you fly like in the comics!” He shook with childish excitement.

Sunset giggled at his behavior. “Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I doubt they have ones that let you fly with only your hands and feet.”

“You don’t know that.”

As the two discussed/argued about exosuits, another pair had another exchange.

“So what are you interested in, Rarity?” Micro asked his partner.

“Hm…it’s hard to say for now. There are so many grand projects the Research Center has that it can be hard to choose. Personally, I’m curious about their wearable robotics designs.”

“Really? Why?”

“It’s quite simple. When I learned of them, I was impressed to see such devices being used for rehabilitation treatments. On top of that, they are improving the designs to be much more form fitting and practical. Now it’s your turn. What interests you the most on this trip?”

“Me?” The bespectacled teen repeated. “Well…if I had a choice…I kinda want to know about Pandora’s Box.”

“Pandora’s Box?” She asked with a raised brow. “What is that?”

“Are you aware of the object from space that crashed near the city two decades ago?” She responded with a nod. “Well, believe it or not, instead of a meteorite, it was actually a box-shaped object. I heard from Flash that his mother called it Pandora’s Box because of all the mysteries it held. Even now, they haven’t come close to cracking what it can do. All they know is that it radiates a mysterious form of energy. Flash told me that his mom is researching how to properly harness it as a renewable source of power.”

“That sounds amazing…” Rarity said with awe. “But are you sure you want to write about such an obscure topic? If it’s as you say, then they might not have enough information to write about.”

“Well, I was hoping to learn more about it anyway. This is a good opportunity to do so.”

Soon enough, the row of buses pulled up in front of the Canterlot Research and Development Center, or CRDC for short. The students from CHS noticed that they weren’t the first ones to arrive. Ahead of them was another line of buses that were labeled belonging to Crystal Prep Academy.

Once they got off the buses and took their belongings, they grouped up by their respective schools. Most students brought a duffle bag with their belongings. However, in Rarity’s case, she brought an assortment of suitcases. After Sandalwood and Micro unloaded the first of her luggage from the bus, the Rainbooms and Team Build noticed five familiar faces in the Crystal Prep crowd.

The first girl had pale yellow skin with freckled dotting her cheeks. She had purple eyes highlighted by blue eye shadow. Her long, pink hair had teal streaks and was tied up in a ponytail with a berry hair tie. She wore the Crystal Prep uniform forgoing the burgundy blazer. She was named Sour Sweet.

The second had light blue skin and long, whitish blue hair tied into pigtails with a red hairclip in the shape of a spoon. She wore a pair of orange rimmed glasses and a pair of leggings under her Crystal Prep uniform. Her name is Sugarcoat.

The third had a pale complexion with shoulder length blue hair in three different shades. She had orange eyes and a pair of orange goggles on her head. Her left ear was adorned in golden piercings, a lightning bolt on her lobe and rings on her ear. She was Indigo Zap.

The fourth had light teal skin and reddish eyes. Her purple hair was cut to chin length and had pink streaks with a sun hair clip in it. She was dressed in the complete ensemble of the Crystal Prep female uniform consisting of a white shirt, burgundy blazer, blue ribbon tie, purple plaid skirt, blue socks and shoes. Her name was Sunny Flare.

The final girl had a reddish complexion with yellow eyes. Her long hair fell down to her waist and resembled lemon-lime soda due to it green and yellow coloring. Like Sour Sweet, her eyes were highlighted by light blue eye shadow. Like Sunny Flare, she wore the complete uniform with the exception of keeping her sleeves rolled up. Her most noticeable trait was the pair of headphones covering her ears. Her name was Lemon Zest, and she was the first to notice the Rainbooms and waved.

“Hi you guys!” Her exclamation prompted her friends to glance in her direction.

“Hi Lemon Zest!” Pinkie Pie greeted with equal fervor.

“Why, it’s been ages! Why, we haven’t seen you all since the music video!” Rarity joined up with them.

“I know. It’s been a while.” Sunny Flare greeted.

“Well, I wouldn’t know since you guys didn’t let me join you!” Indigo complained.

“Right, and get the rest of us sick since you had a cold at the time? No thanks.” Sugarcoat rebutted.

“We would’ve called you all sooner, if it wasn’t for….you know….those robot and monster attacks.” Sour added.

“So you all know?” Sunset questioned.

“Of course we do.” The pigtailed girl said. “It’s been all over the news. You’d have to live under a rock to not know what’s going on.

“By the way, how’s Camp Everfree doing?” Sunny asked. “Were you able to get them the money in time.”

“We did.” Twilight answered. “It’s thanks to you all that we were able to save the camp.”

“That’s great!” Lemon cheered. “I’d hate for all that hard work to have gone to waste because of…y’know…”

As the Rainbooms and Shadowbolt Five caught up, Sandalwood and Micro finished heaving the last of Rarity’s luggage from the bus.

“Holy cow…” Sandalwood panted as he dropped the suitcase to the ground. “Just what does Rarity carry in these things? Rocks?”

“C’mon, I think you guys are exaggerating…” Sol said as he hefted up one of the cases with one arm. “See? Nothing to it.”

“But…but how…?”

“Could…could his hazard level be influencing his strength? Maybe it explains his durability…” Micro quietly mused.

“No way…It really is him!” A sudden exclamation cause Team Build’s heads turn to the approaching source. Indigo Zap ran up to Sol Burner with an excited look in her eyes. “I can’t believe it! It really is you! Sol Burner!”

“Yep.” The fighter said. “I take it you follow my matches?”

“Of course I do! You’re like, the youngest to ever compete in an MMA league qualifiers! If you hadn’t dropped out, you would’ve been a shoe in for the pro leagues!” Her head snapped over to her approaching friends and focused on the Rainbooms. “Why didn’t you tell me he goes to your school?!”

Before any of them could answer, a loud clap cut through the conversation.

“I’m so glad to see everyone made it here.” Twilight Velvet smiled. Beside her were Principals Celestia and Cadence and Vice Principal Luna. Behind the four were several staff members as part of the welcoming committee. “Everyone, welcome to the Canterlot Research and Development Center, or CRDC for short. We are honored to have such wonderful, aspiring minds with us today. We hope that this will truly be a memorable experience that will teach you valuable information.”

“If said info is about the box, I sure hope so.” Micro whispered to Flash.

“Everyone, please gather your belongings and meet us in the main hall. We shall begin our tour throughout the facility once everyone has gotten situated.” Celestia added.

“We will have two sectors within the building reserved for everyone. These will be the sleeping quarters once the day has ended. One will be for girls and the other for boys. In addition, please keep in mind the schedule, as meal times are included.” Principal Cadence continued.

“If you have any further questions, please consult one of us or a member of the staff.” Luna added.

Without any further questions, the students gathered their belongings and entered the building. However, as everyone moved, none of them noticed the scientist with the briefcase slip into the building’s side entrance.

After dropping off their belongings in their night quarters, the teams of two gathered and toured through the massive facility. Due to the fact that the CRDC is the city’s number one facility for research and development, it received a plethora of government funding and property space to rival the size of the National Museum. Even then it was still due to expansions due to the constant new discoveries.

The students had a lot of ground to cover before they were allowed to freely roam the building. The tour took would take a few hours before their scheduled lunch break. Velvet and Misty Veil truly thought of everything as the mess hall within the building was open for the students and even catered to dietary restrictions.

During the tour, the students each got a chance to learn about their topics of interest. The members of Team Build thought it would be best if they took notes for their reports now so they could study Pandora’s Box later during their free time.

Rarity was absolutely amazed by the wearable robotics in the CRDC’s Robotics Wing. There were simple so many to see. Some were designed for physical therapy while others were assistive for industry. The fashionista took notes on their designs and functions and thought up of ways and sketches of how the designs could be improved.

In the Natural Sciences and Sustainability sectors, the nature-loving pair had their share of knowledge. Sandalwood had been awestruck to see the different research projects to clean up trash in the oceans. He was also pleased to see how much solar and wind power cells had been improved.

Fluttershy had been absolutely delighted upon learning that the CRDC has devised of means of providing a stable and sustainable food source for Giant Pandas in the form of accelerated grown bamboo shoots. Granted, such a project is still in the testing stages, but she was pleased regarding its progress.

After that, the large group of students found themselves in the building’s aviation wing. Flash was awed to see so many different plane models throughout history hanging above their heads.

“This here is CRDC’s Aviation and Aeronautical facility. Here we have models and statistics of all aircraft made throughout history. If you look to your right, you can see some of our very own prototypes and information on them. And to your left, we have flight simulators for any of you aspiring pilots want to try out.” Velvet announced.

Flash was intrigued by the latter prospect. Since his father had been an Air Force Pilot, he always wanted to know what it was like top fly a plane. This could be his chance to do so.

Evidently, Twilight noticed his eye drawn to the machine. A smile crossed her lips as a plot formed. She realized it was devious, especially for her, but given the circumstances her friend went through the past week, she figured this could be a way to help him.

“Now, who would like to try the simulators first?”

“We do!” Twilight announced as she raised both her and Flash’s arms into the air.

“Wait, huh?” The musician questioned in surprise.

A moment later, the two found themselves in the simulator cockpit. Flash was the pilot while Twilight was the navigator. The former blinked at how this even happened while the latter simply smiled excitedly.

“Alright, kids.” Vevlet announced over the intercom. This simulator is meant to train pilots to stay focused during their flights. No matter what happens, the objective is to properly take off, fly the designated route, and land properly. Understood?”

Both teens replied in affirmation.

“Very well. Then let’s begin!” Flash and Twilight waited as the simulator booted up, the screen ran through a tutorial of how to operate the controls. They both followed the instructions and took off from the runway without complications.

Both continued the simulated flight for a few minutes. “How much further, Twilight?”

“About halfway.” The navigator answered. “After that we’re due to land on an empty runway marked by red lights and-.” But she was cut off as a bird flew into them and bounced off the windshield.

“Whoa! Didn’t see that coming.” The pilot said as he reoriented his disturbed flight path. The bird definitely surprised him. “Guess this is what your mom meant by training pilot focus. The SIM must be programmed with distractions like that.”

“I’m thinking distractions like that as well.” Twilight pointed above their heads, noting the flaming object rapidly closing in on their right.

Surprised by the appearance of the meteor and quickly dove the plane down to avoid the piece of space debris. “Okay, that was a close one….but what the heck are the odds of getting hit by a meteor like that?”

“Extremely miniscule.” The bespectacled girl looked at the pilot before back onto the map.” But if that is all the Simulator’s capable of, this will be child’s play. We’re about three quarters of the way there. The next stretch should…be…” She trailed off once she lifted her gaze.

Staring right back at her through the windshield was the malformed, decomposed face of a zombie. She blinked once. Twice. Yet her eyes did not play tricks on her. Then, without warning, the zombie lunged at her with a ravenous roar.

“AAAAAAUGHHHHHH!!!!!” Twilight screamed in terror as she jumped and latched onto the closest person to her: Flash. She jumped into his arms and hid her face into the crook of his neck while she wrapped her arms tightly around his head and neck.

“Wh-what the?!” The musician gasped from the sudden crushing hug and the appearance of a zombie on the plane’s nose.

However, the sudden jump scare caused them to lose their hold on the plane’s controls. Alarms blared as they rapidly lost altitude. The simulator then took a comedic ally steep dive towards the earth. Both genius girl and musician then screamed in terror in unison from the approaching crash. The moment they hit the earth….everything was still.

The simulator stopped as the words: Flight Failed flashed across the screen in bright red letters. Over the intercom, both teens could hear Velvet’s laughter.

“Hahaha…sorry, kids. But that was honestly really funny. Oh, and Twilight? I thought you said that the flight would be easy. And yet you believed a zombie was attacking the nose of the plane, undeterred by the altitude and flight speeds? Don’t you know how unrealistic such a scenario would be?”

Upon realizing the truth of her mother’s words, the bespectacled teen laughed sheepishly.

“Now…just how long will you two hold each other like that?” Her mother continued.

Flash and Twilight were confused by what she was talking about until they looked at one another. The girl was still in his arms as she held onto his neck. Both faces became a healthy shade of red as the two scrambled away from each other, finding the current situation completely awkward.

The simulation pod reoriented itself into its rest position as the door opened. Both Flash and Twilight dreaded the copious amounts of teasing they will be subjected to as the simulation feed was viewed live.

After enduring the numerous teasing from their friends and classmates, the two teens sat quietly away from each other as the rest of their classmates took turns through the simulator.

They took some solace in the fact that most groups didn’t even come as close to the objective as they did.

Applejack and Bulk had no idea how to operate the controls. They got off the ground…but then crashed a minute later due to keeping the plane at an incline and stalling. Ironically enough, they crashed into a barn.

Rainbow Dash and Soarin did much better than they did, the latter the pilot and the former the navigator. They completed the course with ease, barely flinching when they were suddenly caught in a freak lightning storm.

Rarity and Micro got pretty far, but flopped when the plane jerked from a satellite crashing through a wing. They lost control and promptly crashed.

Pinkie and Wild Smile got caught up in a fireworks show midflight. Both were so distracted by the bright lights and pretty colors that they didn’t notice their dropping altitude until it was too late.

Sandalwood and Fluttershy did fairly well in the beginning. But the moment a large bird smacked against the windshield, and a falcon swopped in and ate said bird right before their eyes caused both of them to blanch. Fluttershy was so disturbed by the act, not even realizing that such a feat would be impossible due to their high altitude, that she lost control of the plane and crashed soon after. Sandalwood was green in the face from watching nature at work.

Sol and Sunset was another team that completed the course. The fighter actually nearly made them crash seven times. They were pulled out of each one thanks to Sunset taking control of the situation, reprimanding him for wanting to do something crazy like doing a divebomb, and properly advised him how to fly.

After each group had a turn, it was time for lunch. The students were surprised that the mess hall had a quite a few cooks specializing in a variety of cuisine.

“Man…that hit the spot.” Flash patted his stomach as he and Twilight exited the mess hall and thought about what to do in their free time.

“You said it. The mess hall always has good food.” She agreed. “So…what do you wanna do for free time?”

“Hm…” Flash pretended to think. In truth, he already knew where to go. “How about…the Pandora’s Box area? I heard my mom talk about it, and I’m pretty curious about it myself.”

“Sounds good.” Twilight pulled up her map and saw that it was on the ground floor. Given that the mess hall was located on the third floor of the building, they made their way downstairs. While they walked, the female genius decided to make some small talk.

“…Have you ever wondered how crazy our lives turned out?”

“You’re gonna have to be more specific.” Flash answered. “Crazy in what way? Because of the magic? Smash attacks? Or awkward teen moments?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” She swatted his arm. “I’m serious, Flash. While our lives were crazy enough with Equestrian Magic, everything became worse when Faust appeared with the Smash. People are getting hurt and experimented on, and we don’t have any further leads on them.”

“Isn’t your brother leading the investigation? Hasn’t he found anything yet?” A shake of her head was her reply.

“He hasn’t told me or my family anything. Any and all information is classified.”

“Bummer. Well, I’m sure he’s doing everything he can. Same with Build and Cross-Z.”

“But can we really trust them?” She refuted. “We still don’t know what their motives are. And there’s what Mrs. Chrysalis said that-“

“I don’t care whatever flak they’re getting. Chrysalis can bash them all she wants, but those two are good people. If they weren’t then they wouldn’t have saved my mom.” He replied passionately. While technically it was himself who saved his mother, his words weren’t exactly false either. He needed to put a convincing display to dispel any further suspicions on their identity. But he never once faked his emotions.

“Alright…” She let go of the argument, realizing she may have crossed a line. “I’m just glad your mother’s doing better. She should be getting out soon, right?”

“Right. She should be out and about tomorrow or so. And you know…you do have a point, Twilight. This past year’s been an adventure just from the magic alone.”

"It's only been six months for me," Twilight told him, "The first six was with my pony counterpart. I bet you’re still thinking about her.”

"Oh yeah," Flash said blushing, "Sorry."

"It's fine," Twilight said, "I guess it is hard to tell us apart."

"Maybe it was at first," Flash said, "But once I got to know you better, telling you apart is easy."

"Really?" Twilight asked, "I thought we were supposed to be perfectly alike."

"Maybe on the surface," Flash said, "But past that, it’s obvious how you're two different people."

"How so?"

"Well," The musician said as his face flushed in embarrassment, "It's your eyes."

Twilight blinked at the statement, totally confused. "My eyes?"

"Princess Twilight had a look in her eyes that was more confused than anything," Flash explained, "Probably just because of her unfamiliarity with this world. But when she saw something magical, she had this air around her that said she'd seen worse."

"And me?"

"You've always got this look of wonder in your eyes," Flash explained, "When you see something new, even though you don't know what it is you want to learn more about it. Just like, and I know it’s a poor example and I apologize, back at the Friendship Games when you wanted to learn about magic."

Twilight wasn't sure how to answer that.

"Sounds silly I know," Flash said, "But it's just something I noticed."

Twilight's unsure face changed to that of a smile. "Thanks," she said, "I never really thought about it that way." She then looked up at him, "So how are things between you and her?"

Flash was a little taken aback by that question and stopped walking. "Well to be honest, considering she lives in another universe I realized nothing was ever really going to happen between us. Well, that and Sunset giving it to me straight. If she hadn’t…then I probably would’ve kept trying to keep something that never would’ve worked."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Her expression grew nervous as she finally asked a question that had plagued her since Camp. “Say Flash…before Sunset talked to you back at camp…did you honestly see me as just a replacement to the Princess?”

“What?!” The musician was shocked by the question. Partly because deep in his heart, he felt like her words struck home. “That…I mean….well…I’m sorry. But before I got to know you, I mean, really get to know who you are as a person….I couldn’t help but see the Princess in your place.” He admitted shamefully. “It was insensitive and selfish, I know. Sunset really tore into me on that. I guess I was pretty desperate at that point. I superimposed someone else over you because you look alike, despite you being two different people.”

“Flash…” The bespectacled girl said, taken aback by his brutally honest admission.

He leaned back against the wall. “I’m really sorry, Twilight. I just…I was just hopeless. I have Sunset to thank for helping me get my act together.” He raised his head and looked her in the eye. “You’re a great person, Twilight. Whoever you date, I can wholeheartedly say, is lucky to be with you. You deserve to be happy.”

“Flash, I….thank you….” She gave him a smile before it turned sheepish. “Ehe…sorry for making this whole exchange awkward with relationship and crush talk.”

"It's fine," Flash replied, "Besides, I have more important things in my life right now other then pursuing a relationship."

"Right," Twilight said, "We only have one more year until we graduate.”

"Yeah," Flash said really wanting to change the subject, "What about you?"

"Me?"

"You and Timber," Flash said, "how are things going between you two?"

"Oh," Twilight said, "Things are quite well. We text each other. But…to be honest, I haven’t heard from him lately. Not since we raised the money to save Camp Everfree.”

“Really?” The blue haired teen questioned. From what he knew about Timber, he seemed pretty serious about pursuing a relationship with Twilight. It seemed pretty strange to cease all contact.

“Yeah, I hope he’s okay. Especially with everything going on right now."

"Well, I’m sure he and Gloriosa are okay.” He tried to reassure her. “They probably learned about the Smash and left town to get away, like Applebloom and Big Mac.”

“But wouldn’t he let me know, though?”

“Well…yeah, that is true…”

“I just hope they’re doing okay…” He said in worry.

“Me too.” Flash agreed.

Yet neither of them could deny the sense of foreboding in their chests.

While Flash and Twilight had their little discussion, another pair made their way downstairs to Pandora’s Box as well.

Sol and Sunset Shimmer took the stairs, much to the former’s insistence in getting some exercise while he was away from home.

“You really take your training seriously, don’t you?” Sunset asked him.

“Of course I do.” Sol jumped off last few stairs onto the next floor. “I’m training for the professional circuit, which means I gotta stay in top form; eating right and training hard.”

“You say that, yet you practically inhaled that mega meat noodle bowl. You know those things are packed with sodium and lack veggies, right?” She gave him an inquisitive look.

“…That was my moment of weakness, okay.” He looked away and rested his head against the wall. “It just looked too good to pass up!”

“Easy, easy, I’m not accusing you of anything.” She giggled at his guilty admission. “There’s nothing wrong with eating what you like…even though I think you should be eating more vegetables if you’re gonna be a fighter.”

“I know, I know…but I just can’t stand certain veggies. Broccoli, kale, and spinach are okay, but some others….blegh…”

Sunset rolled her eyes. "Vegetables aren't that bad. Though I guess I'm a little biased since I come from a place where you don't eat meat."

“Oh, right. I keep forgetting you’re from a universe where everyone are ponies.” Sol recalled. After thanking her for his help, he told Sunset that he learned the truth about her and magic from Flash and the others. She was a bit miffed that the musician told him so easily, but she relented upon realizing it would’ve been best to learn sooner rather than later. “By the way, how were things back then?”

“You mean Equestria?” He answered her with a nod. “All things considered, it was pretty peaceful.”

“But I thought there were several disasters, problems, or major villain attacks every Tuesday. Pinkie Pie told me that was the case.”

“Well…she’s not exactly wrong. But personally, I’ve never been through that. Back when I was Princess Celestia’s student, all I had to endure were boring meetings with Nobles and my lessons. According to Princess Twilight, nothing notable happened until Nightmare Moon returned on the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration.”

“You know, I still can’t believe that there are actually pony versions of everyone we know in Equestria. I mean, four people we know here are Royalty in the other world, and you were a student to one of them. It’s kinda like the multiverse theory found in comics.” Sol mused as he landed on the first floor. “And the fact that your friends on the other side, who are actually counterparts to the friends we know, make it all the more mind-blowing. Kinda wish I could see it for myself.”

Of course…the real reason why Sol wanted to go was to see all the cute ponies, but he was never going to tell her his ulterior motives.

“I’m afraid that won’t be happening anytime soon, not with Faust still at large.” The fiery haired girl pointed out. “As long as they’re around, no one is safe. Can you just imagine what they could do if they invaded Equestria?”

“Oh, right. But wait, don’t you ponies have magic? If they invaded, why not just zap them? Didn’t you say that Princesses Celestia and Luna can move the Sun and Moon? If they could move them, then why shouldn’t have problem in taking out Faust.” The fighter rebutted.

“That’s what I thought too. But there are two issues with that.” Sunset countered. “First is that the Princesses would rather seek peace first than escalate into conflict unless necessary. From what we’ve seen of Faust, by the time that happens, it would’ve already been too late.”

“Oh…wait, what’s the second then?”

“Well...my friends and I used our magic to protect people when Faust first attacked. We were able to stop the Guardians, but we were absolutely useless against the Smash. Our magic barely did a thing.”

“Whoa, seriously?” Sol acted. “Why doesn’t your magic work? I mean, didn’t you guys go all Rainbow laser like in Everfree? The guys told me that’s practically a one hit K.O.”

“We did, and the Smash wasn’t even fazed.” She replied morbidly. “We don’t exactly what make the Smash or people like Build immune to Equestrian magic. But it just makes them more dangerous.”

“But Build and Cross-Z help people. They stop the Smash and protect people.”

“I know they do. But they’re still hiding something. If they know what the Smash are and how to fight them, then why are they keeping it to themselves?” Sunset rebutted. “Why are they playing hero instead of informing people like the police how to fight back?”

Sol didn’t know what to say at first. He knew that Team Build’s actions had mixed reception, especially after Chrysalis’ public statement. Sunset Shimmer’s words and argument were rather sound. “…If you ask me, I think they’re doing something right.”

Sunset looked at him oddly. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s just what I think. But the way they’re going about things, helping and saving people, is right. Maybe there’s a reason why they fight alone. Maybe the stuff they have is supposed to be a secret so that Faust can’t get it or something like that.”

“But wouldn’t they put it at risk by using it every time?”

“Possibly. Like I said, I don’t know everything.” Sol shrugged as they gradually neared their destination, noting the amount of people congregating. “I’m just hoping we can get more answers.”

“So do I…” The fiery haired guitarist nodded in agreement.

Multiple pairs of students flowed into the room that housed the mysterious artifact known as Pandora’s Box. The room itself was extremely spacious. Aligning the walls were various images and documentations of up to date information on the artifact. At the center of it all was Pandora’s Box…contained in a large metal box with a window on each side to allow observation. Standing on either side of the container was an armed guard.

Most of the students crowded around the center, wanting to get a closer look. Someone even had their face pressed up against the glass. Most of the Rainbooms and their partners were situated toward the back of the mass of people as they tried to squeeze through.

Meanwhile, Flash and Twilight had moved over to a part of the wall showing multiple pictures documenting the Pandora's Box. "Look at all these," he told her.

"Yeah," Twilight agreed. She smiled as she spotted one with her mother and father, along with Flash's mother and what looked like an older version of Flash with a beard. She was starting to wonder how the two of them hadn't met before the Friendship Games, considering their parents were coworkers. Oh well, better late than never.

Flash stepped over to her and also saw the picture, frowning at the sight of his dad. Why'd he have a feeling his mother rarely looked at these photos? As he read the plaque, he was surprised to learn that his dad was a tester for the CRDC’s aviation craft and simulators.

He stepped over to another of the photos and saw it was similar to the last one, only this time Twilight's mom was carrying who he assumed was a very young version of Shining Armor. He also noticed his mom had a noticeably round stomach, obviously in the later stages of pregnancy with him. It must’ve been taken before her maternity leave.

He continued to glance over the many pictures decorating the wall, none of which caught his eye, until he found one at the very end of the wall. This picture showed Night Light standing next to the box alongside a man in his late twenties, with red skin and fiery red and orange hair in a buzz cut.

The title of the picture read 'Discovery of the Pandora's Box.'

This peaked Flash's interest, as he stared at the red skinned man. So he was the one who'd discovered the box. He couldn’t help but find the man familiar, as if he’s seen him somewhere before.

He then looked below the picture, at the plaque showing the names of the people in the photo. And one such name caught his eye. "No way." Twilight looked at her partner in confusion, but he ignored it. He glanced around the room and saw who he was looking for, then rushed over.

This surprised Twilight, who followed, until they reached Sol and Sunset.

Before the semi-professional fighter could notice him, Flash grabbed him by the back of the shirt and began pulling him. "Hey!" He looked around and saw it was Flash, "What gives?"

Flash didn't answer, continuing to pull him across the room while gathering quite a lot of attention from the surrounding students, Micro and Sandalwood included. The two rushed over, Flash finally let Sol go before pointing at the picture.

Sol raised an eyebrow at this before finally turning his focus towards the picture, his eyes going wide as he saw who it was. "What?"

Micro and Sandalwood finally reached them and stared at the picture, then looked down at the plaque and gasped when they caught on. "No way," Sandal said.

Micro turned to Sol, "Why didn't you tell us your dad was the one who found the box?"

Sol's eyes didn't leave the picture as he answered, "I...didn't know."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the facility, a familiar, brunette scientist entered a previously secured room. Lying at his feet were the guards stationed to watch the door. They were both unconscious with darts sticking into their skin.

The scientist, Chemistry Set, holstered his tranquilizer gun as he set the brief case on the table. He didn’t fear the risk of being seen on the surveillance cameras. He made sure to knock out the guards and disable the cameras.

“I’m sorry, everyone…” Each word was filled with remorse, as he knew each of the people he shot. “…but I need to do this for my son…” He opened up the case and pulled out a gas canister labeled ZZZ. He stared at head at the large machine by the wall. It was the ventilation regulator that controlled all of the air vents and air flow in the facility. It is typically used to help regulate the building’s climate control and air quality.

But now, it would be put to another purpose. With hardened resolve and guilt, he hooked the canister up to the machine and got to work. The gas housed inside the canister then flowed into the air system, leaking it into every room in the building.

“You mean your dad never told you about this?” Sandalwood asked.

“No. He never said anything about this.” Sol shook his head. His eyes were locked onto the image of his father.

“Well, at least we now have a lead.” Micro said. “Now we know that there’s a definite connection between Knuckle Blaze and Pandora’s Box.”

“But didn’t he just find it though? It says here that he contacted the CRDC to collect the box and it’s been in their jurisdiction ever since. Plus, he was a MMA fighter. I doubt he had the credentials to research it like my mom.” Flash pointed out.

“That may be true, but look at this.” He led them to another photo labeled Pandora’s Box Research Team. Within the frame was a group photo of various men and women in lab coats. There were two figures that stood out from the rest:

Flash’s mother, Misty Veil.

And Micro’s brother, Gizmo Poindexter.

“Wait, so he was on the team as well?” Flash asked.

“I’m surprised you didn’t know already.”

“My mom doesn’t really talk about her work around the house. So this is all news to me.”

“Nevertheless, we now have an idea of the connection between Knuckle Blaze and my brother.”

“We do?” Sol questioned.

“Yes. Your father found Pandora’s Box to begin with, while my brother was placed onto the research team studying it years later. And about seven months ago, they met up at my brother’s apartment and brought you along. Then you know the rest.”

“But what does that mean?”

“It means that everything we’ve learned and encountered so far is all connected.” Micro adjusted his glasses. “And the focal point of it all, most certainly, is Pandora’s Box.”

The members of Team Build stood in silence as the words sank in. based on Micro’s reasoning, it became imperative to learn more about the artifact now more than ever.

But that silence was soon broken.

“Hey, uh…doesn’t anyone else feel kinda sleepy?” Sandalwood yawned. The musician tried to reply, but he too, felt a sense of drowsiness wash over him. The same was said for Sol and Micro.

“Flash?” Twilight called out, prompting the boys to turn to her and her approaching friends from the crowd. But they noted that their movements seemed sluggish. “Why did…why are you…” With heavy eyelids and limbs, she and the girls collapsed on the floor completely unconscious.

“Twilight!” Flash yelled before he noticed that everyone else in the room succumbed the same way.

Micro got his attention as he pointed something out. “Flash the vents!....they’re….they’re leaking…” Like the others, he and Sandalwood were the next to fall, leaving Flash and Sol the only ones awake, yet gradually feeling lethargic.

“Sol! Cover your mouth!” The fighter did as told. The two pressed their shirts over their mouths to filter out the air. “It’s some sort of knock out gas. Everyone’s out cold. Someone must’ve messed with the vents.”

“Think it’s Faust?”

“I have a good idea. Suit up!” The two activated their watches and donned their disguises. They felt at ease as their masks properly filtered out the gas. They still felt a tad groggy. But overall, it seemed their condition improved. Flash idly wondered if it had to do with their Hazard Levels, but chose to dwell on it later. They needed to reach the ventilation room and shut down the gas.

But before they could even move, Chemistry Set barged into the room with a gas mask strapped to his face. When he saw the sleeping bodies on the ground, he felt relief. But it soon turned to dread and gasped upon seeing the conscious forms of the two disguised teens. “What the-?! You all should be asleep!” The man stammered in a panic. Why was the Masked Rider and his friend here?!

Flash was the first to see him and noticed his mask. Given his apparent, jittery behavior, his mind connected the dots. “Did you do this?!” He demanded with a step forward.

“Y-Yes!” The scientist admitted, much to their surprise. “I’m sorry, but I have to! I need the Box! Please! I need it to help my son! Please understand, I had to do it!”

“You knocked out everyone in the Building!” Sol countered.

“I had to do it to get the Box!” He snapped back.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t let you have it.” Flash stood in front of the containment unit. “I don’t know what Faust or Stalk told you, but we can’t let you have Pandora’s Box. If they really are using your son, we can help. It may take time but-“

“No! I’m sorry…” The man interrupted and apologized. He pulled out the Smash Bottle. “But my son doesn’t have time.” He twisted the cap and sprinkled the essence all over his body.

“No don’t!” But it was too late. Chemistry’s body glowed as it warped into a familiar shape. The Smash that stood in his place was a copy of the Flying Smash Flash and Sol fought before. But its coloring was off. Instead of red and silver, its body was black and dark blue. It also had light blue lining on its head and limbs.

The Smash roared as it flew up and dove towards them. They jumped to the side to avoid it. Flash quickly donned the Driver and shook his signature Best match.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!”

“FULLTMETALMOONSAULT!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

Now as Masked Rider Build, Flash jumped up using Rabbit’s legs and punched the Smash with Tank’s power. The Hazard Flying Smash crashed into the wall, but shook off the impact and took to the air once more.

While Flash engaged the Smash, Sol took the liberty of pulling the unconscious bodies away from the battlefield.

Build had to keep dodging the Flight Smash’s dive attacks as he couldn’t use his weapons with so many civilians so close. He endured the attacks and noted that his damage readout was steadily reaching its limit. He needed to get someplace void of people and take this Smash down!

He then saw an opening.

The Hazard Flying Smash tried to swoop down and strike again, but this time, Flash did something different. Using Rabbit’s speed, he charged at the Smash and tackled it through the room’s exit. The two tumbled across the ground before Flash kicked it up in the air.

Once the Smash got back on its feet, it roared at the Rider before it flew up and fled from his opponent.

“Oh no you don’t!” Build then took out a new pair of Fullbottles before he called out to Sol. “I’ll keep flyboy distracted! You go find whatever’s causing the gas to spread and shut it down!”

“Got it!” Sol manifested the Beat Cross-Zer and ran down the halls.

Flash twisted the caps of the new Best match.

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” Rabbit-Tank became replaced by a new form suited for aerial combat.

“SKY HIGHVANDAL!”

“HAWK-GATLING!”

“YEAH!”

Spreading his wings, Flash took to the skies and gave chase to the augmented Smash, HawkGatlinger in hand.

Sol Burner dashed through the halls, carefully avoiding any unconscious bodies that littered them. As he ran through the building trying to find the source, he noted how there was a substantial lack of Guardians patrolling.

While it was good that there was a lack of opposition, the fighter thought it was simply too quiet.

After a few more turns, he came across the ventilation room he found on the directory. Given that the gas was spread through the vents, he figured it would be a good place to start.

His intuition was right as he saw what looked to be a suspicious canister hooked up to the air regulator.

Sol tried to find some way to remove the canister to stop the gas….but he had absolutely no clue how to operate a machine like this, much less disconnect the suspicious container.

So he went with Plan B: Smash it.

Using the Beat Cross-Zer, Sol severed the tube that connected the can to the machine. Once it fell off, he destroyed it with a Smash Hit.

“Yes, got it!” But his celebratory mood was cut short as the machine started to spark. “…uh oh…” Taking it as a bad sign, Sol dashed out of the room, hoping to reach his classmates in time and try to move them someplace safe.

While Sol tried to get the unconscious civilians to safety, Flash flew around the building in pursuit of the Hazard Flying Smash.

Much like the Hazard Strong Smash, this one was superior to its predecessor. Not only was it faster and stronger, but it reacted quicker. The Rider learned this when it weaved through the rapid gunfire from his weapon without so much as a graze. He realized he needed to kick things up a notch.

As the Flying Smash crashed through a window and flew outside, he spun the magazine of his gun…multiple times.

Sol made it back into the Pandora’s Box room, quickly thinking about how to move everyone outside without hurting them. But his planning ceased as many bodies stirred awake. Mumbles of confusion were exchanged. Confusion transformed into surprise upon seeing Cross-Z by the door.

“Is everyone okay?!” He called out. No one answered, yet he continued. “Listen! We don’t have much time, but everyone needs to get out of here! Right now!”

“At least tell us why first!” Sour Sweet demanded.

Then suddenly, the lights overhead flickered as red lights flashed in the room. Alarms blared in the students and teacher’s ears. Twilight Velvet paled in realization.

“Oh no!” She then signaled everyone else. “Everyone! Please listen! The Building is going into lockdown! We must leave now!” The students became panicked by what was going on, but their teachers managed to keep them calm enough to follow their guide’s instructions and headed out the building. Cross-Z followed the group and covered the rear. He was still wary of any potential attackers courtesy of Faust.

His actions produced mixed feelings from the group. Some were relieved that he was here to help while others were curious why he was even here and what he knew of the situation.

“ONE HUNDRED!”

“FULL BARREL!”

“Time to ground this turkey!” Flash pulled the trigger as energy hawks shot out of the Hawk Gatlinger at a rapid rate. The Hazard Flying Smash tried to avoid them again, but was unable to properly shake them off. The hawks impacted its wings, causing enough explosions to damage them and sent it careening to the ground. They had flown pretty far from the CRDC, and were now located in a rocky terrain of sorts. The Smash tumbled before it hit a giant boulder.

Flash landed before it as it stood back up. “I have no idea why you gassed everyone and tried to steal the Box, but I’m gonna put a stop to this.” He took out a new pair of Bottles and shook them, watching the math equations fly around him. “Let’s begin the experiment.”He twisted the caps and inserted the bottles.

“LION!”

“CLEANER!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Ignoring the fact he got another Best Match out of the blue, Flash turned the crank as a set of yellow and light blue armor pieces materialized.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” The armor panels converged on his body, engulfing him in a burst of steam. While his Inorganic pieces were that of the Cleaner, his Organic armor pieces were yellow and resembled that of a Lion. He had a tail-like shoulder guard on his right and a lion-shaped eyepiece on the left of his helmet. On his right arm was a gauntlet that resembled a lion’s head.

“THE MANEDCYCLONE!”

“LION-CLEANER!”

“YEAH!”

Like before, Flash slid a finger along his eyepiece in before flicking his wrist into an open hand. “And now I have the Winning Formula.” The Hazard Smash growled as it charged at him on foot. Flash leaned away from its swing before countering with a right hook of his own. With strength matching that of the King of the Jungle, his punch delivered noticeable damage to the Smash.

He ducked underneath a swipe of its wing and returned its assult by smashing his Vaccum-like arm into its body twice. Before the Smash could return the hits, Flash quickly followed up with a right straight into its chest. The Hazard Smash was sent flying before it crashed to the ground.

It tried to run and hide behind a large Boulder, but the Rider refused to let it flee. Flash gathered energy into his right hand as he reared it back. The energy condensed into the shape of a lion’s head. He threw it forward and it smashed the Boulder into tiny pieces. The force of the resulting explosion knocked the Smash on its back.

It scrambled up, spread its wings, and took to the skies. The Rider responded by turning the crank on his driver. Yellow and green flashed back and forth as the wheel on the driver spun. He raised his Cleaner arm at the retreating foe. In the next moment, it sucked up everything within its vicinity with extreme force. The pull was so great that the Smash was unable to advance any further. It tried to fly away, but Flash would not let it escape.

“READY GO!”

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

Like before, his fist radiated golden energy as he flung it forward. A burst of power in the shape of a lion shot out and clamped its jaws on the disabled Smash as it became swallowed in an explosion.

“YEAH!”

The Hazard Flying Smash dropped onto the ground in an explosion of green gas. Its essence was extracted by Build as Chemistry Set returned to normal. Unlike the previous Smashes, Chemistry was conscious upon reversion. The scientist was distraught as tears leaked through his eyes.

Flash stepped up, wanting answers. “Why? Why did you do it? People could’ve gotten seriously hurt!”

“I’m sorry! I...I had to do it! Pandora’s Box was my only hope…” He sobbed.

“For your son, right?”

“Yes…I was told that the Box…the box could cure his illness. I tried everything….it was the only chance we had…”

“Who told you that? Who told you that Pandora’s Box could cure something like that?”

“A….A man named….S-Stalk….”

Flash felt dread within the pit of his stomach upon piecing together the entire picture. They had been set up! He immediately tried to contact Sol, and was grateful that he got to him just as quickly.

“Cross-Z! Whatever you’re doing, stop! You need to get back into the CRDC, fast!”

“What? Why?! What’s going on?!” Sol demanded. He and everyone had evacuated the building as soon. Murmurs of confusion filled the air from both students and staff alike.

“It was a trap! The Smash was only a distraction! Faust and Stalk are going after Pandora’s Box!”

“What?!” His exclamation drew the attention of the crowd. “Faust is after the Box?!” The rest of his statement drew further unease and panic from the group.

“Yes! You gotta get back in there and stop them! I’ll catch up!”

“Got it! I’ll stop them!” Without any further instruction, Sol dashed back towards the CRDC.

“Wait!” Velvet yelled out to warn him. While she had no idea what was going on, hearing Sol’s statement of the mysterious organization after Pandora’s Box made her realize the situation was extremely dire and only the Masked Rider and his friend could stop it. “The building’s going into lock-down! You won’t make it before the barricade falls!” True to her word, metal shutters descended to cover the main entrance.

Yet Sol remained undeterred. The fighter ran faster and closed the distance to the shutting entrance in a matter of seconds. Just as it was about to be sealed completely, he dropped and slid across the ground and through the closing gap. He made it inside the building as it became sealed off.

All the students who watched him couldn’t help but compare it to a Daring Do style close call.

Blood Stalk waltzed inside the Canterlot Research and Development Center, leaving the crumbled remains of what used to be guards scattered by the wind.

He had a noticeable spring in his step as everything had proceeded according to plan. He whistled and a platoon of Guardians marched in after him.

Underneath his helmet, he grinned from ear to ear. At last, their prize was just a few broken walls away. “Showtime, baby.”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Hi Everyone. So here we have the Research Center Field trip.....the first half anyway. The next chapter will conclude this little two parter and provide some startling revelations.

And for those familiar with Banshee531's work, yes, there are little easter eggs to his stories here. particularly Wild Smile from his Flash Sentry Chronicles, and Flash and Twilight's little heart to heart from his Power Ranger's story.

Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave your thoughts in a review.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock

Chapter 10: Research Center Showdown Part 2

After Cross-Z had successfully entered the building, the mass of people had flown into a complete frenzy. Many wondered what was going on, why Cross-Z was here, and why they were locked out of the building. The staff and teachers tried their best to calm the students down, but had difficulty in doing so.

Off to the side, Micro and Sandalwood managed to regroup away from prying eyes. The former had his phone pressed to his ear as Flash filled them in on the situation. How the gas and the Smash attack were simply a diversion for Stalk and Faust to sneak into the building and steal the box.

“I’m on my way right now! Tell Cross-Z to be careful until I can get to him!”

“Right. I’m sending Crozz in as well.” The intellectual replied. After a confirmation, the rider hung up as Micro inputted a new command into his phone.

Back at the lab, Crozz’s eyes flickered and lit up before it immediately flew out of the building to its confirmed destination.

Micro prayed that the mechanical dragon could get here as soon as possible. They were currently running blind on the situation.

“Hey, you guys!” Rainbow Dash hollered. The two boys turned to see the Rainbooms run up to them. “Do you two know where Flash and Sol went? We can’t find them anywhere!”

“Wait, so they weren’t with you?” Sandalwood questioned, feigning ignorance.

“We thought they were with you.” Fluttershy replied.

“Crap…this is bad…”

“You guys don’t think they’re still in there, do you?” Twilight turned to the locked down building.

“It….it’s plausible.” Sunset admitted. “But they should’ve woken up along with us. When did we get separated from them?!”

“What on earth is going on here?!”

From the building, all eyes turned to see the group of police cars pull up along the parking lot. Following them was another black car familiar to Twilight, Cadence, and Velvet.

From the lead police car stepped out Lieutenant Shining Armor while Night Light exited the black car, both were baffled by what they were seeing.

“Shining Armor! Dad!/Night Light!” The females of the Sparkle Household cried as they approached.

“Scrambled the squad as soon as I got your call, mom. Can someone please tell me what’s going on?!”

“Just what on earth happened while I was away?!” Night Light walked up to them. “What’s this about sleeping gas, Faust, and Pandora’s Box?!”

Velvet quickly explained to her husband and son the situation from what she could piece together. How they were all knocked out by some form of sleeping gas through the vents and how Build and Cross-Z came to save them. Apparently, Faust had set up this plan to steal the artifact.

As soon as she finished, both men from the Sparkle Household paled.

“Goodness…! Just how were they able to put together a plan like this?!”

“I don’t know, dad…but it’s definitely not good.”

“What of the Rider and his friend. Where are they now?”

“Currently, Cross-Z is inside the building. We don’t know where Build is right now. Hopefully they can stop Faust before they can get away with the Box.”

Meanwhile...

“Ba ba da bap bap ba da ba da ba da~” Stalk sung to himself as he traversed through the halls with a spring to his step. The Guardians that had previously followed him had left elsewhere for an additional assignment.

Behind him was a trail of dead bodies that quickly broke apart into black particles. The guards were unfortunate to have encountered Stalk and got poisoned for their efforts to stop him.

He was honestly surprised that so many had stayed when the building locked itself down. Oh well…they weren’t an issue anymore.

The red armored man had found himself in the room that housed Pandora’s Box. The Cobra couldn’t help but shiver in excitement. After so long…the Box was within reach. He brandished his Steam Blade as he approached the containment unit.

He raised the blade as if to slice through the container….but he stopped and crouched over a control panel off to the side.

He typed in a series of numbers before the panel lit green. The container beeped as sections of it slid open to reveal the artifact inside. “I must thank Misty for all those little security codes. Pity that there’s no master code to lift the entire lock down….oh well.”He grabbed the grabbed the box and held it with his hands. “Finally…one step closer.”

“Hold it you snake!” Sol Burner appeared, Beat Cross-Zer in hand. “You’re not getting the Box!”

“Ah, little Sol Burner…” Stalk mused as he turned to the teen. “How nice to see you again. But your statement couldn’t be more wrong as I already have what I came for.” He hefted the artifact for emphasis. “See?”

“Guess I’ll just have to take it back.” He already pulled the pommel. “After I kick your ass.”

HIT PARADE!

“As much fun it would be to beat the stuffing out of you again, I’m afraid I’m needed on the roof. But don’t worry.” With a free hand, he snapped his fingers. The Guardians appeared from the other side of the room, dragging along one of the CRDC’s scientists. The Cobra pulled out the Steam Blade once more. “You’ll have someone else to play with.”

DEVIL STEAM!

The scientist screamed as the Nebula Gas swallowed his body, transforming it into that of the Press Smash.

“Crap.” Sol groaned as the Smash lumbered towards him.

“Hope you survive this, kid.” With a wave of his hand, Stalk and his Guardians left the scene while Sol fought off the mutated scientist.

“You’re not getting away!” The fighter yelled out before he slammed his blade into the Press Smash.

“I already am!” The Cobra yelled back, his voice echoing as he got farther away. “Ciao~!”

Back outside, the police had taped off the vicinity and kept the students well away from the building for their own safety.

Night Light and Twilight Velvet were busy punching in a string of codes into the Building’s security system. But each one they tried resulted in an error message. All of the codes for outside access have been changed.

Shining Armor was with the rest of his officers trying to determine a plan of action in case of the two vigilantes failing.

The Rainbooms were off to the side with the same agenda.

“So what exactly can we do if Build and Cross-Z can’t stop Faust from stealing the Box?” Sunset wondered. After overhearing Cross-Z yell out loud Faust’s objective, the girls realized what was going on.

“But what could they want with Pandora’s Box anyway?” Twilight wondered.

“I don’t know, but didn’t it say that generated some sort of unknown energy? Maybe they’re after that?”

“Ooh, what if they’re using the energy it makes and use it to power something? Like a doomsday weapon? Or the world’s biggest juke box? Or even Las Pegasus?!” Pinkie Pie was greeted by strange looks from her friends. “What? All that power for those lights gotta come somewhere you know.”

“Strange theories aside, there’s gotta be something we can do!”Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“But how can we stop them?” Rarity asked.

“Ah don’t know. Ah can’t help but feel like we’re gonna be useless, gals.” Applejack replied.

“You mean because of our magic, right?”

“Yep. If our magic can’t work, then we’re just sittin’ ducks.”

“There must be something we can do.” Rarity urged. They couldn’t just let the scoundrels get away like this.

“Panic?” Fluttershy suggested.

“That’s your answer for everything.” Their rainbow haired friend replied blandly. “Maybe I can sneak inside and reach the Box before Faust can.”

“But how are you going to stop them?” Twilight questioned back. “If you go in there, you’re gonna get blasted!”

“I don’t know! But…wait, what’s that noise?” Rainbow trailed off from her argument. The sound of rushing air filled their ears.

“Look!” Pinkie Pie pointed to the sky. All eyes turned up to see the flying form of Build careening toward the building at full speed. He showed no signs of slowing down.

“Dear heavens…!” Rarity gaped, realizing what the Rider intended to do. “Don’t tell me he’s going to-!”

Like a rocket, Build shot through the air and broke his way into the building’s barricaded window on the third floor. The sound of creaking metal and breaking glass filled the air as the metal panels failed. The students screamed as the shards fell on the ground.

“….looks like he did.” Pinkie Pie commented.

“Did Build just crash through the window?!” Shining Armor questioned in both shock and confusion.

“Well…looks like we need to get a new window…and shutters…” Night Light lamented. But it would be a small price to pay if they could keep Pandora’s Box safe.

While all eyes were on the broken window, Micro and Sandalwood were on their phones and out of earshot.

And no one noticed the small, blue, mechanical dragon sneaking in through the air vents on the side of the building.

“Dude, that was a pretty sick entrance.” Sandalwood complimented.

“It definitely distracted everyone that’s for sure. But there’s no doubt Faust is on to you, now.”

“Had no choice. Couldn’t find a way in, so I had to make one.”Flash replied as he flew through the halls, trying to find where Stalk was.

“You realize we’re just solidifying Chrysalis’ claims of destructive behavior, right?” Micro pointed out.

“Hey, it was an emergency! Would you rather have Faust steal the Box instead?!” The Rider snapped back as he flew down to the first floor to start his search.

“Point taken. Found them yet?”

“Nope! Going as fast as I can! Did you guys find Cross-Z?”

“Not yet, Crozz just entered the building and should find him shortly!”

“Just hope he’s doing okay.”

SMASH HIT!

The flaming blade of the Beat Cross-Zer slammed into the Press Smash’s body. A resulting explosion occurred that took the monster down for the count. Sol pulled out an Empty Bottle and extracted the essence, returning the researcher to normal.

“Glad that’s over…” The fighter sighed as he looked around the room. His fight with the Press Smash had been quite destructive. The walls had numerous dents and slash marks while the floor was covered in streaks of soot from the flames. He walked over to the unconscious man and pulled him off to the side so he rested against the wall.

He didn’t have time to see if he was alright, he needed to stop Faust from stealing the Box.

“Burrah!” A familiar cry was heard overhead as Crozz flew to his eye level.

“Hey buddy!” Sol smiled as he caught the dragon. “Guessing Micro sent you here?”

It chirped in confirmation as its eyes flickers. His communicator then crackled to life.

“Cross-Z, are you there? Come in!” Flash called out.

“I read you, Build. Where are you?”

“Inside the building looking for Stalk! I’ve done a floor sweep over the first two, but I can’t find him!”

“Do you know where he is?!” Micro called in next.

“Well, before he sent a Smash to attack me, he said he was needed on the roof.” The fighter broke out into a run. “I’ll meet you up there!”

“Wait, he was heading to the roof this whole time?!” Flash questioned loudly.

“Yeah, why?” Sol was already climbing the stairs to the next floor up.

“You’re saying I smashed through the third floor window for nothing?! And I STILL missed him?!”

“….yeah, pretty much.” Sol said before hearing him groan.

“Ugh….I’m flying back around. I’ll cut them off and meet you on the roof.” Flash cut the call as he flew up to his destination, muttering a stream of curses under his breath.

“You know, I probably should’ve said this earlier, but why didn’t you guys just call me that Crozz was coming? And I could’ve told you where Stalk went without the wild goose chase and window smashing, as cool as that sounds. How awesome was it?” Sol pointed out as he ascended to the third floor.

Outside the building, Micro stared off into space before he slapped his forehead.

A bit later, Build flew out of the hole he made and ascended to the roof of the building. Meanwhile, Sol had reached the stairs that led to the roof, only to be greeted by a group of Guardians with guns trained on him.

“I don’t have time for you scrubs!” Sol pulled the pommel of his weapon.

HIT PARADE!

He then charged in with a battle cry.

Blood Stalk whistled as he climbed the final set of stairs and opened the door to the CRDC’s roof. It was a spacious area with a helipad made for aerial transport. Standing next to the helicopter was the familiar form of Night Rogue.

“Took you long enough.”

“Sorry, had to keep our little Dragon occupied.”

“What of the Guardians?”

“Covering our escape. They got the stairway secured while we high tail it out of here.”

“Very well. But why do you insist on taking a helicopter instead of teleporting? Doesn’t seem practical given what we’re capable of.” Night Rogue pointed out.

“C’mon…lighten up! What’s wrong with having fun and riding a chopper once in a while? Gotta make a get-away in style, you know. Besides, this baby ain’t going anywhere…”

Just as Stalk said that, a flaming projectile flew above their heads and stabbed itself into the helicopter’s propeller. The impact produced an explosion that blew the rotors off its hull.

Both armored figures stared as their get-away ride had combusted. They turned around to find the culprit.

Sol Burner stood with his arm extended, Dragon Fullbottle in hand. His form was hunched over and panted heavily, signifying exhaustion from his previous fights. “You bastards aren’t going anywhere.” He stood tall as his fists ignited. “Hand over the box!”

“Well this is a surprise.” Stalk commented offhandedly. “You seem to have handled that Press Smash all by your lonesome, not to mention how you got past all our Guardians quickly.”

“As if stuff like that could stop me…” The fighter glared. Below them on the staircase were the sparking, mangled remains of Faust’s Guardians.

“Rightfully so…” The Cobra handed Night Rogue the Box. Before Sol could react, Blood Stalk had already closed the distance between them and delivered a solid punch to his midsection. He felt the wind expel from his lungs as he was knocked back into the wall by the door. “...But you still ain’t at our level yet, kid.”

Before Night Rogue could reach for his own Transteam Gun to finish off the nuisance, a volley of energy hawks impacted him from behind, forcing him to stumble and release his grip on the artifact.

“LION!”

“CLEANER!”

“Build up!”

Before it could hit the ground, Pandora’s Box was sucked up toward the descending Masked Rider in Lion Cleaner form. He hit the ground in a tuck and roll before propping up on his knees. The box flew toward him and into his hands safely.

“Well, look who’s tardy to the party.” Stalk mused.

“You’re not getting away with Pandora’s Box.” Flash glared at the two Faust members. Quickly recovering, Sol Burner walked up next to his partner, cracking his knuckles and rearing to go. “We’re stopping you here and now!”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but that ain’t happening.” The Cobra paused to think before continuing. “By the way, heard you broke through a barricaded window trying to find me.” He waved his hand in a so-so manner. “I’ll give you points for style kid. But practicality….meh.”

“Shut up!” Flash tried to rush him but a blast from Night Rogue knocked him to the side.

“Your fight is with me, Build.” The Bat coldly stated, stalking closer. The Masked Rider growled before he engaged Night Rogue.

Meanwhile, Sol squared off against Rogue. The former kept a wary eye on his opponent, waiting for an opening. “What’s the matter? Show me what ya got, kid.”

Seeing as he wasn’t able to goad his opponent, Sol complied and struck first. He started with a left jab that Stalk effortlessly parried. He was running purely on adrenaline, his movements became more sluggish and telegraphed. He shifted his feet and whipped his hand back in a backfist, yet his foe stopped it as well with a forearm block.

Sol spun on his heel to deliver a reverse spin roundhouse kick combination. Stalk ducked beneath the first kick and caught the second. He then threw the teen away. Sol reacted quickly and flipped up back on his feet.

He charged in and resumed the fight starting with a feint before he struck with an uppercut. Stalk simply leaned back to let the fist fly past his face. The fighter used his upwards momentum to spin for a left elbow smash that the Cobra blocked yet again. Sol Burner pulled back briefly before striking with a series of punches to try and overwhelm his opponent.

To his aggravation, the multiple strikes did not faze Stalk who soundly parried and blocked each one. “Is this really your best?” He mocked. “How disappointing.” Before Sol could lash out with another punch, Stalk sidestepped and drew close before striking his chest with an open palm strike.

The martial artist was sent skidding across the roof before he fell on his knees. His ribcage rattled from the impact and his breathing grew labored. Yet the sensations dulled as his anger flared up from the insults.

Without even shaking the Dragon Fullbottle, Sol’s fist ignited in blue balls of fire.

The Cobra saw and found himself amazed by this phenomenon. To demonstrate such power without the use of a Fullbottle was unprecedented. Truly, he never expected Sol Burner to be capable of such things. He found his intrigue in the boy grow more and more.

His musings were cut short as said boy closed the distance between them and rammed a blazing fist into his face. Blood Stalk was rattled from the hit, but quickly shook it off. Yet that moment of hesitation was enough of an opening for Sol to continue his assault on the red armored psychopath.

Straight. Jab. Straight. Hook punch. Uppercut. Back fist. Jab. Uppercut. Hook punch. Hook punch. The cycle continued in an unrelenting assault of blue, flaming fists. Sol’s rage was channeled through each attack. As his emotions flared higher and higher, the flames grew brighter.

As the fiery hits continued, Stalk felt each attack getting stronger. He smiled. That meant that the boy’s Hazard Level was increasing, but he had to be sure.

Sol cocked his fist back to deliver a right hook. But Stalk had caught his hand before it even reached his face. “Bravo~ Young Sol Burner! You did it! A 3.0 hazard level!” He was so caught up in his revelation that he failed to react to the fighter striking him in the face with a jumping axe kick.

The Cobra was sent stumbling from the kick before he shook his head and regained his senses. “Alright then…” He whipped out both his Transteam Gun and Steam Blade. “…let’s get serious!”

While Sol continued his fight with the now armed Blood Stalk, Flash handled matters with Night Rogue. The latter fired a volley of energy blasts from his gun. Flash reacted by raising his Cleaner arm and sucked up all the projectiles harmlessly. Seeing as ranged attacks were useless, Night Rogue rushed in with the Steam Blade next, electricity crackled along the edge. Flash ducked under the first swing and sidestepped the second. He blocked the third with his right arm, blade meeting Lion Gauntlet. The Bat pulled the trigger.

“ELEK STEAM!”

Millions of volts of electricity surged from the weapon and through Flash’s body. The armor greatly mitigated the damage, especially the Lion Half-Body. But Night Rogue was not finished. He turned the dial on the Steam Blade and pulled the trigger once more.

“ICE STEAM!”

A frigid blast froze Build in place, allowing the silver armored man to follow up with his Transteam Gun.

“STEAM SHOT!” A large energy bullet impacted Flash, breaking him free from his icy prison and into the adjacent wall.

Flash pulled himself up while panting. “Is that the best you can do?” Night Rogue questioned mockingly. “Hard to believe you caused so much trouble for us.”

“I’m just getting started!” The Rider cried, shaking a new pair of bottles. As he charged at his opponent, he switched his current match for a new one.

“HEDGEHOG!”

“FIRE ENGINE!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” As his armor transformed, Flash used the energy it exuded to force Night Rogue back. While the Bat stumbled, the Rider blasted him with a pressurized stream of water from the Multi Deluge Gun.

“PIN-POINTRESCUE!”

“FIRE-HEDGEHOG!”

“YEAH!”

Night Rogue tried to return fire with his own weapon, but the water got on his visor and blurred his line of sight. If it weren’t for his armor, the pressurized water could’ve sheared through his flesh and bone.

He was pushed back by the blast and stumbled from the now slippery terrain. Flash capitalized on this opportunity to tackle and pin him to the wall. He pressed his right arm against Night Rogue’s neck, face inches away from the extendable spikes on his Spine Knuckle. The Multi Deluge Gun’s nozzle was pressed against his ribs, ready to puncture a hole at a moment’s notice.

“It’s over, Night Rogue.” Flash told him, glaring through his helmet. “The Box is staying where it belongs. You failed, and so has Faust! Now you’re gonna answer to all the lives you ruined!”

“…You might want to check again. If you recall, we’re not the only ones fighting.” The Bat reminded smugly.

Before he could respond, Flash was interrupted by a sudden explosion and Sol Burner’s scream as he flew past him. He crashed and rolled until he hit the concrete railing of the roof. His body was wracked in pain and exhaustion as Blood Stalk idly watched him from across the roof.

Distracted by the fate of his friend, Flash’s hold on Night Rogue loosened. The Bat used this opening to wrench the Multi Deluge Gun from his body and force him back with a mighty shove. Before he could react, Night Rogue aimed his Transteam Gun and pulled the trigger.

“STEAM BREAK!”

A bat-shaped burst of energy shot out and impacted Flash, sending him flying into the air, and knocking his Fullbottles loose from the Driver. The Rider reverted back to the disguised musician upon crashing. The blast hadn’t just knocked out the bottles from his Driver, but it also scattered all the Fullbottles he had on hand from him.

The heroes lied injured and defeated while the villains stood tall and barely even winded.

“Take the Box and go.” Night Rogue ordered Stalk before he returned his focus to the disguised teens. “…I’ll finish matters here.”

“You got it.” The Cobra picked up the Box and held his gun. “It’s been fun, kiddies. Ciao~” In a burst of steam, he vanished from sight. Meanwhile, the black and silver armored man crouched down and picked up one of the scattered Fullbottles in hand.

“Those are ours!” Flash screamed indignantly.

“To the victor go the spoils.” The Bat replied coldly. To their shock, Night Rogue pulls out a familiar slab of foreign material.

It was another Panel of Pandora’s Box. How does he have one of them?! The leader of Faust methodically inserted the newly acquired Fullbottles into it one by one. Each bottle was connected by their Best Match. First pair was Rabbit-Tank, then Gorilla-Mond, then so forth.

The musician refused to let it stand. He refused to let their Fullbottles be taken by the enemy. He scrambled up and tried to take their Fullbottles back. As soon as his hand wrapped the nearest one, Lock, Night Rogue’s leg lashed out and kicked him away.

“Build!” Sol tried to help his friend, but his body protested otherwise. Crozz chirped in concern as it flew down to his level. The fighter looked at his friend, the bottle in his hand, then his companion, and then the Dragon bottle in hand. A plan pieced itself together in his head. “Crozz! Take this to him!” He gave the small dragon his Fullbottle, allowing it to become supercharged.

“CROSS DRAGON!”

Filled with power, Crozz flew over and blasted Night Rogue with a steady stream of blue fire. The intense heat was enough to force him back. Once the danger was cleared, Crozz flew over to Flash and dropped the Dragon Fullbottle in his hand.

“Huh? This is…!” His eyes flicked up to Sol in confusion.

“It’s all we got left! Use it to stop him!” The fighter screamed out.

The Rider’s grip on the Fullbottles tightened as his resolved hardened. His friend had loaned him his power to fight and defeat their foe. He was not going to waste this chance. Flash stood up and shook the new pair of bottles, math equations filling the air once more. He twisted the caps and inserted them into the Driver.

“DRAGON!”

“LOCK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!” With a turn of the crank, blue and gold armor segments formed on the panels.

Shifting into a fighting stance, Flash yelled out, “Henshin!” He stood at attention as the segments converged on him, donning in a new form of armor.

The Inorganic armor segments were golden. The left shoulder had a large lock with a chain that connected to the large key attachment on his left arm. The right eyepiece was a golden lock. The Organic armor segments were a brilliant cobalt blue that possessed a vague, scale pattern. His left foot had a white ankle brace while he had white, dragon-like spines on his right arm. His left eyepiece was the side view of a dragon’s head.

“THE SECURITY FANTASY!”

“KEYDRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

“….and it’s a Best Match?” Sol asked in disbelief. Seriously, what were the odds?!

“Now…I have the winning formula!” Build struck his signature pose. He then charged in to attack Night Rouge. The Bat evaded his hook punch and tried to counterattack with a straight jab. Flash blocked it with the Bind Master key on his left arm. He parried the arm aside before he struck back with his right fist. Each hit produced shock waves that made Night Rogue backpedal. The Bat went for a round kick that Flash batted away with his left arm once again. He immediately followed with a punch to the face with a fist covered in azure flames.

Night Rogue staggered before he regained his footing and tried to attack with another kick. Yet Build effortlessly batted it away as well and punched him again with his other arm. The pattern continued once more before Night Rogue spun into a backhanded strike that Flash once again blocked. Forcing the silver and black arm away, leaving the enemy wide open, Flash quickly struck with an open palm strike that sent the Bat skidding several feet backwards.

Like before, he regained his footing and glared at the Masked Rider beneath his helmet. “What…are you?!”

Flash did not speak. He responded by turning the crank on his Driver. The device’s wheel spun and glowed in a sequence of blue and gold. Once the sequence completed, Flash flung his left arm forward. Several chains shot out and wrapped themselves around Night Rogue before securing themselves tightly with a gold energy lock.

“READY? GO!”

As the Bat struggled to break free to no avail, a massive ball of blue fire gathered in Flash’s right hand. With an angry roar, he threw the ball of fire at the Faust member.

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

The fireball exploded on contact, breaking the lock and chains and drastically injuring Night Rogue. He fell to his knees and panted. He made sure to check the Panel’s condition and was surprised. The attack even knocked out a few of the Fullbottles from the Panel. Before he could reach to grab them, Crozz flew in and knocked them out of his reach before Build stepped into view, dissuading him from advancing any further.

Growling in annoyance, Night Rogue could only say, “….this isn’t over.” The pipes on his armor exuded a cloud of steam that swallowed him and teleported him away.

Once he vanished, Flash sighed in relief that the battle was over. But it was short lived as arcs of blue electricity raced across his body and engulfed him in terrible pain. He screamed and fell on his knees as error messages popped up on his HUD, instructing him to remove the bottles before lasting damage occurred. With shaking hands, he grabbed the Dragon and Lock bottles and yanked them out of the Driver, undoing the transformation and ending the pain.

He panted from exhaustion as he stared at the pair in his hand. “What….was that…?”

“Hey!” The exhausted teen turned to see Sol crawl over to him. “What…what just happened? Why did the armor start sparking like that?”

Flash simply gazed at the items in hand. “…I don’t know. But it’s not over. They still have the Box and most of our bottles!” He grunted as he stood on his feet and picked up the dropped Fullbottles from the Panel, which were fortunately the bottles for the Best Match he needed. He tossed the Dragon bottle back to Sol as he shook the new pair. “It’s time to get them back!”

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BEST MATCH!”

Now transformed into Hawk Gatling, Flash jumped into the air. “I’ll try to track Stalk down! From what you and Micro told me, their teleportation has a short range. He couldn’t have gotten far!”

“What do I do?” His partner questioned. Sol tossed him the Build Phone and Lock Fullbottle.

“Follow me in the Machine Builder!”

“Got it!” Sol painfully pulled himself back on his feet using the wall as support. He hobbled over to pick up the discarded Beat Cross-Zer by the helicopter and inserted the Lock Bottle into the phone.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

With Nebula Gas fueling its functions, the phone transformed into the motorcycle and the fighter hopped on. "Wait, before I forget!" Sol reached into his pocket and tossed a Smash Bottle to Flash. "Got that from a Smash I beat downstairs! We can purify it later!"

"Got it!" After pocketing the item away, Flash took to the skies while Sol used the Machine Builder to drive off the roof and adhere to the wall using its tires.

It would’ve been fun if he hadn’t been screaming in utter terror the ride down.

The Masked Rider had gone ahead of his friend in a rapid search over the city to find the Box and their bottles. After a few minutes searching from the air, he spotted a familiar suit of red armor on his optic camera enhanced by HawkGatling.

He dived down and encountered Blood Stalk lying casually on his back on a park bench. Strangely, the area seemed devoid of people.

“You got here faster than expected…” He said as he sat up.

“Cut the crap!” Flash growled as he aimed the HawkGatlinger at him. “Where’s Night Rogue? And while you’re at it spilling, hand over the Box.”

“C’mon, kid. Don’t ya know loose lips sink ships? Moreover…” Stalk walked over until his chest plate pressed against the muzzle of the gun. “…Didn’t your mother teach you it’s rude to point?”

Flash tried to counter with a witty remark and a pull of the trigger before he was cut off.

“Stalk!” Chemistry Set, the scientist that Flash had defeated before, yelled desperately as he hobbled over to the Cobra. “P-Please…I’m sorry but…please…!”

“Hm? Oh, it’s you. What are you whining about?” He said as he casually ignored Build and walked over to the scientist.

“Please just….please cure my son…! You have Pandora’s Box, don’t you?” He grabbed the man by the shoulders. “Please! Use it to cure him!”

“Hm…let me think…” Stalk tilted his head in thought. He then said flatly. “…Nope. No can do. You failed to be a decent distraction after all.”

“….Damn you!” Enraged, Chemistry pushed him away. “After everything I did, you’ll just walk away?! You promised!”

“No need to be so testy. Besides…You ever heard of a snake keeping promises?” He gestured to his Cobra-themed armor.

“But I need to cure my son!” He yelled again as he marched up to the man. “If you refuse I’ll….I’ll…”

“You’ll do what?” He asked in amusement.

“I’ll….I’ll tell everyone just what’s underneath that helmet of yours!” His declaration stunned Flash and silenced Blood Stalk. The Rider looked at the two. Did he really know Stalk’s identity?

“Really now?” The Cobra wondered. “And just how did you come to that conclusion?”

“It was a no brainer!” Chemistry’s ravings became more manic. “I know what happened back at that apartment months ago! I have a good idea of what you look like! Isn’t that right, Gizmo Poindexter?!”

His sudden declaration stopped Flash in his tracks as his head snapped to the red armored man. Could Chemistry be right? Was Blood Stalk….truly the missing Gizmo Poindexter?

Blood Stalk stood silent. Flash waited with baited breath for his response. Was it true? Was it false? He needed to know. He needed to know who was behind that mask. Yet at the same time, he felt dread. He dreaded the possibility of his friend’s brother being capable of such atrocities.

Finally, the Cobra spoke. “…Huh. Interesting theory you have there. At a first glance, it could actually make a lot of sense. But, sorry old chap.” Stalk’s hand shot out, grabbed the man by the face, and slammed him to the ground. “…Looks can be deceiving.” Steam billowed out from him palm, causing Chemistry to scream from the pain.

“Get off of him!” Flash flew to tackle Blood Stalk away. The man jumped back to avoid the blow. The Rider then crouched next to the scientist, whose body was still clouded by steam. “Hey, are you okay? Say something!”

As the steam faded, Flash felt his heart stop once he got a good look at the man’s face.

Or rather…Gizmo Poindexter’s face.

“What….the hell…?” He stood up in panic as the man blearily blinked, as if he wasn’t all there. His head snapped back to the Cobra. “How did you…?!”

Flash was cut off as an energy Cobra rammed into him. The beast slithered around him, aiming to strike should he move to attack. “Surprised?” Stalk asked as he skipped forward. “Just a little trick I know. But hey, look on the bright side. Now the Police will stop searching for the missing Gizmo once they arrest this schmuck in his place.”

“You….what did you do to him?!”

“What? You don’t like the little face lift I gave him? Makes him look ten years younger.”

“What did you do?!” Flash demanded and aimed the gun at him.

“Geez, alright, alright. No need to get your undies in a bunch, kid.” Stalk raised his arms in surrender. “Like I said, it’s one of my little powers. I can alter a person’s appearance any way I wish.”

Then, the newly altered Chemistry Set stirred awake. He blinked as he stared blankly into space. “Where…wha….who am I…?” He asked with genuine confusion.

“And what about that?!” Flash snapped while pointing to the now amnesiac man.

“That? Eh. Side effects. C’mon, you didn’t think Nebula Gas could only turn people into Smash or be used in those little bottles, now do ya? You see…they also affect memories.”

“Memories?”

“Yep.” He said while popping the ‘p’. “A small dose could be enough to erase quite a bit of short term memory. But intense, prolonged exposure or successive doses could lead to indefinite or permanent memory loss. That little face change? Used enough gas for multiple doses…so he won’t be recalling much for a while…”

Flash stood still as his grip on his weapon tightened. His breathing increased while his irises shrank to pinpricks. He could feel his blood boil in his veins, his heart hammering to the beat of rage. The man, no…the monster before him doesn’t care about what he had done. He had poisoned a man’s son, manipulated him into stealing for him, broke their deal to cure said son, and now changed his face and erased his memories of his life?! And he’s divulging it all as if it were some sort of joke.

The Rider did not hesitate as he pulled the trigger, unleashing a volley of energy hawks at the Cobra. The energy Cobra slithered back to shield its master, resulting in its dissipation. Blood Stalk jumped back and pulled out his Transteam Gun and returned fire with his own energy bullets.

Flash took to the skies and avoided them before spinning the Revol Magazine on the HawkGatlinger.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

“THIRTY!”

“FORTY!”

“FIFTY!”

He had no reason to hold back. He was going to blast the snake! Energy hawks shot out of the gun, faster and more numerous than before.

Yet to his dismay, Stalk had been prepared for it. Rather than dodging the projectiles or attempt to shoot them down, he responded by unleashing a massive cobra comprised of energy from his chest plate. The serpent, completely defying the laws of physics, slithered through the air and met the energy hawks head on. The projectiles became snuffed out upon making contact with its body. The snake-like construct continued until it nearly reached Build.

The Rider flew out of the snake’s path just before it could clamp its jaws on him. The laws of gravity kicked in as it fell back to earth. But while he was focused on the energy cobra, he was unaware of the actions of the other Cobra.

“FULLBOTTLE!”

“STEAM ATTACK!”

His eyes snapped down to see Stalk aim his Steam Rifle at him. What shocked him even more was the Rocket Fullbottle in its slot. Where did he get that?! He thought all the Fullbottles were in Night Rogue’s possession.

“Before you ask, Night Rogue dropped off a little gift. Time to clip your wings, Flyboy.” He pulled the trigger.

A rocket shot from the Barrel and soared towards the flying Masked Rider. Flash reacted quickly, learning from last time Stalk shot rockets at him. He flew quickly and kept his distance. As the rocket followed, he shot out more energy hawks to try and detonate it before it reached him. One of the hawks made contact and set the rocket off a safe distance away. He then looked over his shoulder and saw two more rockets fly at him. He made a steep climb then a sharp dive to try and shake them off before he turned and fired at them as well, detonating them mid-flight.

Flash did a quick scan and was relieved that no other rockets were coming at him.

He just didn’t see the Cobra rise up from behind and coil itself around him. The musician screamed as his limbs became restrained and gravity kicked in. The serpent adjusted its position and managed to pile drive Flash head first into the ground.

The attack left him stunned as his HUD displayed warning messages about the damage it sustained. He tried to get back on his feet, but a red boot sprung up in his field of vision and kicked him in the face.

Flash let out a cry of pain as he rolled onto his back. As his vision cleared, he was greeted by the stock of the Steam Rifle bashing him in the throat. But the assault did not stop there as Blood Stalk continued to repeatedly beat the Rider into submission with his weapon. He even mixed in a few stomps, kicks, and punches. He aimed for every available weak point to the human body.

He started with a swift kick to every man’s weak point: the crotch.

A flash of blinding pain paralyzed the Rider, leaving him wide open to a full out beat down at the hands of the snake.

Then he struck the joints. Neck. Wrists. Ankles. Kneecaps. Visor. Collarbone. Crotch again. Anywhere and everywhere he could deliver enough damage.

Admittedly, Stalk could’ve simply blasted Flash with another rocket to break his transformation and take his Fullbottles….but where was the fun in that?

He hadn’t had much enjoyment in quite a while. Beating the teen to near death was much more appealing to him. He took his sweet time to make the youth suffer. Flash tried to reach for his discard gun earlier, but Stalk had stabbed the bladed end of his weapon into his hand and kicked the weapon away. The blade hadn’t broken through the armor and drew blood, but it was still a painfully sharp experience.

Flash was left helpless as Blood Stalk continued his relentless assault. He couldn’t even call on his weapon as each hit to a vulnerable spot made him cry out in pain and halt the process. And surprisingly enough the damage he was doing still wasn’t enough to break his transformation.

Especially since Stalk was using both the blunt and bladed ends of his weapon to assault him. After several minutes of abuse, Stalk decided it was enough play time and chose to end it.

“FULLBOTTLE!”

“STEAM ATTACK!”

Without a word, the Cobra aimed at Build’s helmeted face and pulled the trigger.

A rocket shot out at point blank range and flung the Rider into the air in a large explosion as his transformation cancelled and his Fullbottles were ejected from the Driver. Furthermore, the blast also knocked off the Smash Bottles he collected from the scientist and Sol.

He crashed to the ground in a pained, groaning heap. His body was covered in soot and he felt like his body was one giant bruise. Blood dripped down his face from the cut on his forehead and cheek, and he tasted some from his split lip. He raised his aching head, but his vision was blurry and his ears rang.

“Whew….now that was fun…” Blood Stalk cheered as he scooped up the Hawk and Gatling Fullbottles and Smash Bottles. “Thanks kid. That little beat down really made my day.”

If looks could kill, Stalk would already be dead from Flash’s gaze. The injured musician responded by silently flipping the man off.

“Harsh! Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?” He mockingly exclaimed.

“Give…” Flash rasped out while crawling toward the man, desperately trudging through the agony. “…the Box….and the Full….Fullbottles…b-back…”

“Sorry, kid” Stalk shook his head. “No can do on that. I won our little tussle, so they’re mine. That being said…the losers are gonna have to go to sleep.” He pointed the Steam Rifle at the musician once more. But before he could load and fire, the revving of a motorcycle cut him off.

He looked to the side to see the disguised Sol Burner charge at him on the Machine Builder, Beat Cross-Zer pulled out, blade blazing. As he neared the Cobra, Sol swung, but the snake jumped back to avoid it. He circled around and stopped in front of Flash.

He went to pick up the HawkGatlinger and the injured teen off of the ground and placed them both on the Machine Builder. He wasn’t the brightest member of the team, but he knew enough that things weren’t going great by what he saw. So he called for a tactical retreat to get away from the man who was a hairsbreadth away from killing his friend. He got on the bike, revved it up, and pulled away from Blood Stalk, but not before leveling a heated glare at him.

As they pulled away, Stalk rested the rifle on his shoulder as he tossed and caught the Fullbottles in hand.

“Thank heavens you two are okay!” Rarity exclaimed as the paramedics pulled away. She and the rest of the Rainbooms had gathered around Flash and Sol.

“Well….that’s kinda….debatable…” The musician grunted.

After retreating from Blood Stalk, the former drove back to the Research Center after he got a call from Micro that the cops were making progress in breaking through, as well as having called the fire department to use a ladder to access the opening Flash made.

They were instructed to double back and sneak into the building and pose as victims who got caught up in the attack. Not exactly hard to play off given their injuries. Fortunately, Sol found an entry point away from prying eyes; most likely the same infiltration route Faust took. From there, they ditched their disguises and Sol helped move the injured Flash to a supply closet to hide.

They were found by the authorities about ten minutes later. From there, they were transported to the waiting ambulance to treat their injuries. Despite the abuse Sol took earlier, he had bruises that ranged from mild to prominent, numerous scraps along his head, and significant fatigue.

Flash wasn’t quite so lucky. He had bruised testicles from the repeated crotch shots Stalk dealt him, a black eye, a cut along his head and cheek, a sprained ankle and wrist, a jacked up knee, upteen bruises, and a mild concussion. If it hadn’t been for the armor, he would’ve had broken bones and more. Scratch that he would’ve been dead from the explosive rocket to the face.

“Where were you two?!” Twilight questioned in concern and desperately tried to keep her eyes up to their faces and not the ice pack Flash was pressing to his crotch to numb the pain.

“Well, we kinda fell asleep like you guys.” Sol told their story. “When we woke up, everyone was already gone. Flash and I tried to find you guys….but I guess we found Faust instead.”

“You guys ran into Faust?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Goodness, that must have been terrifying!” Fluttershy whimpered.

“It was.” Flash admitted while pressing another ice pack on his head. As much as he detested and loathed Stalk for what he did…a small part of him couldn’t be helped but be terrified by him. It had been ingrained into him from the brutal, sadistic beat down and his completely disregard for human life. But in truth, it was more than that. Each encounter convinced him that whoever was under that armor couldn’t possibly be human. How could anyone be so monstrous? But what that Chemistry Set guy said rattled him. Just how was under that mask? Was it really Gizmo? Or someone else? He didn’t know…and he didn’t want to know.

“Yeah…we pretty much hightailed it out of there as soon as we could, but they caught up to us.”

“Did you at least try to fight them off?” The athletic girl asked.

“Rainbow!” Sunset scolded. Was that really the first thing her friend asked them?

“We tried…as you can see…” Sol gestured to him and his friend. “…didn’t work out so great.”

“What happened?” Pinkie Pie asked in concern.

“…that red guy….Stalk, he said his name was…he was pretty brutal.” Flash winced from his injuries.

“Wait, Stalk did this to you?!” The bespectacled girl exclaimed, scanning over him.

“Y-yeah…” The musician nodded. “…We tried to fight back. Sol actually held his own for a bit…but I got my ass handed to me. That guy was a monster…”

“After he kicked our asses…” Sol continued. “He pulled out this weird knife thingie. Said he was gonna turn us into Smash.” The girls stiffened by that statement. Twilight saw such an event first hand, yet couldn’t imagine such a fate befall any of her friends. “Thankfully, Build and Cross-Z arrived in time to save us. They tackled Stalk away, giving us enough time to escape. I dragged Flash over to a supply closet, and here we are…”

Yet as he finished, the only one who didn’t seem completely relieved was Applejack. In all her life, she had been a brutally honest person. And it is because of that particular trait that she obtained a sixth sense that a person might be telling a lie.

But as she listened, said sense was only set off half of the time. What Sol said had been the truth….half of it anyway. She didn’t know why that was the case. It troubled her, but what other explanation could there be? Her friends and the vigilantes couldn’t possibly be the same people. The girls saw the riders drive by while Flash and Sol were with them and his mother! And yet…it still wouldn’t leave her mind.

Her musings were cut short as Micro and Sandalwood finally cut into the conversation. “I’m just glad you two are alright…” he said truthfully. While he was perplexed that they lost most of their Fullbottles and Pandora’s Box to Faust, he was just relived to see his friends back alive.

“Yeah…” Flash’s gaze turned downcast, dreading what he had to tell them later on. “…same…”

“Excuse me.” Shining Armor and Night Light stepped into view. The officer had a pad and pencil out. “I’m sorry for the abruptness, but I’m going to have to ask you two questions about what happened. Its for the investigation, you see.”

“…sure. Fire away…” The musician agreed.

“Whew…That was sooo exhausting…” Blood Stalk complained as he kicked back and relaxed at a nearby desk. “…even if it was extremely entertaining.”

Night Rogue said nothing as he replaced the Rocket Fullbottle back where it belonged on the Panel. He stared at it with most of Team Build’s Fullbottles properly secured. While they had completed their objective in securing Pandora’s Box and the Fullbottles needed to activate their Panel, they were still far from their goal. Something that Stalk noticed based on his body language.

“…You seem perplexed. Penny for your thoughts?”

The Bat remained silent for a moment. He turned his head and replied. “…it’s those kids.”

“Worried about them?”

“Hardly.” He scoffed. “It just their behavior perplexes me. Back at the roof, when I took their bottles and inserted them into the Panel…they acted strangely.”

“Oh? Did you happen to notice Build’s reaction to seeing it in your hands?” Stalk asked with an unseen, knowing smirk.

“…it was recognition.” Night Rogue answered.

“Truly?” Stalk took his feet off the desk and sat up straight. “If that’s the case, then there’s only one explanation. I bet those two saw a Panel before, and we both know that aside from ours, only one other detached from the Box.”

“So they have it in their possession.” Night Rogue replied with an answer rather than a question.

“Bingo!” The Cobra snapped his fingers. “And if we’re gonna be going all out for this little plan of yours, we need to go all out! And you know what that means…”

“…We take it from them.”

“Esattamente~!” Blood Stalk cheered in Italian.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hi Everyone. So here we have the conclusion of the Research Center Field trip. This chapter brought forth surprising revelations and now the Riders are backed to the wall. Injured, missing most of their Fullbottles, and the loss of Pandora's Box to the enemy. Sorry that it's shorter than our usual content, but there just wasn't as much content present to wrap up this little two-parter.

As for the Beat Down Flash experienced...it's to help show just how brutal Blood Stalk really is. For those who know Kamen Rider, you all know how sadistic he is. That, and it helped build up for what comes next chapter.

That's right. I'm talking about the debut of Kamen Rider Cross-Z!

Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave your thoughts in a review.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Dragon

Inorganic:

Lock

Chapter 11: Wake Up Burning!

Days had passed since the fiasco that was the overnight trip to the Research Center. After the Faust attack and takeover, the trip had been promptly cancelled.

Dealing with the aftermath had been a strenuous ordeal for those directly involved. Director Night Light, Head Researcher Twilight Velvet, Principals Celestia and Cadence, and Vice Principal Luna had simply been swamped by the media concerning the takeover of the Research Center and the resulting harm of two students.

Sol Burner had gotten off lightly with only minor injuries. All he really needed was a quick patch up by the paramedics present. Flash Sentry, however, wasn’t so lucky. With a mild concussion, sprained wrist and ankle, numerous severe bruises and cuts, he had to be hospitalized for proper care.

It certainly didn’t help that his mother was still in the hospital at the time. When she learned of his condition, she all but pulled herself out of her bed and hobbled over to his room, despite the nurses’ protests. She had demanded to know what happen as an extremely concerned mother. Thankfully, the doctor had been present to explain the circumstances. Misty was relieved that her son was alright and grateful that the Masked Rider had shown up when he did. But it failed to ease her worries, as she became concerned over her son’s well-being more than ever.

As a result, she kept a closer eye on Flash than ever before, at least until he was fully healed. It made contacting his Team about what he learned difficult, as his Mother went as far as keeping him in the same room as her until she was released. Granted, it made Scootaloo visiting them easier. They had to thank Rainbow Dash properly for looking after the orange skinned girl while they were admitted.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to stay for long. After the third day of Flash’s admission, both he and Misty were clear to leave. Given the disaster at the Research Center, school had been cancelled for a few days to give the students time to cope with the traumatic incident.

He was free from the hospital, having made a remarkable recovery due to his now unique physiology. But he was instructed to take it easy. He had bandages wrapped around his head, some plaster to cover his wounds, and had to wear a brace for his wrist and ankle. He also needed to use crutches for a week to alleviate the strain on his ankle…something he did not like one bit.

It all befuddled him. Before, he would be healed from injuries like this in a couple of days. While he was certainly healing faster than normal people, the fact he was stuck in a brace and crutches still vexed him.

After easing the concerns of his mother that he was heading out for the day, he met up the rest of the team at the lab at Micro’s behest. Now that he was free, he could properly explain what happened.

On the main monitor screen is a news report showing the face of Gizmo Poindexter wearing a confused expression while the news anchor spoke.

“In other news, police have taken the missing, renowned physicist and murder suspect Gizmo Poindexter into custody. Authorities have detained the prime suspect and questioned him regarding the night of October 15. However, Gizmo has yet to provide coherent answers, instead inquiring about his own identity and what was going on. Lie detector tests and MRI scans led investigators to believe that he has a severe case of amnesia. The suspect will be detained until further notice and will undergo trial in the coming months…”

As the story continued, Flash, Sol, Micro, and Sandalwood stared at the screen intently. The bespectacled teen shut off the screen while the fighter ranted.

“I still can’t believe it’s not him…”

“I know. Even now, I still can’t believe it.” Flash admitted.

“So Blood Stalk really can change a person’s face just by touching them? As well as erase their memories?” Micro inquired of Flash.

The blue haired musician nodded. “That’s what he said. Granted, I’ve learned to take what that guy says with a grain of salt, but I saw what he did first hand. He grabbed that guy’s face, used a blast of Nebula Gas, and changed his face into Gizmo’s.”

He sighed before he continued. “…I’ve been thinking about it over the past few days…”

“Thinking what?” Sandalwood asked.

“Stalk said back then about appearances being deceiving. Wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that, but I think I do now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… what if we were wrong the whole time?” His question was responded by questioning stares. “Was the Knuckle Blaze Sol saw back at the apartment really Knuckle Blaze? What if that body was actually Gizmo’s, and the Gizmo he saw walk by was actually his father with a changed face?”

The hypothesis was absolutely mind boggling. His friends were silent as they processed it. Was Gizmo Poindexter actually the one that was dead, and Knuckle Blaze was actually alive? And the latter was running around as a member of Faust and capturing and experimenting on people to unknown ends?

The martial artist had been the first to snap out of it. And he wasn’t happy.

“Wait a minute….are you saying that my Dad is Blood Stalk?!” Sol spoke angrily, jumping out of his seat and marching over to the injured teen.

“Sol, just hear me out!” Flash tried to reason. But the martial artist refused.

“There’s no way in hell my dad could ever be the monster! In case you forgot, he’s dead! I was at his funeral!” He grabbed the musician by the shoulders and hoisted him into the air, momentarily forgetting his injuries.

“Sol, just listen!” Micro and Sandalwood moved to try and pry the fighter off their friend. Suffice to say, they couldn’t even budge him.

“No! You listen! My dad can’t be Stalk! He’s not even alive! He’s been buried six feet under for months! I was there! I saw his body! I saw the autopsy reports! It really was my dad!” He yelled out in his face.

“But what if you’re wrong?!” Micro shouted at him. Sol eased his grip on Flash and turned to the shorter teen.

“…What?”

“Sol….just listen….I don’t like this as much as you do…” Micro began. He really didn’t, as it implied that his brother was dead. But he continued. “…but you got to stop and think. Yes, you saw the autopsy reports, but they still weren’t conclusive, were they? You said it yourself that they found some foreign substance in his body, right?”

“Well….yeah, but…”

“What if it really was Nebula Gas? What if Stalk really did change the guy’s face and left him for dead?”

“But….but there was a DNA test and everything…the DNA matched…”

“And yet we don’t know the full extent of Stalk’s power.” Micro countered. “Sure he can change faces and alter memories, but what if it was more than that? What if while changing faces, he also changed the DNA of his victims to match the new face? If it did, then it could even fool DNA testing.”

The more he listened, the more Sol grew uncertain, his grip on Flash released as he stood in contemplation.

“I’m sorry. Like I said, I don’t like this as much as you. Because if that is the case, then my brother is the one that’s dead. And while your dad might be the one running around causing havoc, we don’t know for sure. Maybe there was a reason why these things happened, I don’t know. Just don’t start jumping to conclusions until we learn more. That is all we can ask…” Micro reasoned as calmly as possible.

Sol stared at him for several seconds. The others awaited for his response. Finally, he exhaled. “…okay. He then craned his head over to his blue haired friend.

“I’m….I’m sorry….for snapping at you…”

“It’s okay.” Flash reassured. Fortunately, none of his injuries were aggravated, so no harm done.

“I just….I just can’t accept my dad being that monster….” Sol admitted.

“Believe me, I don’t want to as much as you do. But based on what we know, it’s only one possibility.”

“I’m glad we could all calm down, dudes…” Sandalwood smiled before it became a frown. “But we still got bigger fish to fry. I mean, we’re missing most of our Fullbottles, right?”

The others grimaced at the reminder. After their fight against the Faust members, all they had left were two Fullbottles. They even lost the Smash Bottles they obtained from the Smash Flash and Sol fought.

They only had the Dragon and Lock bottles in possession. While KeyDragon proved to be a powerful Best Match, it wasn’t exactly viable to use at the moment, given the backlash it gave Flash after using it. “Speaking of, did you guys figure out why the Driver got all crazy?” It was a topic he told Micro before he reached the hospital, as it never happened before then.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Micro went over and pulled up a series of files on the computer. “While you were recovering, I went through my brother’s research notes again. I found one that read ‘Medical Data’ and checked it out. Apparently, while he was constructing the Driver and fabricating the Fullbottles, he conducted a series of experiments to determine their practicality in the medical field.”

“He tried to make Nebula Gas into medicine? But it turns people into Smash!” Sol argued.

“That’s right. But that only happens if the subject’s Hazard Level was low enough. Which was why he made the scanner. During one of his tests, he tried to use the gas to heal the injuries of a woman who got into a brutal car accident. However, instead of healing her, it made her into a Smash called the Burn Smash.”

He pulled up an image of the Smash. Its upper torso was clad in orange armor with a large sphere as its head and two more on its shoulders. Its right arm was reminiscent to a flame thrower.

“The Smash had been dealt with, but the subject had fallen into a coma from the resulting damage. Apparently, trauma of the accident, coupled with her injuries lowered her hazard level below the safety line, borderline lethal levels with a value of 1.0, which caused her comatose state after reversion. The Smash Essence was then purified into the Dragon Fullbottle.”

Sol Burner stared at the image as he ran the story through his mind. Car accident. Coma? That pattern sounded too familiar. “…did the files say who the woman was?” He asked with concealed dread.

“No, it did not.” Micro shook his head. “He kept the woman’s identity a secret for confidentiality.”

“Oh….wait, hold up, so my Dragon Bottle was a result of that failed experiment?” Sol asked as he picked up the item.

“That’s right.” Micro pushed up his glasses. “It was because of this incident that my brother realized that handling the gas was too dangerous for medical purposes and ceased any further experiments.”

“That’s all well and good, but what does that have to do with why the Driver glitched out?” Flash asked.

“I was getting to that.” He pulled up a series of notes. “Based on what I found, it seems like the reason why organic and inorganic bottles are paired up is because one balances out the power output from the other. A synchronizer of sorts. In this case, however, the Dragon Fullbottle was just too powerful for the Lock Fullbottle to moderate its power for some reason. But that’s only part of the reason.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“While he studied the essence within the Fullbottles, he learned that they are able to be affected by DNA.”

“DNA? How?” Sandalwood scratched his head.

“Well, you all noticed how the Smash are unique in their forms one way or another, right?” Looking back on prior fights, the three nodded. “Well, it’s similar to the resulting Fullbottles purified from those essences. The reason why each of the Fullbottles are so unique has something to do with the DNA of the person the Smash essence was extracted from.”

“But my Mom was like the Strong Smash from over a month ago. How could it have made the Lock Bottle instead of another Gorilla?” Flash held up the golden item.

“Well, while some of the Smash are similar, the key difference is the DNA of the host. The DNA of your mom was what produced a completely different Bottle.”

“I see. But while it’s good to understand that, it still doesn’t explain anything about the Driver.”

“Well, when I read deeper into his notes, he formed a hypothesis from this discovery. If the Fullbottles are influenced by DNA, then what if they are also capable of attuning to another person?”

“Attuning?”

“Yes. Like how the DNA affects the form the Fullbottle takes, what if they are capable of adjusting and synchronizing to a user’s DNA from prolonged use? Sol Burner, you said you’ve been using the Dragon Fullbottle for at least a month before you met us, correct?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Then what if during that time, prolonged usage had synced the Dragon Fullbottle with your DNA? If that is the case, then maybe the other reason why the Driver glitched out is because the Dragon Fullbottle was more attuned to Sol than Flash? Sol became more used to the unusually powerful Bottle while Flash didn’t since it was his first time using it and started to reject him?”

“Is that even possible though?”

“Well, admittedly, my brother has no conclusive evidence on the matter. This is purely my own hypothesis based on whatever data he has left.” Micro Chips scratched the back of his head.

“So because the Dragon Bottle tuned with Sol, I can’t use KeyDragon for prolonged periods of time?” All eyes craned over to Sol Burner, who laughed sheepishly.

“Ehehe….sorry?”

“It’s alright, dude. None of us even knew till now.” Sandalwood assured him before his face twisted in worry. “Still…what are we gonna do? Our only transformation option’s a temporary fix now.”

“You know…I think I have an idea.” Flash announced after a bit of thought. All eyes shifted to his direction. “Back on the roof, while Sol and I dealt with Stalk and Night Rogue, I overhead Stalk say something.” He turned to Sol. “He said your Hazard level rose to 3.0, didn’t he?”

Sol focused as he remembered what happened back then.

Sol cocked his fist back to deliver a right hook. But Stalk had caught his hand before it even reached his face. “Bravo~ Young Sol Burner! You did it! A 3.0 hazard level!” He was so caught up in his revelation that he failed to react to the fighter striking him in the face with a jumping axe kick.

The fighter’s eyes widened in realization. “Yeah…Yeah, he did say that! Wait, does that mean I can transform, too?!”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Micro grounded his excitement as he picked up the scanner. “We should check first to see if it’s true.”

He pressed the button as the device focused on Sol Burner and the result blipped on the screen. The moment he read it, Micro’s eyes widened. “It really did rise!” He held it out for the others to see. On the screen in bright, green letters read: Hazard Level: 3.0.

“Is this really happening?!” Sol asked with rising excitement. “Am I really gonna become Build?!”

“No.” Flash immediately said, quickly deflating the fighter’s behavior as he looked inquisitively at the musician. But Flash gave a small smile as he continued. “You’re gonna become something even more. But before that, you’re gonna have to properly synchronize with him.” As he finished his statement, he pointed a finger over to Crozz, who was sleeping in his little cot that Sol made.

“Connect with Crozz? What do you mean? I thought we’re already friends. I mean, you said he was made to be my pet and babysitter, right?”

"He's more than just a pet," Flash turned to Sol. "We realized with your increasing Hazard Level, you'd eventually reach this point. So we built Crozz in case we didn't find the dragon bottle's match before it happened. He’s an adapter that allows you to transform using only one Fullbottle."

Micro nodded, and then pulled up the Transteam gun schematics. "We built him using this as a base. It works by doubling the power of the bottle, but that prevents the growth of the user. But with Crozz, combined with the Build Driver, you'll be able to transform without being held back."

“So with Crozz and the Build Driver, my Hazard level will keep rising?”

“That’s right.” The bespectacled teen nodded once more. “That’s not even the best part. By my calculations, the form you’ll take after transforming will be twice as powerful as KeyDragon would be.”

“For real?!” The martial artist yelled awestruck. “That’s awesome! Let’s see what I got!” He went over to pick up the Build Driver only to be stopped by his friends.

“Easy there, dude!” Sandalwood said. “Why not wait until we get an actual Smash attack to test it out?”

“But this is just a test run!”

“If you transform here, you might break something….again…” Micro reminded of his first failed transformation and pointed to the indent in the wall he caused.

“Couldn’t we do it outside though? I wanna see my armor!”

“You want us to potentially give up the element of surprise?” Flash asked rhetorically. “As far as we know, Faust doesn’t know about your transformation. If we keep it that way and have to fight Stalk or Night Rogue later, we can catch them off guard and get our Bottles and the Box back.”

“…fine…” Sol relented. The guys gave a mental sigh of relief. They had yet to tell Sol about one other crucial point of Crozz’s transformation sequence and didn’t know how to properly tell him at the moment.

“Oh, that’s right. You guys are still going to my match, right?” The fighter reminded them. While Flash was in the hospital, he received a text from Sol regarding what happened a day after the field trip. Sol Burner was approached by his dad’s former manager and friend, Filthy Rich. He had been a friend of Knuckle Blaze growing up, and acted as his manager during his time in the professional circuit. When Knuckle finally retired, Filthy even helped invest in his succeeding vocation in creating what would later become the Canterlot City Fitness Center.

After Knuckle Blaze’s death, Filthy did what he could to help his friend’s son out, especially since Spirit Healer was in a coma, leaving the poor boy alone. While he was a cunning businessman, he was also a father like Knuckle. He took up paying Spirit Healer’s hospital bills to help alleviate his financial situation as Knuckle’s life insurance and savings wouldn’t last forever under the burden of medical fees.

The boy had to leave Canterlot City and stay with his aunt and uncle as he was still a minor. But he got special permission to return to town to continue his schooling and be closer with his mother months later. Seeing at he was living alone, Filthy helped the boy get a job at the Fitness Center to earn money for himself and learn self-reliance.

The man recently noticed how much better Sol had been faring after Knuckle Blaze’s funeral and came to check up on him. After talking, the Filthy realized the martial artist was finally ready to pick up where he left off beforehand:

Making it into the Professional Fighting scene.

Like that, he made a series of calls and organized a match on May the 14th. It had been a momentous occasion for everyone and congratulated Sol in his big break. The fighter even managed to reserve some seats for his friends to see him in the ring. Filthy even gave him two extra tickets for two important guests for Sol.

“Of course we are.” Flash answered. It wasn’t everyday your friend is going to debut in the pro leagues…especially when he’s only a teenager. “Did you happen to invite anyone else?”

“Yep. I decided to invite the Rainbooms. Well, it’s more like Rainbow had been begging me to reserve a seat for her. I gave the others tickets too because I felt bad if they were left out.”

Meanwhile…

“I’M SO EXCITED!!!!” Pinkie squealed as she held up her ticket in the air.

"Me too!" Rainbow did the same, “I can’t believe we’re gonna see Sol Burner’s fight to premiere in the pro MMA fighting league! This is so awesome!!!”

“We know, ya two. We know! We got ya the first ten times already!” Applejack deadpanned. Ever since Sol burner had told them the news and gave them tickets, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash would not stop talking about it.

The Rainbooms were currently in Sugar Cube Corner hanging out. They were discussing events that had taken place during the week. It started with the aftermath of the field trip where Applejack disclosed her suspicions of Flash and Sol’s story back at the field trip. The girls had been suspicious, but ultimately let go of the matter as they had no idea why they would mix truth and lies like that. Not to mention they were indirectly speaking ilk of their injured friends.

Even if some of the story seemed fabricated, their injuries were all too real to be faked. They truly were hurt and deserved a break from their investigations.

The girls had some things to look forward to, however. The first was Sol Burner’s debut match, which would take place in about a week. And a week after that, they had a day trip planned that also left Rainbow Dash ecstatic.

“I can’t help it! It’s going to be so awesome! Watching an actually MMA fight in person!”

“I know you’re excited Rainbow. Heck, we all are. But maybe you can turn it down a little? You’re kinda causing a scene…” Sunset pointed out. Rainbow Dash’s outburst caused the eyes of all patrons to turn to them.

“Oh, right…hehe…” The athlete blushed in embarrassment.

“I’m surprised he was able to reserve seats for us.” Twilight pointed out. “Tickets like these usually cost a lot and are hard to get. Yet he reserved seven seats for us? He must be pretty close to the organizer to make that happen.”

“Oh, I just hope it won’t be too violent.” Fluttershy said in concern. She really didn’t have interest in watching people fight, but Sol had been so happy to invite him that she just couldn’t refuse. It would’ve been rude to turn down such an offer. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

“Don’t worry, darling.” Rarity assured her. “Sol Burner is a trained fighter that has experienced many fights. I’m sure he’ll be alright.”

“Yeah! It’s not like he’s going to be fighting for his life or anything like that.” Pinkie Pie pointed out. “Besides, I checked out his opponent. He’s good, but not someone that’s gonna kill him in the ring or anything like that…”

Yet the timid girl whimpered in fear at the thought her friend placed into her head.

“Pinkie!” Sunset admonished.

“What? It’s true!” The party planner said, not seeing the issue.

“This fight is gonna be awesome! And it’s just gonna be the first part of an awesome last month of school!”

“You’re talking about the movie studio we got invited to, right?”

“Heck yeah! We’re going to be on the set of the movie adaptation of the greatest book series in the world: Daring Do!”

“Is that right?” Silver Speech questioned as he carried in their orders. “Sounds like you girls have a fun month planned.”

“Oh, hey Silver!” Pinkie Pie waved excitedly. After their initial meeting, Pinkie Pie took the time to talk with Silver Speech whenever she dropped by Sugar Cube Corner. They would talk about how he’s been doing at work and how much he’s been learning. She even gave him baking tips for cake and all sorts of pastries. Although, his coffee brewing skills had much left to be desired. As much as she hated to admit it, even canned or instant coffee was better than his.

Nevertheless, the party planner could say with confidence that she successfully made a new friend. She even had a party planned for him, but with everything that’s happened lately, between Faust attacks, homework, work, upcoming events, and final exams; she’s been too busy to initiate it.

She resolved to throw the party the day summer vacation starts.

“So you girls really got invited to the Daring Do movie set?” Silver asked as he set down their orders. “How did that even happen?”

“Well, the director, Mr. Zoom, was actually a Camp Everfree alumnus like us. He heard about how we raised the money to save the Camp, and invited us to visit the set as a way to thank us.” Sunset explained.

“Wow! That’s quite an amazing opportunity. We live in such a small world where people can do things like that, huh?” Silver mused.

“Of course!” Pinkie Pie sprang up next to him. “Well, I can’t speak for the whole world for obvious reasons, but it’s things like this that just remind us that we’re such a close knit town that practically everyone is friends with each other! Isn’t that great?!”

“It’s quite amazing.” Silver agreed with a nod, not at all perturbed by the pink party planner’s random behavior. “Still, you girls are so lucky. Daring Do is my favorite book series! I wish I could’ve gone with you.”

“Sorry, Silver. But the offer was extended to the seven of us.” Twilight apologized.

“Don’t worry though, we’ll tell you all about it after!” Rainbow Dash assured her fellow Daring Do fan.

“That’d be great. Well, gotta get back to work. See you girls.” With a wave, Silver went back to the kitchen with a smile on his face.

“What a nice guy!” Pinkie Pie smiled. “Isn’t it amazing to have such great friends?!”

Meanwhile…

Back in the Canterlot Research and Development Center, Director Night Light was locked in a video conference with Chrysalis and Sombra. In the corner of the room stood Shining Armor with a tense expression on his face. He had come to visit his father to update him on the situation…but it seemed he caught him at a bad time.

“It must be pretty vexing for you, Night Light.” Chrysalis said through the video screen. “For you to have lost Pandora’s Box like that to Faust. Guess your security wasn’t as top notch as you first thought.”

“What did you expect?” Sombra smirked. “He would never have expected one of his own scientists to be a spy for Faust. Not to mention that he’s made absolutely no progress in uncovering this little organization, or anything more about the Masked Rider and his companion. It’s almost as if you’re just letting them and the Smash run around freely like this.”

“Letting them run free to spread panic amongst our citizens? How cruel of you, Mr. Light.” The CEO of Changemaker mocked.

“And to think that most of these little occurrences happen near the CRDC. He’s even painting himself the victim to dissuade suspicion. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone managed to appropriate them for military use.” Sombra accused.

“Those are just asinine accusations.” Night Light glared. Shining Armor could not take these people speaking poorly of his father like that.

“Well, if that’s the stance you’re taking, perhaps we should take matters into our own hands…” Chrysalis responded. “After all, given how one of these freaks appeared near one of my labs, I believe I have a right to enact retribution.”

“As a member of the CCPD…” Shining Armor announced as he walked into view. “We will deal with these creatures for you immediately.”

“Ah, the prodigal son appears…” Sombra laughed. “Looks like your boy is being more proactive than you, Night Light. Maybe he should be the one leading the investigation instead.”

“My father is handling matters just fine, sir.” The lieutenant replied with an even expression, hiding his clenched fists from view. His gaze shifted over to Chrysalis. “…I won’t let you use this as an excuse to crush the CRDC.”

The ChangeMaker CEO stared at him blankly. Then she burst into a fit of giggles. “What are you talking about? I have no intention of-!” But she was cut off as Shining Armor disconnected both video chats.

“Shining Armor…!” Night Light admonished his son. “Why would you do that?!”

“I’m sorry, dad.” The officer apologized. “But I couldn’t just stand and watch them accuse you like that. What happened was not your fault. None of it was! They have every intention of taking over the CRDC, and are just looking for the right excuse to discredit and blame you! Losing Pandora’s Box wasn’t your fault!”

“But even so, that was out of line!” Night Light argued. “You’re a lieutenant of our city! You’re supposed to be neutral in such matters! I could’ve handled it fine!”

“Is it so wrong for a son to defend his father?” He countered. “Dad, I know we’re not getting any closer to finding the truth about Gizmo, Faust, and the system after what Build had done, and I’m sorry. But you need to be prepared. For all we know, Chrysalis and Sombra could be amassing their own forces as we speak!”

“This again? Son, this is getting out of hand.” The Director sighed in exhaustion. “You’re making it sound like those two are preparing for some sort of war. That is absolutely ridiculous!”

“Now that the Box is in Faust’s hands, anything’s possible! If we had taken the time for tighter security and precaution, we could’ve stopped the robbery entirely!”

“There’s no use thinking about ‘what-ifs’, son.’ Night Light admonished. “What’s done is done. All we can do is accept them and move on. I’ll handle things on our end, Shining Armor…Just focus on investigating Faust, maintain the peace, and find the Box.” He then turned away from his son and stepped out of the office for some air.

The police officer was left alone in his room. His face was set in an unreadable expression while his hands balled into tight fists. “…yes, dad…”

Later…

Back at the lab, the guys continued to discuss the upcoming Fight Sol Burner had next week. But their conversations came to a halt when the Smash detector blared out.

“Alright! Time for some action!” Sol cheered, excited by the prospect of finally transforming.

“Where is it?” Flash asked as Micro accessed the city map.

“At the abandoned factory across town!”

“Then that’s where we’re heading.” The musician said as he removed his braces and set aside his crutches.

“Whoa, dude! What are you doing?!” Sandalwood demanded as he tried to stop Flash. “You’re still healing!”

“I’m doing much better now!” He argued, unwrapping the bandages around his head. As he removed them, his previous cuts and scrapes were shown to be scabbed over. He placed weight on his left ankle without showing any form of discomfort, and moved his left wrist freely. “After all, our Hazard Levels enhance our body, somehow, right?” He asked Micro. “I’m healing faster than most. I can still fight.”

“…Alright.” The intellectual replied. “But don’t strain yourself! End the fight quickly and get out of there!”

“No problem, Micro.” Sol said as he donned his disguise. “With me there, Flash won’t even have to transform now that I can. Crozz and I will handle it.”

The two rode the Machine Builder to the designated spot. While they expected to find a ruined building and a rampaging creature, they found a perfectly intact abandoned factory and a quiet atmosphere.

“Is there really a Smash here?” Sol asked as he got off the bike and Crozz hovered above him. “Seems a bit quiet.”

“It is quiet….too quiet….” Flash agreed as he approached the building. “This is definitely suspicious.” The two entered the factory with befuddled expressions. It was certainly as abandoned as its namesake, with nothing but dusty junk strewn about and a lack of noise, people, and activity.

“…What the heck? Where’s the Smash?” Sol questioned aloud.

“This doesn’t make sense.” Flash said. “The detector said there was one here, but not a soul in sight.” Then his eyes widened in realization. “Wait a minute…don’t tell me this is a-!”

“I’ll be taking those bottles as well.” Night Rogue announced as he and a group of Guardians climbed down the stairs.

“…trap.”

“So that’s how it is…well, doesn’t matter.” Sol shrugged as he faced the enemy. “This is what I’ve been waiting for!” He pulled out the Dragon Fullbottle and tossed it in his hand. “Here’s my chance to transform!”

“No it isn’t.” Flash said as he snatched the bottle out of the air and stepped forward.

“Wait, what?!” The fighter questioned.

“You can’t handle it right now!”

“Why not?!” Flash didn’t answer as he put on the Build Driver. “And are you gonna be alright?!” The musician shook the Dragon and Lock Fullbottles as math equations appeared around him, prompting Sol to back up.

“DRAGON!”

“LOCK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!” With a turn of the crank, blue and gold armor segments formed on the runners.

Shifting into a fighting stance, Flash yelled out, “Henshin!”

“THE SECURITY FANTASY!”

“KEYDRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

The moment his transformation finished, the Guardians attacked the Masked Rider. The nearest one swung its bladed rifle down on him. Flash sidestepped it and punched it aside before he advanced toward the rest of the group. He grabbed a Guardian by the wrist when it tried to punch him and flung it aside before he spun on his heel and struck another closing in on him with his dragon arm.

At that point, Night Rogue decided to join the fight as he moved in for a reverse roundhouse kick. Flash ducked beneath it and countered with his Lock arm.

Off to the side, Sol Burner stared at the ensuing battle and then jumped into the fray. “Alright!” One of the Guardians took notice of him and tried to swing at him with the blade on its rifle. Sol grabbed it, forced it aside, and slammed his fist right into the robot’s core, knocking it down. Another Guardian tried to strike him with its rifle as well. The fighter ducked beneath the swing and rammed his elbow into its face as he moved past.

He jumped away from another swinging rifle by another Guardian and moved to climb up the stairs to get the high ground.

While Sol fought, Flash and Night Rogue were locked in their own battle.

Although it was more like Night Rogue and Guardian tag teamed against the Masked Rider. The musician dodged another rifle swing before he grabbed the robot and threw it at the Bat man. Night Rogue caught it and pushed the stumbling Guardian back at the Rider. Using its body to conceal himself from sight, Night Rogue followed up with another reverse roundhouse. Flash had pushed the Guardian aside, but failed to react quick enough as the foot slammed into his abdomen.

Sol climbed the stairs up backwards, doing his best to avoid getting stabbed. One Guardian thrust its bayoneted rifle at him. He sidestepped and held it in place as he backhanded the robot and cracked its visor. He then kicked it off the stairs and held onto the rifle.

Down below, Night Rogue kicked at Flash who managed to block the attack with both hands. He threw the foot down and swung at the Bat who quickly side stepped the attack. Night Rogue spun around for a reverse hook kick that caught Flash in the side.

Sol Burner had climbed the stairs onto the loft above, fending off the remaining Guardians who chased after him. Using the rifle he stole from one of the robots, he smashed it against the closest Guardian’s head, wrestled its rifle from its grip, and knocked it down with both. He shifted the gun in hand to shoot at the remaining ones, only to be greeted with soft clicks when he pulled the triggers.

“No ammo?! Wait, guess that explains why they didn’t just shoot me.” He mused before he threw one of the rifles like a javelin and speared through one approaching Guardian through the chest. The ones behind it shoved their broken brethren to the side as they climbed up the steps to engage the fighter. Both sides swung their rifles like bats to try and land the decisive blow.

It was only then Sol Burner realized something. “Wait a minute…I have a better weapon!” He knocked the rifle out of the Guardian’s hands and stabbed his into the downed robot next to him. He pressed a button on his watch and summoned the Beat Cross-Zer. Sword in hand he bisected the Guardian diagonally.

Build and Night Rogue continued their bout as they grappled one another to get the other to submit. Each attempt failed as blows were exchanged. They slammed each other into the random piles of junk that littered the compound. Eventually, Night Rogue had lost his footing as Build shoved him down. Before the Rider could land another punch, his armor started to crackled electricity. Immediately after, his body burst into blue fire.

Flash screamed as his body burned and the Driver glitched. He backed away from Night Rogue in a panic. “Wh-what the…?!” He experienced the Dragon Bottle rejecting him before, but this backlash was worse than the last! “My body’s…burning up!”

He collapsed on his knees as the transformation undid itself. Dragon and Lock fell from the Driver onto the ground. The disguised musician panted as his body became wracked with pain. Not only did his prior injuries flare up with a vengeance, he had new ones to boot. His clothing was partially burnt as if he was caught on fire. His body received more cuts that were hidden beneath the tattered remains of his jacket. A drop of blood trailed down from his lips as he tasted iron. He collapsed face first to the ground.

Above on the loft, Sol had sliced through the last Guardian and watched its remains fall over the railing. As he did, he caught sight of his downed friend. “Build!” Without hesitation, Sol Burner jumped off the second story and landed on his feet, rushing to Flash’s side. “Are you okay?!”

“Hand over those bottles now.” Night Rogue ordered as he approached the two. “And I will spare your lives.”

“Grabbing the bottles without a word to me?” A new, familiar voice joined the conversation. Blood Stalk came in through the side entrance. “Such a busy Bat.”

“Stalk…”

“Stalk!” Sol growled upon seeing the snake. He grabbed the Dragon Bottle in his hand, but Flash grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“You can’t!”

“Get off! He’s right there! He could be my dad or Gizmo, man!”

“Kinda slow to catch on, aren’t you?” Stalk pointed at him mockingly as he walked between them and Night Rogue. “I came to help you boys out.”

Both teenagers’ heads snapped over to him. “Wait, what?” Flash questioned. After everything the snake did to them, he’s going to help them out?!

“Screw that!” Sol snapped, rage fueling his actions and thought process. “I don’t know who you really are, but you put my friends and me through so much crap!” He wrestled his arm free from Flash as he stabbed the Beat Cross-Zer to the ground and stood up. “But I’m gonna kick your ass and get the truth from you! Time to see what’s under that helmet!”

He raised his arm to the air and called out. “Come! Crozz!” The mechanical Dragon roared as it tucked its legs in while folding its neck and tail up to its body. It landed in Sol’s hand as he shook the bottle and twisted the cap.

…And was promptly electrocuted the moment he tried to insert the Dragon Fullbottle in its slot.

“Gyaaaaugh!” The fighter screamed as electricity surged through his hands. As a result, his grip on Crozz released at it flew up. He looked to his mechanical partner in confusion. Why didn’t it work? He was supposed to have transformed. “What was that, Crozz?” He tried to reach out, but the Dragon flew out of his reach with an apologetic expression.

All three pairs of eyes could only stare at the scene. Flash and Rogue stared blankly while Blood Stalk shook his head in disappointment. “Well, this is terrible.” The Rider commented.

“Just get him out of here.” Stalk waved him off.

Flash shot a glare at the red armor man. As much as he wanted to kick the man’s face in for what he did, he knew when to cut his losses. “I swear, I’m gonna pay you back for that cheap shot at the lab!” Just remembering the crotch shot brought phantom pains.

“Yeah, yeah…” Stalk replied half-heartedly.

Growling, Flash scooped up the Lock Bottle and pulled himself up. He then grabbed the confused Sol Burner to escape. “Let’s go!”

“Hey, wait a minute!” The fighter tried to argue as Flash pulled him out of the Building. Night Rogue refused to let them escape. He aimed the Transteam Gun to shoot them.

“Whoa there!” Blood Stalk called out as he flung a folding chair between the Bat and the retreating teens. The action threw Rogue off as the two made it out the door.

“What is the meaning of this, Stalk?!” Night Rogue scowled beneath his helmet.

“Hmph.” Stalk didn’t answer. He simply spun on his heel and ran to the building’s side entrance. He jumped up and used the iron grate above him as a bar that he used to swing himself outside.

Night Rogue, annoyed by the Cobra’s antics, rushed out the door to see that the Riders had already fled.

“Why did Stalk help us like that?”

“I don’t know. But I’m just as concerned as how they managed to fake a Smash sighting like that…”

Flash Sentry and Sol Burner made it back to the lab. The former was getting his new injuries treated by Sandalwood while Micro ran a diagnostic scan on the Smash Detector. While the rejection process was quite agonizing, thankfully, Flash’s resulting wounds were manageable and did not need another hospital trip. Didn’t make things hurt any less though.

“Forget that!” Sol snapped in annoyance. “Why couldn’t I use the Bottle?! When I tried to transform, it was like Crozz wouldn’t let me!”

Crozz whined morosely from its perch. It couldn’t help itself. It didn’t want to stop its master, but it was built to do so depending on the circumstance.

“Crozz is tuned to your limbic system.” Micro answered as he spun around to face Sol. “It won’t synchronize with you unless an emotional response clears the designated threshold I programmed into it.”

“….I have no idea what you just said.” The fighter deadpanned. He then turned to Flash. “In English, please?”

“Basically…” Flash winced as Sandalwood applied rubbing alcohol on his fresh cuts. “You need to truly feel like you want to help someone.”

“What? But I did want to help! I was gonna help fight off Night Rogue and Stalk then get Flash out of there!”

“No.” Micro shook his head. “That was what you were going to do. Not the reason why you wanted to transform. Sandalwood and I saw everything through Crozz. Your motive to transforming was to beat up Stalk and get the truth about October 15th.

“So what if I was? That’s what we were going to do anyway, wasn’t it?” Sol argued.

“While that’s true, it’s not our priority.” Flash reasoned. “Remember back then? When I said I would prioritize helping people over seeking the truth? That is why I fight.”

“But what does it matter if it’s all gonna be the same in the end, anyway?!” Sol turned away and rushed up to Crozz who flew above reach. “C’mon, Crozz! Just take the Bottle!”

“Burrah!” The dragon cried out in refusal. Sol fell on his back in disappointment.

“It’s not gonna work, Sol.” Micro stood over him. “If your emotional response, or reason, doesn’t satisfy the requirements, Crozz won’t let you transform.”

“Only because you put that thing in him in the first place!” Sol shot up on his feet and glared at the bespectacled teen. “Take it out of him!”

“I can’t. It’s hard wired into his system and programming. If I were to remove it, Crozz won’t be Crozz anymore and may cease to function entirely.”

“Now that’s playing dirty! I thought we were friends! I thought you trusted me! And this is what happens?!”

“We may be friends, and even though you made it up to us after that stunt you pulled with Brawly, we had no idea how you’d turn out.” Micro glared back. “You were irresponsible, rash, and put an innocent person in danger just to get answers! That’s why we put in the safety feature to prevent you from doing something like that again!”

“But I learned my lesson! I know better!”

“Have you really?! Because based on Crozz’s reaction, it didn’t seem like you learned after all!”

“Well, I’ll just use KeyDragon, then! I mean, if I can’t use Crozz, I’ll just use two Bottles then!”

“You can try…” Flash interjected as he hobbled over using a crutch as support. “But that power would be nothing compared to the form if you synced with Crozz. Sol, it wasn’t only Micro who put in the emotional response restriction, Sandalwood and I also supported it.”

“Wh-what…?” The fighter questioned. “But…I thought you said I could transform and help out!”

“You can…but only if you have the right reason.” The musician reasoned. “Sol…you’re a good guy. But you’re letting your emotions get the better of you, especially your anger over October 15th. We put in the safety feature in Crozz for one reason only: To keep you on the right path.”

“The…right path? But I’m fighting to help people like you now.”

“You are, yes. But being a Rider is different than helping people as you are. Why do you want to be a Rider? Is it to help people because it’s the right thing to do? Or to expose Stalk and exact your revenge on him and Faust and get answers to your father’s murder? ” Flash asked him in a dead serious expression.

The martial artist fell silent as his mind processed the questions. Of course he wanted to help people. But he also wanted to make Stalk and Faust pay for what they did. Most of all…he wanted the truth. He wanted to know what really happened that night and how it all ties together.

How were none of those good reasons to transform and fight as a Masked Rider?! The more Sol thought about it, the more it fueled his ire.

With his mind in a whirlwind of emotions, unable to think coherently, he stormed off. “I’m outta here!” The fighter marched up the stairs and did not look back.

Meanwhile…

“What was that back there, Stalk?” Night Rogue glowered at the Cobra that sat in his chair. “If you hadn’t interfered, we would’ve obtained the remaining bottles to complete the Panel!”

“Don’t get your knickers all bunched up.” Stalk waved him off as he fiddled with a small device in hand. It was a transmitter that produced a bio signature similar to that of a Smash, effectively falsifying a Smash attack. “We’ll get the bottles in due time. I’m playing the long game you see. Don’t you trust me?”

“As of now, I’m starting to have my doubts about trusting you.”

“Oh come on! We’ve been pals in this little three-legged race of ours for a while now.” He raised his head as he tapped a finger on his folded hands. “It’d just make things too boring if there were no opposition. Besides…I’m curious by how far those two will actually grow.”

“Even if they put our plans in jeopardy?” Night Rogue glared.

“Who knows? Like I said, I’m playing things long game while you only look at things short term…” Stalk rose from his seat and patted the Bat on the shoulder. “As long as those two fight, the more they will purify Fullbottles for us to pilfer later. That in turn will bring us much closer to unlocking the Box’s full power. Understand?”

Night Rogue stood still, staring off into space before he responded. “…Very well. But do not forget that I am the leader of Faust. If I should trust you, you must follow my orders and prove your loyalty.”

“Fine, fine.” The Cobra shrugged as he walked out of the room. Once he was out of earshot, he grinned beneath his helmet. “Although, last I checked, Faust doesn’t belong to you.”

The Next Day…

Micro Chips and Sandalwood were in the lab. On the whiteboard off to the side was a list of ideas pertaining to a critical goal. After Faust had raided the CRDC, Flash lost most of their Fullbottles, even the Smash Bottles that they acquired at the time. While KeyDragon was powerful to keep up and possibly overwhelm Night Rogue, maybe even Blood Stalk, it was just too volatile for Flash to use safely.

They were trying to find a way to track down where Faust was hiding in order to get back their Bottles, Pandora’s Box, and possibly Faust’s Panel.

Currently, quite a few ideas had already been crossed off. They were mostly outlandish ones as a part of the brainstorming process. One idea was to scan the entire city using the drone and Crozz simultaneously. It was crossed off because it would be impossible to cover the entire city in a short time. Not to mention they would eventually draw attention to themselves.

Another was to bug the policemen part of the investigation team, like Shining Armor, to gather intel. That one was crossed off because it was too dangerous. One wrong step, and they would be the ones tracked down by the police and get in trouble with the law.

“What if the next time Night Rogue or Stalk show up, we place a tracker on them so they would lead us to their base’s location?” Sandalwood suggested.

“I don’t know.” Micro shook his head. “While it sounds good on paper, it would only be a matter of time before one of them notices it and either break it, or use it against us. We can’t exactly risk anymore bottles. Unless Sol can properly synchronize with Crozz, Flash is locked to using KeyDragon, which still hurts him.”

“But what else can we do?” The eco-teen wondered. “We don’t have any way to track them down! At this rate, they’re gonna come after us and take what we have left!”

“I don’t know…” Micro regretted not having a solid answer. But he had no idea how to track Faust down without them catching wind of their plans.

The two fell silent as they mentally debated what possible plan would work. That is…until Sandalwood’s stomach growled. “…all this thinking is making me hungry. I’m gonna grab lunch, you want anything?”

“A sandwich would be good.”

“Got it. Be right back.” Grabbing his keys off the table, Sandalwood went upstairs to hop into his truck. Micro waited until the door closed. Once he was sure that his friend had left, he moved over to the computer and pulled up the Project Sclash file. He had broken through 80% of the file’s decryption. He determinedly worked to break the remainder.

“If I can finish and construct this…” Micro mumbled to himself. “Then Flash should be able to fight and beat Stalk and Rogue without any risk.”

Meanwhile…

Sol Burner trudged through the streets of Canterlot on foot. He was still annoyed about what happen last night at the lab, and hoped the walk would clear his head before he reached his destination.

Unfortunately for him, it didn’t. He continued to dwell on his friends words, questioning his own reasoning. He was so upset that he left Crozz back at the lab instead of bringing him home. He needed time away from his little buddy, as everything was centered around him as well.

It was times like these that he found solace by talking things out with his mother, which was why he was heading to the city hospital to drop in for a visit.

As he was halfway there, a friendly, albeit loud, voice broke him from his musings.

“HEY! SOL BURNER!” Bulk Biceps yelled loudly. The extremely muscular teen waved at his friend as he caught up to him.

“Hey Bulk.” Sol returned half-heartedly, not quite in the mood to talk. Yet Bulk had yet to notice as he continued to speak excitedly.

“Dude, guess what?!” He whipped out a small piece of paper in his hands. It was a ticket to his upcoming MMA fight. “I got a ticket for your fight! It was one of the last ones on sale, too! I’ll be there rooting for you, buddy! Yeah!”

“Yeah, sure. Okay.” Again, Sol replied unenthusiastically. This time, Bulk did notice.

“Uh…is everything okay, Sol? You seem kinda…upset.”

The fighter sighed as he turned to face his friend. “Sorry Bulk, but I’m really not in the mood to talk. I gotta go somewhere. See ya…” Without waiting for a response, Sol quickened his pace, leaving the fellow boxing club member behind.

“Uh…okay…yeah!” Bulk returned, really confused and worried about his friend.

“Well, that was just cold.” A voice cut in from behind Bulk. “And I thought you two were friends.” The muscular teen turned around, only to be greeted by a man in red armor and teal visor.

Surprised and terrified by his intimidating, cobra-like visage….Bulk let out a high pitched scream.

“Wh-who are you?!”

“No one of consequence.” Stalk said evenly as he held up the Steam Blade, turned its dial, and swung.

“DEVIL STEAM!”

“Hi mom. I’m back…” Sol spoke to the comatose form of his mother. “I…I kinda got into an argument with my friends again. It was about finding the truth about Dad’s death. Long story short, I finally have the power to help find out the truth. But…my friends won’t let me help because I don’t have the right reason to.

“Am I wrong? I want to use the power I have to find the truth about Dad. Is that not a good enough reason? It’s been eating away at me. I don’t know what to do or how to move on. And now my friend keeps getting hurt fighting and I’m stuck on the sidelines. Our enemies are getting stronger, and we can’t keep up without me. But I can’t do anything. I just want to help….so why can’t they accept my reason to fight?”

He stared at his prone mother’s body. Like before, the only indications that she was alive was the constant blip of her heart monitor and her even breathing. He sighed. Deep down, he hoped that by some miracle, his mother would wake up and give him advice like she used to. He stared at his hands, deep in contemplation.

Looks like he was going to have to figure this out on his own. Seeing as there was nothing else he could do, Sol got up to leave. But as he put his hands in his pockets, he remembered something. “Oh, that’s right! Filthy Rich organized a match for me. It will be my debut on the professional MMA scene. I’m sorry it was short notice, but he arranged things pretty quickly. Here.”

He pulled out a front row seat ticket to his match, reserved specifically for her. He set it down on the counter, using the flower vase as a weight. “I know you can’t watch me in person….but I hope you’ll be there, watching me in spirit. I’ll give Dad his ticket later. I’m sorry if I’m worrying you, but this is my chance to be a pro fighter like dad. I’ll be careful….and I’ll win. I promise you that.”

He kissed his mother again before he exited the room.

Soon after, her lips moved as faint words came out of her mouth. “….good luck…”

As Sol exited the room, his mind fell deep in thought. Even when she was unconscious, he really didn’t like to omit the truth from his mother like this. Part of it was to prevent potential information leaks, which Micro had drilled into his head. The rest was to prevent his mother from worrying about him. If she knew that he gets into life or death situations frequently, as well as surviving hits and blows that would’ve crippled or killed a normal person, he was afraid she’d have a heart attack in her sleep.

As he contemplated, he did not pay much attention to where he was going and promptly ran into another person around the corner.

“S-sorry!” Sol snapped out of his musings as both individuals stumbled back, the woman dropping a set of papers.

“No no, it’s alright.” The woman, Misty Veil, assured him. She was visiting the hospital for a follow up check up in regards to her memory, as well as pick up a prescription for Flash for pain medication. Given that he tripped down some stairs yesterday while he was out, she was sure he’d need it. Thankfully, his friends were able to apply proper first aid to treat them.

“Here, let me help…” Sol gathered the dropped papers and handed them back to her. It was then he got a good look at the woman’s face, recognizing her. “Wait…you’re Misty Veil…Flash’s mom, right?”

“Yes I am. Do I know you?”

“No, but Flash told me a lot about you. I sorta recognized you from what he told me.”

“You know my son?” She asked in surprise. She hadn’t known that her son made new friends lately. But as she looked at the boy’s face, she couldn’t help but notice his troubled expression.

“Yeah, we’re good friends. Ran into each other over a month ago, but we hang out a lot.” Despite his words, she clearly noticed something was eating at him.

“I see. Well, I’m sorry for running into you like that. I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.

“No problem. I…I wasn’t either.” He began to walk away, but as he did, Misty couldn't help but notice something was up. She had a sixth sense about these things and could tell when someone had something big on their minds.

"Sol," he stopped and turned back to her, "If everything okay?" Sol didn't reply, but the look on his face gave her the answer. "If something's up, I bet talking about it might help." She stepped up to him, patting his shoulder. "Come on, I'll treat you to a drink and we can talk about it."

"So, what seems to be the problem?" Misty inquired. The two were seated at a café located near the hospital. Misty ordered an iced tea while Sol ordered iced coffee.

"Well," Sol wasn't sure how to say this without blowing their secret. "It's just I have this issue. It's...complicated to explain. But basically I need to do something and I wanna do it, but I can't because I don't want to do it for the right reasons. But why should the reason I'm doing it care as long as I'm doing it? Does that make sense?"

"Kind of," Misty took a sip of her drink. "I can't really give you any real advice unless I know more about it, but I'm guessing you can't really tell me." Sol nodded. "Well...I guess you should try and think about if your reasons for doing whatever it is could affect those around you?"

"Those around me?" Sol looked confused by this.

"If the thing you needed to do was...learning to ride a motorbike or something, then what's your reason for learning to ride it? Are you just wanting to learn because you think it'll be fun, or is it for something important like...delivering an organ to a transplant patient?"

Sol was a little grossed out by this, but got where she was coming from. "Can't I do both?"

"Well sure, but one reason needs to take priority over the other. Would you be willing to put your fun aside just to deliver that organ, or would the delivery have to wait until after you had your fun. Which is more important to you?"

Sol knew the answer. He wanted to find out the truth about what happened to his dad. And if that truth came out by stopping Faust, then what's the problem. "There my skills, so shouldn't I get to decide how I use them."

Misty thought about this for a moment, "Not...necessarily. Just because you're the one using your skills, doesn't mean you can always decide how to use them."

Sol rolled his eyes, "You're starting to sound like Flash."

Misty chuckled, "Probably. He gets that from his father."

"Really?" Sol asked.

Misty nodded as she seemed to suddenly become lost in his thought. "His father had a philosophy that he held to pretty strongly, and it's one that served him very very well. He believed that if there were things in this world that you had to offer, things that you did well...better than anyone else. Things that you could do that helped people or made people feel better. Well...he believed it wasn't just a good idea to do those things. He believed it was your responsibility to do those things."

"Responsibility?" Sol asked, to which Misty nodded.

"He was an amazing pilot and could have spent his life working for an airline after serving his tour in the air force. But instead, he decided to use his skills as a test pilot. He became one because he knew he was the best man for the job. So no one else had to risk themselves."

"But he...you know." He saw Misty grimace at this, but that frown quickly vanished.

"I know. But I also know that if he couldn't stop whatever happened, then no one could." She smiled. "He believed that a life isn't worth living unless you're trying to be the best person you could be. And even though he's not here anymore, he's still making the world a better place. After all, Flash inherited his sense of responsibility and is constantly helping others."

"Yeah," Sol realized, "He is." He suddenly remembered what Flash had told him when they infiltrated Faust.

"As long as the Smash exist, innocent people are gonna get hurt. And I’m the only one who can fight them off. So if it’s a choice between finding the truth or saving people….I will always choose to save people."

When Sol tried to transform, all he cared about what having the power to get the answers he wanted. Meanwhile, Flash was willing to put himself in harm’s way and even use the Dragon bottle whilst knowing what it would do to him. All because he wanted to help those in need. And he'd gotten that from his father.

"He must have been some guy."

"He was." Misty nodded in agreement. Sol wanted to inquire more, but his cell phone went off. The screen read that it was Micro calling him.

“Oh, sorry. I gotta take this.” He pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Sol! There’s another Smash attack, for real this time!”

“Wait, what?!” His exclamation startled Misty, who looked in befuddlement. He quieted down and whispered back. “Where?”

“At the mall! I hacked into the feed to verify. It’s a new type of Smash and the Rainbooms are in danger…again! Flash went ahead to stop it!”

“What? But he’s injured!” Now Misty was even more worried.

“That’s why we need you to back him up! I’ll send Crozz over as well!”

“…Got it.” Sol nodded. He just hoped he really could help and not flop like yesterday. He hung up and turned to Misty. “Sorry, but I gotta go.”

“Is everything alright? And what’s this about someone injured?”

“Ah, well…” He should’ve just kept his mouth shut. “Well, a friend of mine thought it was a good idea to work out as a means of physical therapy, even when he’s injured.” Sol lied, hopefully convincingly.

“Oh dear.” She gasped. “Why would he do that?”

“Eh, he’s stubborn like that. Anyway, I gotta go and help out.” He got out of his seat and chugged down the rest of his drink. “Thank you for the drink, Mrs. Veil. And thanks for the advice.” He then rushed out of the café and down the street.

“What a nice boy…strange, but nice. Flash definitely made some good friends.” She mused.

Several Minutes Earlier…

It was supposed to have been a simple day out shopping with her friends. Sometimes, Sunset wondered if Equestria had as many problems as she and the others had recently. While she knew that her world had a fair share of monster attacks, she’s actually been caught up in many of them first hand since arriving in this world.

Today was no different.

It started out as a normal day at the mall…until another Smash had decided to attack the populace. Said creature was busy flipping over and smashing tables at the newly repaired food court.

If Sunset were to describe it, its body was like a tank. It was heavily armored in dark green plating. Some of the plates resembled sea shells for some reason. Its left arm was a spiral shell while its head looked like a conch shell with a respirator mask attached. It also had what seemed to be coral growing from its shoulders and back.

“Seriously?! It’s like these things just pop out of the woodwork!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she and the others hid behind a row of upturned tables.

“Yeah! It’s like some higher power puts us in these situations just so we can watch Build and Cross-Z show up and save the day, knowing our magic doesn’t work on them!” Pinkie Pie glared at the adjacent wall for some odd reason.

“Forget that!” Applejack exclaimed. She and the other girls flinched as the Smash shot off several spiral shells at the tables, breaking on impact. “How do we git outta this mess?!”

“I don’t know!” Rarity replied. “You don’t suppose we can distract it long enough for the Riders to show up?”

“They should’ve been here by now!” Twilight retorted. The Mall had been under attack for several minutes. Everyone else managed to get away, as there had been a lack of evil Guardians in the area to capture more people for some odd reason. Yet when the Smash saw the Rainbooms, it immediately shifted its focus on them for some reason.

Good news was that the civilians were able to evacuate. Bad news was that they were stuck between a rock and a hard place being boxed in with a Smash out to get them.

“Well, we gotta do something!” Rainbow exclaimed.

Sunset kept quiet as she scanned their surroundings. Her brain went into overdrive to devise a strategic plan of attack that would allow them to keep the Smash preoccupied and themselves out of danger. Finally, she turned to her fluffy haired friend. “Pinkie, you got any jawbreakers and sticky candy?”

“You know it!” The party planner reached into her hair and pulled out two, fist sized spherical hard candy and pieces of taffy.

“Okay…so here’s the plan.” The rest of the Rainbooms huddled as Sunset explained. “Rainbow, I want you to run decoy and get the Smash’s attention. Rarity, you’re on guard duty: keep Rainbow safe from those shells.”

“Got it.” Both the fashionista and the athlete complied, the latter picking up a broken table leg as a makeshift weapon.

“Applejack, Pinkie, and Twilight? You three are on offense. Applejack, I want you to use your strength to throw anything you can find at the Smash as hard as you can. Pinkie, you’ll light it up with sugar explosions. Twilight, you use your magic to accelerate the thrown objects as much as you can to dish out even more damage. If need be, alter their trajectory mid air to disorient it. Okay?”

“Right.”

“You got it.

“Okie dokie loki!”

“Fluttershy, since your magic and mine aren’t going to be much help, we’re going to stay back with Rarity.”

“Okay.” The animal lover nodded, relieved that she wasn’t going to be part of the fight herself, yet worried greatly for her friends.

“Alright, let’s do this!” Rainbow exclaimed as she moved first. Using her magic, she dashed out and all over the place. The Smash’s attention became focused on the speeding, rainbow-colored blur. Rainbow drew close to slam her weapon into the Smash’s armor a few times as she ran past. It didn’t hurt the Smash but it did irritate it. It raised its arm and shot off a series of spiral shells at the girl.

Before they could hit her, however, diamond shields manifested to protect Rainbow. While the Shell Smash was focused on the athlete, it did not notice the table thrown at him at great speeds. The piece of furniture impacted its body hard, even causing it to stumble. It spun around to find and attack the culprit, but was greeted with a mass of taffy that stuck itself onto its face.

The gooey confection glowed before it detonated in a small explosion. The Smash roared in pain and backpedaled. But as it moved, it failed to notice the pair of jawbreakers sail and curve through the air before impacting the creature from behind. Another explosion, only slightly stronger than the first, pushed the Smash down.

The girls remained wary. While they knew Pinkie Pie’s sugar explosions could be quite large, depending on her mood, they noticed that the blasts made were only minuscule compared to what she was capable of. They knew that the Smash somehow cancelled their magic, but they have yet to understand the full extent of it.

They had no time to ponder as the Smash got back up, even angrier than before. With a resounding roar, before their very eyes, its body started to change. Its body mass seemed to increase as it bulked up. Furthermore, extra layers of armor and shells grew over its pre-existing ones, further increasing its defenses. It slammed its arms to the ground, shaking the earth and creating cracks on the concrete. It then turned its attention to the girls, who collectively gulped.

“…okay, show of hands…who thinks we’re in trouble now?” Pinkie Pie asked. Every hand was raised.

The Shell Smash raised its spiral arm and fired another twisted shell, this one even bigger and faster than before. Rarity hastily erected a shield to protect them from the attack. The projectile impacted and shattered, the resulting force threw the girls off their feet.

The scrambled up in a daze as it lumbered toward them. But before it could shoot another shell, its body was pelted by a volley of laser blasts.

The roar of a motorcycle engine filled their ears as relief swelled in their chests. Build rode in the area with the Drill Crusher in hand. He stopped between the girls and the Smash and got off. Rarity, always having the keen eye for detail, noticed something off about Build. His movements were stiff and seemed to cringe when making certain movements.

Flash Sentry’s body ached with every movement.

Ever since using KeyDragon again yesterday, on top of getting new wounds from the backlash, a good amount of his old ones re-opened. The moment his mother saw his newly injured state, he worried that she’d have a panic attack. She really hounded on him to be careful and rest.

Micro and Sandalwood had been adamant about it as well, but he had no choice. KeyDragon was their only Bottle Combination, and he was the only one among the team that could transform at the moment. Even if it ultimately resulted in a painful backlash every time he used it.

So the moment he learned about the Smash attack at the mall, he ripped off his braces, hopped on the Machine Builder, and sped off.

While he assured his friends that he was alright, in reality, every movement agitated his sore muscles and fresh stitches. Yet he hid it well, as he was the only one that could fight the Smash. The moment he saw the Rainbooms in danger, he sped up the bike and shot the Smash with laser blasts.

He resolved himself that he would stop the Smash and save people, no matter the cost to himself. With great pain, he donned the Build Driver and shook the Dragon and Lock Fullbottles.

“DRAGON!”

“LOCK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!” With a turn of the crank, the armor half-bodies formed.

Shifting into a fighting stance, Flash yelled out, “Henshin!”

“THE SECURITY FANTASY!”

“KEYDRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

Now clad in the blue and gold armor, Flash charged at the Shell Smash, his armor numbing the pain and allowing freer movement. The Smash tried to stab him with its spiral arm. Flash deflected the limb with his left arm and pounded the Smash in the chest with his right. A blue, fiery explosion appeared the moment his fist made contact. The resulting force sent the Smash stumbling back, as its added armor took the brunt of the hit.

“So powerful…” Fluttershy gazed in awe.

“My, what an unusual design.” Rarity, ever the fashionista, critiqued the armor.

“Yay Build!” Pinkie Pie jumped up and down in a cheer. “Go get ‘em!”

Flash continued his assault. He ducked under another swing and side stepped a wide spread punch. He immediately countered by grabbing the outstretched limb and elbowed it in the face. He then spun on his heel and slammed the heel of his extended leg into its face.

It stumbled from the strike to the face, but refused to fall. It tried to stab Build with its spiral arm. But he grabbed it and wrestled it away from everyone. As he did, he yelled to the girls. “What are you doing?! Get out of here!”

“No way!” Rainbow Dash yelled back. “We can help?!”

”What can you do?!” Build retorted as he kneed the Smash in the gut before. During this exchange, no one noticed Night Rogue peer out from around the corner. “You magic doesn’t work!” He let go of the Smash, spun on his heel, and rammed his foot into the Smash’s chest, creating a blue explosion that sent it back.

“But-!”

“Just go!” But as Build returned to the fight, his armor started to spark as pain returned to his senses. The girls saw this and were shocked by what was happening.

“That doesn’t look good.” Pinkie Pie frowned.

Even though he experienced the backlash, Flash continued to fight. He charged in and punched the Smash again. It backed away and fired a spiral shell. Flash batted it aside with the key on his left arm and used it to slash through the smash before delivering another flaming punch.

But as he did, his whole body ignited in blue fire.

“And it got even worse!” The party planner screeched. The girls were equally perturbed. Never before had they seen something like this with Build. Just what was going on?! And if he was hurting from this armor, why doesn’t he just change to a different set?!

The Smash rushed back at its opponent as Build willed his body to move. His entire body was burning….literally. But he could not stop fighting. Not until the Smash was defeated. But his movements were sluggish as he tried to fight back through the pain.

The Shell Smash delivered one final blow by slashing his front with its spiral arm. Build yelled as he was flung back and tumbled to the ground, his transformation canceling out. The Fullbottles clattered out of the Driver as the disguised Flash glared at the Smash. He felt his wounds reopen as blood dripped down his face, hidden by his mask and hood.

Watching the Rider’s defeat, Night Rogue couldn’t help but chuckle. He walked out of the alley and made his presence known. The Shell Smash advanced to finish off the Rider, but the Bat commanded it. “Stop.”

It immediately backed off.

Seeing that Night Rogue had appeared, Flash grabbed the bottles to keep them safe. The girls grew vigilant as the one who kidnapped Misty Veil showed up.

“You’re in no condition to keep fighting.” He told the Rider as he towered over him. He knelt down and grabbed him by the base of his hood. “Stop resisting and hand me those bottles. While you’re at it, tell me where the Panel is.” Flash gasped as his wounds became agitated, but he refused to submit.

But before Night Rogue could further torture him, a cupcake splattered on the back of his head. An explosion then occurred that sent him stumbling forward. “Let go of him you crazy Bat!” Pinkie Pie yelled. Next to her, Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity stood forward, their magic primed and ready to use. Off to the side were Sunset, Twilight, and Fluttershy. The Bespectacled girl discreetly moved Build using her magic, taking care not to aggravate his injuries. But before she could get him away from the Bat, his arm shot out and grabbed the Rider by the scruff of his neck. The sudden contact with his armor made Twilight’s magic unstable until it ultimately cancelled itself out.

“Oh?” Night Rogue mused as he glared at the girls from before. “And just what will you four do? You magic proved to be ineffective against me. To resist is futile.”

“Let me put this in a way that even fools like you can understand.” He pulled out his Transteam Gun and pressed it to the side of Build’s disguised head. “Stand down, or he dies.”

“You coward!” Sunset yelled with a glare.

“I know all about you girls.” He continued without missing a beat. “Girls imbued with the scientific impossibility known as magic. The epicenter for all the strange occurrences that took place at your high school and Camp Everfree. And yet, for all the power you have, it is useless against the likes of me and the Smash. Furthermore, you seven are simply too compassionate. Willing to help or feel worried for others despite the danger.”

He shifted his aim and pulled the trigger. And energy bullet grazed Flash’s leg, eliciting an agonized yelp. The girls were horrified by the display and further cemented their hatred for the man. “That was merely a warning shot. Be glad I missed try to cripple him. It’s only a flesh wound.”

“Bastard…” Rainbow seethed. The rest were equally angry, but Night Rogue had them in check mate.

“Good…now stand down, or the next one goes through his head.” Reluctantly, their dropped their arms in surrender. While Night Rogue was focused on the girls, Flash materialized the Drill Crusher from his Driver in a backhanded grip and hid it under the flaps of his coat.

Satisfied, Night Rogue turned his attention back to his hostage. “Now, hand over the bottles and the Panel.”

Instead of answering, Flash thrust his arm backwards to stab the Bat with his weapon. Night Rogue jumped back to avoid the surprise attack, allowing Flash to scramble back up, only to wince when he applied weight on his wounded leg.

“Tenacious to the end, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been told I’m pretty stubborn.” The Rider quipped. Growling, Night Rogue pulled out the Steam Blade and slashed at the injured Rider. Flash fought back as their weapons clashed. But having the upper hand due to his uninjured state, the Bat smacked the Rider in the face with the butt of his gun, causing him to stumble. With one final push, he knocked Flash down and immediately seized the Driver from his waist. He kicked the Drill Crusher out of his hands for good measure.

“I gave you the option to surrender.” Night Rogue told him condescendingly. “Now you have no choice unless you wish to die. I won’t repeat myself. Hand over the bottles and the Panel.”

“How about you get the hell away from him!”

The Bat turned to the source of the voice only to be slashed by the Beat Cross-Zer’s blade. Night Rogue was sent flying back, yet managed to keep a grip on the Driver. He got back on his feet and glared at the interference.

A disguised Sol Burner stood with the Beat Cross-Zer’s blade on his shoulder. “You doing okay, Build?”

“Debatable…” Flash replied as he got up to kneel. “Cutting it close on the arrival.”

“Sorry. Traffic.”

The girls were relieved that Build’s partner showed up when he did. But where was he in the first place?

“Night Rogue had enough of their banter, and ordered the Shell Smash to attack. It charged at Cross-Z, who met its charge with his sword raised. He tried to cut the Smash, but its armor was too thick to slice through. It parried the blade and punched Sol back. The teen was sent flying from the force of the blow and crashed through an upturned table. Surprisingly, he got up without much issue and charged again. He swung his sword repeatedly, but the Smash would either parry the blade or withstand the strikes without flinching. He tried to use a Smash hit, but before he could, a spiral shell knocked the sword out of his hands. When he tried to reach for it, another shell flung it away until it rested by the Rainboom’s feet.

“Restrain him.” Night Rogue ordered. The Shell Smash complied and pinned Sol to the ground. The Bat ripped the Dragon and Lock Bottles from his hand and with the same hand, grabbed Build by the hood of his jacket and yanked him up. “You are trying my patience. Tell me where the Panel is, or I will kill the girls. Starting with the Pink one!”

Flash growled while the girls stood warily. They were unable to do much to help. Their magic was simply ineffective against the Smash and Night Rogue. Even if they could do something, they have both vigilantes pinned and powerless. They were at their mercy. Pinkie Pie gulped as the threat did not pass over her head.

As the exchange went on, Sol could only watch the scene before him. He couldn’t do anything while a heavy Smash kept him pinned to the ground. He felt so…helpless. His friends were about to be hurt/killed, and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it. As that thought ran through his mind, his eyes widened in realization.

His mind raced back to the words Misty Veil told him earlier:

"His father had a philosophy that he held to pretty strongly, and it's one that served him very very well. He believed that if there were things in this world that you had to offer, things that you did well...better than anyone else. Things that you could do that helped people or made people feel better. Well...he believed it wasn't just a good idea to do those things. He believed it was your responsibility to do those things."

Sol never realized this until now. Before, he used his strength to fight and find the truth. He didn’t care about helping people, as long as he could learn what really happened that fateful night.

But now he knew better. He was strong. He could fight. He had the ability to protect his friends from getting hurt. So why wasn’t he living up to that responsibility?! Well, it was time to change. It was time to protect!

The fighter roared as he forced his body up. Bit by bit, he lifted the heavy Smash off of his body, his hands bursting into blue flames. With a mighty shout and heave, he flung the Shell Smash off of him. In a rapid rush of punches, he struck the Smash over and over before knocking it down with a corkscrew punch. He took off in a sprint past Night Rogue and ripped the Build Driver and Fullbottles from his hands.

Without hesitation, he placed the Driver on his waist and the belt wrapped around him. Flash and the girls stared at Sol, anticipating what he would do next. The girls thought he would use KeyDragon, as it seemed to be the only pair of bottles they had on hand. Flash, however, thought differently. Could he finally…?

Sol stared at the Dragon Bottle. Images of his mom and dad flashed through his head. One scene in particular stuck in his mind. His first fighting match, where his dad, Knuckle Blaze, told him that by his determination, there was no way he could lose. He won. “Dad…give me strength.” He said under his breath.

Crozz roared as it flew above Sol, electric samba blasting through the air. His Dragon partner folded itself into its adapter form and Sol caught it.

Determined not to fail this time, Sol shook the Dragon Bottle, twisted the cap, and inserted it into the slot with ease.

“WAKE UP!” The image of a Dragon appeared on Crozz. He inserted Crozz into the Driver

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

He turned the crank as the Driver light flashed a myriad of colors. The armor panels manifested, one in front and one at the back. But another materialized to the left of his body, creating what resembled a dragon with wings.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Falling into a fighting stance, Sol glared in determination. “Henshin!” He stood at attention as the armor pieces converged onto him.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

The armor halves were donned onto his body while the winged dragon attached itself to his back. Its wings wrapped around his shoulders and its head rested on his helmet, completing his armor.

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

Unlike Build’s armor, Cross-Z was suited in a black body suit with dark blue armor on its legs, arms, and torso. It had orange, flame-like patterns on its right leg and left arm. Both arms and his back had white spine armor pieces. He had an armored vest with orange flames as well. His shoulder guards were two pairs of white claws. His helmet was black with a white mouth piece, two side profiled, blue Dragon heads as eyepieces, and an orange dragon head in between them to act as the head piece. The eye pieces flashed blue as the transformation finished.

Flash and the girls could only watch in awe. After all this time, they saw Cross-Z transform into an awesome suit of armor.

“Heh…that guy…” Build mumbled in relief.

“…huh. Smells like a new car in here.” The new Rider mused.

Night Rogue silently stared at the new Rider with intrigue, idly assembling his weapons into the Steam Rifle. The Shell Smash, however, saw a new target and charged. It tried to slam its spiral shell arm into the Rider. Sol swiftly retaliated with a punch to the chest. An explosion of blue flames burst forth, sending the heavy, armored Smash flying and crashed on its back.

“In one shot?!” Twilight exclaimed, unable to believe her eyes.

“So powerful…” Sunset said in awe.

“So awesome!”

Cross-Z turned the handle on the Build Driver, which lighted up in a brilliant azure. The Shell Smash got back up and charged angrily. Out from nowhere, an energy construct in the form of a blue, eastern dragon covered in orange fire flew around Sol until it stopped behind him.

“What the-?! Where in the hay did THAT come from?!” Applejack wondered.

Sol crouched down, legs and arms spread apart. The dragon behind him roared, its body growing brighter as power surged through his body, his right foot gathering blue flames.

“READY? GO!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

He jumped up to execute a roundhouse kick. As his foot pulled back, the Dragon shot a blast of blue fire at the armored fighter. Instead of burning him, the flames propelled him forward with great speed. Like a blade, his foot swung and slashed through the Shell Smash’s durable armor. Its body caught on blue fire as Sol landed on his feet. The Smash exploded in a burst of green energy and collapsed on the ground motionless.

Cross-Z turned and faced Night Rogue. Flash and the girls were awestruck by what just happened. The former smiled, seeing how powerful the form truly is. And Sol did not suffer from any drawback whatsoever. He truly synchronized with Crozz.

The girls were absolutely speechless. Even Build had a tough time fighting against the Shell Smash. Yet Cross-Z took it out with one shot?!

“With one attack…?” Night Rogue mumbled in shock. He did not expect this new rider to be this powerful. After the Bat spoke, Rainbow Dash snapped out of her stupor. She then noticed the discarded Beat Cross-Zer by their feet. Realizing that Cross-Z may have the power to beat Night Rogue and make him pay for what he did before, he needed all the help he could get.

Before any of the girls stopped her, she used her magic to dash forward and pick up the Beat Cross-Zer. She just didn’t expect how heavy it was. “Holy cow! How do you even carry this?!” Shaking her head, Rainbow realized she couldn’t hand it to Cross-Z, so she decided the next best thing.

“Hey Cross-Z!” She yelled out, grabbing the Rider’s attention. “Catch!”

Using her experience from track and field, she spun around to gain the momentum needed to throw the heavy weapon back to its owner. With one final spin, it flew through the air, and Cross-Z caught it deftly with a single hand. “Thanks!” He called out in gratitude. Rainbow preened from the praise.

Now, with weapon in hand, Sol charged forth. Night Rogue retaliated by shooting red lasers from the Steam Rifle. But Sol weaved through the blasts with ease. Once he got close, he slammed the pommel into the firearm to stun his opponent. He then forced the rifle aside for a follow up swing. Night Rogue nimbly sidestepped to avoid the blow. But Sol deftly rolled his wrist and caught him in a backhanded swing.

Bat countered attacked by stabbing the blade of his rifle into Cross-Z’s unguarded chest plate. However, the attack didn’t even faze Sol as he dashed forward and slammed the Beat Cross-Zer into Night Rogue’s chest plate, blade ignited in blue flames. With a swift swing, the blade ran along his body, delivering a damaging blow that left his black and silver armor sparking. By the time he recovered it was already too late as Sol pulled the sword’s pommel.

“HIT PARADE!”

“SMASH HIT!”

He spun around and delivered a diagonal slash in an uppercut swing. The blazing blade injured the Bat as he was sent flying into a tumble. Night Rogue propped himself up on a knee, glaring at the Rider beneath his helmet. “What…is this power?!”

“HIT PARADE!”

Sol pulled the pommel twice. He dashed in for an overhead swing. Night Rogue tried to block the attack with his armored arms, but failed. The moment the blade made contact with his armor, it was engulfed in a spectrum of red, yellow, and green that fluctuated like a sound reading in a crescent form.

The Bat growled as he felt a burning sensation through his suit.

“Pretty hot, right?” Sol asked as he continued the attack. “It’s not just my power, after all.” He tore the blade through Night Rogue, completing the attack.

“MILLION HIT!”

The Faust warrior was forced back as the fluctuating, sound bar blade of energy continuously attacked him with numerous slashes.

Sol stood tall as he grabbed his right wrist with his left hand, Beat Cross-Zer held in his right. “Right now…” He took out the Lock Bottle and shook it before installing it in the Beat Cross-Zer.

“SPECIAL TUNE!”

The meter along the flat of the blade lit up. He pulled the pommel twice.

“HIT PARADE!”

Sol held the sword like one would wield a baseball bat. Blue flames had gathered along the blade as the air seemed to distort from the heat it produced. The sword seemed to sing; upbeat music seemed to play as it charged up.

“…I get the feeling I can’t lose!” He swung the sword with all his might, launching a stream of dark blue fire at the enemy.

“MILLION SLASH!”

Night Rogue no choice but to withstand the attack. The force of the finishing move sent him skidding backward. The heat from the flames was intense. It felt as if he was being cooked alive in his armor. Putting as much strength into his arms as he could, he forced the attack away and into the air, allowing it to eventually dissipate.

But the attack had done its job. His body sparked as small sections of the suit exploded. He fell to his knees in pain and aggravation. He snapped his head up to glare at the new Masked Rider. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this…!” Angered by this failure, he had no choice but to retreat. Steam exuded from the pipes on his armor and enveloped him; he vanished once it dissipated.

“That. Was. AWESOME!!!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with pure awe on her face. “That was like, 20% cooler than what Build normally does!” The girls were equally amazed. Cross-Z seemed to be even more powerful than Build.

After seeing the enemy flees, Sol removed Crozz from the Driver, undoing his transformation. He pulled the Dragon Bottle out of his mechanical companion and stared at it. His mind flashed back to his father. He smiled beneath his mask. “…thanks, dad.”

Flash smiled from where he sat. “You did it…” Sol Burner walked over and extended a hand to help him out. Flash grabbed it and was pulled back onto his feet. He stumbled a bit due to the pain from his leg, but Sol supported him. “Thanks…”

“I should be thanking you.” Sol’s gaze then craned over to the downed, sparking Shell Smash that seemed to be in agony. “…we should probably take care of that, first.”

Flash followed his line of sight and nodded. He pulled out an Empty Bottle and opened it. The essence was absorbed into the container as the creature returned to normal, revealing…

“Huh?! Bulk Biceps?!” The Rainbooms exclaimed as they rushed over to the downed teen. Flash and Sol were surprised by this revelation as well. The latter was angered that Faust used his friend like this, and guilty for blowing him off earlier when he was upset.

“But…how could this be?!” Rarity wondered as she and Fluttershy inspected the muscular teen for further injuries.

“I don’t know…has Faust started to target other students?!” Sunset wondered aloud.

“Are we even safe anymore…?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“What the hay is going on here?!” Applejack demanded as she dialed 911 for an ambulance.

“This is getting even more cray-cray than usual!” Pinkie exclaimed in her usual manner.

“Well, at least Build and Cross-Z are still here. Maybe they can help explain things…” Twilight reasoned.

“Uh…about that….” Rainbow Dash pointed to the direction where Build’s motorcycle was parked.

…Or rather the spot that used to have Build’s motorcycle. In Pinkie’s eyes, all that was left was the outline of the vehicle. The two riders were missing as well.

“…Oh, come on! Where did they go?!”

“Well, that was close…” Flash grunted as he shifted in his seat.

“Yeah, no kidding…” Sol agreed. “…man…I can’t believe they used Bulk like that.”

“Neither can I…Faust is getting bolder with each day. With the amount of Bottles we have now, even if you can transform, we don’t stand a chance against them. We need to get our Fullbottles back.”

“But how?”

“….Here’s to hoping the guys have that answered.” The musician hoped. “Still…congrats on your first, successful transformation. Looks like you finally have your answer, huh?”

“Yeah…I do. I really gotta thank your mom for that.”

“Yeah….wait, what?”

Unbeknownst to either teen, they were being watched. Blood Stalk walked out of an alley way, having observed the entire fight of Sol Burner taking out the Shell Smash and nearly defeating Night Rogue.

“…Bravo, little Dragon. You finally awakened.” Blood Stalk mused. From around the corner, a pair of patrolling police officers saw Blood Stalk and immediately grew suspicious based of his armor, which matched the descriptions of the Faust members they had to watch out for.

“Hey! You there!” The two rushed over to Blood Stalk, who ignored their presence. “Hey!” The first one grabbed him by the arm to try and restrain him. Stalk ripped his arm away and slammed it into the police officer. The man disintegrated into black particles upon impact.

“You bastard!” The now deceased officer’s partner yelled as he grabbed the man. Stalk raised his other arm as a black tendril snaked from his gauntlet and stabbed into the policeman, injecting him with poison and disintegrating him as well.

The Cobra yawned as he stretched. “Well…should probably head back now…” With a pull of the trigger of his Transteam gun, he vanished from sight.

“So you guys still haven’t found a way to track Faust down?” Flash asked as Sandalwood tended to his new and reopened wounds.

“Unfortunately, no.” Micro shook his head. “Sandalwood and I have been debating about it earlier, but we weren’t able to come up with anything definite.”

“We even made an entire list.” The eco-teen gestured to the list of ideas on the white board, every one of them crossed out.

“So we can’t track down their hide out?” Sol asked as he played with Crozz.

“No. If we plant a tracker on either Stalk or Rogue, they would likely find it and use it against us by tracking us down instead. We can’t let them take the Fullbottles and the Panel. If they get their hands on it, who knows what would happen?” The bespectacled teen answered. But as he did, his brow furrowed in thought.

“Then what can we do? It’s not like we can make a Pandora’s Box detector or something, right?” Sol wondered aloud.

Like a hammer, Sol’s statement hit the nail on the head in Micro’s mind. An idea began to form. “Sol…that’s it! You know, I never thought I’d say this but…that’s genius!”

“It is?” The fighter asked. “….what did I say?” Micro picked up the Panel on the table and carried it over to the supercomputer.

“It was so simple! I can’t believe it never occurred to us!” He ranted as he typed in a series of commands. “Pandora’s Box radiates some sort of unknown energy, correct? And the Panels come from the Box, right?”

“Uh…yeah? Why?” Flash wondered where he was going with this.

“If the Panels originate from the Box, then they are made from the same material, and share the same energy signature! The same energy that Pandora’s Box produces! That means using our own Panel as a reference, we can use it to track down Faust’s Panel and the Box and find their location!”

“Really? That’s awesome!” Sandalwood cheered.

“One quick catch though…”

“Aw, I knew there’s always something.” Sol grumbled.

“Doing so will take time. First I’d need to work on recording the Panel’s energy signature into the database, and connect said database to the drone and send it out to scan the city. We need to do this discretely, so that means a limited number of trips at a time to prevent detection.”

“So…how long do you think this will take?”

“I honestly don’t know. But I’ll work on it as fast as I can.”

“Well, at least it’ll give me time to heal…” Flash sighed. “Because when we find them, we’re definitely getting our stuff back.”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Here was the moment all you Kamen Rider Fans were waiting for! The debut of Kamen Rider Cross-Z! And wow, I honestly did not expect this chapter to turn out as long as it did. It's the longest one yet! Hopefully I don't make this a habit, but it was worth it since this was Cross-Z's debut, which I hope you all enjoyed.

And for those who noticed, yes. I gave Filthy Rich another role in this story, being something akin to an uncle to Sol Burner. Thought it'd be a way of expanding on certain characters instead of just the perspective they're portrayed on in the movies/show. These new elements will all pop up later down the line.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Dragon

Inorganic:

Lock

Chapter 12: Crouching Tiger, Rising Dragon

Days have passed since Sol’s first transformation as Masked Rider Cross-Z. Surprisingly, there had yet to be another attack initiated by Faust in that time. The team didn’t know why they stayed quiet at time intervals like this, but they appreciated it.

For instance, it gave Micro the reprieve he needed to initiate his own plan to track down Pandora’s Box using their Panel. It had been a slow process due to trying to properly analyze the Panel itself.

Fortunately, Flash had been there to help out. During the week, his injuries had healed considerably. Granted, he wasn’t at one-hundred percent yet. But he was almost fully recovered from the brutal backlash of KeyDragon.

The bespectacled teen sat at the computer inputting a range of commands into several strings of code. Flash stood and watched his friend at work.

Meanwhile, off to the corner of the room, Sandalwood and Sol were also hard at work…training.

The eco-teen wore a pair of training pads and protective gear consisting of a helmet, forearm guards, a chest pad, and shin guards while Sol had his gloves on. Sandalwood stood his ground as Sol punched fast and hard into the training pads.

They were training to prepare for Sol’s big match in two days as his first debut in the pro leagues. The fighter decided to train one last time before resting for his match to keep himself on his toes.

Sandalwood had offered to be the one to practice his punches and kicks on….hence the large amount of protective gear. But even with the gear on, he grunted as he felt the power of each hit. His arms were shaking and felt numb from repeatedly enduring the punches. The rest of his body ached from being the receiving end on his kicks as well.

And based on the fire in Sol’s eyes, he decided it was time to end the session. He struck hard and fast, his arms moved in a blur as they repeatedly punched the training pads, pushing Sandalwood back bit by bit. He then followed up with a series of spin kicks that made the green haired teen raise his arms to block and receive them. The fighter ended it with a jumping axe kick that, if Sandalwood hadn’t properly blocked it, would’ve struck him directly on the shoulder, possible cracking bone.

Even so, the teen crumpled into a heap on the ground. “….ow.”

“Whew…what a rush!” Sol panted as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Thanks a lot for helping me in my training routine, Sandalwood.”

“No prob…!” He groaned as he flipped onto his back, pulling the gear off of him. He wondered if this was it felt for Sol’s opponents in the ring. At least nothing was broken.

“So are you guys done with the tracking thing?” Sol asked as he took a swig of water from his bottle.

“Almost…but we still need some more time.” Micro answered.

“We hoped we’d finish before your match…but it looks like we’re gonna have to finish it afterwards.” Flash added.

“What’s the hold up?”

“It took us this long trying to analyze and store the energy signature from the Panel, which we inputted into the computer’s database as a reference. After this, we’ll need to scan the entire city to find a matching signal emanating from Pandora’s Box, which will disclose its location to us.”

“And after that, we’ll go after Faust and get the Box and our stuff back?”

“Correct. But let us deal with this. You have a match to prep for.” Flash answered.

Next day…

“One more day! One more day! Only one more day!” Rainbow Dash chanted in excitement.

“We get it, Rainbow Dash. You’re excited for Sol Burner’s fight. You made that abundantly clear last week.” Rarity commented dryly.

Seated at a table in Sugar Cube Corner were the Rainbooms after school. With them were Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, who slurped on milkshakes with disappointment on their faces.

“I’m surprised she managed to last this long.” Sunset said idly. Ever since Sol gave them their tickets, their athletic friend had pretty much been bouncing off the walls ever since. Even Fluttershy didn’t think she’d last this long without burning out.

“But still, this is so exciting!” Pinkie Pie squealed. “We’ll be watching our friend debut in the pro leagues!”

“You’re all so lucky…” Scootaloo whined. Sweetie Belle was just as disappointed. “You all got tickets while we’re stuck at home.”

“Sorry, y’all.” Applejack apologized. “But MMA fights are just too brutal for youngin’s like yerself.”

“Then how come Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon get to go?!” The scooter girl pouted.

It had been something the rich girl and her friend had been bragging about for the past week. How they got good seats to watch the fight.

“It’s because her dad’s the organizer.” Twilight answered. “She probably got special permission to have two seats reserved. I’m surprised she wanted to go in the first place.”

“I’m surprised those two girls are fans of professional fighting.” Sunset added. It was definitely a surprising fact to learn about the two rich girls. But everyone had their own interests.

“Still, if they get to go, then why can’t we?!” Sweetie Belle whined.

“It’s because seats are sold out, Darling.” Rarity told her sister as Silver came over and handed the Rainbooms their orders. “Even if some were available, the tickets are just so expensive and I don’t think mom and dad would let you stay out past curfew.”

“This is so unfair!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Why couldn’t Sol have gotten us tickets, too?!”

“He probably forgot, or wasn’t able to get enough seats. Remember, he asked Filthy Rich for these tickets for free. It was probably the best he could do given how the organizers still need to turn out a profit for the match.” The bespectacled girl answered.

“You’re right on that.” Silver agreed as he joined the conversation. “Nothing in this world is free. While your friend may have gotten free tickets from a favor, the guys in charge still need to make money.”

“Yeah, but still…”

“Sorry, girls.” Sunset apologized. “We’ll let Sol know the next time he decides to invite us to one of his matches. We’ll be sure that he includes you as well.”

“If he does, he better offer Applebloom, too.” Scootaloo said as she slurped her milkshake. The two members of the Canterlot Movie Club missed their third member. Granted, she was likely safer in Manehattan than Canterlot at the moment, but it didn’t make things any better.

“Don’t worry, squirt.” Rainbow Dash ruffled her hair. “We’ll go together next time.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “We’ll make sure Sol invites all of us! That way, we can watch him fight and win since he’ll have all his friends supporting him! And after than we’ll throw a huge victory party filled with snacks, cake, food, games and – is that Sol walking out of a flower shop?”

All heads turned to the restaurant’s windows. Across the street was Sol burner walking out of the flower shop with a bundle of flowers consisting of pink and white carnations. The girls wondered why their fighter friend was carrying such flowers.

“That’s weird. Why did he buy flowers?” Rainbow Dash wondered.

“I’m more concerned why he brought those carnations.” Rarity said. The rest looked at her in questioning. “All flowers have meaning. In the language of flowers, they represent the terms of gratitude and remembrance.”

“Gratitude and remembrance? Why those?”

“Maybe they’re for a friend?” Fluttershy offered.

“Or maybe he’s on a date?” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“No, if he were on a date, then he would’ve gotten red roses, which mean passionate love, darling.” Rarity told her jubilant friend.

“Would he though?” Twilight wondered. “I don’t mean to demean Sol Burner, but he doesn’t seem like the type to know details like that.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Rainbow Dash said as she stood up. “Let’s see what he’s up to.” Before the other girls could question or stop her, she already dashed out of the building in a rainbow blur.

“Darn it, Rainbow! Ya can’t go invading other’s privacy like that!” Applejack yelled as she followed her friend.

“Wait for us!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she, Rarity, and Fluttershy followed.

“Wait, guys!” Growling, Sunset and Twilight left money for their orders before heading out as well.

“….Did they just leave us?” Sweetie Belle wondered.

“Guess they did, little miss.” Silver said bluntly as he scooped up their payment. “Well, at least they didn’t dine and dash.”

“Still though…why do you think he’s carrying flowers like that?”

“Who can say?” He shrugged. “People have all sorts of reasons that it’s hard to tell.”

“Forget that.” Scootaloo said. “How are we gonna get into the stadium to watch the fight now?”

“You’re still hung up on that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Of course! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! We can’t NOT go!”

“But we don’t have tickets! What are we gonna do? Sneak in?”

Scotaloo opened her mouth to retort, but realization dawned on her as a planned started to form. Upon realizing what she said, a mischievous grin started to appear on the pale skinned girl’s face as well. The lone waiter looked back and forth between the two in bemusement. “Well….that’s one idea…”

Sol Burner walked through the streets of Canterlot, blissfully unaware of the girls stalking him from around the corner.

“Rainbow!” Sunset hissed. “Why are you following him?! This is an invasion of privacy!”

“C’mon!” The athlete replied. “You said you’ve wanted to get to know him better for weeks now! Now’s your chance!”

“This is not what I meant!”

“Quick! He’s getting away!” Pinkie pointed out. The girls quietly rushed after him, carefully maintaining distance away while hiding from view. This continued for several blocks. The girls had no idea just where Sol was heading to.

“How much longer is he going to walk?” Rarity complained. “I feel like I’ve worn through the soles of my shoes!”

“Where is he even going? All of the local hangouts are several blocks in the other direction!” Rainbow wondered.

“Um…girls?” Fluttershy grabbed her friends’ attention. Their eyes craned over to the direction she pointed. Eyes grew wide open as jaws dropped.

Sol Burner walked through the metal arch that read: Canterlot Cemetery.

“….Hey, dad.” Sol spoke softly. His eyes were focused on the tomb stone at his feet. Compared to the surrounding graves, it looked new, as if freshly constructed. Which was sensible as it was fabricated mere months ago. Etched onto its smooth surface were the following words:

Knuckle Blaze.

The MMA League’s Fierce Inferno.

Friend. Husband. Father.

The young teen swallowed the lump in his throat. No matter how many times he visited, the sight was never easier.

“Fierce…Inferno?” A young Sol Burner questioned as he read the plaque with his father’s name on it.

“Yep. That’s my nickname in the ring.” Knuckle Blaze nodded jovially as he crouched down next to his son.

“Why do they call you that?”

“Well, it’s because when I fight, I hit hard and fast. My opponent barely has any time to react.”

“But why Inferno?” The boy questioned. “Are you on fire every time you fight?”

“Not in the literal sense, no.” The man chuckled. “It’s because of my skin and hair color. When I move quickly, to the crowd, it looks like a raging flame is going around the arena. By the time I stop, the friction from my footwork even makes streaks on the ground when I get serious.”

“Whoa…” Sol said in amazement. “Will…will I be as good as you someday?”

“No.” Knuckle said. His response deflated his son’s enthusiasm until he ruffled his hair and picked him up. “You’ll be even better than me. I may have been the Fierce Inferno. But I know you’ll be more than a simple flame. It’s like your mother always said: You’re a little Dragon. You’ll be a Dragon that will soar higher than I ever could.”

“Really?” The youth questioned with starry eyes.

“Of course.” Knuckle grinned widely in confidence. “You’re my son, my pride and joy!”

XXXXX

“…It’s been a while. Sorry that I hadn’t visited recently. Believe it or not, the City’s been pretty crazy, lately. Monsters are running in the streets. Robots kidnapping people. And some secret organization named Faust experimenting on people and the cause of it all. Who would’ve thought home would change this much, huh?”

He gave a slight chuckle, even when the smile failed to reach his eyes. “Things…haven’t been the same since…you know. Had to leave town for a bit. But I came back, because there’s something I need to do here.” He clenched the Dragon Fullbottle in his pocket tightly. “I don’t know if you’re proud or not with what I’ve decided to do, but I’m doing it no matter what. I have friends counting on me. And like mom always said; I need to take responsibility for my actions. She’s doing well too. Hasn’t changed much…but I hope she gets better soon.”

Sol crouched down and traced the engraved letters with his fingers. “Did you know? Mr. Rich organized a match for me. It’ll be my debut in the Pro Leagues if I win. No…it’s not a matter of if…but when. That’s what you always told me. If I resolve myself and try my hardest, there is no way I can lose…” His eyes grew misty with each word spoken. Remembering what his father told him before every match made his heart clench. Each time it happened was a fond memory…

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ticket to his fighting match. He set it down before the grave, placing it beneath the bundle of flowers to prevent it from being swept away by the breeze. “Here. It’s a front row seat to my match tomorrow…I hope you can make it. I know it’s last minute but…It’s been a crazy week. I already gave one to mom. I hope the both of you can make it. I’d feel better if you were there to support me, like you always have…”

At this point, he could no longer keep a lid on his emotions. Tears spilled down his cheeks as a sob escaped his throat. “…Dad…I miss you…I miss you so much…” He pressed his head against the cool stone surface, hands gripped the slab tightly, hands and shoulders trembling. “I just…I just want you back…you shouldn’t have…have died...What am I…what am I gonna tell mom when she wakes up? I just want us all back together again….a family!”

Sol Burner continued to sit there, crying his heart out. Despite releasing all the pent up emotions during his first visit, this one brought forth a new surge of sorrow. Sol had gotten his big break in the fighting scene…and neither of his parents was able to support him. His mother could not due to her current condition. His father could not because his life was taken too soon.

Unbeknownst to the fighter, he was not the only one crying. Several feet away, hidden behind a mausoleum, seven girls stood with watery eyes, desperately trying not to sob and give themselves away. Against their better judgment, they followed Sol into the cemetery, compelled by sheer curiosity, and overheard his talk with his father. To see him so distraught like this…it stabbed them right in the feels. None of them realized Sol had been keeping this locked up in his heart.

“….ya see?” Applejack choked out, the scene bringing up painful memories. Particularly ones about her parents. “….this is why we shoulda left him alone…”

Rarity dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, wiping her running mascara and tears. It was one thing to watch sad movies, but watching a friend pour his heart and soul out in anguish like this? Rarity felt her own heart breaking.

Rainbow Dash tried her best to maintain a strong façade….but failed. Sorrow and guilt wrenched her heart. She could only nod in agreement to Applejack’s words. She really shouldn’t have tried to spy on her friend…not like this.

Pinkie Pie chewed her bottom lip in a desperate attempt to keep from openly bawling. She was torn between her pinkie promise not to cause a disturbance, and breaking it to go over to Sol and make him smile. Going against her nature like this hurt her.

Fluttershy sobbed quietly, sympathizing with Sol Burner. She could not imagine what he must be going through at the moment.

Twilight’s eyes were filled with unshed tears; the scene in front of her brought up troubling thoughts. Everyone died eventually, some even sooner. Would the same thing happen to her parents? Her brother? Spike? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to cry. She couldn’t imagine life without them.

Sunset Shimmer tried to maintain her composure, yet could not prevent tears from spilling down her face. Watching Sol Burner like this reminded her own circumstances with her parents. She lost them at a young age, barely able to remember their faces. It was Princess Celestia who gave her a home afterward, becoming a second mother to her. Her heart panged in longing and regret. Even now, she still hadn’t returned to Equestria to properly make amends to the Princess.

The more she stared at Sol Burner, the more she is reminded of that day when she ran into him on the street. She noticed how he tended to hide things from others with a strong façade. But in reality, he was a kid desperately trying not to break under the weight of losing his father. She had no idea about the situation about his mother. But based on the conversation she overheard….it did not sound good. And Sol simply had to live with it for the rest of his life.

After seeing their friend like this, the girls realized that they can’t let him suffer alone like this. They’ll help him move on, one step at a time. Maybe they can even get Flash and the others to help, to remind them that he’s not alone.

With a silent exchange of nods, the girls quietly left the cemetery, leaving the martial artist alone with his father.

It wasn’t until an hour later that Sol Burner left the grave site as well, sharing everything that happened the past few months with Knuckle Blaze.

Later that night, a lone figure walked up to the grave of the deceased Fierce Inferno. Their eyes were locked onto the bundle of flowers and ticket. They rested their hand on the tombstone before reaching down and plucked the ticket from where it sat. They pocketed the item and left the area.

Today was the day. All members of the crowd were antsy in their seats, waiting for the show to begin. The Rainbooms took their seats a few rows away from the actual arena, giving them a good view of the fight without getting too close to the action. Upon arrival, they were surprised to see so many familiar faces.

Their friends, Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon were situated a row behind them. Lyra was a girl with an aqua complexion and gold eyes. Her two-toned hair fell down to her neck and was white and aqua. She wore a pair of shorts and a T-shirt with Sol Burner on it. No doubt to support the martial artist. Her best Friend, Bon Bon sat right next to her. Her hair was long and curly, colored pink and dark blue, adorned with a green headband. She had a pale skin tone and blue eyes. She wore the same wardrobe as Lyra, equally supporting Sol Burner.

Bulk Biceps was further in the back, wearing a hat, t-shirt, and foam finger to support his friend and fellow boxing club member.

The girls were even more surprised to see Octavia Melody seated as well. The girl had an ashen complexion similar to Sol Burner. Her charcoal hair was long and fell down to her mid back. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, a stark contrast to her white shirt, sweater vest, and pink skirt ensemble she usually wore to school. Given that she also wore a hoodie and a pair of sunglasses, the classical music player must not want to be noticed, yet Pinkie Pie recognized her with ease. For the sake of her dignity, they didn’t say anything, much to the cello player’s relief.

On the opposite end of the stands were some students from Crystal Prep. Particularly, the Shadowbolt 5. Indigo Zap was antsy in her seat waiting for the match to start. Lemon Zest was rocking out to the beat on her headphones as usual. Sour Sweet was waiting in anticipation for the fight. Sugar Coat and Sunny Flare seemed reluctant to be here, likely being dragged by their friends.

“It’s crazy to see so many people we know here.” Sunset commented, not expecting so many MMA fans from her fellow classmates.

“I know! It’s Super-ific!” The party planner cheered.

“And I think I see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon further down.” Rarity pointed out. In the front row sat two girls younger than them. One had pink skin and white and purple hair tied up with a tiara on her head. She wore a white skirt, black leggings, and a yellow jacket over a MMA T-Shirt. The girl next to her had a gray complexion and silver hair tied in a braid. Her brown eyes were hidden behind a pair of glasses. She wore a pink skirt, black leggings, and a MMA shirt as well. Both had ecstatic grins on their faces.

“….guess they weren’t lyin’ ‘bout bein’ fans.” Applejack said.

“What’s not to be a fan of? MMA fights are awesome!” Rainbow argued.

“But maybe a tad violent…” Fluttershy said softly.

Earlier…

“Man…where is he?” Flash wondered. He and Sandalwood stood at the main entrance. They agreed as a team to wish Sol Burner luck before his match. But Micro seemed to be running late, something unusual for him.

“He said something a family issue. He should be here soon.” The green haired teen told him. About a minute later, they heard the sound of rapid footsteps.

“I’m here!” Micro called out as he ran up to them, panting tiredly. “Sorry I’m late!”

“Where were you, man?” The musician asked. “We still need to meet with Sol before his match. It starts in like half an hour.”

“I know, I’m sorry. My parents and I were requested by the police to come in and talk to…‘Gizmo’, and see if we could get him to remember something.”

“How did that go?”

“As well as you might expect from someone who isn’t even my brother in the first place…” The intellectual sighed sadly. “I’m just…frustrated about this whole thing. I know it’s not my brother, but no one else knows that. And I can’t even tell anyone because of how crazy everything is right now! My parents acknowledge that body double as Gizmo, and I can’t say anything to them!”

“Dude…” Sandalwood placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I know things are insane right now. But you can’t let it stress you out. We’ll get to the bottom of this…don’t worry.”

Gradually, Micro calmed down. “…alright…I got it….thanks, Sandal.”

“No problem, bro. Now, let’s get going. We still need to wish Sol luck, right?”

“Right.” The three went inside the stadium and walked to the backstage area. Thankfully, Sol got them special access to his room in case anything Faust related happened and they needed to meet in secret. Security was notified and allowed the three in once they showed their passes. As they entered the room, they found Sol Burner sitting in a chair in front of a television screen. His attention was focused on the fighter moving on screen. His movements were so fast that he appeared to have been a blur. Or rather…an Inferno.

The aspiring fighter watched his father, Knuckle Blaze overwhelm his opponent in the recording.

“…Sol?” Flash was the one who snapped him out of it.

“Wh-huh? Oh…hey, guys.” Sol greeted before turning back to the screen.

“What is all this?” Micro asked as they all stepped inside.

“Just…watching one of my dad’s old matches. This was where he defeated some guy trying to take his title. Dad won, of course.”

On the recorded match, Knuckle Blaze’s opponent got his second wind and rushed in for a counter attack to turn the match around. However, the Fierce Inferno ducked below the right handed swing and rammed his own fist into the man’s solar plexus. As the fighter was winded, Knuckle followed up by delivering two, swift strikes to his opponent’s knees, destabilizing his footing. He then jumped up and rammed his knee into the man’s chest. As soon as he landed on his feet, he back flipped and slammed his foot into the man’s chin like an uppercut. Knuckle landed nimbly as his opponent was thrown back and knocked out cold.

“Whoa…” Sandalwood gaped in awe at the display. “What just happened?”

“That was my dad’s signature combo. The Burning Assault.”

“Burning Assault?”

“Yeah. Not quite sure why he named it that, but you gotta admit it was pretty awesome to see…” The young fighter’s eyes held a sense of nostalgia, seeing his dad in action again. “…Kinda wish I can do that…”

“Well…why don’t you?” Sandalwood wondered. “I mean, couldn’t you try it out yourself?”

“I could, but my dad….he was a completely different level. I mean, look at him move!” He rewound the video to demonstrate Knuckle’s fancy footwork that left him a blur. “I mean, I practiced a lot to try and do it, but couldn’t get it down right. Not once. I could only wish I had the amount of skill he does…”

“I’m sure you do.” An elderly voice proclaimed from behind the trio. Flash and the others turned around to see an elderly man with an impressive, snow white beard and supported himself with a walking cane. “You’re every bit as skilled as your father once was, bless his soul.”

“Uh…who are you?” Flash asked the question on everyone’s minds.

“Ah, forgive me. I haven’t introduced myself.” The man bowed his head toward Sol Burner. “My name is Tirek. Chairman of Tirek heavy Industries. I…am an old friend of your father’s, as well as a sponsor.”

“You…knew my dad?” Sol stood up from his seat. Micro’s eyes widened as he recognized the man’s name. Tirek Heavy Industries was the country’s leading corporation in industrial progress and engineering. It was stationed in this very city, and leagues larger than Darkshroud Industries. But why was the Chairman here of all places?

“Indeed.” He nodded. “I knew the fiery young lad for years….it was actually around the time he came across a strange, celestial object known as Pandora’s Box.”

That piece of information alerted the teens. He was involved as well?

“In fact….I remember it like it was yesterday…” He stroked his beard. “After all….he saved my life.”

Tirek had been in the middle of his late night stroll. It had been a small pleasure of his to unwind from the stress of his job. Usually, it was harmless endeavor as he had one or two guards stationed with him. But he gave his subordinates the night off in celebration of the momentous discovery of Pandora’s Box.

But he should’ve remained cautious. As he passed by an alleyway, three figures jumped out and surrounded him. Each one was garbed in dark clothing and armed with knives. The leader had a handgun.

The elderly man was startled by the sudden appearance and held his arms up. “M-May I help you…?”

“Hand over all your money old man!” The one with the gun demanded. “Or else things will get ugly.”

“Yeah…for you!” The leader didn’t have time to react as a foot snapped out and struck him across the face. The other two were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of another man. They tried to rush him and stab him, but with unbelievable precision and strength, he grabbed their wrists and snapped them under his grip. As the thugs screamed in pain, the man grabbed their heads and slammed them into each other, knocking them out cold. Tirek’s savior then turned to him. “Are you alright, mister?” He stepped out into the light, revealing himself to be Knuckle Blaze.

Tirek approached him, soon recognizing his savior. “Thank you. Thank you so much, young man…”

“No problem. You’re lucky I was heading back home from the café. Just glad I was here in time.”

“Pardon my asking, but you wouldn’t happen to be Knuckle Blaze, the rookie MMA fighter, are you?”

“Yeah, that’s me. How can I help you?”

“My name is Tirek, Chairman of Tirek Heavy Industries.”

“You mean that massive engineering and innovation firm?” The fighter asked in amazement.

“A few days after that, I decided to become one of his sponsors as a way to thank him for his bravery. I’ve sponsored him all the way until his retirement. But I kept in touch with him, especially when you decided to follow in his footsteps, young man.” Tirek informed Sol. “When I first learned of your upcoming match to debut in the professional scene, I couldn’t help but buy myself a ticket and see if you have what it takes to surpass your father.”

“Th-that’s…” Sol was at a loss for words. An old friend of his father’s, who was the head of the largest engineering firm in the country, had come to see him?

“Oh, I don’t mean right now. You still need much more experience.” He then took a glance to his watch, noting the time. “Well, I only dropped by to wish you luck. I really should get back to my seat.” He turned around to leave, but stopped pulled out a card to give Sol. “Before I forget, if you ever are in need for a manager or sponsor, feel free to contact me. I believe I can point you to the right direction.”

“Uh…yeah. Sure…Thank you.” Sol nodded as he took the card, surprised by this sudden turn of events. With a polite wave, Tirek left the room; a pair of suited men that previously stood by the door tailed him.

The four teens stood in silence as they processed what just happened. Sandalwood was the one to break it. “Well…that happened…”

The martial artist simply stared at the business card in hand, eyes filled with befuddlement.

“…I’m still not so sure about this, girls…” Spike repeated worriedly. He along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had sneaked inside the stadium. Surprisingly, there weren’t too many security guards around the back entrance, allowing them to slip inside once the door opened.

“Relax, Spike. We got in, didn’t we?”

“But if we get caught, we’ll all be in huge trouble.” He pointed out.

“That is IF we get caught. And I think we’re pretty good. No one’s noticed us, yet.” Scootaloo reasoned.

“Come on! Let’s go and watch the match! It might be starting any minute now!” Sweetie Belle suggested. The trio trekked through the halls, trying to find the arena. Spike just hoped none of their friends saw them. He really didn’t want to deal with the aftermath of this little stunt.

As the three searched for the fighting arena for Sol Burner’s match, none of them noticed another figure enter through the open door with a ticket in his hand.

“Well….let the show begin.”

After the strange meeting with Chairman of Tirek Heavy Industries, Flash and the others wished their friend best of luck before they took their seats.

“There you guys are!” Rainbow Dash said. “Where were you? The match is about to start!”

“Sorry, we got held up at the entrance.” Flash answered, hiding what happened from their friends. “We also went to wish Sol luck before heading back here.”

“Speaking of which, we probably should’ve gotten some snacks before coming here.” Sandalwood though idly.

“No need!” Pinkie Pie popped up between their seats and reached into her hair. She pulled out three buckets of popcorn and soda bottles for her friends. “Got you boys covered!”

“Thanks Pinkie.” Micro said as he munched on a handful of popcorn, noting the unusual cotton candy flavor.

“Prepared as always.” The musician would’ve asked how she managed to carry all of this in her hair, but he stopped questioning his friend’s antics a long time ago.

“No problem! Now eat your corn! It’s starting!” She slinked back to her own seat as the lights dimmed. Hiding in the shadows, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Spike peered over a row of seats to watch. Further up near the rafters, a shadowed figure gazed the arena below. Up above, in the VIP section, Tirek sat in his seat with his palms on the head of his cane. The man was flanked by both of his bodyguards while he watched with keen interest.

The referee walked up to the center of the ring as the announcer spoke from the announcement box. “Ladies and gentlemen….welcome to tonight’s MMA fight!” The crowd cheered as the show started. “I’m your host, Mad Mikes. And with me is the person responsible for organizing this entire match, Filthy Rich.” The business man was revealed to be seated next to Mad as a special guest. Given his role in making this event possible, he was given a role for special commentary. “And tonight, will feature a very special match. It is the debut of one aspiring fighter in the Professional League and will determine if he has what it takes to rise to the top!”

The crowd roared in cheers once more as a profile of one of the fighters appeared on the overhanging screens. “First off! Let us introduce our fighters! First, we have the man who’s as tough as iron, weighing in at 250 lbs and well known for overpowering his opponents. Let us give you, the Minotaur, Iron Will!!!”

From one path leading to the arena was a large man with rippling muscles, towering over most people. He wore a pair of black shorts and heavy boxing gloves. His skin tone was grayish blue and his hair was cut short into a buzz cut. He also had a beard trimmed short. As if to reinforce how strong he is, he flexed his muscles and beat his chest like a gorilla before heading into the ring.

Members of the audience, particularly those familiar with the veteran MMA fighter, cheered loudly.

“And next, allow us to introduce our challenger! He may weigh in substantially less with 160 lbs, but don’t let his size fool you! He may not be a pro, but he’s no stranger to the ring! He had fallen into hiatus for months, but now he’s back to claim his chance to go pro! Ladies and gentleman! I give you…the son of the Fierce Inferno himself, Sol Burner!”

Before he even appeared, those who knew Sol cheered even louder to show their support. The young fighter stepped into the room, clad in a pair of red shorts and gloves with wrappings around his wrist. His lithe, yet muscular physique was shown, causing quite a few of the female members of the audience, particularly those around his age, to blush and/or wolf whistle. His face was serious as he stepped into the ring. All the while, Vinyl Scratch, a.k.a., DJ-PON3, played an intense soundtrack that suited him.

(For your musical pleasure, please play Through the Fire and Flames by DragonForce.)

Soon both fighters stood face to face in the arena.

“So here we are. Before we begin, let us hear words from our special guest. So Mr. Rich, what do you think about tonight’s fight?”

“Well, Mad Mikes, from an objective standpoint, I can tell that this will be quite the interesting show. The young rookie making his debut against a veteran. Will he shine brightly and prevail? Or will he lose and try again some other time?”

“Indeed. But how about your personal opinion?”

“I’m wishing the young lad the best of luck! After all, this show is all him. I just gave him the opportunity to make it here. I owe it to his father, my former charge.”

“I see. So do you think the young man has what it takes to hold up to the Fierce Inferno’s legacy?”

“No. I don’t think so.” He said bluntly, causing several audience members to recoil. Then Filthy cracked a grin filled with confidence. “I KNOW so. Knuckle had full faith his son would surpass him. And I never had a chance to doubt him in all the years I know him.” The crowd cheered at Filthy’s words, yet the students from Canterlot High sat with disbelief. They knew the business man from when he tried to buy out Camp Everfree and turn it into a spa resort. They never thought he would be this supportive of anyone. Granted, he was likely making money from this venture, but according to Applejack, his words were genuine.

“Understood! Well, there you have it folks! Now, are the fighters ready?!”

Back in the ring, Sol and Iron stared at each other, the latter speaking first. “So…you’re Knuckle’s kid. You don’t look like much.”

“Well, I ain’t here for appearances….I’m here to win.”

“Hah! You sure got his spunk….but don’t think Iron Will will make this easy for you.”

“I’d be insulted if you did.” The two fighters touched gloves as the referee stood back.

“Now without further ado…Let’s get ready to rumbleeeeeee!”

The fans cheered as it finally began. Iron Will started off with a heavy swing that came in fast. His arm was a blur as the massive limb neared Sol. However…the youth was faster. The fighter nimbly ducked beneath the blow and countered with a swift liver punch. Iron Will backpedaled from the unexpectedly strong hit. But he recovered quickly to try and backhand the smaller fighter. Yet like before, Sol easily side-stepped around it before kicking off and twisted his body in the air. His leg shot out and smashed into the veteran’s shoulder.

The two fighters separated as the crowd went wild at the initial display.

“Amazing! Sol Burner not only dodged Iron’s first two attacks, but retaliated swiftly! Look out, folks! There’s more to this rookie than meets the eye!”

It was a sentiment shared by the Rainbooms and Team Build. Since when was Sol that fast? As the blue haired fighter flipped back over, Iron Will lunged at him to try and grapple him. But Sol nimbly maneuvered out of the way of his attack and jumped over the Minotaur. He swung his leg down and rammed the heel of his foot into Iron Will’s cheek. The blow sent him staggering. Sol capitalized on this opportunity to deliver a swift series of punches and strikes to the legs, stomach, shoulders, and face.

Iron tanked a few hits before his finally got his bearings and blocked the next attack to his face. He pushed parried Sol’s blow with his arm, leaving him open for a brief second. Iron shuffled in fast and delivered a heavy body punch to Sol’s midsection. Air was forced from his lungs as he scrambled back and fell against the mesh net wall.

“Unbelievable folks!” Mad Mikes commented. “After Sol Burner’s mad rush, Iron Will recovered and sent the rookie staggering with one well-placed hit! Looks like the fight is far from over!”

Sol quickly regained his second wind and dove to the side to avoid the veteran fighter from tackling him. The man crashed head first into the mesh and bounced off. He wondered just what the guy was made out of as he took several blows to the face and kicks to the head and still seems coherent. He needed a way to take him down. His thoughts were cut off as the Minotaur charged at him again. He tried to duck under the outstretched arms.

But as he did so, Iron smirked and slammed his knee into the lowered fighter. Sol crashed onto the limb and was left surprised by the sudden stop in momentum as Iron followed up by lifting him and throwing him across the ring. His body impacted the mesh net before he bounced back on the floor.

“Sol!” His friends cried out over the roar of the crowd. Was he okay? Those last attacks looked like they hurt. The ashen skinned fighter pushed himself up and shook it off. Surprisingly, the attacks did not hurt as much as they should have. He chalked it up to whatever freaky changes his body is going through. Even so, the fight wasn’t over.

“So, looks like you still got fight left in ya.” Iron Will snorted. “Iron Will can respect that. But Iron Will doesn’t think you’ll make it far in the pros like that. Try again some other time.”

“Sorry…but I plan to win and rise up, here and now.” Sol roared.

The match continued with the fierce exchange of blows. Iron Will would try to overwhelm Sol with brute force. But Sol would nimbly evade most of the blows before swiftly counter-attacking. There had been a rare moment when he stumbled, allowing Iron Will to strike during the opening. But surprisingly, Sol followed with the momentum and rolled before countering with a swift drop kick that left a resounding smack against the Minotaur’s shoulder. The force behind the attack pushed the veteran back across the wing, amazing the crowd once more.

The seconds passed into minutes. Eventually, three rounds had passed. Both fighters barely showed any signs of fatigue. Their faces dripped with sweat as they squared off once more. With a sudden burst of speed, Sol kicked off the ground towards Iron Will. The veteran reacted quickly to try and catch the youth off guard. But this time, Sol was ready.

He weaved around the knee strike as he crouched down with his fists up. Once Iron Will loomed over him, Sol jumped up as hard as he could and rammed his fist under Iron’s chin, delivering a devastating uppercut that knocked him senseless. The crowd went wild at the sudden move and execution. But the youth did not stop as he spun around and delivered an axe kick to the shoulder for good measure.

The force of the blow knocked Iron Will to the side, leaving him unconscious and down. The fighter landed on his feet and panted heavily. He wiped sweat from his bow as he stood tall, the referee crouched down to check on Iron Will.

The ten count then started at the ref’s behest. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as the numbers passed, yet Iron Will did no stir. Once the count reached ten, Iron Will was still unconscious. Mad mike broke the silence.

“Unbelievable! Here we have it folks! Young Sol Burner just defeated Iron Will! With his victory, he now takes his first step towards the professional fighting scene!” The crowd erupted into cheers. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon squealed loudly at the amazing fight. Bulk yelled a loud ‘YEAH!’ at the top of his lungs. Even Octavia cheered in exhilaration from the intense yet short match.

From his seat, Tirek clapped as well from the impressive match.

The Rainbooms and Team build cheered equally as loud. Pinkie Pie Even brought air horns and party blowers in celebration. In addition to that, she threw confetti everywhere. The referee walked over and raised Sol’s arm high into the air upon victory.

The blue haired fighter stood still as the event processed in his mind. He….he did it. He won….he won! A smile broke out on his face as he stared at two, empty, front row seats. He hoped his parents saw it.

Up above, hidden by the shadows in the upper seats, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Spike cheered for their friend’s victory. “He did it! He did it!” Sweetie clapped.

“I know! That was awesome!” Scootaloo agreed.

“You can say that again!” Spike yipped in agreement.

However, none of the audience members noticed one figure standing off to the side. His form was shadowed and wore a heavy trench coat. With two, red, armored covered hands, the figure clapped slowly. “Bravo~! Simply amazing!” Blood Stalk cheered before he reached into his jacket. “What a stupendous prelude. However….”

He pulled out the Steam Rifle and inserted the Rocket Fullbottle into the firearm.

“ROCKET!”

“…let us begin the main event.” He pulled the trigger.

“STEAM ATTACK!”

While the audience members cheered, none of them noticed the projectile until it was too late. The rocket filled with Nebula Gas zoomed through the air and impacted dead center in the ring, right next to Iron Will. Sol and the referee were thrown off their feet and smacked against the mesh net while the crowd fell silent at the spontaneous act of terror. The Rainbooms and Team Build were more stunned than anyone else, as they had recognized the attack.

Screams were heard inside the cloud of gas as a humanoid form crackled with energy inside. The figure then stood to its full height and let out a bellowing roar that dispersed the mist.

Like its predecessors, this Smash was covered in gray armor. However, its upper body seemed to resemble a mass of mismatched gears. Its arms were covered in what seemed to be a mix of rotary and turbine blades. Its head resembled a broken clock face with broken gears protruding from the side. This was the Rotor Smash, and it was enraged.

A sudden scream cut through the stunned silence. It triggered a chain reaction as the audience was sent into a wave of panic. People shot out of their seats and scrambled for the exits. The fleeing civilians ended up clogging up the exits due to their mad rush to leave. Upon seeing how dire the situation had become, the Rainbooms and Team Build decided to take action. The teens corralled the people through the exits and moved to evacuate them. Up in the VIP section, Tirek was escorted out of the building by his two bodyguards. But in their panic, he had left his cane propped up against his chair, the handle facing the arena below.

As they masses fled, the Rotor Smash approached the referee, who scrambled away from the creature. He pressed himself up against the mesh wall, unable to back away any further. The man trembled and shielded himself with his arms as the Smash raised its arm to bash in his brains.

“Hey!”

That is until Sol Burner leapt onto the Smash’s shoulders and pulled him away from the ref, allowing him to get out of the ring and flee with everyone else. “Your fight’s with me!”

The Smash roared as it pounded its fists together and swung at the teen. Sol ducked beneath the attack and used its extended arm as a bar to swing himself at the Smash and deliver a heel kick to its face. The blow struck, but it did not budge. Sol Burner dropped and backed away. His breathing was heavy. It was no surprise given that he had fought several consecutive rounds. His body was tired and running on pure adrenaline at the moment.

He tensed as the Rotor Smash’s arms started to spin. The left arm gears spun clockwise while the other arm spun counterclockwise. The fighter noticed the air around him shift. The teenagers that were closer to the arena noticed this as well, causing them to divert their attention to the ring.

Currents of air gathered around the Smash’s arms, soon creating a vortex of wind. The vacuum between his arms created a powerful maelstrom. Sol panicked at the sight, wondering how gears could do something like that?! His thoughts were cut short as the vortex of air slammed into him and flung him across the room. He crashed into the wall as a section of the ceiling broke off and buried him in rubble.

“SOL!” His friends cried out in panic. However, the impact caused the building to tremble, allowing the overhead lights and debris to break loose. Rarity reacted quickly and formed her shields to protect the still fleeing people.

“Everyone! Out now!” Her cry snapped the people out of their stupor as they returned to evacuating.

“But what about Sol?!” Rainbow questioned. “He could be hurt!”

“We can’t stay here, though!” Twilight reasoned.

As the girls argued, Flash snuck off to the corner, hidden by Micro’s and Sandal’s bodies as he activated Crozz. The little dragon chirped as Flash handed him Sol’s watch. “Get this to Sol, quickly!” Crozz nodded as he scooped up the device and flew through the shadows, hidden from the distracted civilians.

“Girls!” Flash then yelled out, grabbing their attention. “This isn’t the time to fight! I know you’re worried about Sol, I am too! But worrying won’t get us anywhere if we get concussed or end up dead! We gotta leave now!”

“He’s right!” Micro added as he pointed out the debris. “That windstorm shook the foundation! It’s too dangerous to stay here!”

“And am I the only one wondering how that Smash’s arms can make a freaking cyclone?!” Sandalwood earnestly wondered aloud.

“They’re right!” Sunset added. “As much as I don’t want to, we’re useless in this situation. We need to call for help and hope the Masked Riders come to stop the Smash!” Some of the Rainbooms, mostly Rainbow, wanted to argue, but understood the reasoning.

“Fine!” With that, no more words were exchanged as everyone filed out of the room. Meanwhile, the Smash continued to thrash about. It ripped mesh wall right out of its foundation and hurled it off to the side. Crozz flew through the rubble pile that buried his master and wiggled through the gaps.

As this was all happening, Spike and the girls were hiding under the bleachers on the ground floor. They'd jumped down when the crowd started to evacuate, but had to hide under the seats to avoid the crowd from stampeding over them. They also realized that if they were seen they'd be in big trouble.

But now they were trapped. The exit was to their far left. The Smash was very close, and there was no one left to help them out. Everyone had been vacated to their knowledge. They hadn’t been able to see anything since then.

“Wh-what are gonna do?!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“I-I don’t know.” The tomboy shook her head.

“See? This is why this was a bad idea!” Spike whispered harshly.

“How were we supposed to know a Smash would show up?!”

“Uh…guys?” Sweetie Belle nudged them.

“You just had to convince us to sneak in!”

“It’s not like you didn’t want to go either!”

“Guys?”

“If you hadn’t been so insistent, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“Like I said, how was I supposed to know things would turn out like this?!”

“GUYS!”

“WHAT?!” Both the dog and tomboy snapped over to Sweetie Belle, who was pointing in front of them. They noticed the armored pair of feet through the gap. In the next moment, the seats that covered them were ripped from the floor and thrown away. The Rotor Smash towered over them, its gear/turbine arms spinning slowly.

“….oh.”

The Smash roared as it raised its arms. The two girls and dog huddled together in fear, awaiting their tragic end.

However, the armored limbs were stopped short by an intercepting blade. The Smash turned its head, only to get punched across the face. The blade then swung and slashed the monster across the chest before being kicked away.

Masked Rider Cross-Z stood between the kids and dog and the Smash, sword held high. “Step away from the girls and their cute, fluffy, adorable purple dog!” He then looked down to the three youths. “And you three get out of here before spinny arms tries to go after you again!”

“Y-yes sir!” The trio scrambled back up and rushed towards the nearest exit, leaving the two alone. The Smash hoisted itself up and growled at the Rider. Its arms spun slowly as it smacked them together. With a roar, it charged at the armored man with a spinning fist. Cross-Z sidestepped around the swing and countered with a powerful, upward swing to its shoulder. As he moved passed, he pulled the pommel of the Beat Crozzer.

“HIT PARADE!”

“SMASH HIT!”

Flames lit across the blade as it cut into the Smash’s back. It stumbled with an agonized groan before it spun around. As it did, the turbines on its forearms spun in tandem. As a result, a series of air currents enveloped the spinning limb. Cross-Z swung his weapon again, but the Smash was prepared this time. It used its wind-encased arm as a shield to parry the blade.

The Rider stumbled from the initial deflection, but soon righted himself and swung again. To his dismay, he experienced another parry with the other arm. Thinking that more power was needed, he pulled the pommel twice.

“HIT PARADE!”

“MILLION HIT!”

The delivered a downward swing as red, yellow, and green energy enveloped the blade. The Rotor Smash thrust its arms forward to meet the weapon head on. A billowing gust of wind clashed against intense, bar-like energy. The two were evenly matched. Cross-Z struggled to dredge up more strength to power through his exhausted state and defeat the enemy. But the Smash refused to give in either.

The rotors on its arms spun even faster than before. The air currents sped up and intensified as a result. The Rider found himself being pushed back against the growing gale. With one final push, the Smash blew the Beat Crozzer out of the Dragon’s hands to a random location. He didn’t have time to be surprised as the gust blew him back into the wall.

He took a moment to catch his breath. He tried to find his weapon, but was unable to locate it. Cross-Z did not have any time to search further. The Smash charged straight at him with raised fists. It swung and punched a hole in the wall where his head used to be. The Rider rolled off to the side and popped up on his feet. He cracked his knuckles and his neck to loosen them up.

“Well….guess we’re doing this the old fashioned way!” With a yell, he ran at the Smash with raised fists. But as he got in close, the Smash spun its arms again and created another gust of wind that battered against his body. It provided the necessary opening for the Rotor Smash to counter attack. Fortunately, the Rider reacted in time and ducked underneath the massive limb. But while he dodged the metal arm, he was still buffeted by the winds. Given their current strength, the damage was negligible. But the previous attacks he experienced made him wary of what the Smash was capable of. Once he was close enough, he punched the Smash in the chest with a blue, flaming fist. It dealt some damage, but the enemy was still on the rampage.

The fight went on for several more minutes. Most of the time, Cross-Z had to keep his distance from the spinning arms to avoid getting ground. Otherwise, he had to deal with the rotating air currents. Whenever the Smash spun its arms, which was frequently, the Rider learned some key aspects of its fighting style. The turbine blades on its forearms spun fast enough to generate air currents to act as a layer of defense. It was enough to deflect most of his attacks, but the currents were centered on its arms only, limiting the area of coverage.

However, he had to be cautious of when the turbines picked up even greater speed. Those were the instances where the Rotor Smash could use the air as a weapon in the form of twisters or concussive air blasts. The latter he learned when it rapidly spun its arms and immediately stopped, firing off said blast that tore through a set of bleachers in an attempt to hit him. Good news was that it seemed it couldn’t make those attacks consecutively. It needed to build up speed, and that was precisely the opening he needed.

He dodged another air blast and immediately rushed in with his fists ablaze. He needed to end this battle quickly.

However, just as he got within range, the Smash’s arms instantly spun rapidly. The limbs whipped up raging air currents that were even stronger than the initial gust that blew him into the wall. The miniature typhoon swept him off his feet and blew him into the ceiling. The tiles cracked as his armored body was driven into the surface. He gasped from the impact before gravity kicked in and sent him crashing on a ruined set of bleachers.

In the shadows, Stalk leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he watched the fight.

Cross-Z pulled himself up, the damage readout blaring DANGER right in his face. He raised his head to look at the Smash, who was beating his chest like a gorilla, roaring in victory. The Dragon dropped his helmeted head on the ground, adrenaline leaving as resignation finally kicked in.

“I…I can’t do this….it’s too strong…” He panted. Now that the adrenaline flushed out of his system, his previous exhaustion caught up and hit him like a truck. He could barely move his body as his limbs felt like lead.

Stalk, upon listening to his words, hung his head in disappointment.

“What…what would….dad do…?” His vision started to blur a bit. “Just what….what can I do now?”

A young Sol Burner repeatedly struck the punching bag in a swift series of punches and kicks. He then performed a jumping knee strike. After landing, he tried to back flip for a follow up kick. But his foot missed the target, and the unexpected sensation of hitting air threw off his landing, letting him fall flat on his face.

“You okay kiddo?” Knuckle Blaze asked as he helped his son up.

“Peachy…” He grunted as he shook his head. “It’s no use…I’m never gonna get this.”

“Hey, that’s quitter talk, mister.”

“But it’s true!” Sol argued. “I’ve tried this dozens of times, but I still can’t get that technique right!

“Son…” Knuckle placed his hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I know things can get hard. We spend time and effort to accomplish great things, knowing that they are hard. All that time and effort will be wasted….but that’s only if you give up. You think I gave up during any of my matches?”

“But you always win…”

“That’s because I never gave up. I would always to push myself further and go beyond. Sol, if you throw in the towel, despite all the hard work you invested into something, you definitely will lose. But you will never truly lose as long as you can find the strength to get back up and try again. Even if you can’t get it right the next try, if you try again, you can learn and do better. Even if you fail, you will learn and improve and be better than you were before. Does that make sense?”

“…I don’t know.” He admitted cluelessly.

Knuckle laughed as he ruffled his son’s hair. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll understand someday.”

“…Dad…” A stray tear dropped from Sol’s eye as the memory flashed into his mind. How could he have forgotten? It was the one rule his father pounded into his head. To never give up. So why was he throwing the towel here now?!

The surge of determination brought forth a surge of adrenaline. With his second wind, Sol pulled himself up and glared at the Rotor Smash. Stalk continued to watch with silent interest. With newfound determination, Cross-Z charged at the Smash.

The mutant rotated the turbines on its arms once more and met his charge. It swung at the Rider’s head in an attempt to blow him away. But the armored fighter ducked below the limb in time and past the enemy’s guard. He threw a flame infused punch into the Smash’s chest, briefly stunning it. Cross-Z refused to let up as muscle memory guided him. He delivered two blazing punches to the Smash’s knees, destabilizing its stance. Afterward he jumped up for a flame infused knee strike to the chest once more.

Sol landed on his feet. It was time to finish this…with a little help. He turned the crank of his Driver. The blue Dragon wreathed in orange flames appeared and coiled around the Rider’s form. Power and flames gathered on his dominant foot.

“READY? GO!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

Unlike Cross-Z’s first Dragonic Finish, he rushed up to the Smash and back flipped once he got in close enough. The dragon followed his flame covered foot as it slammed itself into the Rotor Smash as the force of the kick sent it flying into the air. It crashed into the ceiling, but the Dragon did not stop as it rammed through the roof and through the Smash, inflicting even more damage.

Meanwhile…

Outside, the mass of people were trying to make sense of what just happened during the end of the fight. Many were unable to remain quiet as they swarmed the security guards that kept them out of the stadium for safety precautions, and the organizers of the event such as Filthy Rich.

After the Rainbooms and Team Build safely evacuated everyone, they regrouped and finally voiced their concerns. “I can’t believe we just left Sol in there like that!” Rainbow Dash yelled angrily.

…or in Rainbow’s case, outrage.

“Believe me; I hate this as much as you do.” Flash retorted. “But there was nothing we could’ve done!”

“Yeah we could! We have magic! At the very least, Twilight could’ve lifted the rubble off of him! He could be crushed like a pancake right now!”

“But wasn’t Twilight helping Rarity to stop any rubble from falling on everybody?” Micro reminded.

“Besides, our concern was getting all the civilians outside and away from Danger.” Twilight added. “I feel guilty leaving him like that too, but we weren’t in the position to fight!”

“Oh…I hope Sol made it out safely…” Fluttershy said worriedly.

“Hey, guys!” Sandalwood grabbed their attention. “I think someone’s coming out of the stadium!” All heads turned to the blocked entrance to see…two familiar girls and a dog?!

“SCOOTS?!/SCOOTALOO?!” Rainbow and Flash yelled respectively.

“SWEETIE BELLE?!” Rarity shrieked.

“SPIKE?!”

The teens couldn’t believe what they were seeing. What were they doing here?!

Their yells drew the attention of the three as they ran over to the group of teens.

“Flash!” Scootaloo tackled her brother in a hug while Sweetie Belle did the same with her sister. Spike ran up to Twilight and jumped into her arms, hugging the life out of her.

“Just what in tarnation were ya three doin’ here?!” Applejack questioned. “How’d ya even get in?! We didn’t see y’all when we entered the building!”

“And why weren’t you with us when we evacuated everyone?!” Rarity scolded. “None of us even knew you were in there!”

“She’s right!” Twilight agreed. “You could’ve gotten hurt by that Smash…or worse!”

“We know, we know! And we’re sorry!” Sweetie Bell apologized profusely. She and the others knew that. If it hadn’t been for the Masked Rider, they would’ve been paste right now.

“How did you even get out?” Sunset asked. “We never saw any of you when we cleared out the room.”

Spike was the one that explained everything. How they hid beneath the bleachers to hide from the Smash while they waited for the crowd to thin out before they could leave too. They stopped after they felt the room shake and were soon discovered by the Smash. They then explained that Cross-Z saved them from the Smash, allowing them to escape. However, they had to admit about their bypass of security and sneaking inside the stadium to watch the fight due to the surprising lack of entrance security.

Suffice to say, the teens were not impressed by their reckless actions.

“Scootaloo…after we get out of this…you and I are gonna have a long talk with mom.” Flash scolded.

“That’s right!” Twilight agreed. “How could you three be so reckless? And I thought you were the responsible one out of the three of you, Spike!”

“We’ll discuss this later, darling.” Rarity admonished her sheepish sister before wrapping her arms around her. “But for now, we’re just relieved you’re all safe and well.” The other two pairs shared her sentiment as they hugged one another.

Finally, the police and paramedics have finally arrived. Lieutenant Shining Armor was in the middle of scrambling a squad to enter the building until a blue, eastern dragon covered in orange flames burst through the stadium roof and roared into the sky before dissipating.

“…Welp, I think Cross-Z just won.” Pinkie Pie stated. After the dragon's appearance, the building shook even more as more pieces of the ceiling caved in. "...that's so not good..."

Micro took the opportunity to step back and make a quick warning text.

Cross-Z panted as the Rotor Smash crashed right in front of him in a motionless heap. Around him pieces of concrete and broken metal rained down. The adrenaline finally faded as he pulled out an Empty Bottle and extracted the essence. The Rotor Smash reverted back to an unconscious Iron Will. Rather than disappointment, Stalk was filled with even more interest than before. Sol Burner is already growing at an impressive pace. With a slight chuckle, he made his silent exit from the room.

Once the battle was finally over, Sol received a notification text from Micro on his HUD.

[Nice job with the Smash. But I suggest you hide now. The police are here and entering the building as we speak. And keep Crozz out of sight. Pretend to be unconscious and clueless if you can.]

Sighing, he made his way over to the pile of rubble that once covered him and cancelled the transformation. Crozz popped out from its hiding spot and picked up the driver, watch, and Fullbottles he had on hand. “Gotta…hide…” He then…buried himself under the pile of rubble that he previously broke out from.

Later...

“Alright one…two…three!” The rescue workers grunted as they lifted the massive slab of concrete from the pile.

“We found him!” One of the workers called out. “We need a medic!” Two more people rushed to the scene as they tended to the unconscious form of Sol Burner. Slowly, the teenage fighter stirred awake, blinking away at the blinding lights near his face. “He’s awake!”

From his peripheral vision, the teenager noticed a lot of people inside the stadium. Some of them had taped off areas. Others were clearing away the rubble. He even saw Iron Will get carried off on a stretcher.

Sol grunted as he tried to move, but the exhaustion from the previous two fights has caught up to him and he could barely lift himself. “Easy there.” The medic said. “You need to rest, kid.”

He complied. He didn’t have the energy to argue. At least he didn’t have to act like he was passed out as he just about did once he covered himself in rubble.

But now…the stressful night was finally over…

Later...

“Here is your cane, sir.” A suited bodyguard told Tirek as he handed over the walking stick.

“Ah…much obliged.” The frail elder smiled. The man then opened up a secret compartment in the handle, revealing well-concealed camera. He removed the item and handed it off to another of his workers. They hooked it up to a monitor to replay the recorded footage. “Now…let us see what you’ve seen, shall we?”

A few days had passed since the Rotor Smash’s attack at Canterlot Stadium. Since then, Sol had been placed in Canterlot Hospital to recover from his injuries. To the doctors and nurses’ surprise, he was spared from grievous injuries that one would expect from being buried under rubble after getting hit full force by a monster. Not a single broken bone. All he truly suffered from were some scrapes, bruises, and fatigue.

After some careful monitoring and rest, he was discharged and free to go. As he made his way to the lobby, he saw his friends crowded at the front desk. Some of them had been carrying flowers and Get Well Soon cards. Pinkie Pie was carrying a cake that had the same message written in icing.

“Sol Burner!” They cried as they took notice of his arrival and crowded around him. “What are you doing up and about?” Micro asked.

“Just got discharged. I’m free to go.” He grinned.

“Are you doing okay, though?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Fluttershy asked in concern.

“Welcome back!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she balanced the cake on her head and picked him up in a bone crushing hug.”

“You had us all worried, darling.” Rarity voiced.

“Sorry about that…” Sol grunted as he wriggled around in Pinkie’s grasp. “I’m doing better though.”

“I’m surprised how you healed so fast.” Sunset stated.

“Surprisingly, I didn’t have broken bones. I just needed some rest after getting patched up, which was crazy since I was punched by a tornado.” He mused as the party planner set him down and gave him his cake.

“Well, we’re glad you’re doing fine. We just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing.” Twilight added.

“Thanks you guys…” Sol smiled gratefully. “That really means a lot.”

“No problem, dude.” Sandalwood smiled as he patted him on the back. “That’s what friends are for.”

“So, since you’re here, wanna grab a bite to eat?” Flash asked. “I’m sure the hospital food wasn’t too exciting. Believe me.”

“Sure. As long as meat’s involved. I could use the protein.”

Meanwhile…

At a disclosed location, Tirek had been holed up in an important meeting. Sitting across from him was none other than Blood Stalk.

“So…what do you think, Mr. Tirek?” The snake questioned.

“I must say. He has far surpassed my initial impression of him.” The old man said as he rewound the footage on the monitor.

The screen showed Cross-Z standing victoriously over the defeated Rotor Smash. Afterwards, it showed the Masked Rider canceling his transformation, revealing the exhausted form of Sol Burner.

“Indeed. Sol Burner is just exceeding all expectations we have of him.” Stalk chuckled with a clap. “I just can’t wait to see how far he’ll go!”

Lunch had been a rather...hectic affair. Given Sol's victory in his debut match, he had been swarmed by fans who wanted to talk with or get an autograph from him. It had been amusing...until the size of the mob increase and threatened to trample over all of them. Eventually, the crowd dwindled and dispersed, letting the teens have their meal in peace.

After eating, the Rainbooms split off from Team Build as they made their way to their respective homes. Meanwhile the four boys regrouped back at the laboratory. Micro had explained on the way that they finally have a lock on Pandora’s Box.

“So we know where our Fullbottles went?” Sol asked as the bespectacled teen pulled up the readings on the monitor.

“Yes. We got the location just before we went to visit you at the Hospital. Originally, we planned on waiting until you got better, but your sudden discharge works perfectly.”

“With you on board, we’re now ready to take back what’s ours.” Sandalwood added.

“It’s time to bring the attack on Faust.” Flash finished.

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hi everyone. It's been a while, huh? Sorry about the long delay. College had been pretty stressful. It was also hard to figure out how to write out this chapter, so I apologize if it's not up to quality. I've been meaning to get this out earlier, but things have gotten hectic.

Next time, Team Build will storm Faust's Base!

Happy Holidays. And virtual cookie to anyone who knows where the Rotor Smash's first tornado attack was inspired from.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Dragon

Inorganic:

Lock

Chapter 13: Going Rogue

“So this is the place?” Sol asked. He and Flash had arrived at the location Pandora’s Box was supposedly stored. To their surprise, it was an abandoned research building for Tirek Heavy Industries. The fence was chained shut with several signs indicating its condemned status. Other than that, the building seemed to be in relatively good condition. It was tall and overlooked a small cliff. There was also a raging river next to the facility. This time the two teens were dressed up as construction workers to disguise the fact they brought several tools to break in the building.

“Yes. We tracked the Box’s signature right to this building. Apparently, it’s located in a space below the second basement, meaning that there could be a hidden floor. So keep an eye out for anything unusual.” Micro reported.

“Got it. Man…I hope we’ll find everything after this…”

Last Night…

“So that’s where the Box is?” Sol asked again.

“For the tenth time, yes!” Micro said in exasperation as he pulled up the energy readings and the building’s blueprints. “The signal we picked up matches our Panel’s signature. We also picked up an additional signal really close to it. It’s likely the Panel Faust had during your fight with Night Rogue.”

“But will our stuff be there too? Wouldn’t Faust keep them someplace else for better security?” Sandalwood wondered.

“Not necessarily. If it’s the Panel, then it’s likely that Faust has our Fullbottles stashed along with it. Night Rogue did seem adamant about placing the bottles on their Panel after all.”

While the three discussed, Flash was deep in thought. As he looked at the blueprints of the building, the items in question was located on a hidden level, directly below the official layout of the building. Why did Faust do that and not take more precaution to conceal the Box from their detection if they knew they were looking for it?

Could this be a trap? Like the false Smash reading Night Rogue transmitted the other day? If it is…then they had to be prepared for it. Then he had an idea. One that will work in their favor. “Hey, Micro!”

“Yeah Flash?” All eyes turned to the musician. “What’s up?”

“I just got an idea. One that may help us in the long run.”

“Really? What is it?”

“How fast can you build a transmitter? One small enough to hide between gaps of armor?”

“Well, in a couple of hours. Why?” Micro asked as he pushed up his glasses.

“Given how things are laid out, it’s likely we might be walking into an ambush. So why don’t we turn it around to our favor and tag a certain Snake or Bat?”

“Man…” Flash groaned. “Never thought I’d come back to this place again.”

“You’ve been here before?” The fighter asked.

“Only a few times. When my dad had to come in to submit data reports from the tests he did. Sometimes he’d take me along and we’d go out for ice cream afterwards. It used to be a functional facility where the company tested aeronautical equipment. But due to a redistribution of funding from compensating my family due to the faulty components during my dad’s flight test, it was shut down. Guess Faust decided to use it as a hidden base as it’s no longer in use.” Flash stared at the building, feeling mixed emotions brought from memories.

“Are you gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine. Let’s just break in and get our stuff back.” The musician said as he reached into the duffle bag he brought with him and pulled out a pair of bolt cutters. With a quick tug, the chains were cut and the two snuck inside. They made their way to the front entrance, which was an offline automatic door. Flash dropped his duffle bag as he whipped out a spreader tool to pry the doors open.

As the bag dropped, the Build Driver clattered out. Sol picked it back up. “Hey, you dropped your Driver. Wait, I thought you kept yours in your watch.”

“That one’s yours, Sol.” Flash answered while he remained focused on his task. “Micro made another one based on Gizmo’s blueprints. We figured it’d be more efficient if we each had a driver instead of taking turns when we get our bottles back.” Once he got a wide enough gap, he wriggled his fingers in and pried the doors open. He then packed up his tools and went further inside. “Just remember what the Rider system is for; protecting people.”

“I understand.” Sol nodded as he stashed his Driver away. Once inside, they donned their hooded disguises in case of any security cameras Faust might have set up.

The two made their way several flights of stairs until they reached the second basement level. After a quick look around them, it was deserted without any sign of a third floor. “…is the Box really around here? Is there really a third level? We’re on the final floor of the building.”

“There’s bound to be something. Keep an eye out.” Flash told him. But before they could start searching, the lights turned on, blinding the two.

“I’m surprised you two managed to find this place.” Night Rogue stated as he descended the stairs with a group of Guardians behind him. “It’s a shame, but I’ll have to ask you to leave…after you hand over your bottles and Panel first.”

“Night Rogue!” Sol growled.

“Well, we just got here.” Flash said as he put in the Driver and held up the Lock bottle. He held out his other hand for the Dragon bottle. “Why not show us a good time?”

“I got this.” Sol stepped forward. “Back me up from behind.”

“But I was gonna fight.” Flash protested.

“You’re still not fully healed from KeyDragon. Let me handle things!” He shook the Dragon bottle and equipped his Driver. Crozz flew down to his hand and he inserted the bottle in before inserting the transformed creature into the Driver.

“WAKE UP!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Shifting into a fighting stance, Sol yelled, “Henshin!” The runners slammed into him, donning him in the draconic armor once more. His sword materialized right after.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“BEAT CROZZER!”

Flash was off to the side standing awkwardly. After a long period of inaction, he wanted to fight. The Guardians rushed at Sol with their gun blades. Cross-Z met them head on and slammed his blade into the first’s weapon. He then worked to bat away the oncoming reinforcements. As he fought off the mob, two of them took notice of Flash standing by, watching, and focused his attention on him.

The disguised musician noticed the Guardians raising their weapons at him, and got ready to fight.

Sol finished off the remaining soldiers that stood between him and Night Rogue, who was actually walking away from the fight. He swung while he continued to go unnoticed. But at the last moment, the Bat spun around and batted the blade away before digging his steam blade into his chest armor before dragging it across. The fighter spun back around to face him, but left himself wide open for a swift punch to the collar.

As he was momentarily dazed, Night Rogue grabbed him by said collar and slammed his Steam Blade on top of Cross-Z’s helmet.

Meanwhile, Flash fought off the remaining Guardians who turned their attention to him. He blocked two blades from reaching him with the Drill Crusher and forced them off. Once he was free, he spun around and cut down the surrounding enemies in a single swing. The robots then exploded into fiery remains.

Back at Sol’s fight, he and Night Rogue had their weapons locked, neither one relenting in their fight. “Even if you are a Masked Rider, my Hazard Level still exceeds yours.” They broke their bout and swung again.

“Don’t mess with me!” Sol snapped as the Bat turned the dial on his weapon.

“ELEK STEAM!”

Electricity crackled along the blade, empowering it. The boost was what he needed to break his opponent’s guard with a swung. Arcs of blue lightning struck the draconic Rider, sending him to the ground. The force of the blast also knocked Flash off his feet, forcing him to lose his grip on his weapon.

The Bat slowly approached the fallen Dragon, who struggled to pull himself up after the electrocution. But everything stopped when a hand clasped the metal railing.

“Well, well…” Blood Stalk droned as he descended the stairs. He looked around as if he were a curious toddler. “To think you were keeping it here…”

“Stalk!” Sol barked angrily. Flash just stared silently in resentment.

“What are you doing here?” Night Rogue questioned. Stalk descended the last few steps by sliding down the rails like a child.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to hand out a beating...” He said as he walked past the Bat…only to suddenly spin around and strike him with his Steam Blade. “…to you!” Rogue blocked the first hit, but was knocked away by the following spin kick.

Night Rogue tumbled before righting himself and glared at the snake. “You’ve gone insane!” He ducked below another swing and spun back up while Stalk dropped down for a sliding kick that he avoided. Stalk rolled over on his back for rising spin kick that Rogue knocked away. The Bat moved in for a thrust to the face, but the snake avoided it as he hopped back up on his feet. Both then slammed their blades against one another.

“Well, let me put this into words…” Blood Stalk said mockingly. “You may be the leader, but Faust doesn’t belong to you!” Both teens could only stare in confusion. Why were they fighting each other? Weren’t they on the same side? The Faust fighters broke their blade lock and slashed each other with energy waves. The impact exploded and knocked them away.

They both rose to their knees. Stalk was about to move but noticed something in his peripheral vision. He turned to his left and noticed something odd with the wall. Smirking under his helmet, he switched his weapon to an underhand grip. “Is this it?” He walked up and stabbed his blade into the white, rectangular panel on the wall, melting a large hole through it. It revealed a secret compartment that contained Team Build’s Fullbottles, Faust’s Panel, and an additional, empty Panel. “Bingo~!”

But before he could grab them, Night Rogue knocked his hand away. “You can’t have them!” The two continued their dispute with swings to the face. Stalk blocked Rogue’s blade from connecting as he slammed his weapon to the side of the bat’s helmet. He then pulled Rogue away from the newly made opening.

Flash saw his moment of opportunity. While they were distracted, he made his way to the hole in the wall. “I can’t believe it, it’s all here!” He then noticed new Fullbottles that he hadn’t seen before and picked two of them up. “Hey, a Train Bottle! And a Pirate one too!” Where did Faust get these bottles? They never purified these ones before. Could they have been made while Gizmo was around? Like with Rabbit and Tank?

“Well…let’s take these for a spin!” He shook the Fullbottles, allowing the math equations to fly around him before twisting the caps and inserting them.

“PIRATE!”

“TRAIN!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“Seriously?! I got a Best Match!” Now excited by this occurrence, he turned the crank as Blue and Green runners formed around him.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” The runners converged and covered him in new armor. The Inorganic segments were light green based on train-related items. The shoulder guard had a railway sign and light. The gauntlet was a train car. The eyepiece resembled a segment of train track. The Organic side was light blue with a ship bow for a shoulder guard with a black half cape that covered the arm. The eye piece was a skull and crossbones image. Once he was transformed. He dove for the Drill Crusher and joined the fight.

“THE SCHEDULEDRENEGADE!”

“PIRATE TRAIN!”

“YEAH!”

He swung at Stalk and Night Rogue, keeping the two occupied while Cross-Z pulled himself back up.

“Now it’s round two!” Sol yelled as he joined the fray and swung at Blood Stalk. The snake blocked the attack while Build went for Night Rogue. “And time to see who’s under that mask!” The two clashed blades multiple times. As Cross-Z swung overhead, Stalk let it slide across his Steam Blade and duck past him. Once Sol stumbled, Stalk pushed off of a wall for an overhead strike.

Flash thrust the Drill Crusher like a fencing saber. Night Rogue parried the swift strikes aside. He went for a back fist strike but Build blocked it with his train gauntlet. He then pushed him back and performed an arc swing with his Drill Crusher at the Bat’s head, only to miss when he ducked below it. But Flash quickly followed up with a thrust to the throat that Night Rogue caught with the flat side of his weapon and pulled him to the wall.

Blood Stalk cartwheeled around another slash from the Beat Crozzer. But Sol quickly followed up with an overhead swing downward and knocked the Steam Blade out of the Cobra’s hands when he tried to block it. Once he was wide open, Cross-Z slashed at his chest and pulled the pommel of his weapon twice.

“HIT PARADE!”

His sword charged up with power before he swung, shooting off an energy arc of red, green, and yellow.

“MILLION HIT!”

The attack struck Blood Stalk as he tried to block and withstand it. But it was all for naught as he was thrown back by the blast. However, when the smoke cleared, he was shown to be no worse for wear. He pushed himself off the ground and stood on his feet. “Very impressive. Better than I thought….however…” He dashed to the side to a new hole in the wall he made in the middle of the fight. Inside the revealed compartment was Pandora’s Box itself. He plucked it out of the wall and held it up to the bewildered Sol. “I got what I came for.”

“The Box! Wait a minute!” Sol ran out to stop him, but he was too late.

“ See ya~!” With a wave, Stalk vanished in a burst of steam and fire.

Back with Flash and Night Rogue, the latter noticed the Cobra’s actions and snarled with animosity. “Stalk!” He tried to follow, but Build struck him in the face.

“And just where are you going?!” Flash slammed him against the wall and slashed him again, sending him into a tumble. As he stood over the silver armored man, he removed the Pirate Fullbottle from his Driver and placed it in the Drill Crusher.

“READY?GO!”

Flash spun the weapon above his head, the blade covered in spiraling blue lights that resembled a whirlpool.

“VOLTECHBREAK!”

He then swung the Drill Crusher in an X-formation, sending waves of energy that cut through Night Rogue. The Bat was flung further into the corridor on his back. He growled as he pulled himself up.

“I’m being forced to run…?!” The pipes on his armor covered him in steam and he vanished, leaving to two alone.

“Is it over?” Sol asked as he approached Build.

“Yeah…I guess.” Flash nodded.

“Sorry about the Box. Blood Stalk pulled another fast one on me.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll have other chances. And at least we got our stuff back.” Flash said as he started to pack the remaining Bottles and Panels into his bag. Once he was finished, he tossed it over to Sol. “Here!”

The fighter caught it. “Huh? Why give these to me?”

“You take those back to the lab. I’m going after Stalk and Night Rogue.”

“Wait, by yourself? But how are you going to find them?”

“I stuck the transmitter on Night Rogue’s arm when I caught his attack. I’m gonna see where he’s heading. Micro, do you have the signal?”

“I do. He’s on the move! But are you sure you should be going after him now?”

“If I don’t then we could lose the Box!” Flash argued as he ran up the stairs two at a time.

“We can just track it again!”

“We may not have the time! If I go after him at least we’ll have a trail to start with!” He already made it to ground level and got on his bike. “Send me the tracker and I’ll follow!”

“…fine! But come back as soon as you get the destination, alright?!” Micro submitted the information to his HUD.

“That was the plan anyway!” With a rev of the handlebars, Flash shot down the road. Soon, Sol Burner came up to the surface only to see him leave.

“Man…and I thought I was reckless…”

Flash tore through the streets on the Machine Builder as he followed the directions on his HUD. They were uploaded as a digital map with a moving red dot to indicate Night Rogue’s tracked movements. However, before he could hone in on it, the signal disappeared.

“What? It’s gone! Micro! Is something wrong with the tracker?”

“Well, since the tracker was attached to the armor, when he undid his transformation, the tracker followed.”

“Can you try finding the signal again?”

“I’m trying, but I can’t locate it. It’s like it disappeared.”

“Seriously?! Damn it! Well, were you at least able to find his last known location?” He asked hopefully.

“I did. I have the coordinates saved right now. But I can’t say for sure if this is where his base is.”

“Well, it’s better than nothing. I’ll catch up with you later. Sol should be heading back soon.”

“Got it.” Micro ended the call.

“This is terrible…” Flash sighed. No longer able to give chase, he turned to a nearby alley and undid both his transformation and disguise. He returned the Machine Builder into its phone form and pocketed it. After a quick glance through the opening, he found no witnesses in the streets.

Once the coast was clear, he dashed out and made his way to the bus stop. Taking public transport would be better suited that riding the unique motor cycle. But as he turned the corner, he crashed into another body.

“Oof!”

“Ah!”

Both fell on the ground, the latter losing his grip on his briefcase and smart phone.

“Oh. I’m really sorry about that!” Flash apologized.

“No, no it’s alright. I should’ve paid more attention where I was going.” The man answered as he picked himself up.

“Still, here let me help.” The musician picked up the dropped items and handed them to the man.

“Thank you….wait…you’re Flash Sentry, aren’t you?” The bespectacled man questioned as he leaned in for a better look.

“Huh? You know me?” Flash asked, instantly wary. “But, I don’t think I met you before.”

“Ah, forgive me. I recognized you from Misty Veil. She always liked to show photographs of her children during work breaks.” The man apologized.

“Wait, you know my mom?”

“I would think so, since she is a co-worker of mine.” The man then held out his hand in greeting. “But where are my manners. My name is Dusk Walker. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Y-yeah. I’m Flash Sentry, but you already knew that.” Flash accepted the hand, noting how strong of a grip he had.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where were you off to in such a hurry? You seemed to be in a panicked rush.” Dusk inquired.

“Sorry about that. I was late to a meeting with friends.”

“Well, be careful. Faust is still out there.”

“Oh yeah, speaking of that, how’s the progress of getting Pandora’s Box back from them?”

“Why do you want to know?” Dusk Walker questioned with an even expression.

“Well, my mom worked with the Box, and I got a little curious about it.”

“I see.”

“Well, sorry for taking your time. I gotta go.” Flash side stepped around him. But before he could even make it five feet…

“Faust has eyes and ears you know.” The bespectacled man called out to him, causing him to stop in his tracks.

“Excuse me?” The musician turned around.

“It’s as I said.” Dusk approached him. “With a shady organization like Faust, they’re bound to have eyes and ears everywhere.” He pulled out a manila folder from his briefcase and placed it in his hands. “Here. A copy of all the data we have of possible hideouts and movements.”

“Wait, huh?!” Flash opened the envelope and looked through its contents, amazed by all the information held within. “How…how did you get this?”

“Well…” Dusk adjusted his glasses. “…That’s a secret.” The man then turned on his heel and continued onward.

“Hold on!” Flash called out again. “…I don’t know you well or why you happen to have copies of these documents. But why give them to me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Dusk questioned without turning. “You and I…we’re both stuck in the same cage.” Without an elaboration to his cryptic response, he left Flash alone with his thoughts. What did that even mean?!

“I call it…the Pirate Platform!” Sandalwood proudly announced as he held up his crude drawing of an arc intersecting a stack of rectangles. After seeing the new Best Match on the monitor, he had a new idea for a new weapon.

“…Flash?” Micro urged after seeing him walk into the room.

“I got it.” The musician took a fresh sheet of paper and redrew Sandalwood’s blueprints into something more legible. The image now resembled a bow and arrow type of weapon. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Micro took the new drawing and uploaded it to the super computer to analyze for blue prints.

“So what took you so long?” Sol asked before eyeing the manila envelope in his hands. “And whatcha got there?”

“Ran into someone…someone who apparently had information on possible Faust locations.” He answered as he pulled out the documents and spread them on the table.

“Wait, you serious?”The three other teens approached said table and perused through the papers.

“Flash, this…this is incredible! How did you even get these?!”

Flash explained how he ran into one of his mom’s co-workers, explaining how Faust had eyes and ears everywhere and how he handed him the documents before leaving. He kept the cryptic message to himself, though.

“…That seems strange, dude.” Sandalwood voiced their thoughts. “He just gave them to you? No strings attached?”

“Right.”

“…That doesn’t seem fishy at all.” Sol said sarcastically.

“I know…for all we know, these could be wrong.” Flash added.

“Well, let’s scan them to find out. We can cross-reference the marked spots and see what turns up.” Micro took the list of possible locations and scanned them into the computer. While he did that, Flash thought back to their arrival in the abandoned lab. How Stalk suddenly appeared after Night Rogue and seemed to be unfamiliar with the basement.

But how could that be? They were on the same side. Was Stalk kept in the dark? Based on the fight he had with Rogue, it seemed like their relationship was a rocky one. Maybe he was untrustworthy? Given his behavior, that seemed to be the case. He didn’t even know where the Bottles and Panels were until he saw the secret compartment.

But how did he learn about the location so quickly? Not to mention his timely arrival that ultimately saved their skins. It was at that moment, Flash had an epiphany. It wasn’t until recently that they learned of the secret basement. And the snake seemed to learn about it recently too. Was it possible….? Was Stalk…spying on them somehow?

“So…how’s the progress Night Light?” Sombra inquired as he, Chrysalis, and Tirek were displayed on his computer monitor. Standing behind Night’s chair was Dusk Walker, brief case in hand.

“I hope you have some good news for us.” Tirek said. “The longer the Box is out of our hands, the antsier I get.”

“I do, sir.” Night said. “My son, Shining Armor, is on the case. He’s leading the investigation and is close to finding their location and the Box.”

“How close are we talking exactly?” Chrysalis commented. “For all we know, the Masked Riders could be even closer than your son and beat him to it. Along with causing unnecessary destruction in their wake.”

“Even so, having the Riders secure the Box would be preferable to Faust’s custody.”

“You trust them to actually return it to you? How naïve.” The woman shook her head. “It’s because of that naivety that you are unable to see just how reckless they are. For all we know, they could be seeking the Box for their own gain.”

“You have no proof of that.”

“You have none that say otherwise. And answer the damn question.” She glowered.

“Very close…” Night Light emphasized with a stern glare. “Dusk Walker here has compiled an extensive documentation of possible Faust locations and my son was able to narrow them down to one specific spot where they would be found. It was thanks to his assistance that Shining Armor has gotten so far.”

“And you trust his information to be accurate?” Sombra asked.

“Of course. He’s been a trustworthy, competent employee and friend for quite some time. I would trust no one else with such a delicate task as this. His capabilities speak for themselves.”

“Thank you sir.” Dusk bowed his head at the praise.

“Jolly good, then.” Tirek nodded. “I trust you will keep up the good work, and hope to see that this whole debacle will end soon.”

“It shall, sir.” Night Light nodded.

“Very well. Let this meeting be adjourned.” With that, Tirek logged off the video conference. The other two CEOs followed suit. The Research facility Director fell back in his chair with a sigh.

“Are you alright, sir?”

“I’ll be fine, Dusk Walker. Still, I’m impressed you were able to find Faust’s hiding spot and the Box.”

“It was no issue. Shining Armor deserves the credit. He was the one who conducted the investigations. I merely documented his findings.”

“Even so, you still did impressive work.” Night Light continued, patting him on the shoulder. “I’m truly grateful for all you’ve done for me and this Center. Despite your young age, you have been a tremendous help. I can trust to rely on you in the future.”

Dusk Walker tilted his head, letting his glasses reflect off a glare. “Of course, sir.”

Next Day…

“I can’t believe it’s all gonna happen soon!” Rainbow Dash squealed.

“We get it, you’re excited. We know.” Sunset sighed. “This is like a repeat of last week with Sol’s match.”

It was lunch time at Canterlot High, and the girls were deep in discussion for their studio tour. Rainbow Dash was simply ecstatic.

“Can you blame me? We’re going to be on the set where they’re filming the Daring Do movie! It’s gonna be awesome!”

“And here’s hoping we’ll be able to enjoy it without Faust somehow intervening.” Twilight commented with slight sarcasm.

“Oh yeah. You said your brother’s leading the investigation. How’s that going, by the way?” Rainbow questioned.

“I can only assume it’s going well, since he’s not allowed to talk to me about it. Or anyone else for that matter.”

“Why not?” Applejack questioned.

“It’s because the investigation is classified. There’s no way he can divulge information like that to civilians.”

“Ooh! So it’s all hush-hush super spy secret stuff, right?” Pinkie Pie asked as she took a bite out of her cookie.

“Not exactly spy stuff. It’s basic police regulations, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight answered. “They’re not allowed to divulge any information to civilians. Even when I asked him basic questions, he was all tight-lipped about it. I get he takes his job seriously, but he’s being more serious than ever.”

“So you weren’t able to acquire anything from him at all?” Rarity asked curiously.

“Nope.” She shook her head in dismay. “I’m just worried. What if he gets hurt during his investigation? Faust made a point in that it doesn’t joke around.”

“She’s right. They are dangerous.” Fluttershy agreed with worry.

“Well, I wouldn’t worry too much.” The athlete said. “Your brother’s a police lieutenant, right? He’ll be fine. Not to mention he’d have a whole squad with him backing up once he finds Faust. He’ll be fine, Twilight. Plus, we got the Masked Riders on our side.”

“I’m really hoping so.” The bespectacled girl nodded. “I couldn’t imagine anything happen to him. Neither could Cadence.”

“That’s right. They’re getting married soon, aren’t they?” Sunset realized.

“Yeah, in a few months actually. And don’t worry, Pinkie. All of you girls are invited.” Twilight answered her friend’s unspoken question.

“Oh, goodie!” The frizzy haired girl cheered.

Later…

Shining Armor took a sip of coffee from his mug as he looked over the documents in hand again. He was in the dining room table with a look of deep concentration on his face. He had been sent the data from Dusk Walker and was making plans for the eventual raid on the Faust facility. It had been weeks, but he finally singled out their location. Now all he had left to do was assemble a squad to infiltrate the base.

“I’m home!” Cadence called out as she stepped inside the building.

“Welcome back, dear.” Shining called out from his spot. His fiancée entered the room and kissed him. “Long day at work?”

“It was manageable.” She answered, but noticed how frazzled his hair was and the bags beneath his eyes. She walked over and started to rub her fiancé’s shoulders and neck. “You on the other hand have been working too hard. You’ve been doing too many late nights.”

“I have to work hard.” He refuted as he looked through the papers and wrote something down. “We finally found Faust’s hide out. Once I assemble a squad, we can finally get Pandora’s Box back for the Research Center and arrest the ones responsible.”

“But you’ve been handling this by yourself for so long. Even when Dusk Walker lent his assistance.” She said worriedly. “There’s nothing wrong with letting someone else take some of the slack. I mean, the Masked Riders want to stop Faust too.”

“Allegedly.” Shining countered. “While they have been stopping Smash’s and Faust operations, I can’t bring myself to trust them.”

“Why not?”

“Because we still don’t know a lot about them or what their plans are. Plus, they’re reckless. Their actions cause property damage, and who knows when it will reach the point of civilian harm.”

“Shining, you’re overreacting.”

“Am I? I’m just trying to keep the people in this city safe.”

“I know you are, but getting worked up over this is not healthy. You’re on the verge of a major twilighting episode.” She frowned.

The officer opened his mouth to retort; only to the let the words fall flat. He blinked a few times and took the time to observe his current state of dress. He was still in his pajamas from working at the table last night after coming home from work. And his coffee mug was half-empty from his third cup. Furthermore, his documents were in haphazard order and his notes were chicken scratch.

“…maybe I should take a break. And lay off the coffee for a while.” He admitted as he took his mug to the sink.

“That’s all I want to hear…as soon as you bathe and brush your teeth mister.” She playfully scolded.

“I know, I know.” Shining relented as his fiancée wrapped her arms around him. “What would I do without you?”

“Probably work yourself to the bone.” She smirked as she nuzzled into his shoulder. “Just promise me though. When you do lead this raid….please be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Getting hurt is liable in the job description, honey.” He replied before kissing her. “…but I promise. I’ll be back.”

Meanwhile…

Across town, Tirek was in his office staring out at the sky.

He thought about what Night Light had told him. If it were true that Shining Armor was getting close to finding Faust's whereabouts, then things were going to become very difficult for him. A knock at the door caught his attention, "Enter."

The door opened and closed, the old man spinning in his chair to see a figure hidden in the shadows. “Is there a problem, sir?”

“I just don’t like this.” Tirek responded while intertwining his fingers. “Based on how everything is going, it is only a matter of time before Faust is discovered. They have never come this far before. If they do, it’s all over. If that happens, I’ll have to cut all funding if they can’t resolve this issue.”

He looked up and stared sternly back to the figure. “Do I make myself clear?” The figure nodded as he stepped into the light.

“Crystal.” Dusk Walker replied as he pulled an object from his pocket. It was a Transteam Gun with a bat motif bottle connected to it.

Next day after school…

It was a Friday afternoon and Team Build took this time to test their latest creation. Three members of the team were located in a wide open clearing in the woods away from the city. Flash was currently in the PirateTrain combination while holding the new weapon.

“So it doubles a blade and a ranged weapon.” Flash mused as he held the completed Pirate Platform in his hand. The weapon itself resembled an anchor with a ship-like bow on the front end. On the shaft where the arrow would be is a platform with a yellow-green train car on it. The bottom half had a black grip while the rest of the bow was an ocean blue. The top half had a blade that looked like an anchor prong. The rear end of the bow had a part that could be pulled back to charge the weapon like the Beat Crozzer.

“That’s right.” Micro nodded while Sandalwood finished setting up empty pain cans as targets. “It is meant to be used when you’re using the Pirate or Train Fullbottles. It has four modes of attack depending on how long you pull back and hold the Build Arrow to the Train Home Charger.” He pointed to the green care and the rear end of the bow, respectively. “They’re regular stops, express service, rapid transit, and pirate train.”

“Okay.” Flash nodded as he turned to the set up targets. “Kinda odd names, but okay.”

“They were Sandalwood’s suggestions.”

“Still…I feel bad that Sol’s not here with us.” Sandalwood pointed out.

“Well, he said he had to help out with the gardening club. Not sure why he prioritized it over this.” Micro shook his head.

“…Wait, we have a gardening club?” Flash asked in confusion.

Meanwhile…

“Seriously, I think you need to get a new cart if this keeps happening.” Sol said as he hefted the bags of topsoil and garden rocks with ease. He was about to leave school with his friends, only to see Wallflower with another broken cart and several bags of gardening supplies. He messaged his friends about his change of plans and chose to help her instead.

At first, the girl was surprised he remembered her, much to his confusion. Why wouldn’t he remember her? He helped her out before. After saying as such, the girl shook her head and smiled happily for reasons unknown to Sol.

“I know. Sorry about this.” Wallflower apologized whilst lugging her own bag. “I put in a new order, but the shipment was delayed due to the insanity happening in town.”

“Oh yeah, the Faust attacks, huh?” Sol realized as they continued to the gardening club room.

“Yeah. It’s pretty scary. I know Canterlot’s been through several magic incidents, mostly our school, but this is a whole other level.” The girl shook her head. “I wish our city will get back to normal soon.”

“Hopefully. At least we’re not totally defenseless. I mean, we have those Masked Riders, right?”

“Right.” She smiled. “I think they’re amazing. I don’t care what Chrysalis says about them. They really help people.”

“Well…” Sol inwardly smiled, touched by the support. “I’m sure if you keep supporting them like that, they’ll stop Faust soon enough.”

Soon, they reached the gardening club room, where the fighter set down the heavy supplies. “You sure you don’t need help organizing? I can lend a hand.”

“I’m sure. You’ve helped plenty enough, Sol.” Wallflower smiled. “I truly appreciate it.”

“No problem. Didn’t have much else planned today. I was gonna hang out with friends, but they can wait. You needed a hand, after all.”

“O-oh. Thank you…” The girl blushed lightly, grateful for his help.

Meanwhile…

A blue bolt of energy knocked down the last can, denting it beyond repair.

“And that’s the last of them.” Flash said before he walked off to the side.

“Well, now we know the first mode works. Now for the next level.” Micro gestured to Sandal, who was setting up a fresh row of targets. While he did that, Flash leaned against a nearby tree to occupy his thoughts.

‘Still…is this a good idea? I mean, if Stalk really is spying on us, is it smart to practice like this in the open?’ He did realize that he followed through with the idea. Mainly because he had no proof to break it to his team. But it was definitely a cause for concern. If Stalk was spying on them, how was he doing it? Was the lab bugged? No, that couldn’t be it. It was sealed shut before they first got there, and only Micro had the pass code. And the Build System was intact and present. If Stalk wanted it, it would be missing already.

Now that he thought about it, it all started when they received that laptop from a mystery sender…could it be-?!

He was interrupted by an alert from said laptop that Micro carried. The bespectacled teen rushed over to see what was going on. He typed in a set of commands and was dumbstruck by what he just pulled up.

“Something wrong, man?” Sandalwood asked as he and flash walked over. Wordlessly, he turned the screen around so his friends would see. Both were equally shocked. It was a Breaking news report.

[Faust Headquarters Found! S.W.A.T. Team Mobilized for Takedown!]

At the scene of the incident, a news team was surrounding the armed officers and Guardians who closed the area off. They crowded around the abandoned Tirek Heavy Industries Research Lab. Within said the sectioned off area by the entrance was a group of S.W.A.T. team members and Guardians, led by another officer, a sergeant. He was dressed in the same armor and wielded a riot shield and rifle in case of armed resistance.

Between the media and the line of troops was Shining Armor and additional police officers sent to oversee the raid.

In front of the news camera was a reporter keeping tabs of the event. The sergeant walked past his troops, giving orders and instructions. “We will now being the operation to dismantle Faust.”

“Wait, THAT’S where they’re taking down Faust? But we were just there and they escaped!” Flash pointed out.

“I know…this doesn’t seem right.” Micro added.

“Maybe they got bad intel?”

“No…no it’s something else. Maybe….this is just for show.” Micro said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, Sandalwood could be right. The government could be fed poor intel about the state of the base. Instead of finding Faust and the Box, they would find nothing.”

“But what would be the point of all that?” Sandalwood questioned.

“Like I said. For a show. They want us to think they can be captured, only to find nothing. This would view the government and police to be incompetent and cause public distress.”

“Maybe…but this feels too off.” Flash commented. “It’s going too smoothly. The timing just seems too convenient given that Sol and I were just there. It’s almost like they’re walking into….oh no…” His eyes widened in realization before he activated the Machine Builder.

“Flash?! What’s going on?!”

“It’s a trap! The whole thing is a trap!”

“What?! How?!”

“No time to explain! I’m heading there now!”

“Just don’t do anything reckless!”

“Relax…this is me we’re talking about!” Flash replied before he drove off.

“Yeah, that’s why I said it.”

“Men!” The leader of the troop announced. “Move in!” The troop of soldiers funneled through the entrance and corridors of the building. The group advanced until they entered the main laboratory of the facility. Sitting in the middle of it all was Night Rogue on a lavish chair. Directly behind him was the chamber used to convert humans into Smash.

The team surrounded the masked Bat with their guns raised. The sergeant, at the vanguard, approached the seated figure. “Are you Night Rogue?” The Bat remained silent and seated. Taking his silence as confirmation, he gave his order. “Arrest him!”

The Guardians and officers aimed their rifles at the man, compelling him to comply. After a moment of silence, Night Rogue stood up from his chair. The officers remained wary. Their caution was proven correct as the man backhanded a nearby officer into the wall. The sudden commotion startled the officers, allowing Night Rogue to throw them off one by one. The remaining troops took aim and fired at the figure. But to their horror, the bullets did not work. They simply bounced off of his armor.

The sergeant rammed his shield at Night Rogue, but the man barely even budged. He grabbed the shield and flung it at a fallen officer. The edge acted as a blade and with the strength of the throw, severed the man’s leg. The leader grew alarmed at his injured comrade. His hesitation was enough for Night Rogue to rip the rifle out of his hands and crushed it with ease. He then punched the man away from him and into the mass of troops that gathered behind him.

Once the officers and Guardians had fallen, he advanced outside.

The troops that stood guard by the door were forced back as one of their members was thrown out of the set of double doors. Night Rogue strolled out of the hall. The remaining soldiers aimed their firearms but with Steam Blade and Transteam Gun in hand, the Bat knocked them away.

His appearance was caught on screen, sending the onlookers into a panic.

“See?! That’s why I said it was a trap!” The Rider exclaimed.

“I thought you said this was supposed to be a show!” Sandalwood questioned his friend, who was equally panicked.

“I thought so, too! None of this makes any sense!” The bespectacled teen shouted as he tried to think of reasons of what is going on.

“One thing’s for sure though! People will get hurt…and I refuse to let that happen.” With rev of the handlebars, Flash drove faster.

Night Rogue aimed at the security encirclement and pulled the trigger. Energy blasts struck the troops dead on. The Guardians exploded and collapsed while the unfortunate human victims received severe, cauterized wounds. The media grew more terrified by the second as the remaining officers took aim. Taking cover behind the line was Shining Armor, who oversaw the operation.

Finally, Night Rogue spoke to the pointed cameras. “I will not let my creation, Faust, be crushed by you government fools!” His arms were spread in a grandiose manner before he patted his chest. “Faust…belongs to me!”

Shining Armor had heard enough. “Fire!” All of the remaining troops, robot and human alike, unleashed a flurry of bullets at the man. But like inside the building, the bullets ricocheted off of his armor. Once the troops ran out of ammunition in their clips, Night Rogue gunned them down one by one while they reloaded. He then attempted to flee by climbing over the rectangular structures of the building. The surviving troops followed and returned fire.

Night Rogue displayed impressive, super human feats by jumping several feet into the air while avoiding gunfire and counterattacked with ease. The media was eating the show up. “Make sure to get this!” One of the reporters ordered the camera crew.

“…Say…do you feel like something’s off?” Sandalwood asked Micro as they continued to watch.

“I agree…this is not like Night Rogue’s behavior. This…this looks more like a performance, or live action-stage show.” Micro nodded.

“Yeah. But even so, we can’t just ignore this!” Flash said as he changed from PirateTrain to NinninComic form.

Night Rogue spun around and cut down three of the four Guardians that encircled him. He grabbed the last one by the neck and crushed it beneath his grip. Once all resistance was gone, he jumped back down to the encirclement. He glared down at Shining Armor and approached him.

“Is this all you government dogs can do?” He grabbed the lieutenant by the scruff of his and pulled him up until his legs dangled in the air. “You and your attempts to oppose Faust are futile. You cannot stop us. And you will never get the chance again.” He aimed his Transteam gun at Shining Armor’s face. But before he could pull the trigger, something interfered.

“WINDSKILL!”

A gust of wind buffeted the two, forcing Shining Armor out of his grip and Night Rogue to stumble backward. Build jumped over the barricade with his Machine Builder and landed in the clearing.

“Get out of here! Quickly!” The Masked Rider ordered. The remaining officers nodded and pulled Shining Armor away to safety. The media and everyone else followed suit. Despite wanting to get more footage, none of them were suicidal enough to get caught up in the fight. Within seconds, the area was clear. Flash turned to the Bat.

“Say…are you really Rogue?” He voiced his suspicions. The figure responded by shooting at him. Using the reflexes granted by Ninja, Flash reacted and dodged the bullets or deflected them with the Sketch Saber. He rolled to the side of the line of fire. “Answer me!” He pressed the button on the weapon thrice.

“WINDSKILL!”

“TORNADOSLASH!”

He swung the sketch saber and a twister formed and swallowed Night Rogue. He tumbled through the spiraling gales. But he re-righted himself during the spinning and used the centripetal force to build his momentum and shot himself out right at Build. The Rider ducked out of the way before he could take the full brunt of the tackle. Rogue crouched to the ground before he rolled forward and swung his weapon.

Flash took out the Pirate Bottle and shook it while he parried the strikes. Rogue rolled past as he switched the Bottles in his Driver.

“PIRATE!”

Seeing what he was doing, Night Rogue tried to grab the remaining bottle. But he missed when Build spun around at the last moment.

“TRAIN!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Build quickly turned the crank to form the runner. The Bat shot off a few rounds, but the runners acted as shields to protect the Rider mid-transformation.

“ARE YOU READY?”

“Build up!”

The runners slammed into him and he was in PirateTrain form once more. His Sketch Saber in his hand was replaced with the Pirate Platform.

“YEAH!”

Both fighters brandished their weapons. They then charged at each other. Theirs blades clashed as they ran past one another before turning around to continue the fight. They struck blades once. Flash continued by spinning with a wide swing that Night Rogue blocked. He followed up with a quick thrust that was side-stepped.

They slammed their weapons into each other again before breaking off. Flash swung diagonally, but the Bat backed away to avoid it. The latter countered with a back leg front kick that the Rider batted away. Build used this opening for an uppercut slash that struck dead on its mark. Night Rogue was flung back.

Taking a moment to retreat to re-strategize, Night Rogue hopped onto the roof of the laboratory. Flash followed. Rogue vaulted over the roof railing onto solid ground. Flash jumped and swung his weapon downward. The Bat caught it with his own blade and broke off the stalemate. Build then struck again with a horizontal swing while the silver armored warrior stopped it with a vertical slash.

Beneath his helmet, Flash smirked. He pulled the Build Arrow and the weapon charged up.

“REGULAR STOPS!MOVING OUT!”

Night Rogue, realizing what was happening, backed away and crossed his arms to form a guard. Flash straightened the Pirate Platform and fired two bolts of blue energy in succession that struck the enemy’s guard. Flash pulled the arrow again and let it charge a bit more.

“EXPRESS SERVICE!MOVING OUT!” Three bolts of energy shot out and pushed Night Rogue back. Flash pulled the Build Arrow once more with a longer hold.

“RAPID TRANSIT! MOVING OUT!” This time, Night Rogue was ready. He spun around and used his Steam Blade to deflect three of the blasts. But he missed the fourth as it hit him dead center in the chest. The attack dealt significant damage that forced Night Rogue to a knee.

Flash pulled the Build Arrow back and held it there as power charged through the weapon.

“REGULAR STOPS! EXPRESS SERVICE! RAPID TRANSIT!” Green and blue energy swirled at the firing end of the bow.

Night Rogue combined his Steam Blade and Transteam Gun into the Transteam Rifle and turned the dial.

“ELEK STEAM!”

“PIRATETRAIN! MOVING OUT!”

Both fighters aimed their weapons at each other and fired. A green and azure bullet train shot out and destroyed the electrified steam projectile. It changed directions mid air, encircling Night Rogue as he tried to shoot it down. It slammed into him once. Then again and slammed him into the railing of the laboratory roof, right above the area where the people evacuated to.

The impact was too much for the armor as Night Rogue’s transformation cancelled out in a burst of steam, leaving the form of Dusk Walker.

“You…you’re…?!” Flash was surprised by his appearance. Dusk Walker was Night Rogue?!

The bespectacled man hoisted himself up with the metal railing behind him. He pulled himself up until the upper half of his body could be seen over the edge. His face was seen by those below.

“Wait…isn’t that the Research Director’s Secretary?!” One of the reporters called out. This compelled all eyes and cameras to stare at Dusk Walker.

Shining Armor looked on in utter bewilderment. But it was cut short as Dusk’s voice cut through the clamor.

“I served this city in hopes that Canterlot would be the leading force of scientific progress! Even if it meant resorting to human experimentation and military force! If it meant our city would be the greatest on the planet, then it’d be no… it’d be no…” Dusk trailed off as Flash looked on. The Rider couldn’t help but feel something was wrong…like the speech sounded forced. He reached into his pocket.

Flash caught sight of what he grabbed and rushed over to rip it out of his hands. It was a bottle filled with Smash essence. He realized remembered from Gizmo’s notes that unpurified Smash Essence can be fatal to those with reduced Hazard Levels. He wasn’t sure what hazard Level Dusk has, but he’s not willing to risk it. “I’m not letting you kill yourself.”

The bespectacled man glared at Build. He looked down. Then he got up and ran away on the roof. Build gave chase. The suited man hopped over several railings of the large roof before he stopped right next to the railing that overlooked the raging river. “I wonder…I wonder when I lost my way…” Dusk spoke aloud. Build kept quiet as the man leaned against the railing. His eyes were focused on the rapids below.

His face was caked in sweat and he appeared as if he was about to cry. “…Laugh over trivial nonsense….cry for my troubles…to live a…simple life…” He composed himself enough to look at Build. “…Don’t…don’t end up like me….” He swallowed before he finished. “…Flash Sentry.”

This alarmed not only Flash but Sandalwood and Micro who were watching the feed. “You…Dusk Walker…you…how did you know it was me?! We haven’t even met until the other day!”

“Listen to me!” The man said frantically as he grasped him by the shoulders. “It’s not too late to turn back-!”

BANG!

“Augh!” Dusk Walker cried as the bullet struck his shoulder and pushed him over the railing. His body crashed into the raging rapids.

“Dusk Walker!” Flash yelled in a panic as he tried to look for his body from his position. He couldn’t find him. The current was too strong and likely dragged him under.

The Masked Rider slowly turned to the direction where the bullet came from. He felt his stomach drop upon seeing the culprit.

The one who held the still-smoking rifle…was the lieutenant of the Canterlot Police Force, Shining Armor.

“….why…? WHY?! Why did you shoot him like that?! Why did you do it?!” Flash demanded. His voice cracked under the emotional turmoil.

“…You’re welcome.” He said in an unusually cold manner. “With this, we no longer have to worry about Faust.” He handed the firearm off to a subordinate officer before turning on his heel to leave. Flash was stunned by what he just witnessed. The realization sunk in. But he pulled himself out of it as he remembered something important to tell him.

“Wait!” He called out, forcing the officers to stop in their tracks. “Shi-Officer Shining Armor! You need to listen! That murder case with Gizmo Poindexter months ago! It’s not what it seems!”

“…What do you mean?”

“You guys have the wrong Gizmo! The one you captured, it’s not Gizmo at all! Just a random Civilian Blood Stalk used as a scapegoat!”

“…What?” Shining turned to face him with an irritated yet confused expression.

“I mean Stalk can change a person’s face! He changed that person to Gizmo’s face so he’d take the fall and you’d stop looking! The real Gizmo is still out there! And so is Blood Stalk!”

“…” Silence reigned between the two for several moments. The subordinate officers glanced at one another in confusion. Finally, it was the lieutenant who spoke first.

“How stupid do you think I am? No one has the power to change faces like that.” His eyes were as cold as his voice. It was much different than what he knew of the lieutenant.

“But it’s the truth! I saw it myself!”

“And I’m supposed to believe the words of a vigilante? Someone who works around the law?” He asked rhetorically.

“W-well…!” Flash was stuck. Admittedly, the officer had a valid point.

“The only reason why I’m not arresting you now is because you helped stop Night Rogue. Just this once. Next time I see you, I’m bringing you in.” He then turned and started walking. “Goodbye, Build.”

Soon, it was just him on the roof. Flash was too stunned by what just took place. His friends were equally speechless. The Rider’s knees grew weak as he collapsed on his rear end. He backed up until his back hit the railing.

The adrenaline died down and the horrific realization of what took place earlier finally caught up with him. He dry heaved under his helmet, feeling the need to vomit right then and there.

Later…

“I think it was a tragedy to learn that someone involved with this city’s leaders in research and development could’ve been terrorizing people this way.” Shining Armor spoke during the press conference. “But now we have dismantled the organization behind these monsters. I, Shining Armor, will continue to protect Canterlot to the best of my ability.”

Micro Chips closed the video file that played the conference, turning to face his friends. Sol had finally joined up with them after Micro called him and filled him in. Like the others, he had mixed emotions on the current situation. He then pulled up another file he hacked the government database to obtain. “There were all kinds of evidence in the abandoned laboratory. All of it incriminated Dusk Walker as the main culprit. However, there was still no trace of Pandora’s Box anywhere.”

“Dead men tell no tales…” Sandalwood said morbidly.

“All of it…it was all a show…a damn show!” Sol punched his punching bag, causing it to swing wildly. “All of that and for what?! They didn’t even find Pandora’s Box! But now they’re satisfied after finding the fake culprit! Bullshit!”

“And then there’s us, the actors who have been dancing to their tune this entire time.” Flash added distantly, still horrified by what he had seen.

“So…what now?” The eco-teen voiced his thoughts. “What are we gonna do now?”

“…We’ll do what we must do.” Flash answered as he stood up from his seat. He looked at his friends, a new spark of fire in his eyes. “It’s not over yet. Blood Stalk is still out there. And so is Pandora’s Box.”

“We need to find the truth behind the Box in the first place.” Micro added.

“And the truth behind my dad.” Sol added.

“And until all of that is resolved, until Blood Stalk is stopped, our job is not over.” The musician finished. “Now…what’s our next plan of action?”

Meanwhile…

In a different part of town, within a hidden location, Blood Stalk lounged casually in his chair. The door to the room slid open as a figure walked in.

“You’re quite late. I thought I told you to be here…two hours ago. But I guess you were busy. I saw that press conference. Such a shame that Dusk Walker was shown to be responsible for what happened. But what else can you expect from the perfect scapegoat?” Stalk chortled as he spun around. The figure stepped out of the shadows and into the light. “I think the cameras caught your good side….lieutenant Shining Armor.”

The blue haired officer, still in uniform, glared at the red armored man. Wordlessly, he pulled out his Transteam Gun and inserted a familiar bottle.

“BAT!”

He raised the gun to his temple. “…Jouketsu.” He pulled the trigger as a cloud of black smoke completely enveloped his body, his outline flickering amidst the obscurity.

“MIST MATCH!”

“BAT…BA-BAT….FIRE!”

The smoke dissipated. The form of Canterlot’s lieutenant officer was replaced by the daunting form of Night Rogue…the TRUE Night Rogue.

Night Rogue teleported right in front of Stalk and pressed his Steam Blade to his throat. “You have caused quite an inconvenience for Faust, Stalk. And you have seen the end of my patience. So give my one good reason why I shouldn’t cut you down right here and now?”

“Really…?” The Cobra scoffed as he casually pushed aside the blade. Night Rogue gave no resistance. Stalk then stood up and paced around the room. “Why so serious, Shiny? It was a good call! We musn’t off those kids so soon. We need more data. They have so much more to offer us.”

“…get to the point.” Unlike before, the Bat’s voice seemed more subdued.

“Ah, yes….I know who’s under the mask of the Masked Rider. Just two words…only two.” He spun around and looked at Night Rogue in the eye, grinning widely beneath his helmet.

“…Flash Sentry.”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

First chapter of the new year. Thank you for all your support up to now.

Wow, this was intense. Probably one of the most intense ones to date. But this is not the end. There is more to come.

Next time will be the calm before the impending storm...focusing on the Rainbooms side of things. Time to experience some Movie Magic...with a twist.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train

Special 1: Movie Magic

The clouds had darkened the sky. Flashes of lightning illuminated the bleak havens as the volcano below it bubbled and smoked. All around, as far as the eye could see were the green treetops of the rain forest. Strolling towards the fiery mountain was a cloaked man. His boots crunches over the grassy earth as a gold medallion shone brightly on the clasp of his cloak.

The man pulled down his hood, revealing a man with short black hair and a thin goatee. He unfurled his cloak, revealing his beige, explorer’s attire and cackled evilly to the heavens. “It is almost time!” He pulled out a golden scepter from his satchel. “Once I have all three relics, no one will be able to stop me! And Marapore will fall!”

He grasped the scepter with both hands and raised it high into the air. “For I…am Stalwart Stallioooo-!”

“Whoa, whoa whoa!” Rainbow Dash interjected, forcing the man to pause mid-rant.

“CUT!” The director called out in response to her interruption. All eyes turned to the Rainbow haired girl. Her friends stood beside her while Spike was in a director’s chair right next to the Director of the movie.

“Sorry!” She apologized. “But at this point in the story, Stalwart Stallion would be known as Mojo.” As she explained, Twilight was miming her to be quiet, something she took notice of.

“What? You want Daring Do fans to call him out for making a mistake like that?”Her friends just sighed in exasperation with her antics. They understood that she was a hardcore Daring Do fan, but she needs to learn when to draw the line.

Rolling his eyes, the Director continued. “Alright, let’s go again. And this time, say Mojo instead of Stalwart Stallion, okay? And action!” The video shoot continued, leaving Rainbow Dash grinning in excitement.

However, there was an additional uninvited guest. Up in the studio rafters, unseen by the workers below, sat Blood Stalk on one of the cross beams. He lazily swung his leg in the air while drumming his fingers on his knee. “Meh, the girl’s right. The scene could’ve been better from the start. But what else would you expect from movie adaptations?” He shifted in his seat to get a better look. “Well, at least they’re trying. So why not see how it goes?”

The Rainbooms looked around in amazement as they were led through the studio of the Daring Do movie. The one leading them through the building was Canter Zoom, a well-known movie director. He was a middle aged man with light orange skin and green hair tied in a short pony tail with a neatly trimmed beard. He was dressed in beige slacks, a green dress shirt, and a tan cargo vest with brown loafers.

While Twilight Sparkle was definitely amazed, she was still troubled. After the Faust raid, and upon the discovery of Night Rogue being Dusk Walker, her parents had been swamped by the media for questions given how Dusk was their secretary.

The situation had gotten stressful for her family, but they didn’t want her to be swept up in it as well. As a result, they allowed her to go on the trip with her friends. Fortunately, they had been supportive and tried to help her feel better about the situation. As of now, she tried to forget her family worries and try to enjoy the tour.

“I can’t believe we’re really here!” Rainbow squealed excitedly.

“Thank you so much for letting us come, Mr. Zoom.” Twilight said gratefully.

“We promise we won’t get in the way…again.” Sunset leered at the athlete, who could only chuckle nervously.

“Well, as a fellow Camp Everfree Alumnus I was more than happy to afford the girls who helped save it the chance to visit the set of our little film.”

“L-little?” Rainbow scoffed. “This is Daring Do we’re talking about, here! This movie is gonna be huge!”

“Uh, excuse me.” A studio worker spoke with Director Zoom. “We have a problem in wardrobe. They can’t find the costume Daring Do is supposed to wear in the Night Club scene.”

The director face palmed. “If we’re ever gonna finish it, it will be.” He mumbled before smiling back at the girls. “If you’ll excuse me…” He and the worker left to settle the issue.

“This is going to be awesome!” Rainbow repeated. “We’re going to see all the sets and scenes before anyone else! And with Faust gone, nothing and ruin this!”

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack swatted her friend’s arm. She gestured to the dismayed Twilight, who had been directly affected by the incident the other day.

“Oh…right…sorry about that Twi.” The athlete sheepishly apologized.

“How are you holding up?” Sunset asked in concern.

“Well, could be better. Just wish I could say the same for my parents.” In the aftermath of the successful Faust raid led by her brother. Her parents had been hounded by the media wanting answers to Dusk Walker being Faust’s leader. They wanted to know if her parents had any idea about his affiliation from the start and been trying to push back the tides of reporters and interviews.

Her dad had been devastated by the revelation. To learn that one of his most trusted subordinates had been a traitor all along. Her mother was equally distraught, remembering Dusk Walker as reliable co-worker and assistant.

What’s more, she couldn’t help but notice that her brother was acting…off lately. He seemed more distant at times. Especially after the Raid. And he had been coming home later than usual. He claimed it was overtime at the station, but she had a gut feeling something was wrong. Especially in prior instances when he didn’t seem to believe her about Faust.

“I’m sorry to hear about Dusk Walker.” The otherworldly girl continued. “None of us could have known. None of us were even aware until he revealed himself.”

“Even so, I’ve never seen my parents so disheartened. And Shining…lately I can barely recognize him.”

“Is it because of what happened at the end of the raid?” Rarity questioned.

The lavender haired girl numbly nodded. During his role in the press conference, he had admitted to shooting Dusk Walker, claiming he had been acting hostile and resisted capture. He had no choice but to use lethal force. And he didn’t even bat an eye at the fact he killed him. She knew her brother tried to separate personal feelings from work, but never had she seen him act so coldly, as if Dusk was an irredeemable criminal that must be put down.

Granted, given his status as Faust’s leader and what they were doing to people, it made sense. She was just having a hard time wrapping her head around everything. “And that’s worse is that Blood Stalk…he never turned up at the Raid. Neither did Pandora’s Box. He’s still out there, doing who knows what? I just….I just don’t know what to do…”

“Twilight…” Spike whimpered. He hated seeing his owner and friend like this. He padded over and nuzzled her leg.

Pinkie was the first to glomp her in a comforting hug. “It’ll be okay, Sci-Twi. We’re all here for you. If you need to cry, we’ll cry with you. But know we’ll all be there for you. Right girls?”

“Right.” The rest pulled in for a whole group hug, comforting their intellectual friend. “Whatever Stalk has planned or wherever he is…we’ll be ready for him.”

“Thank you guys…thanks so much…” Touched by their actions, Twilight couldn’t help but shed a tear.

“No problem. We’re your friends.” Sunset Shimmer nodded in support. The lavender haired girl nodded in agreement, feeling much better, something everyone was relieved for.

“So…what should we do now?” Pinkie asked.

“Well…according to our visitor’s schedules, they won’t be starting the next scene for a while.” Twilight said after pulling out said schedule. “So which means we’ll be able to-“

“-get my picture taken with Chestnut Magnifico! The actress playing Daring Do~!” Rarity squealed ecstatically.

“And ask her to sign my petition to bring more bird feeders to Canterlot High.” Fluttershy added hopefully.

The other girls looked at her in confusion after hearing that statement. How was that related? The pink haired girl noted the looked and explained while snuggling Spike in her arms. “Chestnut Magnifico is an avid supporter of the foundation that helps build homes for animals in need.”

“O-oh, okay. But I was thinking we could-“ Twilight said before she was interrupted again.

“Check out all the sets?” Sunset suggested excitedly.

“Ah’d sure like ta take a closer look at that volcano.” Applejack added in agreement.

“Actually I thought we’d-“

“Find a buffet!” Spike exclaimed. Pinkie Pie scooted over and grabbed Spike before lifting him in the air.

“And the Cupcake Fountain!”

Now it was Pinkie’s turn to be the target of strange looks. “I…don’t know what a cupcake fountain is, but I’m pretty sure they don’t have that.” Rainbow stated.

“Of course they do!” The party planner said as she pulled out a pamphlet. “I found it in my hundred things you didn’t know about this studio insider tour guide.”

“Is the number one thing we didn’t know that the guy who founded this studio was an eccentric oddball with a sweet tooth?” Applejack asked jokingly.

Pinkie Pie blinked before she read her guide again and nodded energetically. “Yes!”

Twilight glanced around at her friends. “…I guess we’re splitting up, then?” All heads nodded. The others went off their respective ways, leaving Rainbow Dash and Twilight alone.

“Well, I don’t suppose you want to-“

“Check out the props that A.K. Yearling designed especially for the movie?!” Rainbow finished.

“It’s like you read my mind!” The intellectual said, equally hyped. The two then made their way to their desired destination. Up above, Blood Stalk was idly watching.

“Isn’t friendship just simply beautiful?” He sniffed as he spied on the group of friends. “…such a shame that I’ll have to destroy it eventually. But a cupcake fountain…? That sounds like a fun idea!” He disappeared in a cloud of mist.

Meanwhile…

Inside Team Build’s base, Micro was hard at work at the super computer. He had finally decrypted the files for Project Sclash. The information he attained from reading them simply astounded him.

To think his brother was working on a greater level of Drivers after the Build Driver. Granted, there were complications involved. The test data was incomplete. Meaning that there was no indication whether or not a specific hazard level is used. The Drivers also required an item called a Schlashjelly. These are items similar to the Fullbottles. However, the substance within is made from taking the liquid state of Nebula Gas within the Fullbottles and transforming them into a gel.

Based on the research documents he read, the project was ultimately incomplete. But the foundation was there. All Micro needed to do was apply it. “With this…we’ll have the advantage over Faust for once…” He murmured.

“Hey Micro!” Sandalwood called out from the upper floor. His shout alerted the glasses-wearing teen and he closed the windows. He quickly pulled up a map of the city and resumed tracking the Box.

“You guys are late. What took you so long?” He asked back, acting nonchalant.

“There was a huge crowd at the mall. Took us longer than expected.”

“It should NOT have taken two hours just to get lunch.” Flash complained as he, Sandalwood and Sol entered the room. “The only reason it did was because the people there wanted your autograph, and we had to stay for the restaurant owner to take your picture and talk with you.”

“Hey, at least we got lunch half-off.” Sol argued. “The owner insisted. What a nice guy.”

“Whatever, let’s just eat. I’m starving.” The teens broke out the takeout containers and chop sticks. The delicious smell of lo mein wafted throughout the room. The four immediately went to work and consumed their lunch. Within minutes were four empty containers.

“Man…that hit the spot.” Sol patted his stomach. “Those were good noodles. They sure didn’t skimp on the meat.”

“Yeah. By the way, how’s the progress in tracking the Box, Micro?” Flash questioned.

“Same old, same old unfortunately. I’m having some trouble locking down the signature. And I haven’t been able to track the bug you put on Night Rogue either. It’s either he hasn’t transformed, or something is jamming the signal.” Micro shook his head.

“So we’re back to square one then? Bummer.” The eco teen sighed.

“I’ll keep looking. But I’m not sure how much further I can get until I can isolate the signal of either one.”

“So more waiting? So boring…!” Sol groaned as he fell flat on his back.

“Hey, you’re not the one working hard trying to find the Box, musclehead!” Micro snapped back.

“But there’s no action until we do! Remind me again why we couldn’t have gone with the girls to the studio?” The fighter wondered.

“That’s because the invite was only extended to them, seeing as how they’re the ones that saved Camp Everfree.” Flash answered.

“Oh, right…I wonder what kind of fun they’re having now.”

After splitting up, Rarity and Fluttershy went to Chestnut Magnifico’s trailer. However, the actress had a diva tantrum with her manager on the phone and stormed off, not even noticing them.

Sunset and Applejack walked through the volcano set, wondering how long it took to set up the various stages. They found a wrapper for a Bon Mont peanut butter praline crunch bar on stage surprisingly.

Rainbow and Twilight found themselves in the city stage and saw the three artifact props for the Daring Do movie. They consisted of the staff, sword, and arrow from the novels. And there they met Juniper Montage, Canter Zoom’s niece and assistant. She was a girl their age with pale skin and long teal hair tied in pig tails with cinema tape hair ties. She wore a light blue blouse with a purple jacket over it and black pencil skirt. She also wore a pair of purple rimmed glasses and a gold bangle on her left wrist.

The three instantly hit it off after learning how she got A.K. Yearling to sign the latest Daring Do book. And she offered to show them around the studio using the various keys she has for complete access.

And last but not least, Pinkie Pie and Spike were in the concession stands. The former was seated in a chair while the latter sat on the shelf next to her. All around them were empty wrappers of peanut butter praline crunch bars. The fizzy haired girl sighed as she went over her list.

“Haa…three lunch buffets, six different kinds of fondue, and two rooms with nothing but candy….and still no Cupcake Fountain!” She then shrugged. “Oh well. At least we found those peanut butter praline crunch bars. They weren’t in my guide book, but they sure were delicious!”

“Ah~ I’ll say. Think they got any more?” Spike asked.

“Ah! One more month, Chestnut that is all we need!” Both pairs of eyes snapped over to the table, where they saw Canter Zoom pleading to an irate Chestnut Magnifico. She was a tanned girl with blonde hair with pink highlights tied up in a bun. She was dressed in a pink dress and white short sleeved cardigan. She also appeared to be looking for something.

“I’m doing everything I can to keep us on schedule. But with all the setbacks we’ve had I don’t think we can do it! If you can just agree to stay on for one more month!” He begged.

“Unacceptable!” She snapped.

“But-!”

“Where…are my imported peanut putter praline crunch bars?!”

Pinkie’s and Spike’s eyes shrunk in realization. Uh-oh. “…Now would probably be a good time to resume the search for that Cupcake Fountain.” The latter suggested. The former nodded, picked him up, and quietly snuck away.

Once the two were out of sight and earshot, they finally relaxed. “Phew…that was close.”

“Yeah…who knew Chestnut loved her crunch bars?” Spike wondered as he hopped out of her arms. “Now I feel bad that we ate them all.”

“Me too, Spike. But let this be our little secret, okay?”

“Got it.”

“What secret?”

The new voice caused the two to jump with a yelp. They quickly turned around, and were surprised to see a familiar face.

“Based on your reactions…are you two in trouble or something?” Silver Speech asked as he held onto an empty cooler.

“Hoh! Silver!” Pinkie Pie skipped over and jumped on the man for a hug. “I can’t believe it! What are you doing here?!”

“Guh! N-Nice to see you too…Pinkie Pie…!” Silver gasped out from the bone crushing hug. He took a huge gulp of air when she finally released him. “Whew…you sure give strong hugs.”

“Yep! One of my many specialties~!” She smiled.

“So, what are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t come. And didn’t you have work today?” Spike pointed out.

“I’m actually on the job right now. You see, the Cakes actually had a delivery order for several dozen cupcakes to the studio. I just finished dropping them off and had some extra time. The workers were nice enough to let me look around for a bit as long as it’s not the set itself.”

“Wow! I didn’t know that! Were you trying to surprise us?” She asked teasingly.

“Not really. It was a last minute thing. Apparently their original catering shipment for cupcakes failed to deliver, so they called Sugar Cube Corner for a resupply.”

“Cupcake shipment? But I thought the Studio’s Cupcake Fountain to take care of that.” Pinkie wondered.

“Cupcake Fountain?” He asked in confusion. “Is that really a thing? How does that even work?”

“Uh-huh! It’s on my tour guide! See?” She held it up for him to look at.

“….huh. Well I’ll be darned. I didn’t even know that was possible.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t see it when you were looking around?” Spike asked.

“Nope. If I had, I probably would’ve found it with all the other cupcakes I dropped off.” Silver shook his head. “Well, I think I spent enough time here. I better get back to the café. The Cakes are still working hard during the lunch rush. It was nice seeing you here.” He waved goodbye and left.

“Bye! See you again soon!” Pinkie waved until he was out of sight.

“Well, I guess our Cupcake Fountain search was a bust.” Spike frowned. “Still, I was surprised to see him here.”

“Me too. Good thing the Cakes were able to make all those cupcakes on such short notice.”

Then they heard a loud clang and an angry scream behind them, likely from Chestnut. “…now if only someone put in a rush order for those crunch bars…” The two then skedaddled on out of there.

The two fell out of sight. Minutes later, a familiar red armored figure stepped out of the shadows…..strangely munching on a cupcake…through his helmet. “Mmm…that Cupcake Fountain was delicious…good thing I stole it for later.” He then snuck away to follow Pinkie Pie.

Later, the Rainbooms regrouped on the Volcano set where the next scene was about to be filmed. “ou guys should’ve seen the relics….they were amazing!” Rainbow Dash squealed loudly.

“Quiet on set! Please!” Canter Zoom scolded. He had a stressful day with all the delays and just wanted to keep things on schedule without additional interruptions.

“Hehe…sorry.” She apologized. “Maybe I’ll just go take one more peek at them.” She then dashed off to their stored location.

“Thank you.” The director sighed. “And…Action!”

The actor that played Stalwart Stallion/Mojo approached the volcano was ominous music played. However, the volcano prop started to shake before it caved in on itself, causing everyone to gasp and the actor to flee from the stage.

“Cut! Cut! CUUUT!!!” Canter yelled. Once the dust settled, the volcano…or what was left of it, was a complete mess. Half of it had broken off and collapsed in on itself. “What is going on here? We just filmed on this volcano and it was fine! This could set us back weeks…!” He lamented. Just when things couldn’t get any worse…

“They’re gone!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she ran up to the group. “They’re all gone!”

“….what’s gone?” The director asked, too afraid to know and sincerely hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was.”

“The relics!” Juniper answered as she ran up next to Rainbow Dash.

Everyone was screamed in shock.

Meanwhile, Blood Stalk watched all of the commotion from his rafter seat. “…Dun dun duuun…!”

After their brief panic episode, the Rainbooms rushed over to the stage where the relics were kept. “I wanted to check them again up close, and they weren’t there!” Rainbow explained.

“This…can’t be…happening!” Canter screamed. “What are we gonna do?!”

“Couldn’t you just get the prop department to make new ones?” Sunset suggested.

“The missing relics were personally approved by A.K. Yearling herself!” He rubbed the space between his eyes to ease the stress. “We could have new ones made but we can’t use them until Yearling has given her official stamp of approval! You think it’d be easy to reach someone who’s holed up in her office writing, but Miss Yearling is a very difficult woman to track down…”

“It’ll be okay though…right?” Rainbow asked hopefully.

“Miss Chestnut’s contract is almost up! And with Mt. Vahoovius collapsing and now THIS?! I fear we’ll have to stop production all together!” The director said sadly.

“But…but you’ll have to finish this movie! Think of all the Daring Do fans that’ll be so disappointed if you don’t!” Rainbow desperately urged.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you can do to-?” Twilight asked before a loud crash cut her off.

“I-IIII’m so sorry…” Canter apologized. “Please excuse me…” he walked off to go face the music. Juniper smiled apologetically before following her uncle.

The girls and Spike were left alone, distraught by the unfortunate turn of events. They all looked at one another in confusion save for Twilight, who hummed in thought.

“Now that I think about it, there was trouble with one of the costumes when we first arrived.” She stated before pacing. “A set that was fine yesterday just collapsed. And now the most important props of the movie had been stolen. I don’t think these are just coincidences.”

Me neither.” Sunset agreed. “All these things that happened on set have put production on hold.” She inspected the empty display case.”It seems like someone is going through a lot of trouble to make sure that this movie doesn’t get made.”

“So…who could it be?” Spike asked. Fluttershy then gasped.

“You…you don’t think…” She glanced at Rarity, who quickly caught on.

“Hm? Oh no no no…surely it couldn’t be.” The girls looked them in confusion while Sunset twirled her finger, gesturing them to continue.

The fashionista and care taker glanced at one another before the latter spoke. “When Rarity and I followed Chestnut Magnifico to her trailer, we overheard her saying something about shutting down the movie.”

“Well, she said she wanted something shut down. We don’t know if she was talking about the movie.” Rarity supplied.

“Maybe she’s just really mad that they’re always running out of her imported praline crunch bars.” Pinkie Pie popped in next to her.

Now it was Sunset and Applejack’s turn to glance at each other before the former pulled out a wrapper of the aforementioned candy bar from her pocket. “Bon Mont butter praline crunch bars?”

“Those are the ones ~!”

“We may have…tried a few ourselves. Ehehe.” Spike chuckled nervously.

“We found this on the Mount Vahoovius set right before it collapsed.”

“It seems like all the signs are pointing to Chestnut Magnifico as the one causing all the problems around here.” Twilight hypothesized.

“I don’t know who’s behind this or what’s going on but the first thing we need to do is find those relics.” Rainbow decided.

“I agree.” The intellectual of the group nodded. “The relics were here earlier. And if Chestnut is behind this, then they must still be around here somewhere.”

“Chestnut Magnifico is an acclaimed actress.” The fashionista argued with crossed arms.”She’d never do something so dramatic. “

“An actress? Dramatic? Never.” Sunset sarcastically smirked.

“Well, she might do something like this if she were tryin’ to get outta workin’ on a movie she didn’t wanna do.” Applejack pointed out.

“Why don’t Fluttershy, Pinkie, Spike and I follow Chestnut Magnifico and see if we can find anything out?” Sunset suggested as she started to walk off the set.

“Let’s do it!” Pinkie cheered in agreement before she followed. Fluttershy and Spike followed suit.

“In the mean time, we should look for the relics.” Twilight continued.

“Where are we supposed ta look? It’s not like there’s some mysterious thief an cloak figure we can chase after an say ‘hey! Tell us where yer keepin’ the relics!’”

“You mean like that one?” Rarity pointed to the figure that matched the exact description lurking in the shadows. Said cloaked figure flinched and turned to the remaining girls. Their features were hidden beneath the shadow of the hood.

“Hey! Stop right there!” Rainbow yelled. The figure ran off. She grabbed the geode around her neck and let the magic fuel her. The athlete sped off in pursuit, kicking up a gust that messed up the girls’ hair. They paused for a second, wondering how she managed to sneak her geode through security before giving chase.

This led to a wild chase scene all over the studio. All the while, snazzy chase music was being played, courtesy of Stalk from an unseen location. The hooded figure managed to outpace Rainbow as they ran through the ruined volcano set, the stored set props, and Chestnut’s trailer. Rainbow finally stopped behind an unknown set, trying to find out where the culprit went. Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight finally caught up to her, panting in exhaustion.

“I can’t believe I lost them!” The athlete complained. “My geode gives me super speed, but I guess being awesomely fast doesn’t help when the person you’re chasing knows their way better than you do.”

Sunset and the others walked around the corner and found their friends. “Hey guys.”

“Any luck finding Chestnut?”

“We couldn’t find her.” The fiery haired girl shook her head.

“And still no Cupcake Fountain.” Pinkie said sadly before perking back up while pulling said treat from her hair and eating it. “But we did find the shipment of cupcakes Silver delivered!”

“Then we got lost, and somehow ended up here. What have you guys been doing?”

“We spotted this super suspicious cloak figure, but then they got away!” Rainbow answered. “They’re here somewhere…”

“Hey!” a new voice called out, grabbing their attention. It was a young man with short blue hair dressed in a polo shirt and slacks. He had an earpiece microphone and a lanyard ID, indicating he was a studio worker. Based on his expression, he seemed panicked. “Where are your costumes? We gotta hurry! I-I’m gonna be so fired if you aren’t ready! The Director wants to shoot in three minutes!” Without even listening for a reply, the man pushed all of the Rainbooms into the costume department to get changed.

In the next moment, they were shoved onto a metropolitan city backdrop set dressed in skintight body suits of various colors and designs, heels, and eye masks save for Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight wore a maroon suit with star-like designs and a face mask with goggles. Her hair was styled differently, part of her bangs curled up.

Rarity wore a dark blue body suit with a high collar and various pink gem decorations. She even had gems in her hair.

Applejack work a red, green, and black body suit that only left her eyes, mouth, and cranium exposed. She even had a green hair net on.

Pinkie Pie had a white body suit with magenta lining. It covered her head, but left enough room for her floofy hair to stick out.

Rainbow had on a black costume with lightning bolts on her legs, white gloves, and boots. Her hair was styled differently, being shorter and spikier.

Fluttershy wore a teal costume with purple boots, accents, and butterfly decorations. She had a butterfly-shaped mask and an similarly shaped ornament in her hair, which was swept back and wavy.

Sunset wore a purple, black, and gold costume that was cut below her collar bone. She had on a wig made of wild green hair. As she examined her costume, she noted that she looked like some sort of villain.

Even Spike wasn’t spared as he wore a black eye mask, a small jumpsuit for his size, and a red cape.

“Ah-Ah think there’s been some kind of mistake!” Applejack voiced, finally able to speak from the mad rush of getting ready.

“Wait a minute!” The director called out, taking a closer look at the girls in costume. “…who are these girls?!”

“Th-they’re the Power Ponies!” The worker said, hoping he didn’t mess things up. But his hopes were dashed when the director face palmed. “I’m fired, aren’t I?”

“So fired.”

The girls felt somewhat bad for the worker. The farm girl then noticed someone between the backdrop panels. “Hey! There she is!” The girls rushed over to the opening. But with the gap so narrow, they got stuck.

Meanwhile, Stalk was doing his best to hold in his laughter from the ridiculousness of it all, all the while enjoying the upcoming chase scene. “This is gonna be fun.”

The girls chased after the cloaked figure through a misty street on a cloudy night. Then through a throne room. Then through a bright city street with cars parked. Pinkie, being the last one, slid over one of the cars like in the movies. Then she panicked and ran when the alarm went off.

Now the group chased the culprit through some space station hallway. Rainbow led the charged and urged her exhausted friends to keep up. Unfortunately, they lacked the athlete’s athleticism and stamina. At this point, they were dragging their feet.

Finally, they entered a new room, taking a small break to catch their breath. Once they calmed down, they took note of the new set they were on. It was a city…covered in what seemed to be….chocolate pudding?

“...What’s this place supposed to be?” Applejack wondered.

“And where did she go?”

“She must be around here somewhere…wherever here is…” Twilight suggested. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pike grinned in excitement. She recognized this set.

“Are you kidding?! This is the set of Stormy with a Side of Pudding!”

“Stormy with a side of what now?” The farm girl questioned.

“Oh, guh! It’s only my all-time favorite movie!” The girls only shrugged. “I tried getting you all to watch it with me like, a gazillion, billion times! I heard they use real pudding!” She dashed over to one of the walls, scooped up the brown substance, and slurped it up. “Hohh! They do!” She licked her lips.

“Ugh! We’re running out of time!” Rainbow yelled. “We’re supposed to be finding the missing relics and catching the bad guy! Not eating pudding!” As she ranted, the cloaked figure peered around the corner and prepared a net.

“We’re trying. Maybe we should make our way back to the Daring Do set.” Twilight reasoned. “They’re might’ve been some clues we missed.”

The figure then threw the net and entangled the Rainbooms save for Rainbow Dash. The athlete turned and saw the culprit run away. “Don’t worry!” She clutched her geode. “I got this!” She sped off, leaving a trail of pudding.

She found herself in another empty studio. “…I saw you come in here.” She said warily. “Where are you?” She took note of the door in front of her closing. Steeling her nerves, she rushed in and found herself within the prop storage room. There were various masks, set props, and even monster props. The last one freaked her out until she realized it was just a costume. She then took note of the open locker and took out the dress inside.

“Hey! This is just like the dress Daring Do wore in the Night Club scene! What’s this doing here?” With her fascination, she didn’t notice the culprit sneak behind her and out the door until it was too late. By the time she turned around, they slammed the door shut and locked it.

The athlete tried to wretch the doors open, but her magic was super speed, not super strength. The doors wouldn’t budge no matter how hard she pulled. “H-hello?! Anybody out there?!” She yelled out in hopes of someone hearing her.

There was no response. She almost gave up hope, until she realized she could call her friends…but then realized that they left their phones back at security when they entered the building. So…she resumed yelling for help.

Finally, the girls untangled themselves from the net. “We have to find Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said.

“But I don’t see how.” Rarity argued. “She moved so fast she could be anywhere in the lot right now. Why she thought it necessary to use her geode to have super speed in a movie set I’ll never know.”

“I wish I brought mine.” Sunset spoke. “Just one touch and I could see Chestnut’s memories and get to the bottom of this whole thing.”

“Why didn’t you bring it?” Twilight asked. Ever since Faust showed up weeks ago, they decided it was a good idea to wear their geodes more often as a means of self defense.

“I…forgot to put it on.” She admitted sheepishly. “I woke up late and didn’t have much time to get ready.”

“I know how to find Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie announced. “Follow the pudding!” Once again, the girls stared at her oddly. She then pointed to the spilled pudding and the trail she made. Spike was busy sniffing said trail. “See?”

The puppy caught the scent. “Follow me.” He then scurried off.

“You’re a genius Pinkie Pie!”

“I know~!”

“C’mon! This way!” Sunset led the pursuit of their friend. Pinkie and Twilight were about to leave, but the former shoved the massive bucket of pudding into her hair.

“For the road.” The two then followed. Once the doors slammed shut, Blood Stalk dropped down to the set. He went over and sampled the substance from the walls.

“Hm…they DO use real pudding….but how did they get it to keep? I though this stuff expired unless refrigerated…humans come up with the strangest things…”

Spike had tracked the trail to the studio room Rainbow was in. The trail of pudding stopped here. “There’s no more pudding. So she must be here somewhere.” Pinkie said as they all looked for her.

“Hello?” Twilight called. “Is anyone here?”

“Rainbow Dash? Where are you?!”

A set of doors rattled. Fluttershy, being the closest took notice and approached. As she got closer, she heard the screams of their friend.

“Help! Somebody! I’m trapped in here!”

“Hello? Rainbow Dash? Are you in there?” The usually timid girl asked.

“Yes! Help! I’m locked in!”

“It’s okay, Dashie! We’re here!” She pulled on the doors, but they wouldn’t move.

“I’ll go find somebody with a key.” Sunset offered.

“Or I could just do this.” Applejack said as she was about to touch her geode.

“Hold on, Applejack. We shouldn’t try to break the doors down.” Twlight stopped her. “Let me.” She touched her own geode and purple light covered her extended hand. She pressed it against the lock, moving the mechanisms until she heard a click.

Almost immediately, Rainbow ran out the door and tackled her savior in a hug. “Boy am I so happy to see you!”

“No problem…” She grunted as Rarity and Sunset helped them up.

“How did you guys find me? I’ve gave up yelling and banging on the door five minutes ago.”

“Pudding.” Pinkie answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Never lies.” She then chugged the bucket she picked up earlier.

“Hey, is that the costume that went missing when we got here?” Sunset inquired about the article in the athlete’s hands.

“Yeah. I didn’t see the person who locked me in and there’s still no sign of the relics.”

“Huh. I say we head back ta the scene of the crime. Maybe there’s something there that could lead us ta the relics” The farm girl suggested.

“Hmm…or we could let the culprit lead us to them.” Twilight said as the pieces were coming closer together in her head.

“How?” Rainbow asked. “I just told you I didn’t see who locked me in here.”

“I’ve got a pretty good idea who the thief is, but we’re gonna need Canter Zoom’s help to catch them.” The others looked around in confusion.

Up in the rafters, Stalk had caught up and was rubbing his hands together. “Oh boy…the big reveal is soon~!”

Later…

The girls regrouped on the set where the relics used to be. Canter Zoom, Juniper, and Chestnut were present as well. The missing costume was in the director’s hands. “So you girls found this in the supply closet?”

“We didn’t find the relics, but we don’t think the thief has had the chance to take them off the lot yet.” Twilight answered. “We wanted your permission to search the tri-corner set, maybe we’ll find a clue to where they’re hidden.” As she explained, Pinkie Pie popped in and out of view with a magnifying glass. Her randomness drew Chestnut’s attention before she faced forward again.

“Of course.” The director nodded. “Chestnut, I need you to get to hair and makeup. As soon as we get the relics we’re going to start shooting again.”

“Hm. We’ll see.” She said halfheartedly before she headed off.

“Juniper?” He called to his niece. “Can you do a smoothie run? I’m sure all this sleuthing is going to make everyone thirsty.”

“Absolutely!” She saluted before running off.

“And I have to ask but…why are you girls dressed like the Power Ponies?” The director finally voiced his confusion.

“…it’s a long story.” In their rush to solve the mystery, they all forgot to change back to their clothes.

The cloaked figure snuck through the backgrounds of the ruined volcano set. They made their way to a lone crate at the bottom of a shelf. They bent down and pulled out the three missing relics. As they rose, their hood fell off revealing the culprit to be Juniper Montage.

“Ah-ha!” Rarity called out. “I told you all it wasn’t chestnut.” Alarmed, Juniper spun around and found The Rainbooms and her uncle surrounding her.

“L-Look!” She said. “I found the missing relics!”

“That’s because you stole them in the first place.” Sunset accused.

“She…she wouldn’t!” Canter Zoom refused to believe it.

“She would.” Twilight explained. “And she did. But what she didn’t expect was for Rainbow Dash to come to the tri-corner set before she was able to sneak them off to a safer hiding spot. So she was forced to hide them in the first place she could find. But she knew she couldn’t leave them there. So the first chance she got she tried to sneak them away. Unfortunately for her, we spotted her. But Juniper knows every inch of this place like the back of her hand, as she told us, and was able to trap us and lose Rainbow Dash…for a while. But when Rainbow tracked her down, she locked her in a closet using the keys that gave her access to just about every door in the studio. And that gave her the time to hide the relics here.”

"Wait, when did you figure out it was her?” Rainbow asked.

“I started piecing things together when I got you out of that closet. But I knew Juniper would never admit she was the culprit.” Twilight continued.

“Unless of course she was caught trying to move them again.” Sunset supplied.

“Which was why I told you to send her on that smoothie run.” The intellectual explained to the betrayed Canter. “So she’d think she’d have the opportunity to get the relics off the lot where we’d never find them.”

“…but instead of searching the tri-corner set, you all secretly followed me here.” Juniper finished in dismay.

“But…why would you do this?” Canter asked.

“I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I just can’t stand Chestnut!” Juniper snapped. “She’s always eating all the peanut butter praline crunch bars which are the only candy bars I like.” Meanwhile, Pinkie took a bite of said bar after pulling one from her hair.

“But that’s hardly a reason to-!” But Juniper cut off her uncle.

“And I was mad at you for casting her as Daring Do! I mean, I told you over, and over again how badly I wanted to play Daring Do and you just ignored me!”

“But Juniper! You’re too young! You don’t have any experience!” he argued.

“I know! But I thought if enough things went wrong then maybe Chestnut back out of the movie and then…” She glanced up to the stern and disappointed face of her uncle. “…you would give me a chance?”

“Not only did you jeopardize the production, endanger the safety of the actors and the film crew, but you also lied to me, and took advantage of my trust!”

‘I know…” She said regretfully. “And I’m sorry! I never meant to hurt anyone! I was gonna return the props just as soon as Chestnut quit. I…I hope you can forgive me…”

Canter Zoom glared at her sternly before he sighed. “You’re my niece Juniper. So of course I forgive you. But I’m sorry to say that you’re no longer welcome on this set, and it’ll be a long time before I consider allowing you back here!” He snapped his fingers and a security guard appeared. “Keys!”

Juniper reluctantly handed off her keys before the guard escorted her off the set. But before she walked out the doors, she shot a glare at the Rainbooms for foiling her plot. But before she could fully leave…

“Forgiveness AND punishment? How unusual.” A warped voice spoke out. The others looked around in confusion, but Twilight stiffened. She recognized it. But…why was HE here?!

“Who said that?” Rainbow wondered.

“Who’s there?!” Sunset called out. For some reason, she felt a chill down her spine.

“Over here. Look up!” All heads inclined to the source. The speaker was a man clad in red armor that was fashioned off of a cobra. His visor and chest plate were teal and had a single horn protruding from the forehead. With a small wave, the man dropped down from the rafters and landed on his feet.

“Buon Giorno~!” Stalk greeted in Istallion. “I must say, your little missing relic mystery was certainly entertaining. And you Rainbomb girls solved it within the afternoon, too! Bravo~!” He clapped happily.

“Wh-who are you?! How did you get on this set?!” Canter demanded. “Security!” The guard meant to escort Juniper and several others appeared and rushed at the man. They grabbed him. But Tendrils snaked out of Stalk’s gauntlets and injected lethal venom into two of them. Their skin became discolored before they broke down into particles. He then punched the remaining two, disintegrating them as well.

Everyone was stunned. No one breathed. This man just…killed four people right in front of them with ease. They stared as he dusted his hands, as if he just finished moving furniture. He was so casual…the way he killed those guards.

“Huh…you might wanna upgrade your security. Those guards were pitifully weak.” He then pulled out a cupcake from who knows where and took a bite. “Delicious Cupcake Fountain by the way. I am simply addicted to these things!”

“So it WAS you!” Pinkie snapped, previous shock momentarily forgotten. So he was responsible for the missing Cupcake Fountain?! And how did he even eat that with his helmet on?!

“Why, yes it is! And I’m afraid I’m not done here yet…” He trailed off. His body broke into a mist and vanished from view. They wondered where he went until a familiar yelp reached their ears. They all spun around to see Blood Stalk with his arm around Juniper’s neck. “After all, we have yet to start the true show!”

“U-Uncle Zoom!” She squeaked, eyes wide in sheer terror. “H-Help!”

“Juniper! I-It’s going to be okay!” He tried to console his niece before glaring at Stalk. “What do you want? Money? If it is! I’ll give it to you! Just let her go!”

“Oh nonono, keep your money. You see, Canter Zoom….I greatly respect you and love your movies. They are just so riveting and gripping!” He gushed. “Truly, the mark of one of the greatest directors of our generation!”

“Then why do this?!” He snapped. “Why kill those innocent guards and hold my niece hostage?!”

“You’re upset over her? Just two minutes ago you were mad at her. Why not leave her to her fate!”

“This and that are two different things! My niece may have caused trouble, but she doesn’t deserve this! Let her go!”

“He’s right! Get your stinking arms off her right now!” Rainbow shouted. She and the others went to clutch their geodes, but Stalk immediately pressed his Steam Blade to his hostage’s throat to dissuade them.

“Uh-uh~! No more magic for you girls. Even though it wouldn’t work, I’m not going to take chances should you get crafty like you’re little specs friend there. Long time no see, by the way.” He gestured to Twilight. “So stay back, or just bear the guilt knowing this little trouble maker got her throat slit because you lot couldn’t sit still.” His tone and gestures were strangely jovial, but his words were bone-chilling.

The girls were paralyzed. They couldn’t do anything without setting Stalk off. But given his behavior, he’d likely kill Juniper on a whim anyway! Sure she caused trouble for the movie, but she definitely did not deserve death. Even Twilight was disturbed. She met the man before, but he seemed even crueler than the last time she saw him. But none were more perturbed than Sunset Shimmer. Her instincts were telling her to run now. Whoever Blood Stalk was….he was no man…he was a monster! Spike was the same, already shaking like a leaf.

“Just…just tell me what you want!” Canter pleaded, trying to reason with the mad man. “Why are you here?! Why do this?!”

“What can I say? I’m a huge fan of the big screen. As I said, I saw your little missing prop mystery. I must say, it got a bit bland a few times, but nonetheless enjoyable.”

“You mean…you were watching us the whole time?!” Sunset demanded after finding her voice.

“Of course! Nice Power Pony costumes by the way. It was definitely a riot. Although…like all mysteries, there should be something riveting; captivating elements that just draws the audience in! You know what I’m saying, don’t you?” He asked Juniper, who fearfully shook her head.

“Bah! Uncultured swine…let me dumb it down for you lot! There must be suspense! Drama! The heart-stopping tension that is found in all mysteries! Especially whodunit stories!”

“Wait…you mean?!” It was Pinkie who figured it out.

“Esattamente!” Stalk screamed out. “Exciting mysteries, whodunits, must have a murderer!”

“What? And that’s you?!” Rainbow snapped angrily. She wanted nothing more than to punch the guy’s smug face in. His behavior and voice grated on her nerves. But if she so much as moved, he’d kill Juniper.

“Nope~!…not me…” He glanced to the girl he had in a headlock as he turned the dial on his Steam Blade. “That role’s all on this aspiring little star~!” He blasted a dose of gas that swallowed Juniper Montage.

“DEVIL STEAM!”

Stalk let go and backed away. Juniper screamed as the steam and electricity engulfed her form. “Juniper! No!” Canter tried to rush at his niece to save her, but the girls held him back.

His niece screamed as her form flashed and mutated into something twisted. Its basic structure resembled the Smash monsters. On its arms were rolls of cinema tape one would find on film projectors. The hands were replaced with boxes with lenses. The head of the Smash was more closely reminiscent to an oversized video camera. The only distinguishable feature was the massive lens. This was the Lens Smash.

“…is it panic time?” Fluttershy asked nervously. The girls and Spike could only numbly nod. Canter Zoom was just numb, seeing his niece turn into that monster.

“Beautiful, isn’t she? You should be proud, Zoom! Your niece just got her big debut! Her first role? The monster that runs rampant unless stopped by a dashing hero!” Stalk chuckled as he faced the glaring group, knowing full well they could do nothing. “Now, as you movie folk like to say; lights! Camera!….ACTION!”

The Smash Alert blared out within the underground lab. Everyone stopped with what they were doing as Micro pulled up the coordinates.

“A Smash attack? Now? Where?” Sol asked frantically, antsy for some action, and finding a lead on Faust.

“At Canterlot Studios! That’s where the girls are!”

“What?! We gotta go!” Sol donned his disguise. “Let’s go, Flash!”

“Actually, you go on ahead. I need to take care of something here.” The musician replied, to his friends' shock.

“What?! Why?! The girls need our help!”

“I’m sure you can handle it alone. Besides, this is important for finding the Box.”

“But-!”

“If you don’t leave now, people are gonna get hurt!” Flash retorted. He then tossed the Build Phone and Lion Fullbottle. “Take these and hurry!”

“R-Right! We’ll discuss this later!” Sol ran up the stairs and out the door.

“Why did you do that?” Sandalwood asked. “Wouldn’t it have been better for the both of you to go?”

“…Micro…can I talk to you for a minute upstairs?” Flash asked. “We probably need some air, so why don’t you go on ahead?”

The Lens Smash ran rampant inside the building. The girls were doing their best to minimize collateral damage while evacuating the building and getting Canter Zoom to safety, despite his protests about leaving his niece alone. Rarity had her shields up to deflect the Smash’s attacks, which consisted of focused lasers from its lenses. Rainbow ran through the building, warning other people of the danger and to evacuate. Sunset and Fluttershy helped out. Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie stayed behind to keep the Smash occupied.

The moment the Smash went on the offensive, Blood Stalk disappeared in a puff of mist. Rainbow Dash yelled angrily about him being a coward before narrowly dodging a laser beam.

Knowing how much damage could be caused to the studio, the vanguard forced the Smash outside the building out in the open. Rarity forced it back using her shields while Applejack lent a hand and added more power to the push.

The Smash tumbled to the open area that was the studio back lot. It lumbered back up as the four girls surrounded it. Rarity had her shields ready while Twilight levitated some random debris. Pinkie pulled out the sweets stored in her hair while Applejack cracked her knuckles.

The Lens Smash roared as its head lens glowed up. Instantly, an energy beam shot out at the four. Rarity erected her shields to black the attack. The crystalline properties of the shield caused the blast to refract and deflect once the beam hit it. Stray beams cut into the surrounding ground and some nicked nearby buildings.

“Mr. Zoom! You can’t stay here!” Sunset repeated as she tried to convince the man to leave.

“It’s too dangerous!” Fluttershy added.

“My niece is out there! I can’t just leave her!”

“She won’t even recognize you in that state! She’ll attack you like the others!”

“I don’t care!” He said stubbornly as he pulled out of their grip and ran to the scene of the commotion. “I’m not leaving family behind!”

“Wait!” But the director proved to be surprisingly fast as he already made it out the door. A few seconds later, Rainbow sped in.

“Okay, I got everyone else evacuated. I couldn’t find where Chestnut went, but I’m assuming she’s safe since she’s not in the building. What did I miss?” Her friends filled her in on what transpired. “….oh come on!”

“Nothing’s working!” Rarity screeched as they ducked below another laser blast.

They had been trying to stop the rampaging Juniper, but nothing they threw at it worked. The Smash would blast the rubble Twilight threw at it with its lasers. Applejack can’t even get close due to the lasers. And Pinkie’s explosions, while working to a degree, aren’t enough to take it down for good. All Rarity could do is stop the lasers from hitting anyone with her shields. She tried to use them as blades, but like with her friend’s sweet bombs, the damage was minimal.

“Just once! Once! Can’t the author give us a break and NOT put us in dangerous scenarios like this, only for Build and/or Cross-Z to save the day?!” Pinkie screamed at the sky. “He’s practically trying to get us killed!”

“Now ain’t the time for crazy talk, Pinkie!” Applejack retorted. “What do we do now?!”

Twilight opened her mouth to suggest something, but something wrapped around her mouth, silencing her. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be cinema film tape. The tape yanked back, dragging her from their hiding spot and out in the open. “Twilight!”

The girl shook her head as her senses cleared up from the crash. She saw the lenses on the Smash light up again. Rarity flung out her shields to block what they expected was a laser, only to receive a blinding flash of light instead.

The move was unexpected and sudden that none, save for Spike, closed their eyes in time. Rarity’s aim was thrown off and landed too far away from Twilight, who rapidly blinked to try to regain her vision. Once it was assured that all opposition was useless, the Smash charged up its lasers once more. Spike, peered out from the corner, only for his eyes widen in horror. “Twilight! Get out of the way!”

But the girl couldn’t see where she was going and stumbled. She wasn’t going to make it. Then the familiar roar of a motorcycle filled their ears.

A volley of lasers impacted the Smash’s arms, throwing its aim off and missing the blinded girls. Sol fired a few more shots at the Smash, forcing it to backpedal. “Step away from the Power Ponies!” He yelled as he stopped the Machine Builder between it and the girls.

After his arrival, Canter Zoom barreled out of the door, head whipping wildly to find his transformed niece. His eyes stopped once he saw the hooded figure of Cross-Z standing between his niece and the Rainbooms. When did he get here?!

“I don’t know how you got here. Whether Stalk made you or Faust sent you here, but I do know one thing.” He attached the Driver to his waist and pulled out the Dragon Fullbottle. “You’re not hurting anyone else while I’m here!”

Electric Samba blared out from a small mechanical dragon that dropped into his hand in its adapter form.

Sol shook the Dragon Bottle, twisted the cap, and inserted it into the slot with ease.

“WAKE UP!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Falling into a fighting stance, Sol glared in determination. “Henshin!” He stood at attention as the armor pieces converged onto him.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

The armor halves were donned onto his body while the winged dragon attached itself to his back. Its wings wrapped around his shoulders and its head rested on his helmet, completing his armor.

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

“BEAT CROZZER!”

Immediately, Cross-Z summoned his sword and charged at the Smash. He swung, but the Smash blocked it with its arms. He swung his leg for a sweep kick and managed to trip the Smash. He followed up with a stab, but it countered by blinding him with a flash. Unlike the girls who became blinded, he was momentarily stunned thanks to the helmet. But it was enough for the Smash to kick him away as it climbed back up.

While the girls waited to regain their sight, they heard the sounds of a conflict. Canter Zoom, meanwhile, was transfixed. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

While he was still worried to high heaven about his niece, he still couldn’t help but be completely captivated by the scene he’s watching now. It was simply astounding! Stupendous! He filmed action scenes before, but this took the cake. And that transformation sequence! The fight choreography! He watched actions shows ever since he was a kid, and thought it was one of the best images he’d seen in his life.

His inner child and director-side screamed at seeing something so action-packed.

Cross-Z used his blade to bat away any incoming lasers as he got close and dragged his blade down on the Smash’s body. It stumbled from the injury but retaliated by using its tape to wrap up the sword.

“Hey! Let go!” The Rider held his grip tight. Using sheer strength, he overpowered the Smash and yanked it forward. The Smash fell on its face. Sol flipped over and slammed his heel into the back of its head as he came down, driving it further into the earth. The brutality snapped Canter’s amazement of the battle.

“S-Stop! Don’t hurt her too much! That’s my niece you’re fighting!” He yelled out to the Rider. At this point, the rest of the Rainbooms had finally caught up.

“Wait, what?” Cross-Z was surprised by the revelation. But his hesitation was enough for the Smash to counter aiming one of its lenses at his body and blasting him with another energy beam. The fighter was sent flying until he crashed into a nearby golf cart. The vehicle crumpled beneath his weight. He pulled himself out of the wreckage and growled. “I better end this quickly.” From his side, he pulled out the Lock Bottle and inserted it into his sword.

“SPECIAL TUNE!”

The meter along the flat of the blade lit up. He pulled the pommel twice.

“HIT PARADE!”

“Take this!” He swung the sword with all his might, launching a stream of dark blue fire at the enemy.

“MILLION SLASH!”

The Smash skidded back from the fiery swing. Its body sparked uncontrollably. But unlike most, it proved to be quite resilient. With an enraged cry, it flung out its arms, shooting out several coils of tape at the Rider.

The tape wrapped around his wrists, loosening his grip on his sword. He tried to break free, but they were wrapped to tightly. The slack of the tape tightened as it tried to pull him in. At first, he resisted, neither side moving an inch. Unlike before, the Smash seemed more resistant. But then, he got an idea. Quickly, he ran at the Smash, causing it to backpedal from the sudden slack. He swerved to the side. He kicked off the wall and twirled his arms, letting the slack tape wrap around the Lens Smash.

Once the Smash was tied up, his foot ignited. He stomped on the remaining tape that connected him to the Smash, freeing him from its grasp. “Alright…let’s try this again!”

Cross-Z turned the handle on the Build Driver. Out from nowhere, an energy construct in the form of a blue, eastern dragon covered in orange fire flew around Sol until it stopped behind him.

“What the-?! Where did that Dragon come from?!” Canter exclaimed. Seriously, it was like it appeared out of nowhere!

Sol crouched down, legs and arms spread apart. The dragon behind him roared, its body growing brighter as power surged through his body, his right foot gathering blue flames.

“READY? GO!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

He flew forward as the Dragon’s flames propelled him. With a devastating kick, he broke through the Lens Smash’s defense. Its body caught on blue fire as Sol landed on his feet. The Smash exploded in a burst of green energy and collapsed on the ground motionless.

“Juniper!” Canter tried to run out to his niece, but the girls held him back.

“She’ll be okay! This happens every time!” Sunset replied.

“Wh-what’ll happen to her now?! How do we change her back!”

“I don’t know the process, but the Rider will know what to do.” Cross-Z approached the still form of Juniper and pulled out an Empty Bottle to extract the essence.

The essence was extracted and Juniper returned to normal. But…the essence wasn’t extracted by the Rider’s bottle. Instead it flew to the opposite direction, where a familiar red Cobra held out an Empty Bottle of his own. Once it was filled, he pocketed it.

“Bravo~! Magnificent! Stupendous performance!” Blood Stalk clapped as he appeared right next to Canter Zoom.

“Gah!” He and the girls backpedaled from his sudden appearance. “Where did you come from?!”

“Nothing to concern your pretty little heads with.” The Snake waved them off.

“STALK!” Cross-Z roared as he picked up his fallen sword and rushed at him. He swung his blade and slammed it into his raised Steam Blade. “You’re going down! And I'll be taking that Bottle back!”

“Sorry, but no more freebies for you. And you’re still millennia too early to beat me, boy!” He broke off the blade lock but Sol followed with a flaming punch. Stalk caught the blazing fist with ease.

“Oh? A 3.4 Hazard Level? Amazing! Even now, you’re still growing, little Dragon!”

“Shut up!” He flipped over and delivered a jumping axe kick to his visor. The hit briefly dazed him as he stumbled back. “Now tell me where the Box is!”

“Sorry, but you’re not getting that info out of me.” He teleported away in a cloud of mist. Sol growled at him getting away so easily…until he actually reappeared.

“Oh, that’s right!” He palmed a fist in realization. “Before I go…here’s a little token for your trouble. As thanks for that entertaining show you put on.” He threw a wadded up paper at him. “Make use of it what you will….Ciao~!”

“Wait!”But like before, he was too slow to stop his teleportation. He ran through the cloud and crashed into a pile of trash cans. After getting back up and begrudgingly pocketing the paper, Sol went over to the still form of Juniper, who remained unconscious. “Hey, are you okay? Please! Wake up!”

The girl’s eyes twitched before they slowly opened, staring at the man in the Dragon helmet in her face. Her entire body ached and her head felt like someone stuffed it with cotton. “H-huh?”

“Are you okay? Don’t worry! Help is on the way!” Sol assured.

“Juniper!” Canter ran into view, kneeling next to her niece. “Are you okay? Please, answer me!” Tears of worry and relief ran down his face. He was relieved she was still alive.

“She’ll be okay.” Cross-Z answered. “She just needs a hospital at the moment.”

“Thank you…thank you so much.” Canter grabbed his hands and shook them strongly.

“No problem. And sorry, but I need to go. I got a snake to catch!” With a salute, he hopped onto the Machine Builder. But before he left, he turned to face them again. “Oh yeah! Looking forward to the Daring Do Movie! I’m a huge fan and can’t wait to see it! See ya!”

He immediately drove off in pursuit of Blood Stalk, leaving the director, his niece, and the Rainbooms alone. The girls that fought now recovered their eyesight and walked up to them.

It was minutes later, after Canter dialed up an ambulance and police about the incident that Chestnut showed up. “Canter, baby! Do I have good news for you!” She paused after taking in the current state of the surrounding area. “….did I miss something?”

“I’m back!” Sol called out tiredly as he entered the lab. He had been searching for Stalk for quite a while. They weren’t able to track his signal due to a lack of a bug on him, so he ended up searching blindly. He went back to any places he might’ve been, such as their old hide outs, but nothing turned up. Exhausted, he finally turned back. “Found nothing. As usual…why didn’t you give me a bug to place on him back then?”

“Sorry, Sol. But we only had time to make one. I thought Rogue would be a better target as he seemed more secretive than Stalk.” Flash answered.

“It’s fine. So what now? What are you guys doing?” He then took note of attendance. Flash and Micro were here, but Sandalwood was nowhere to be seen. Where did he go?

“Finding Pandora’s Box.” He answered. “We think we have a way to find them.”

“Wait, really?” The fighter asked as he approached the seated Micro.

“We believe so. We finally picked up Night Rogue’s tracker. Seems like he finally transformed. Happened while we were upstairs. Once we locked onto that, we found the Box’s location, too. It seemed like they were in the same place.” The resident genius types a few keys and pulled up a marked map. “The location is here. In the factory district, a Tirek Industries-owned factory to be precise.”

“Tirek again? Man, that old man really needs to keep better watch of his property if Faust is just gonna use them as bases!”

“Yeah…he does.” The gears in Flash’s head turned.

“So what do we do now?”

“Now? We prep up for tomorrow’s Raid.” The musician answered. “We need to be rested and well prepared to attack Faust. For all we know, both Stalk and Rogue will be there on top of several guards.”

“Got it. Oh yeah, almost forgot.” Sol reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper Stalk handed him. “I got this back at the studio. Think this is important?”

“Lemme see.” Micro took the paper and unfurled it. It revealed a list of times and numbers. “Huh? Some kind of code?”

“Dunno. Thought it was weird when I first read it. Could be Stalk trolling us again or something.”

“Maybe. But for now, get some rest. I know I sent you out and I’m sorry. But come tomorrow, we’re finally getting the Box back and stopping Faust, once and for all.”

“Okay…well, good night, guys…” The fighter got up and left. Once they were sure he left, Micro turned to Flash.

“Why did you do that?”

“I have my reasons Micro, that’s all I have to say.” The musician said no more. His thoughts drifting back to what happened hours ago.

Earlier…

After Sol had left, Flash instructed Micro to get some fresh air before they went back to work finding Faust. It was just him and Sandalwood in the room, who looked at him in confusion.

“What’s up, dude? Why did you do that?”

“I have my reasons.” Flash answered. He then handed him a bag. “Here.”

Confused by what he was given, he opened the bag to find the two Smash Bottles that were extracted. “Huh? Why are you giving these to me?”

“Well, we need them purified.” Flash answered. “The more we have, the better our chances will be, right?”

“Uh, sure. Okay.” He stashed the bag away and placed the two bottles in the Bottle Purifier. He never tried two at once, but they needed them ASAP. It takes a few hours to purify a single bottle. And if they were going to do this raid soon, he needed to double time it. So hopefully he can finish it soon. He entered the chamber just as Flash turned and went upstairs.

“So what did you want to talk with me about?” Micro asked as he saw his friend approach.

“I just thought we needed a break. I mean, we’ve been focused on the Box for a while, and you looked like you needed some air.”

“But what about Sol?”

“I figured a solo fight like this will help his experience for when we finally find the Box.” He answered.

“But what if it’s too much for him?” He was greeted with a raised brow. “Oh, you know what I mean. What if Stalk or Rogue step in?”

“If they do, I’ll go back him up. And IF Rogue appears, we can track him again.”

“Hold on.” Micro raised a hand. “You mean you used Sol…as bait? This isn’t like you, Flash!”

“Don’t put words in my mouth.” He shook his head. “I let Sol go because I trust him. Just as I trust you to find the Box and Sandalwood to purify bottles…and make weapon ideas. I just want you guys to trust me all the same. We’re a team after all.”

The bespectacled teen looked at his friend with wide eyes as he processed those words. Then he nodded with a determined face. “I-I got it! I won’t let you down!”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Flash nodded gratefully, concealing his remorse.

Now…

‘Sorry guys. But I need to test my theory. Stalk knows what we plan, even when he shouldn’t be able to. That can only mean one thing.’ Flash sighed as he stared up at the ceiling, contemplating his thoughts. ‘…we’re being bugged somehow.’

He then noticed that Sandalwood still wasn’t done with the purification process. He just hoped his plan doesn’t leave his friend with long term health issues from this. Good thing Micro was too preoccupied to notice. He needed to be sure who was the leak. It was likely one of his friends was bugged somehow, and this separation of tasks will help him determine who it may be.

It wasn’t until hours later, after Micro and Flash had left, that Sandalwood had finished. The teen was so exhausted he collapsed as soon as the door opened up. He laid there snoring until sunrise.

Meanwhile…

In the new Faust hideout, Shining Armor, in his Night Rogue state, was fiddling with his gun, waiting for Stalk to return. A moment later, the snake appeared in a burst of steam.

“I’m back!” Stalk greeted. He had a sweater tied around his shoulders and a beret on his head. Next to him was some sort of fountain filled with….cupcakes? “And we won’t have to worry about a lack of cupcakes ever again!”

“You’re late, Stalk.” Shining glared. “You were supposed to get back as soon as you finished the objective. What took you so long?”

“Well, it took some time getting everything prepped up, so I figured I’d take a tour around the studio. I have a feeling the Daring Do movie will be promising.” He removed the pieces of clothing from his armor.

“So, given how you saw fit to goof around, I take it you finished your task.”

“Yes I did.” He chimed as he pulled out the Smash Bottle. “One Smash Bottle.”

“Good. Now, before you left, you said something about a plan. What is it?”

“Why, isn’t it obvious?” Stalk questioned as he grabbed another cupcake. “…A plan to take everything in one go.”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Wow! Can't believe I churned this out in four days! Unfortunately, this may be the last of these rapid updates for a while as the semester is kicking back up again. Just when we're hitting the climax of the first arc, too.

Well, here was Movie Magic with a Blood Stalk twist. And for those who question how he was able to eat stuff with his helmet, it's because while Gizmo was developing the system, he designed the Blood Stalk Armor to consume substances in the case of prolonged tasks and missions to maintain the wearer's energy.

Hope you all enjoyed it.

And next time...Time for Team Build to take back Pandora's Box!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
[Unknown]

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
[Unknown]

Chapter 14: Shining Revelation of a Dark Truth

It had been a long day at Canterlot Studios due to the missing relic mystery and Stalk’s appearance throwing everything into chaos. Fortunately no one got too hurt, and Juniper was expected to make a full recovery. Furthermore, Chestnut finally cancelled a documentary contract she was displeased with working on so her schedule was free to finish the Daring Do movie. The girls were surprised she chose to stay after what had happened, but she explained that she truly wanted to see this movie completed. She put this contract as a higher priority than her other ones, as she too, was a huge fan of the series.

Also, as a way of saying thanks for the girls’ help, Canter Zoom offered them a position as background extras in the movie. Surprised, but delighted, the girls accepted the roles. With their help, the scenes became quicker to film. It would seem that due to a lack of mess ups, save for Rainbow’s fangirl moments, the filming should be completed soon.

Now the girls were seated in Sugar Cube Corner, enjoying a nice weekend lunch together and trying to forget the traumatizing instance of Stalk murdering four people right before their eyes. They simply wanted to take the time to relax after the emotionally exhausting incident the previous day, as well as the film shooting.

But it motivated them to try and understand more about Faust and the Smashes their own way, which was why Sunset Shimmer called this meeting to action.

“I finally got back from Princess Twilight.” She declared once all her friends were seated.

“Really? What did she say?”

“Here.” She pulled out the journal from her bag and laid it out for them to see.

“Dear Sunset Shimmer,

I am sorry for taking so long to write back. I had been busy with diplomatic matters and finally caught a break to read your additional entries. I just…can’t bring myself to words on what you all endured the last few weeks. Please give my condolences to my other self. I couldn’t imagine my own brother doing something like that, even if he was on duty.

Unfortunately, I still have no information on anything regarding Faust or Smashes. I feel like I would help better if I were to see experience these first hand rather through word of mouth, or page, so to speak. I consulted my own friends and cleared my schedule for next week. I should be coming then to lend my assistance.

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle.

The girls finished reading the entry, surprised by what she wrote. Sci-Twi was touched by her counterpart’s sympathy.

“So there you have it. Twilight is going to help us get to the bottom of this.”

“But are ya sure that’s safe?” Applejack questioned. “Ah mean, ain’t she gonna be defenseless? She don’t have a geode like ours, and she can’t do magic the normal way either.”

“Which is why we’ll be sticking with her in case anything happens.” Sunset explained. “Even if our magic can’t hurt a Smash or someone like Rogue or Stalk, we can at least distract them long enough to flee.”

“Okay. But where should we even start when she gets here?” Twilight asked. “Aside from the abandoned lab the police raided, we don’t have any other leads as to where Stalk might be.”

Sunset opened her mouth to suggest something but was cut off by Pinkie Pie.

“When she gets here, the first thing we should do is throw her a Welcome Back party!” She exclaimed as confetti showered around her. “We haven’t seen her in a while, so it would be a great way to catch up before get to working on the Faust stuff!” She then turned to the café counter. “Mr. Cake! Mrs. Cake! Is Silver here? I could use his help in setting up the party!”

“Sorry, dearie.” Mrs. Cake apologized. “But Silver’s not in today.”

“Why not?”

“It’s because he’s working another part time job. He said he needed the extra money for something.” Mr. Cake explained.

“Oh, okay.” Pinkie’s hair deflated slightly before perking back up. “I’ll just ask him next time I see him. We got plenty of time until then!”

The other girls simply smiled at her antics. Leave it to Pinkie to cheer up a dreary and tense atmosphere. They just hoped nothing crazy happened before the Princess arrives.

Meanwhile…

“So how’s your mother doing, Flash?” Shining Armor asked as he shot a zombie in the head.

“She’s doing well. She’s finally back at work. She’s just disappointed that Pandora’s Box is still missing though.” Flash answered as he mowed down a horde with machine gun fire.

“That’s good. And sorry about that. The Box didn’t turn up in the Raid. But we’re doing everything we can to-oh, crap on your six!” Shining said as he spun the camera around to shoot an ambushing zombie.

The two were in the Canterlot Arcade. Shining had invited Flash for a little gaming competition. The musician was reluctant about meeting the officer after the incident with Dusk Walker, but he swallowed his hesitation and agreed. For the musician, today was the day that they would raid the Tirek factory to get the Box back. At least for now, he would use this time to relieve any pre-mission jitters by shooting virtual zombies.

The two were stationed at the Zombie Shooter game in co-op mode. They strove to beat the current high score.

“By the way…” Shining began as he delivered another headshot. “How have you been doing lately? I heard you got caught up in that lockdown at the Research Center.”

“Yeah. I was glad that Masked Rider saved Sol and I.” Flash lied smoothly.

“Where even were you guys? I didn’t see you with the group outside.”

“We got separated in the commotion. Sol thought it’d be safe to hide in the closet once the doors locked down before we could leave.” He responded.

“Well, it certainly was reckless.” Shining admonished.

“Yeah, he doesn’t think these things through.” Flash shot down another running zombie. “And I was the idiot that agreed with him. I blame the panic.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.” The officer nodded as he finished off the last zombie, ending the game and earning their high score on the leader board. “Well, we did it! Number one co-op! Woo!” The two shared a high five at their accomplishment, yet Flash was someone halfhearted given seeing his companion’s true nature. But he did his best to hide it.

“I’m guessing you got practice at the police shooting range? I never saw anyone make so many headshots.” Flash asked.

“Nah. I just spent some time on this game. Real life marksmanship doesn’t translate well to video games.” He admitted.

“Yeah. Makes sense.”

“And I’m guessing you’ve been doing better as of late.” Shining Armor noted.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you seem surer of your actions. Less hesitant, more focused.” He answered. “Much different than when I first met you.”

“I-I see. Never really noticed that.”

“I know I asked you if you made a choice back when I escorted your sister home. I take it you’re fully committed to it, then?”

“Yeah. I made my choice. And now I’m sticking with it.”

“…I see.” The man nodded.

Later…

“Alright, everyone’s here.” Flash questioned once the team assembled in the Lab. “Now Micro, let’s go over the plan.”

“Right.” He nodded and pulled up the schematics of the factory they were targeting. “This is the layout of the building. They have several floors and rooms, each one marked by security cameras. There are also several Guardians deployed in routine patrols. They have guards stationed at every entrance and exit.”

“So how do we get in?” Sandalwood asked. “Is there a secret entrance or something?”

“There is, but it’s positioned with Guardians too.” Micro answered as he tapped more keys. “It seems like no matter what entrance we take, there is no weak spot.”

“But you figured out an entry point, right?” Flash asked.

“Yep…and admittedly, I took a page out of Sol’s book.”

“Huh?” Questioned the fighter.

“I took a look at the list of numbers Stalk gave you and hacked into the Factory’s security. Apparently, they are a list of access codes for certain doors and functions of the building.”

“So you’re saying Stalk was giving us a hint?” Sandalwood wondered. “But that doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing makes sense with that guy.” Flash retorted. He thought back to the number of times Stalk appeared. He helped them escape Night Rogue a few times, even giving them hints when it was unneeded of him to do so. Just what was his game? What was he planning?

“So…is he just baiting us then?” Sol asked. “If he gave me those codes, then he must expect us to go after the Box.”

“He knew we were going after the Box either way. He just made sure we would have less chance of surprising him by taking this option.” Micro said. “As I said, the codes are linked to the building’s security system. One of these codes unlocks the factory’s main storage vault. Based on the entry logs, there should be materials stored. But looking into their video feeds, nothing went in or out of the room for days. Meaning…”

“That’s where the Box is.” Flash finished. “Nice, Micro!”

“No problem. I currently have the route lined out that should lead you two through the least amount of opposition. I already tapped into their cameras to project a video loop of routine patrols when you enter the building. However, that’s the easy part. Entering the building is the hard part.”

“What is it? Where are we going?”

“Well…”

Later…

“I’m home!” Flash called out as he walked through the front door.

“Welcome back, sweetie!” His mother called out from the kitchen. “Dinner’s almost ready!”

“Wait, you’re cooking, mom? I thought I said I’d do it. You shouldn’t strain yourself.” The musician said as he entered the kitchen.

“Oh, it’s no trouble. I’m doing well enough to do this.” She waved off his concerns.

“C’mon, mom. You just finished recovering. You shouldn’t be pushing yourself. Let me handle the rest.”

“I know you’re concerned sweetie, but really, I’m fine.”

”But-!”

“No buts, mister. Why don’t you wait with your sister?”

“…Alright. But if you need anything just let me know.” He relented, knowing full well how stubborn his mother can be. He took a seat next to his sister, who smirked at him.

“Wasn’t surprised. I tried helping her, but she refused too.”

Later, dinner was served and they made small talk. Nothing much else went on given how Scootaloo was still grounded from her little sneak in to Sol’s fight.

But it was simple moments like these that reminded Flash what he was fighting for. He wouldn’t allow Faust to have their way with the city and its inhabitants. He vowed that he’d be the man of the house ever since his dad passed away, and he would do everything he could to keep them safe.

“Say kids, do you have any plans this weekend?” Misty asked out of the blue.

“Huh? Well, I’m free.” Flash said.

“Same here, mainly because I’m grounded for another week.” Scootallo replied cheekily. Misty frowned at her daughter’s sass before continuing.

“Well, I was thinking that it’s been a while since we were all together. So what if we went to see your father on Saturday?”

“Dad?” The girl questioned while Flash’s eyes widened in realization. Now that he thought about it, it was getting close to the anniversary of his death. He hasn’t visited his father’s grave in a while. He had so much to tell him. But he just hoped that the Faust mess will be sorted out before they went to see him.

Next Day…

The factory of Tirek Heavy Industries loomed over the rest of the buildings in the district. Given that it belonged to the number one engineering firm in the nation, it was to be expected. There were guards and Guardians located out the front entrance keeping watch. In front of the building was a large gate that was wide open for daily shipments.

Flash and Sol peered around said gate to get a better look at what they were dealing with. Both were in their disguises. “So it’s just through there?” The fighter asked.

“Yep.”

“Are we really doing this?”

“Yeah. Based on what Stalk did, it’s safe to assume they’re expecting us, no matter where we go.” Flash answered before holding up his Driver. “So…why not surprise him and just storm through the front?”

Pulling out his own Driver, Sol smirked in agreement. “Bring it on!” The two donned their Drivers and shook their bottles. Crozz landed in the Fighter’s hand and he inserted the Dragon Fullbottle.

“WAKE UP!”

“PIRATE!”

“TRAIN!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“BEST MATCH!”

Both teens turned the cranks of their Drivers as their respective runners manifested.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Both fell into fighting stances. “Henshin!”

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“THE SCHEDULEDRENEGADE!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“PIRATE-TRAIN!”

“YEAH!”

Now transformed, the two Riders ran to show themselves at the gate’s opening. Flash appeared first, then Sol hopped out in front of him. “Alright!”

“Dude, you’re in the way!” The musician shoved him to the side before he broke out into a run. The fighter followed him. The human guards panicked at their charge, sounded the alarm, and fell back while the Guardians advanced and fired bullets at them. Normally, they’d be scared that they’d be under fire of live ammunition, but their armor had proven that they’d be well protected. The bullets bounced off harmlessly as they summoned their weapons.

“PIRATEPLATFORM!”

“BEAT CROZZER!”

With their blades in hand, they quickly dispatched the holding line by slicing through their weapons and chassis. Once all of the robots were cut down, they broke through the door. They were greeted by another platoon of Guardians armed with bladed rifles. Like before, they swung their blades to knock back or cut through the oncoming swarm of robots. Sol advanced further while Flash became surrounded.

Flash reacted by spinning around, dragging his blade in a wide arc to cut down the Guardians. He then faced the path marked for them on their HUDs and pulled the Build Arrow Back.

“REGULAR STOPS! EXPRESS SERVICE! RAPID TRANSIT! PIRATE TRAIN! MOVING OUT!” He released the bow and an energy construct of a train shot out and rammed through the remaining Guardians. Sol quickly pressed himself against the wall to avoid getting hit. Flash then ran past him.

“Going on ahead!”

“Hey wait!” Sol gave chase.

Back at the lab, Micro hacked into the building’s security feeds to monitor any incoming Guardians. As he did, he noticed something strange. “How odd…”

“What’s up, dude?” Sandalwood asked.

“I’ve scanned the factory’s hallways, and so far, there are no other Guardians stationed anywhere else in the building. The only ones are on the path Flash and Sol are following.”

“How can that be? Did they see guess our break-in route?”

“I don’t know…but I have a bad feeling about this.”

The two Riders entered a darkened hallway once again, protected by Guardians. Strangely, there were only two in position. Sol kept the distracted while Flash went to scout ahead, stopping in front of a red double door with industrial locks.

“I found it! What’s the code again?” He asked Micro.

“It’s 777055!”

Flash went to type in the code on the key pad. He got the first number, but when he tried the second, he missed and the code vanished.

“Dude! Hurry up!” Sol held back against both Guardians slamming their weapons onto his own.

“My fingers are too big for the keypad!” He argued.

“What do you think we have pinkies for?!” Sol shouted, holding out his own with his free hand.

Flash extended his own pinkie, suddenly feeling stupid. “…oh.” He tried again while Sol broke through the enemies’ guard and cut them down.

Once Flash typed in the code and hit enter, the screen flashed with a red ERROR.

“Huh?” Sol walked up and saw the screen as well. “Micro, are you sure that’s the right code?"

"It should be. I checked the database and the code should activate the door in that hallway.”

“Here, just let me break through it.” Sol went to raise his sword. But before he could swing, the floor gave out under them, sending them into a freefall.

Both teens screamed as they descended into the dark below. The trapdoor then slid closed, as if it never existed.

“Guys?! Guys! What happened?!” Micro furiously tapped keys as he tried to bring up a better visual.”

“What happened?! I thought the code worked!” The eco-teen shouted.

“So did I! Something’s wrong! Flash! Sol! Do you read me?!” Unfortunately, all they got was static. “What? Communications are jammed?!”

Then, the screens flashed red as he found himself kicked out of the building’s security system. “No! No nonono no! This can’t be!”

“What’s going on?!” The green haired teen panicked.

“I’m being kicked out! Nothing I’m doing is working!” They lost all audio and camera feeds. Then a single window popped open. On the screen was an image of a chibi Blood Stalk laughing and dancing.

“FUAHAHAHA!!!”

Micro snarled as he slammed a fist on his desk. “STAAAAALK!!!!”

“Ow….” Flash groaned as he pulled himself up from the floor.

“….-aaaaAAAAH!” Sol screamed as he fell on top of Build. “Ow…huh…that didn’t hurt as much as I thought.”

“That’s because I broke your fall!” Flash groaned beneath him. He then shoved the fighter off of him. “Get off!”

He froze as the sound of guns cocking filled his ears. He looked up to see a mob of Guardians surrounding him. “….well crapbaskets.”

“Huh…” Sol commented as he raised the Beat Crozzer. “So this is where all the Guardians went. Well…let’s smash them!” He charged in first and cut down the nearest one.

Flash followed up and stabbed his Pirate Platform through the helmet of one before dragging the blade down and bisecting it. Sol ducked under a swinging blade and performed a sweep kick to knock the Guardian off balance. He then stabbed it through the chest and thrust his leg back to kick away another robot. He ripped the blade from its chest and spun around, cutting down the ones that tried to encircle him.

Flash weaved through the thrusting bayonets and countered with fluid strokes of the Pirate Platform’s blade. He pulled the Build Arrow back and fired several shots over and over to take out the ones from afar.

In a matter of minutes, the two Riders stood in the middle of destroyed robot parts and weapons.

“Well, that was a bust.” Flash grunted as he kicked a severed robot head.

“So it was a trap…” Sol groaned as he sat upright. “He gave us fake codes after all. Should’ve realized.”

“Well, we tried playing his game and try to beat him…and that backfired on us.” Build agreed. But it cemented something in him. Stalk definitely knew where they were going and what they planned. It could explain why there weren’t as many guards as there should be. He planned for them to take that specific route.

“So…where are we now?” Sol looked around, taking note of the blank walls, single overhead light, absolutely no sign of a door.

“Not sure. Hey guys, you got anything?” Flash tried to contact his friend, but all he got was static. “Guys? Do you copy?” Only more static played. “Great. We’re cut off from comms. Looks like we’re on our own.”

“That sucks.” Sol commented. “What do we do now? How are we going to get back up to the room?”

“Not sure. I don’t see an exit. But there’s gotta be one somewhere. They wouldn’t stockpile a whole army of Guardians in here without one.” He pointed out.

“So how do we do this? Smash walls until we break out? Because I’m cool with that.” He raised his sword for emphasis.

“You know, there are other ways to solve problems like these aside from brute force.” Flash commented.

“Hey, smashing stuff works for me.”

Before they could discuss further, a panel on the adjacent wall slid open, revealing an exit and a figure. The Riders quickly spun toward it and prepped their weapons; Flash already preparing a bolt to fire.

“Wait! Don’t shoot!” The figure stepped out into the light. He had his hands up to show he was here peacefully. “I’m not one of them!”

“Lieutenant Shining Armor?” Build questioned, lowering the bow. “What are you doing here?!”

“Part of my investigation of Faust.” He explained as he dropped his hands. “I was looking into various buildings owned by Tirek Heavy Industries that may be associated with Faust. During my search, I found this secret underground area from an informant of mine.”

“You were looking into Tirek owned buildings for Faust?” Cross-Z questioned. “Man, that old man needs better security.”

“You would think.” Shining scoffed. “This is something I learned only recently. But it seems like Tirek is in collaboration with Faust.”

“Wait, what?!” Both Riders questioned. They thought back to the seemingly kind, frail old man that visited before Sol’s match. He was working with Faust?!

“It’s true. You see, on the surface, Tirek Heavy Industries may have a friendly logo and disposition. But they secretly manufacture weapons. One such weapon type is the Guardians Faust uses. It is how some of their members are able to hijack the ones the CRDC employs a while ago.” Shining answered gravely.

“This…can’t be. But that old guy seemed nice.”

“Like I said, he appears friendly on the logos. But in reality, he’s only enabling conflict through the weapons he makes.”

“While this is definitely informative, that doesn’t explain why you’re here now of all places.” Build tried to steer the conversation back on topic.

“Right. I’m here because I finally tracked down the missing Pandora’s Box to this location.” He explained, his expression twisting with remorse. “…I had a team with me to retrieve it. Unfortunately, it was protected by a Smash and my men didn’t have the tools to fight it. They….they laid down their lives for this job. They were my subordinates, but they sacrificed themselves so that I could escape. So that I can fulfill what we failed to do.”

The two teens were silent. However, Flash was hesitant. He wasn’t sure if he could honestly trust him after what he experienced back at the Raid.

“Flash.” Shining Armor stared directly at Build, surprising them both. “You need to trust me.”

“Wha-…how did you…?” He was dumbfounded. How did he know his true identity?!

“I didn’t make lieutenant so quickly just because of my good looks. Please, Flash.” Shining Armor bowed his head pleadingly.

The musician stared at the man. He did not know how he learned of his identity. But he seemed sincere in his actions.

While he definitely seemed heartless back in the raid by shooting Dusk Walker, this man deeply cared about the lives of his subordinates. It was probably his way of compartmentalizing everything, just so that he wouldn’t break from all the stress.

“…I may not know of your men, but I can see that they were good people.” Build finally said. “We won’t let their sacrifice be in vain.”

“Wait…we?” He inquired.

“We’re here to look for the Box too.” Cross-Z answered. “It was our fault Faust got away with it in the first place. We’re here to take it back to the Research Center.”

“If you’ll allow us, that is.” Build added. “I know you don’t view us favorably, as we act outside the law. But we want to stop Faust just as much as you do.” He held out a hand as a means of offering an agreement. “Will you allow us to work with you to retrieve Pandora’s Box and stop Faust once and for all?”

The police officer stared at the masked men for several moments. Then he stared back at the hand. His eyes steeled with resolve as he grasped it. “As the lieutenant of the Canterlot Police Department, and as your friend, you have my word.”

“Great!” Cross-Z chimed in. “Now…can you tell us how we can get out of here? We got caught by a trap door.”

“I know the feeling. Same thing happened to me. But I know a way up. Follow me.” He led the two into the hallway that was filled with broken Guardians and up the stairs.

As they rushed their way up, the trio came across even more Guardians in the hallways. The Riders took the vanguard to fight them while Shining Armor covered the rear and shouted directions if the hallways split up.

They didn’t realize, but the hallways had a gentle incline, allowing them to ascend without must issue in the winding corridors. However…

“JUST HOW MANY GUARDIANS DOES FAUST HAVE?!” Cross-Z shouted in aggravation as he sliced through another armed robot. He lost track of how many he destroyed after a hundred.

“Just shut up and keep moving!” Flash shouted back, equally annoyed by the cannon fodder. “Shining Armor, how much further?!”

“Just around the corner!” The police officer yelled as he shot another robot in the head with his handgun. “We’re almost there!” After Flash fired another energy train to clear the halls, the three rounded around the corner, coming across another set of double doors. Unlike the one they found earlier, they were unlocked. The two Riders rushed in as the officer stayed behind to sweep for any remaining Guardians.

Once they entered the room, the Riders yelled, ready for a fight. But their screams died down once they found the room to be void of enemies. The only thing notable within the vicinity was Pandora’s Box, which sat on top of a pedestal. Illuminating the spot was a single light overhead. Oddly enough, next to it was an ornate couch.

Flash and Sol finally relaxed. They felt relief about finally reaching their objective. However, it call came to a halt when Shining Armor entered the room.

The doors slammed shut and locked loudly behind him. The Riders spun around, equally as shocked as Shining Armor before a familiar laugh resounded in the room.

“Fuahahaha…!!!” Blood Stalk cackled as he popped up from behind the couch. He clapped wildly. As if on cue, several Guardians stormed in from hidden panels in the wall. They all aimed their guns at the Masked Riders. “Good show, jolly good show!”

“Damn you…Blood Stalk!” Flash and Sol raised their weapons at the ready.

“You did a nice job coming here.” The Cobra said jovially. “Especially you…Shiny.”

To the teens’ shock, Shining Armor walked past them until he stood next to Stalk. “Nice job leading them here.” The snake wrapped an arm around the officer’s shoulder, only to be shrugged off.

“Don’t act chummy with me, Stalk.” He glared.

“Sh-Shining Armor?” Flash’s grip on his weapon wavered.

“What…what the hell’s going on here?!” Sol demanded.

“Oh? You didn’t know?” He placed a hand to his mouth as if gasping. “I guess the two of you weren’t as close of friends as you thought. Especially if you didn’t know something like this.”

Shining Armor reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a familiar looking firearm that made Flash’s heart stop with dread.

“Is…is that?!”

“…No…” They locked eyes with the Transteam Gun in their presumed comrade’s hand.

The blue haired officer inserted a familiar bottle into the gun.

“BAT!”

He raised the gun to his temple. “…Jouketsu.” He pulled the trigger as a cloud of black smoke completely enveloped his body, his outline flickering amidst the obscurity.

“MIST MATCH!”

“BAT…BA-BAT….FIRE!”

The smoke dissipated. The form of Canterlot’s lieutenant officer was replaced by the daunting form of Night Rogue.

“I…am the leader of Faust.” He finally spoke.

The teens were stunned silent. They couldn’t believe what was happening. A member of the Canterlot Police…was Night Rogue?! But for Flash Sentry, it went even deeper than that. All this time, he thought of Shining Armor was his friend. A man who taught him the meaning of courage. The one who helped set him on this path. He said he wanted to protect his family, friends, and the city. But here he was, the leader of the group that’s terrorizing the town!

Was…was everything he said…everything he did….a complete and utter lie?!

“Boy, aren’t you two surprised.” Stalk commented on their silence. “Suppose I can’t blame ya. I mean, a lieutenant of the city’s police force? Faust’s leader? I bet anyone would shit bricks if they learned of it.”

“So….you knew…” Sol finally found his voice. He was seething. His body trembled as his hands balled into fists. “You knew the whole time…and just said nothing… you led us into a trap, just to show off and try to break our spirits and beliefs like this?!”

“Of course! I’m not the type the play all of his cards at once. Besides…I thought it was a fun way of messing with you guys.” They could feel Stalk grin beneath his helmet. “And to be fair, you actually did walk into this, knowing it was a trap. So I guess it’s your fault.”

“….I’m gonna kick your ass!” Sol roared as he charged, sword swinging wildly.

That was the match that lit the fire as the room descended into chaos. Stalk took on Sol while Night Rogue charged at the stunned Build. He barely reacted in time to block a swing aimed for his head. It was only then he managed to snap out of it.

All he could do was block Night Rogue’s assault as he was still reeling from the shock.

“Is this truly what the Masked Rider is capable of?” Rogue asked mockingly as he broke past his guard and socked him across the face. “The very person that’s been giving my organization trouble?” He kicked Build away.

The two-toned rider tried to get up, but Night Rogue pulled him off his feet and looked at him through the visor. “You’re pathetic. Protect the people? How can you expect to do that if you can’t bring yourself to fight me?!” He tossed Build aside. The surrounding Guardians proceeded to pelt him with gunfire. The bullets didn’t affect him, but Flash remained immobile as he tried to come to terms of what just happened.

The Shining Armor he knew…But it was all a lie. It was a lie to propel him into this lifestyle. A lie to turn him into a guinea pig for Faust’s benefit. Then what else did he lie about? The want to protect his family and friends. Was that another lie?! He thought back. The way Shining Armor said it, the determined look in his eye. He couldn’t bring himself to think he lied about that. Then why…?

Why was he doing all this? Why did he hurt people, kidnap his mother, and turn innocents into Smash?! He wanted to know. He NEEDED to know. His hands balled into fists as he finally got over his shock. All that was left was burning resolve.

Right now though…he needed to beat this guy! With a determined cry, he stood back up and cut down the surrounding Guardians before pointing the Pirate Platform at Night Rogue. He pulled back the Build Arrow.

“REGULAR STOPS! EXPRESS SERVICE! RAPID TRANSIT! PIRATE TRAIN! MOVING OUT!”

He released the bow and the Energy Train charged right at the Bat. Unlike Dusk Walker, however, he properly defended against it. To his shock, his black and silver armor sprouted wings, which he used as a shield. The train rammed against it, but he held his ground. He then blasted it with his Transteam Gun and sliced it apart with his Steam Blade. The Train broke apart and struck the Guardians around him instead.

Build rushed at Night Rogue and slammed his weapon against his.

“Tell me, Shining! What about the group you supposedly had with you?!” Flash glared. “Was that all a lie too?!”

“They were too close to finding the truth. So they were promptly silenced.” Rogue answered coldly. The musician felt the flames of rage grow.

“You monster…!” Build growled as he headbutted the Bat and shot off energy bolts at him. Rogue knocked them away with his Steam Blade and the two crossed blades once more. “How could you?! How could you do this?! Sacrifice innocents for what?! Power?! Weapons?!”

“For the greater good!” Night Rogue retorted as he returned fire with his gun.

“How is any of THIS for the greater good?!” Flash rolled beneath the shots and shot more energy bolts. “You have the city in fear, several dead, and many more traumatized! How is this supposed to help anyone?!”

“Sacrifices must be made.” Rogue returned calmly as he turned the dial on his blade.

“ICE STEAM!”

Icicles shot out at Build, but he destroyed them all with precise shots from the Pirate Platform. “What a load of bullcrap! What would your family think if they saw you now? For the monster you are?!”

“I don’t expect you or them to understand!” Rogue glowered as he ran and swung for his neck. Build parried it and stabbed his blade into his chest plate.

“Then you’re fine with hurting your parents like this?! What about Twilight? How much longer until you decide to experiment with her as well?!”

“Leave them out of this!” Rogue roared as he combined his weapons into their rifle form and took aim.

Flash mimicked the action and pulled back the Build Arrow.

“REGULAR STOPS! EXPRESS SERVICE!

“STEAM SHOT!”

“MOVE OUT!”

The energy blasts collided until they resulted in an explosion.

Meanwhile, Sol engaged Stalk in a battle of blades. They crossed swords multiple times. Stalk back flipped to avoid a low swing from Sol and followed up with an overhead smash to his helmet. “Such unrefined technique. Are you really that upset?”

“No shit!” Cross-Z yelled as they crossed swords again. “I’m pissed that you led us on and tricked us! I’m pissed that you played us like puppets! But I’m even more pissed at Rogue for lying about everything!” He broke off the guard, grabbed the Guardian that tried to blindside him, and threw it at Blood Stalk. He then charged as Stalk threw off the Guardian that few at him. Cross-Z dropped his sword and delivered a fierce haymaker in his face.

“Huh, 3.2.” He mumbled before Sol punched him again.

“That was using us as guinea pigs!”

“ 3.3.” Sol delivered an uppercut.

“That was for manipulating us!”

“3.4…” Cross-Z jumped and delivered an axe kick, knocking his head down.

“That was for lying to us!”

“3.5…” Sol then kneed him in the face and threw a flurry of punches left and right in righteous fury.

“And this is because I’m sick of your smug attitude and ugly face!”

“…hehehehe….fuahahaha!!!” The red armored man laughed as he was being pummeled.

“Just what is so damn funny?!” The Dragon roared as he threw one final punch that pushed Blood Stalk back. But as he rose, he barely seemed fazed.

“Almost…you’re getting there, Sol Burner!”

“And just how do you know my name?!” He roared as he charged for another hit. But his fist was caught easily by Stalk.

“I’ll tell you some other time. Why don’t you play for Shiny right now?” With minimal effort, Stalk threw Sol across the room and impacted Night Rogue.

Flash was startled by his friend’s dynamic entry, but quickly reacted and blocked a swing from Blood Stalk. “Mind if I cut in?”

“Stalk…!” Flash glowered as he broke the guard and swung again. “How?! How is it that you know everything we do?!”

“Now now…do you expect me to blab about secrets?” He asked mockingly.

“Well, considering you did so before, yeah!” Build snapped as he took aim and fired a few shots, only for them to get swatted away.

“Meh, true. But sadly, this is my little secret. So no hint for you!” He mockingly wagged a finger and then rushed at him.

Flash growled before he blocked a side kick and countered with a horizontal swing that Stalk backpedaled to avoid. He countered with a spin jump kick that cracked against the side of Build’s helmet.

While the two fought, Night Rogue and Cross-Z had their own battle. “So you were the real Night Rogue this whole time?!” Sol snapped as he swung his retrieved Beat Crozzer, only for Rogue to parry it with ease. “How…how could you do all this?!”

“As I told your friend, this was all for the greater good!” He ducked below a wild swing.

“Good…?....GOOD?! How could countless deaths and sacrifices be good?!” Sol’s fists ignited as his eyes flicked red beneath his visor. He swung with even more power than before. Shining tried to block one, but found himself stumbling as he did so. The fighter took advantage of this and kicked him across the face. “How about all the people suffering from loss?! Do they mean nothing to you?!”

He yanked the fallen Rogue up by the collar. “And tell me! What did you do to Knuckle Blaze on October 15?! What happened with his body?! Tell me!”

“I’m under no obligation…to answer you!” Rogue snapped his head up and jabbed his Transteam Gun into Cross-Z’s chest plate. He pulled the trigger. The Dragon was flung away from the energy blast and crashed into the wall.

The fighter stumbled to pick himself back up. His HUD blared red in alarm. After the ceaseless fighting, his energy reserves for the armor were dropping.

Meanwhile, Stalk just sidestepped another swing from Build and kicked him as he moved past. He turned the dial on his weapon and swung.

“ELEK STEAM!”

Bolts of electricity impacted Build, electrocuting him and causing him to stumble. Stalk continued by kicking him off of his feet. He pinned the Rider to the ground. “And now, you’re done!”

He pressed the Transteam Gun against his visor and pulled the trigger.

“STEAM BREAK!”

The energy blast flung Flash out of his grip and into the wall next to Sol. The wall indented from the impact. Flash reverted from his transformation, the blast overloading the armor. He clutched his head in agony. His forehead was scraped up and the lens of one of his goggles was cracked. Fortunately, they and the helmet were what saved him from getting blinded from the energy blast.

Stalk and Night Rogue slowly approached the downed Riders. The Guardians surrounded them and aimed their guns.

“It’s over, Sentry.” Night Rogue glowered. “You both are defeated and out matched. Just admit defeat and had over your bottles and Panels.”

“It’s always the same with you, isn’t it?!” Flash snapped as he pulled himself up using the wall as support. “Panels this, Bottles that! You really care for nothing else, don’t you?!”

“I told you. It’s all for-!”

“-The greater good, I know! You made that clear, despite how twisted it really is!” Flash yelled back. “Well, I’m done! I tried talking with you; I want you to remember that. When we fought, I tried to reach out, tried to understand in hopes of whatever that is left of the friend I know is still here!...but I think you made your stance clear. You just don’t care.”

“Of course. But what is your point?” Night Rogue questioned. Stalk merely watched silently in interest.

“My point is that you’re all monsters!” Flash roared, standing in defiance. “And if that’s the role you really want to play…then I’ll just play mine!”

“And just role is that supposed to be?” He inquired.

Flash pulled out two new Fullbottles. One was green and resembled a turtle while the other was gray with a watch design. “The one who stops the Monsters!”

For once, Stalk was surprised by the appearance of the small items. Flash grinned under his mask and shook the bottles; more math equations flew around them. He twisted the caps and inserted them.

“TURTLE!”

“WATCH!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Flash turned the crank as red and gray panels lined up with him.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” The runners converged, donning Build in a new suit of armor. The inorganic sections were colored an emerald Green. His right shoulder pad was a large, dome-like turtle shell. His left eyepiece was a swimming sea turtle. The Inorganic segments were a silverfish gray. Wrapped around his left arm were several watches. His left shoulder pad was also a clock face. His right eyepiece was a segmented watch and its strap.

“THE CLOCKWORK DEFENDER!”

“TURTLE-WATCH!”

“YEAH!”

Flash slid a finger along his eyepiece. “I have the Winning Formula!” His HUD lit up with the options this Best Match provided.

"Turtle?" Stalk asked, barely having enough time to fully process what he'd just seen before Rogue orders the Guardians to fire.

But as they did, Flash reached for the crank and spun it three times.

"ONE! TWO! THREE SECONDS!" The inorganic areas of his body glowed before a wave of energy shot out of the clock face on his shoulder. As it did, everything around the rider slowed to a near stop as the driver spoke out.

"THREE!" He acted fast, rushing around the room and plucking the bullets out of the air and pulling the guns out of the Guardian's hands. When he was halfway done, this taking about ten seconds, his driver spoke again.

"TWO!" He managed to get the last gun out of the Guardian's hand as his driver spoke again.

"ONE!" It was then he pulled the turtle shell off his shoulder and threw it around the room.

It moved like a frisbee, spinning and hitting each guardian in the head as it curved around the room. When it hit the last Guardian, it moved back over to Flash and he caught it as his Driver spoke.

"TIME!" In a flash, everything returned to normal and the Guardians all flew backwards with their heads exploding.

“What the?!” Stalk screamed as time resumed normally. Flash went over to his friend and shook him.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Just waiting for my second wind…!” Sol answered. “And…did you just stop time?!”

A recovered Blood Stalk and Night Rogue took aim with their Transteam guns. The Rider smacked his green shoulder pad, which caused it to glow brightly. A domed energy shield formed and expanded around them, protecting the two from the energy blasts.

The shield maintained strongly. Build saw his opportunity and turned the crank of his Driver ten times.

“ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NINE! TEN SECONDS!”

“READYGO!”

The energy shield became intangible as the clock parts on his body glowed. The dome expanded outward and washed over everything. Like before, everything aside from Build slowed to a near halt.. Even more so, Flash felt supercharged. He rushed at the two armored fighters and delivered a relentless onslaught of punches and kicks, knowing full well they are unable to do anything.

“TEN!”

He disarmed both Armored fighters of their guns and blades and kicked their knees in.

“NINE!”

He grabbed their heads and slammed them together before throwing them to the ground.

“EIGHT!”

He punched both of them in the solar plexus and delivered axe kicks to the back.

“SEVEN!”

He used the turtle shell shoulder guard as a bludgeoning tool to bash them in the helmets and the neck.

“SIX!”

The rest of the time was spent assaulting the two with whatever he had left in his arsenal. The bodies of Stalk and Rogue were thrown about with his assault.

“FIVE!”

“FOUR!”

“THREE!”

“TWO!”

“ONE!”

As one final blow, Flash felt vindictive and put all his might to a single, devastating kick to Blood Stalk’s crotch.

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

By the time the countdown finished, one hundred seconds in Flash’s perspective had passed. He appeared in front of Sol as time resumed to normal. The room was a lit with an explosion as the armored fighters were thrown back from the force of the many blows. The battle was over. Flash then turned the driver once more.

“ONE! TWO! THREE SECONDS!”

The Inorganic segments glowed once more as a pulse washed over the room. Everything else within the room slowed down. He took amusement of his foes slowly getting up. He moved over and retrieved Pandora’s Box from its pedestal, and grabbed his friend. He kicked down one of the doors and ran through the halls, using his HUD to follow the prerecorded map that was stored.

Once the countdown timed out, time resumed normally. Night Rogue and Blood Stalk lied on the ground in pain, the latter especially. But the former pulled himself up first and followed after the retreating duo, gun in hand.

Stalk achingly stood up and hobbled after him, keeping mindful of and using his hands to support his bruised family jewels.

Flash had difficulty dragging both his friend while keeping a hold on Pandora’s Box. But he was determined to do so.

His HUD beeped, alerting him of the armor’s power reserves. Due to the self-quickening and slow down within the room, quite of bit of power was consumed. He supposed it was the price to pay for effectively manipulating Chronons as he did.

Both of their armors powered down, but he had made it to their bikes. Sol Burner went back to normal as he looked around wildly.

“Wh-what happened?! How did we get here?!”

“I’ll explain later!” Flash placed the Box in the back of the Machine Builder. He quickly covered it with a stored sheet before he hopped on. “Just Drive!”

“R-Right!” He followed suit and in seconds, the two drove down the road away from the factory.

Seconds later, Night Rogue broke through the door. He glared after the retreating motorcycles and took aim to shoo them. Unfortunately, they were out of his range. “Damn it all!” He roared.

“Oh, calm down, Shiny.” Stalk lowered his arm whilst smirking, despite the crippling pain. His voice was noticeably higher pitched. “We’re still in this game. All twenty Fullbottles have been made and purified. Now it’s time to start the next phase.”

Later…

The Riders made it back to the lab with no danger of pursuit. Their friends were relieved that they were alright. Due to the severed communications, they inquired about what happened.

Naturally, the room fell silent upon what they were told. Micro and Sandalwood were simply stunned. To think, that Lieutenant Shining Armor of the Canterlot Police Department was in actually the leader of Faust, Night Rogue. And more than that, he knew who Build and Cross-Z really were!

That shock became sympathy, as they also knew that Flash had viewed Shining Armor as a friend. The musician maintained a blank expression as he set the Box off to the side. Micro closed his laptop as he went over to his friend. “Hey…are you doing alright?”

“I’ll be fine.” Flash answered. “I was just surprised…but I’ll get over it.”

“Okay…I just can’t believe that he, of all people is the leader of Faust.”

“I know.” The eco-teen nodded. “So he’d been behind everything this whole time? This is blowing my mind! We just saw him a while back helping us fight that Square Smash!”

“It was a probably a trick to get us to trust him.” Sol said coldly. “He made it clear. He lied to use this entire time. Manipulating us for this ‘greater good’ plan!”

“Then…doesn’t that mean that he made the whole raid up the other day? That he did all that just to get the government off of his back? How did he even get Dusk Walker to pose as him?”

“Wasn’t he in on it too? Then who else can be in on this Faust business?”

“Maybe the police? I mean, didn’t they give him troops to form the raid party?”

“What about the government? Like Tirek Heavy Industries? That old man has been in cahoots with them too!” Sol added.

“Then just…how far does this conspiracy stuff run?!” Sandalwood held his head in his hands.

“I don’t know. But right now, it doesn’t matter.” Flash interjected. “Yes, Shining Armor is Night Rogue. I don’t know why or how he became as such, but it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is now we have Pandora’s Box, and it’s out of the bad guys’ hands.”

‘All that’s left is to figure out how Stalk bugged Micro.’ He finished in his thoughts. After the fight in the factory, his theory had proven fruit. Stalk had been spying on them somehow. But now he had an idea of where the source might be…or rather, who. He knew their infiltration route and how to exploit it, which explained all the opposition during their route to the Box. However, he did not know about the Turtle and Watch Fullbottles. He was genuinely surprised.

‘That means that it’s not Sol or Sandalwood that have been bugged, but it’s Micro. But how did he do it?’ There is no way for somebody to be bugged in a way that it is permanently present. Then it must be from something inside the lab, as the plans Stalk knew of were devised within the lab. But what could have been allowing the Cobra to spy on them? How was it possible if the room was sealed beforehand?

As he thought, his gaze drifted over to the closed laptop that Micro received through the mail. He froze. He recalled that the Gizmo’s laptop was sent through the mail by an unknown sender. Could…could it be?

“Uh, Flash? Is the Box supposed to be doing that?” Sol questioned, pulling the musician from his thoughts.

“Doing what?” Sol pointed behind them. They turned around to see the Box leaking a bit of gas from the seams. Then suddenly, a massive amount of Nebula Gas explodes out, causing the others to panic.

“Oh, crap!” Thinking quickly, Flash grabbed one of the Empty Bottles and sucked up the excess Gas. The emission then slowed down before stopping, allowing the bottle to suck up everything. “Phew…” He and the others sighed in relief.

The super computer then beeped, alerting about another news story.

“That’s odd. I wonder what the media’s up to now?” Micro wondered as he hit a few keys and pulled up the news channel.

All four pairs of eyes were locked on the headline on the screen.

[Arrest Warrants Issued: Flash Sentry and Sol Burner under suspicion of Pandora Box theft and Faust collaboration.]

On the screen was Lieutenant Shining Armor with a grave expression on his face. “People of Canterlot, it is through my investigation of Faust and the missing Pandora’s Box that I have come across the truth. Based on evidence I found at the scenes of the crime, it has come to my understanding that two students of Canterlot High, Flash Sentry and Sol Burner, are the ones responsible for the theft of Pandora’s Box.”

Sugar Cube Corner...

The patrons within the restaurant at the time hung onto every word. Those who knew the two well, such as Bulk, Brawly, Ringo, Vinyl, Octavia, Bon Bon, Lyra, and Wallflower couldn't believe what they were hearing.

Brawly dropped his sandwich, paying no mind to its contents splashing back at him.

Bulk screamed in a high pitched manner.

The sunglasses of Ringo and Vinyl fell off their faces due to how wide their eyes were.

Octavia coughed up her drink, shocked upon hearing her friends were supposedly responsible for such atrocities.

Both Bon Bon and Lyra dropped their drinks at the same time. They knew Flash well, and could not understand how he was a Faust Collaborator. He was a good person. How could he be a criminal?!

Wallflower stared at the screen silently. She was unable to process that the person she came to know as a friend was a criminal as described.

Their profile images were posted on the screen. “Not only are they responsible for stealing it from the Research Center, but they are also guilty of collaborating with Faust.

At Canterlot High School...

Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had tuned into the news story.

They were promptly stunned by the revelation that two of their students were affiliated with such a heinous organization.

"This...this can’t be right." Celestia shook her head.

"But what else could it be, sister?" Luna questioned.

"Luna, I refuse to believe our students can do such things."

"But is there any reason to believe otherwise?"

Neither one had the answer as Shining Armor continued to speak.

"They are responsible for the mass kidnappings, notifying Faust where they may find enough people for their sinister human experimentations."

At the Sentry Household…

Scootaloo and Misty Veil had waited for Flash to come home for dinner. At the moment, they decided to watch television together. They stopped when the channel cut their programming for the breaking news report.

They were stunned by what they just heard. How could Shining Armor accuse Flash as a Faust collaborator and the thief of Pandora’s Box?!

Scootaloo felt her heart drop at what was being told. But she refused to believe it. Sure her brother may be annoying at times, but he’s a good person. He would take care of her when she got sick and supported her through thick and thin. She loved him and wouldn’t trade him away for anything else in the world. She thought that he was being framed somehow and vehemently denied the accusations.

Misty Veil, on the other hand, was in turmoil. Her son was being accused as a member of the organization that threatened to bring harm to her family. While she didn’t remember anything else about that particular incident, she knew enough that Faust was plotting something diabolical. She felt severe dread.

She didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t believe it! Flash wouldn’t do something this heinous! At least not willingly! Was he being coerced? Was he being blackmailed?! Just for what reason would Shining Armor announce this without any prior notifications?!

The pressure was too much for her. The fact she might very well lose her son due to these circumstances shook her to the core. She worried that she would lose him just they lost Trail Blazer.

"It is through them that they were able to understand the building’s security and tip them off. If anyone has any information, please do not hesitate to report. We will be sure to find these criminals and bring them to justice. We are grateful for your cooperation.”

At The Sparkle Household…

The Rainbooms were gathered at the behest of Twilight Sparkle to try and study for the final exams that were around the corner. They had been taking a break with Rainbow turning on the TV to search for a show to watch while they had snacks.

As she channel surfed, she saw the headline on one of the channels and immediately switched to it. The girls remained transfixed to the story, unable to believe their ears. Twilight, most of all, couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her own brother was condemning her friends! Rainbow immediately shut off the news, unable to listen any more.

"...Flash...Sol..." Sunset whispered in dread.

The story continued with the reporters analyzing the announcement and reading the findings Shining Armor ‘discovered’. One example was how they were shown to be missing for periods of time during their field trip and a firsthand report of their lack of attendance during a Smash attack at Sweet Apple Acres. Micro muted the video, unable to bear hearing any more falsities.

The silence was tense and looming. It came to an end when a single shout was made.

“…oh, come on!” Sol Burner punched the bag so hard it flew off of its chain.

“Well…things just went from bad to worse.” Micro sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“This is bad man…really really bad!” Sandalwood exclaimed.

“That damn liar!” Sol punched his downed punching bag. “He’s turning everyone against us to flush us out!”

“And it’s worse because no one knows the truth except for us. Because he got to everyone first, they’re more likely to believe his story over ours; doesn’t help when it’s an upstanding police lieutenant’s word against a bunch of secretive teenagers.” Micro added morbidly.

“What are we gonna do, Flash?” Sandalwood turned to his blue haired friend.

Flash had been wondering the same thing. His hand was wrapped tightly around the newly filled Bottle. What CAN they do, now?

To be Continued…

Author's Note

....Welp. The bomb has dropped in this chapter. And yes, this part was intentional, as it provides the set up to the climax and grand finale of the first arc.

To those who are worried, please don't. This is not the end.The boys are not done fighting yet.

Also, this is the last of the rapid updates for the foreseeable future due to the semester starting. I apologize for leaving you all on such a dreaded cliffhanger.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
Turtle

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
Watch

Chapter 15: Riders on the Run

At the Sentry Household…

“Thank you for your time, Ms. Veil.” The uniformed officer nodded as he walked out the front door. The matriarch of the household waved him away before sinking down onto the couch. She ran her hands down her face in exhaustion.

It had been sixteen hours since Shining Armor made his announcement that labeled her son and his friend wanted criminals. Early this morning, police officers had visited her home to ask a multitude of questions regarding her son and his possible location.

She answered the best she could. It was during this interrogation that she realized that she had no idea what Flash had been actually doing these past few months. What if what was said in the news was true?

She was only grateful that Scootaloo wasn’t present to witness this, as she opted to shut herself in her room, denying the announcement altogether.

It wasn’t until a few minutes after the police officers left did the phone ring. ‘Who could it be THIS time?’ She thought in annoyance. They had been swarmed with phone calls from the police and all sorts of media outlets. She had nothing to say to the latter.

The irritation was replaced with surprised once she saw the ID. She did not hesitate to answer. “Flash?!”

“Mom, thank god you answered!” The blue haired musician whispered in relief. He was hidden in the shadows of an alleyway, sitting on top of Sol’s motorcycle.

“Where are you?! Do you know what happened?!”

“I-I know! I saw the news! Look, it’s complicated, and I don't have a lot of time!”

“Why are you talking like this? You didn’t really work with Faust, did you? Please tell me none of it was true!” She asked desperately. It pained Flash to hear her like this. But he couldn’t tell her the truth.

“It’s not true!” He answered honestly. “I don’t have a lot of time! Just please don’t trust anything you hear over the media. It’s a bunch of lies!”

“Then please, tell me the truth!” As Flash continued his back and forth with his mother, a pair of officers entered the street with a device in hand.

“And you’re sure this will help flush them out?” The one on the left asked.

“Yeah. Since they’re teenagers, they’re bound to have their phones with them. This little doo-dad from the Tech Department will track down their calls and find them. It was a good thing the phone company gave us access to their ISP addresses.” As he finished speaking, the GPS screen on the device beeped with a glowing dot. “Just like that! He’s nearby!”

The police officers rounded down to the marked alley way. “Alright, Freeze, kid! COme out with your hands up!” Silence greeted them. Confused, the two entered the alley way until their feet kicked against something. Looking down, they found four smartphones. Each one of them smashed beyond salvation.

Shooting out through the other end of the alley was Flash on Sol Burner’s motorcycle. Any bystanders panicked from the sudden entrance, but he drove away before any of them could recognize him.

Micro gave him the task of finding a good spot to ditch their cell phones. He anticipated the risk of being tracked through any calls they made. Flash had been wanting to contact his family to dissuade them from worries. The genius gave him the go ahead to make the call, only if he ditched and destroyed all their phones afterward.

He felt bad about leaving his mother in the dark like this, but at least he was able to get the message out. Fortunately, he had been successful in his job and evaded the Police. But those hopes were dashed as he heard familiar sirens. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a squadron of police cars.

“Dammit! How did they find me?!” He yelled as he swerved the bike for a right turn. Thanks to his time with the Machine Builder and Sol’s lessons, Flash was able to ride a motorcycle. While he isn’t as good as Sol, he hoped he was good enough to shake off the police.

He darted down the road, weaving through traffic to escape. He cursed as another police car turned around the corner. He shot left to escape it and zoomed past Sugarcube Corner. A pair of police officers walked out with coffee and donuts. They noticed him, dropped their food items and alerted for backup.

Flash escaped through a construction sight, making sure not to hit any workers as he used a ramp to jump over a newly made pit. He broke through the barricade of warning signs and out onto the opposite street.

The sirens grew closer. And it sounded as if there were more of them. He glanced behind him to see at least three squads worth of cars tailing him. “Seriously?! For just one person!” He turned the corner again and saw an alley. He got an idea and drove into it. As the cars rounded around, they drove past the alley, continuing to pursue the wanted criminal. Several minutes later, the dumpster that lined the alleyway glitched out, revealing Flash and Crozz in his hand.

“Thanks, little guy.” He thanked the small dragon. It chirped in response. “Now let's go home.” He drove out in the direction of the lab.

In front of Canterlot High School were the Rainbooms gathered by the base of what used to be the school statue. What most do not know, is that the base is actually a magical portal to Sunset Shimmer’s home world: Equestria.

The girls waited anxiously for an important guest. After the shocking news story the other night, Sunset immediately wrote to Princess Twilight to update on the situation. Upon learning that Flash had been arrested, she made an immediate change of plans and said she’d be arriving the next day, which was today.

It had been a difficult morning, as the police and media had swarmed the school to question all of the students and staff that were present. The girls had been put through the wringer, as they were some of the students that knew the two best. Unfortunately, they couldn’t provide much help as they did not know where they were. Heck, they didn’t even know where Micro and Sandalwood were. But given how they all hung out, they seemed to be involved as well.

Classes had been cancelled for the rest of the day as Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna handled matters. But the girls stayed behind to wait for their friend.

“Come on...where is she?!” Rainbow Dash paced restlessly.

“Darling, please calm down!” Rarity urged.

“Calm down?! How can I possibly calm down after what happened?! Our friends just became wanted criminals!”

“We know, we were there, too.” Sunset replied. “But panicking like this isn’t going to change things. Twilight wrote to me that she’d be here as soon as she could after clearing her entire schedule. As a Princess, it couldn’t have been easy.”

“I know, but what are we going to do? We have no idea where the guys are, and they’re not picking up any of our calls or texts!”

“You don’t think...something terrible happened, do you?” Fluttershy voiced her worries.

“This…this has got to be a mistake!” Twilight still refused what she witnessed last night. There was no way…Flash and Sol would do that…would they?

“...They couldn’t….they wouldn’t collaborate with Faust, right?” Rainbow back.

“I wouldn’t think so. Flash is just too much of an upstanding guy. And from what I know, Sol Burner seemed like a good person. He was genuinely depressed when he thought he hurt his friends.” Sunset replied. “I can tell he regretted causing them trouble.”

“But ya can’t deny that they’ve been actin’ pretty sneaky the past few months, right?” Applejack stated.

“I won’t deny that.” The fiery haired girl shook his head. “But I’m sure they would have some good reason for it. Not…this.”

“But weren’t they missing for a while back in the Research Center?” Rarity pointed out. “They said that they were locked in, but what if what Shining Armor said is true?”

“That doesn’t prove anything!” Rainbow countered. “Are you saying that our friends really DID help Faust?”

“I’m not saying anything of the sort, Rainbow Dash!” Rarity retorted. “I’m just putting out a possibility!”

“Oh yeah? Then what about Sol’s match! You’re saying he was the one who turned Iron Will into a Smash?! He was buried under rubble!”

“No, but doesn’t it strike anyone odd that he recovered too quickly?” Applejack added. “He didn’t have broken bones, and he healed in just a few days.”

“Well I don’t believe it!” Pinkie snapped. Her demeanor was a stark contrast; instead of energetically happy, she was morbidly serious, which fitted the situation. “Flash and Sol are our friends! There’s no way they could do something like this!”

“But Pinkie-!”

“No buts, missy!” Pinkie shoved her face against the farm girls. “It’s all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong….WRONG!” With each additional wrong, she inched closer and closer to Applejack, eventually pushing the farm girl off of her feet and onto her bum. Despite practically arching over the ground, she remained completely balanced on her toes.

“But then…are you saying my brother is lying?” Twilight asked her.

“I’m not either! There’s gotta be some kind of mistake!” She plopped back down in her spot.

“I can’t…I don’t believe this! It can’t be true!” Fluttershy whimpered. She desperately refused to believe that her friends could be working for the bad guys.

“What are we going to do?” Twilight asked her friends with a pained expression. She was conflicted by what she just witnessed and had no idea how to handle it.

Just when the group fell silent, the portal shimmered and a familiar figure stumbled through. She resembled Twilight Sparkle in very way. However, her hair fell freely and she lacked the wide rimmed glasses. Her attire was also different. She wore a blue blouse, purple skirt, and purple boots. Around her neck was an ornament that resembled a six-pointed, magenta star.This was Princess Twilight from Equestria.

“I’m finally here!” She announced.

“Twilight!” Her friends rushed over and scooped her up for a group hug. Even Sci-Twi joined in.

“Sorry I took so long! It was a long story that I shouldn’t talk about right now! What happened? Are Flash and Sol okay?!”

“We don’t know. We haven;t been able to get in contact with them since last night. We tried contacting Sandalwood and Micro too, but nothing went through.” Sunset explained.

“Okay, but what about Shining Armor?” Twilight asked her counterpart. “What did he have to say about this?”

“I tried asking him, but he was tight lipped about it.” The bespectacled girl answered. “He kept repeating the same thing. That they were guilty and deserved punishment. He looked...cold while saying it too. I barely recognized him.”

“But I thought he and Flash became friends. Why would he do that?”

“I asked him too, but he refused to say anything.” She trembled. “I just don’t know what's going on!”

“Do we know anything else? Has...has Faust done anything since then?” The Princess continued with the questions.

“No. They’ve been quiet. Given how it was reported that their alleged associated were convicted, they might be hiding.” Rarity answered. “Granted, it’s only been a day. But still…”

“I see…” The princess pressed a hand to her chin in thought. The gears in her mind turned.

“Do you have an idea of what’s going on?” Rainbow asked hopefully.

“Maybe. But I don’t know for sure. But let’s start with this. You girls said that Flash, Sol, Micro, and Sandalwood had been acting weird for the past few months, correct? That they’d be missing or late for some reason or another, and give reasons as to why?”

“Yeah. At first we thought they knew something about the Masked Rider, but then we realized it was just coincidental.” Applejack answered.

“I see. Do you know anyone else who may have had some sort of connection to Faust?”

“Well, there is his mother and Scootaloo. The former was kidnapped by Faust and turned to the Smash while the latter was ambushed by a Smash along with Sci-Twi. But I doubt they’re in a mood to talk right now.” Sunset pointed out.

“Ooh! Oh! What about Flash’s Bandmates, Ringo and Brawly? Bulk Biceps too! I’m sure they’d know something to help clear their names!” Pinkie pointed out.

“That’s a good idea. Do you know where they are?” Twilight asked.

“Yes I do~! Follow me!” She zoomed down the street with the other girls running after her. Hopefully they can learn something and help their friends.

“I’m back!” Flash called out once he was sure all doors were closed and no one followed him back.

“You ditched the phones?” Micro asked as his friend entered the lab. Thanks to their efforts, it has been repurposed into a bunker of sorts. Fortunately they had non perishable rations and water on hand so they won’t go hungry any time soon. They also have indoor plumbing and electricity that is not connected to the main power grid, something that Gizmo had implemented when he first made this lab. They were safe….for a while at least.

“And smashed them. I think we’re good on that end.”

“But what are gonna do now?” Sol asked as he snacked on a protein bar. “The police are still after us, and we have no clue how to clear our names.”

“Couldn’t we just find Faust and find some evidence to prove it wasn’t us?” Sandalwood offered.

“Doubt it. With Shining Armor as a member of the police, he’d have no issue forging evidence that will still point everything back to us. Not to mention that no matter what we do, they’ll find some way to counter our efforts and paint us in a worse light than we already are.” Micro said sadly.

“So in other words, we’re screwed no matter what unless we take down Faust, once and for all.” Sol deduced.

“We can worry about that later, once we have a better understanding of their next plan of attack. Micro,” Flash asked. “You took a look at the Bottle filled with Nebula Gas, right? What are the results?”

“I did.” He perked up. “And it’s quite astounding.” He pulled up a diagram depicting the bottle filled with Nebula Gas and one of their Fullbottles. “The gas you extracted from the Box. It’s pure Nebula Gas without any impurities in it. Unlike our Fullbottles, there is no additional essence that individually distinguishes them.”

Sandalwood and Sol looked at one another before back at Micro. The explanation flew above their heads. “...huh?”

Flash thought for a moment, then came up with an idea for how to explain it. "Imagine the Fullbottles are bottles of juice," he said while grabbing some of the bottles. His friends all looked at him like he was crazy, until he held up the lion bottle. "You've got orange juice," he put it down and picked up the train bottle. "Apple juice," he then swapped it with the ninja bottle. "And blackcurrant." He put them all down. "They're basically all water, but with a little something extra that gives it its flavor." He then held up the essence bottle. "What we have here is pure water on its own. With nothing added to it."
"Oh," the two said slowly as they caught on.

“Exactly, thank you Flash.” Micro said gratefully for the analogy.

“But what makes it so special aside from it being a pure mass of gas?” He asked.

“I was getting to that.” He pulled up a set of charts with different readings. “Like I said, this gas is the purest we've ever seen. Unlike the other gas, which has had some of its energy lost by being in the earth, in a smash or during the purification, this gas is at one hundred percent energy. If we can harness it, we'd be able to make something not even my brother would have been able to come up with."

"You mean like a new form?" Flash asked before seeing a smirk on Micro's face.

"Exactly. And if we do it right, this form will by twice as strong as anything we've seen before."

"Awesome," Sol punched his fist into his palm, "So what do we do to get this going?" It was then that they saw Micro sigh, sitting back in his chair and rubbing his eyes under his glasses.

"That's the issue." He turned to them. "Since we don't know what Faust does to the gas when using it to make a smash, we don't know how to do it with this. We can't just put it into the purifier and it's done. We need some way to help it take form."

Sol hummed as he picked up the bottle. "We could always spray it on someone and see if they turn into a smash." The other three all glared at him, the pro fighter holding up his arms defensively. "I'm just kidding."

Now it was Sandal's turn to hum, thoughts rushing through his head. And as he remembered what Flash said, a spark of inspiration exploded into his head. "That's it," he said as a light bulb flash above his head. The others turned to him and saw there was an actual light bulb, which was in a lamp stood behind him that had turned one when Flash stepped on its cord switch.

"Oh," he took his foot off, "sorry."

"Micro," Sandalwood turned to the smart member of their team, "We need something to give this thing form right?" Micro nodded, "Well we've got it." He held up two of their Fullbottles, "Let's just use these." Micro raised an eyebrow at this before his eyes slowly grew wide.

"Sandal," he stood up, "that's it."

"What's it?" Sol asked, turning to Flash and seeing the look of understanding appearing on his face. "Can someone clue me in here?"

"Like Flash said," Sandalwood held up the Fullbottles. "Orange juice and blackcurrant. But if you pour a bit of orange or blackcurrant into water, you make a new type of orange and blackcurrant."

Micro nodded. "And if we mix a tiny amount of Fullbottle gas into the pure gas, we'll get a supercharged version of that bottle." He began setting things up while telling the others to pair up all the bottles with their best matches, the three doing so but not before Flash secretly closed the lid on Gizmo's laptop. If this worked, Flash didn't want Stalk knowing about it.

After minutes of running around town, the girls finally found Ringo and Brawly. They were situated in Sugarcube Corner. According to Pinkie, they always come here to order milkshakes when they’re feeling bummed about something.

The two band members were surprised to see two Twilight Sparkles, but welcomed back the Princess with open arms.

“I’m sorry if I’m bringing up bad experiences.” She apologized. “But do you think you can tell me what you can recall from when you were Smashes?”

“We think we might have a way to clear Flash and Sol’s names.” Sunset elaborated. “But we need your help to do so. Is there anything you two remember from when you were kidnapped? Anything at all?”

“Not really…” Ringo shook his head regretfully. “Everything is just one big, blur. The earliest thing I could remember is answering the door. The next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance on my way to the hospital.”

“Yeah. It was the same for me.” Brawly nodded. The girls became downtrodden. There wasn’t anything that could help. “Although…” The drummer continued, instilling hope once more. “It’s kind of hazy. But before I was kidnapped, I remember Flash trying to save me from the robots.”

“Can you please elaborate?” Twilight asked eagerly.

“It was when Flash and I were going to visit Ringo at the hospital. We just had lunch, but we got surrounded by a lot of vans. I think those robots with guns hopped out of them.”

“So you’re saying Flash was with you when the robots tried to take you?” Rainbow inquired.

“Yeah. I got shot in the leg, and we took cover behind some trash cans in an alley. He said he was going to distract then while I escaped out the back way.” The drummer continued.

“So he said he was gonna be decoy while you tried to get away?” Applejack clarified.

“Yeah. But after that I crawled through the alley, everything went dark. Next thing I knew, I was being carried by the paramedics.”

“So you don’t recall anything else?” Rarity asked.

“Nope. Sorry…but does that help at least?” Ringo asked hopefully. They truly wanted their friend found innocent in all of this.

“It does, thank you.” The Princess nodded as they walked out of the door.

“Well, we couldn’t find much about Ringo, but it seems Brawly’s story holds weight. It’s not much, but it’s a start.” The fiery haired girl stated.

“We’ll need more testimonies. You said that Bulk was another person attacked by Faust. Do you know where he is now?”

“Yep! To the park!”

Within minutes, a device was set up, designed to infuse the Matched Fullbottle essence into the Nebula Gas Bottle. It had a pair of slots similar to those of the Driver to insert the Fullbottles. Connected to it was a tube that was fed into a tank. Then the tube was connected to a connector chamber that takes a sample of the inserted essence and Pandora Box Essence and mixes them into the beaker connected above. Off to the side were all 20 Fullbottles they had on hand.

“Alright. Everything is set up. Now all we gotta do is testing which Best Match the Gas is compatible with." Micro announced.

"Great!" Sol said as he approached the table. "So who's doing the matching?" He was answered with a series of clatters and moving furniture. Confused, he turned around and saw his three friends barricaded behind a fort of upturned tables, chairs, and riot shields.

"We're counting on you, man!" Sandalwood gave him a thumbs-up. "Good luck!"

"...Thanks guys." Sol deadpanned. He really felt the vote of confidence. He looked over the bottles and thought about which would work best. He selected Panda and Rocket and inserted it into the machine.

“Panda and Rocket.” He placed the bottles into the slot of the machine. A portion of the bottles’ essence drained down the tube into the connector of Nebula Gas Bottle and the beaker. The substances reacted as a bright light emitted from the beaker.

“Hey, I think it worked. Something’s happen-!”

KA-BOOM!

The fighter yelped as he was sent tumbling into the air. He crashed down on his back and slid against the barricade. His front was covered in soot and his hair was blown back. Micro and the others peered over the edge and collectively sighed.

“Panda and Rocket is a no-go.” Sandalwood remarked as he crossed off the possible combination from the list in a notepad.

Sol groaned weakly.

After recovering, Sol tried out combination after combination, trying to find the one that is suitable. He definitely wasn’t fortunate with his succeeding attempts.

“Gorilla Diamond.” The beake glowed light blue and flickered. He thought something good would happen….until he got blasted in the face with a bunch of diamonds.

He fell onto his knees from the stinging pain as Sandalwood marked another combination off the list. “Well, that didn’t work either.”

Sol knocked himself in the back of his head to dislodge diamonds that flew up his nostrils. He also spat a few out from his mouth.

“…You know, I wonder if we could sell those.” Flash wondered.

“Lion Cleaner.”

Sol inserted the bottles, the beaker glowed again, and he was promptly blasted by several thousand volts of electricity. He stumbled around as he spasmed. At some instances, his skeleton became visible.

“Another one down.” Sandalwood crossed off another match.

“…is he gonna be alright after all this?” Flash wondered.

“Why do you think I made him the tester?” Micro asked rhetorically.

“Fire-Hedgehog”

The beaker glowed red. Then Sol was pushed back as multiple sharp quills shot out. Several of them stuck into different points of Sol’s body. He turned around, seeing his friends wince from the gruesome sight.

“Well, that’s a definite no.”

“…huh. I feel strangely relaxed.” The fighter said before falling on his side.

“Ninja Comic”

Sol got spurted with ink. Then he was pinned to the table barricade with several paper ninja stars made out of comic strips. “I know paper cuts, but this is pretty ridiculous.” Flash said.

"Sadly, it’s another dud.”

“Pirate Train.”

The bottle flickered between blue and green. Sol Thought he was making progress….until a train made of water crashed into him head on. He flew over the barricade and into the wall. The train continued onward, thoroughly soaking him to the bone. He slid down the wall while coughing up water.

The three wordlessly stared at him while under the umbrella Sandalwood opened up. Micro crossed off the combination for him.

“Turtle and Watch…” Sol said as he inserted the bottles.

“So, why didn’t you guys tell me you purified those Bottles?” Micro questioned his friends.

“I thought Flash told you.” The eco-teen said.

“Oh, right. Sorry, it slipped from my mind with everything going on.” Flash apologized. Sandalwood stared at the musician with a befuddled expression. It wasn't like Flash to forget stuff like this. Yet Micro seemed to accept it.

“Gyagh!” Sol yelped as an energy bolt struck him dead on. He was thrown into the air...and proceeded to yell and flail in an extremely slow pace as he descended. It was like watching the scene in slow motion.

“Incredible!” Micro exclaimed. “So it really CAN slow down time to a crawl!”

“...but how do we go about fixing this?” Sandalwood asked as he crossed off another match.

“Dragon and Lock.”

Sol desperately hoped this was the right combination. It was his Fullbottle after all. The Bottle flickered between blue and gold. It glowed bright blue. The fighter smiled, thinking he finally got it….until he was blasted by a column of blue fire this time.

“Holy crap!” Flash shot up from his spot and grabbed the fire extinguisher. The fighter thrashed around until he dropped onto the floor and rolled. Flash aimed and blasted him with the extinguisher to put out the flames. In moments, Sol laid on the ground panting, covered in soot. He coughed up some soot as well.

“….I guess KeyDragon’s a no-go.” Sandalwood crossed it off.

“You think?!”

Finally, Sol inserted the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles. Once their essence became infused with the Pandora Box Essence, the beaker shined in a myriad of colors. And best of all….no painful explosion!

“It’s shining!” A burnt, battered, and bruised Sol Burner smiled at the success. His friends hopped out of their bunker and rushed over in awe.

“No no, it’s sparkling!” Sandalwood proclaimed.

“You see? How do you like my-“

“-invention?” Micro interrupted before prodding him in the chest. “Your sixth sense on the other hand? It’s faulty! It took you all ten combinations!” Sol swatted off his hand. Before they could continue their banter, the super computer beeped.

Micro walked over and opened up the monitor to see what was going on. His and everyone’s eyes narrowed into a glare when they saw what it was:

A message…from Blood Stalk.

“Great, what does that snake want THIS time?” Flash scowled.

“How did he even know where to send it?!” Sandalwood exclaimed.

“He probably knew where we were this whole time. He seemed to be a step ahead of what we planned to do, at least.” The musician scoffed.

“We can keep hating on Stalk later, what does it say?!” Sol yelled.

“Don’t scream! I’m right here!” Micro snapped as he opened the message and read it.

“Yo~! How’s it going, kiddies? Bet you’re enjoying your new found fame. Or not. Doesn’t matter to me. But I believe I have a way to fix your little issue. Come meet me at this location. And bring Pandora’s Box with you and all of your Fullbottles. If you refuse, well no skin off my nose. But should you accept, this whole media issue can go away. Whaddaya say? I’ll be waiting.”

“…You know, I’m really starting to hate that guy.” Sol grunted.

“Trust me. The feeling’s mutual.”

“But is he saying what I think he’s saying? Can he really fix this whole media craziness?” Sandalwood questioned.

“I doubt it.” Micro scoffed. “He probably thought we’d be desperate enough to do such a thing. But we won’t.”

“So we’re gonna stand him up?”

“Nope. We’re going.” The bespectacled teen stated firmly.

“…come again?”

They found Bulk Biceps going up and down on the park teeter totter. He seemed dismayed. Once the girls told him of their plan to find a way to prove Flash and Sol’s innocence, he immediately brightened up and cheered. When inquired about any weird events, he explained.

“Well, when I talked with Sol about his match, he seemed depressed about something. Not sure what it was. But I never saw him so sad.”

“Did anything else happen after that?”

“Hm…oh, yeah! I met this really scary guy with red armor!” Bulk exclaimed, eliciting shocked reactions from the girls.

“Wait, you met Blood Stalk?!”

“Is that who he was? I don’t know, but he was scary! Then everything hurt, and then I woke up with some ambulance people.”

“So you don’t know anything else after that?”

“Nope. Sorry…but did I help?” He asked hopefully.

“You did plenty, Bulk. Thank you.”

“Yeah! I hope you guys can clear Sol’s name. He’s a good guy.”

“So this is the place?” Sol asked as he and Flash got off of the Machine Builder. They were garbed in their disguises. Strapped on the rear of the bike was a covered box. Next to it was a small duffle bag. They followed the attached coordinates, finding themselves in some sort of parking complex. They anticipated another ambush, given that it was Blood Stalk responsible.

“It is…wonder where that snake is hiding?”

“No need to wonder.” The guest of honor announced as he stepped out from behind a large car. “I’m already here. Did you bring the Box like I asked?”

Flash unhooked the stored item and removed the tarp. He grabbed Pandora’s Box while Sol grabbed the duffle bag and opened it. Inside were all twenty Fullbottles. “You wanted these, right?”

“Yes indeed.”

“Let me ask you this though. Is this why you had Shining Armor slander us? Pinning the crime of stealing the Box on us and embellish our false crimes? So we’d be cornered enough to deal with you?”

“Why, aren’t you a sharp tool, Sentry?” Stalk mocked. “But what is the point of asking if you already know? We get what we want, and you get what you want. It’s a good deal, no?”

“Oh we know…and we also know that we can’t trust you!” Sol summoned the Drill Crusher and fired a salvo of laser blasts at Stalk. They were shot down from another set of energy blasts. Shining Armor stepped out from behind a truck with the Transteam Gun smoking.

“So it’s come to this then.” The Lieutenant said stoically. “In the end, you chose to become sacrifices to the greater good.”

“Good, God, it’s like you’re on a freaking loop!” Flash was seriously tired of hearing this spiel. “Doesn’t matter what you’re doing. As long as Faust exists, we’ll be there to stop you!”

“Then we’ll pry the Box and those Fullbottles from your cold, dead hands!” Shining shook his Lost Bottle.

“Only if we let you kill us!” Sol retorted as he shook the Dragon Bottle.

“Yeah, that’s what dead means, kid.” Stalk shrugged as he whipped out his Transteam Rifle.

“Either way, this ends here!” Flash glared as he shook the Turtle and Watch Bottles.

Minutes later, a massive explosion erupted from the parking complex.

The explosion did not go unnoticed. While walking home a random bystander heard the blast not too far away from where they stood. Normally, a person would run from explosions, but curiosity got the better of them and caused them to investigate.

What they found however, was something completely unexpected.

The Masked Riders, Build and Cross-Z were engaged in battle with a man in red armor and another one in black and silver armor. They had motifs of a cobra and bat, respectively. They recognized the latter, it was Night Rogue. But how was he here? The police should’ve taken care of him! Was it a replacement? Is Faust really back so soon?!

They then noted that Build’s armor was different, being green and gray as opposed to his usual red and blue.

Realizing that they wouldn’t get such a prime opportunity again, they took cover behind a car, pulled out their phone, and started recording.

Cross-Z fought against the man in bat armor while Build combated the man in red armor.

Build turned the Driver crank three times.

“ONE! TWO! THREE SECONDS!” The clock face on his armor glowed before the light washed over the area. To the recorder, Build moved faster than the eye could register. But the moment his blurred form struck the Cobra man, he was thrown off and flung away. He tried again and again, but every attempt failed. All the bystander could see was him moving all about in a blur.

Once three seconds passed, the Masked Rider crashed on the ground, his armor sparked erratically.

“H-How…? What was that?!” He yelled as he picked himself up.

“Like it? Got ourselves an upgrade after our last run in with you.” The Cobra claimed as he approached. “Electric currents running through our suits. The currents transfer to something or someone else when impacted at a high velocity. Since you can move fast, guess what happens? Now you can’t touch us!”

“Dammit!” Build said as he stood up. But the Cobra moved in quickly. He threw a punch into the Rider’s Solar Plexus. Then he delivered two, swift strikes to the knees. He jumped up and kneed the dual-armored man in the chest. The Cobra finished the assault with a backflip, delivering a powerful kick to the chin that sent Build flying.

The red armored man landed on his feet whilst fist-pumping. “Nailed it!”

Cross-Z was momentarily distracted during his fight as his gaze locked onto the red armored man’s. “How...how do you know that move?!” He yelled before dodging another swing from the Bat. How…? How does he know his father’s Burning Assault?!

“How else? I learned it!” He retorted before moving to the downed form of Build. He grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him up. “Now...give us Pandora’s Box. We worked quite hard to get it in the first place and would like to have it back.”

“F-Forget it!” Flash spat as he grabbed the arm and headbutted the Cobra, causing him to backpedal. “You stole the Box and put innocents in danger! We won’t allow you and Faust to do as you please!”

The Cobra was about to retort until he turned to the bystander’s direction, causing them to freeze. He let out a bone chilling laugh.

“Fine...then you can just die and let us take them!” He whipped out his Transteam Gun and fired an energy blast. However, the trajectory was completely off. Build turned and saw the intended target. He quickly cranked the handle.

“ONE! TWO SECONDS!”

The recorder didn’t know what happened next. One second they saw the energy blast heading straight for him. The next, Build appeared and shielded them from it. The Rider stumbled as his body sparked, noting a loss of power from the impact. Nevertheless, he turned to face them.

“Get out of here! Hurry!”

Not arguing against their savior, the random bystander nodded and ran out of the warzone.

Flash was relieved that the civilian was safe, but grew worried once more when Cross-Z crashed at his feet. “You okay?”

“Fine...sorta..!”

“Guess this is the end of the line for you two.” Stalk hummed as he and Night Rogue took aim with their Transteam Guns and fired. Flash quickly smacked his shell-shoulder pad and the dome barrier appeared around the two of them. The energy bullets ricochet off of the energy shield.

One of the energy bullets bounced off and struck Pandora’s Box.

“Shit!” Flash cursed. The Faust fighters stopped their fire as their attention became focused on what was just hit. Instead of a damaged Pandora’s Box, all that was left was a burnt mess of paper mache.

“...You know, I kinda expected you would try to trick us.” Stalk said. “At least we now know.”

“The two of you will pay for your deception!” Night Rogue growled as he and the Cobra formed their Transteam Rifles.

Flash and Sol remained defiant. But it quickly died as the power of Flash’s suit ran down to critical levels, causing the shield to flicker. He reached down to turn the crank of his Driver.

“FULLBOTTLE!”

“STEAM ATTACK!”

Energy blasts in the form of a giant cobra and a swarm of bats shot out and impacted the two Riders. They were sent flying into the air before crashing harshly to the ground. Build’s transformation dispelled upon contact, scattering the Fullbottles all around. Cross-Z remained suited up, but lied flat on his back.

The two members of Faust picked up the scattered bottles as the two lay on the ground in pain. Flash flipped himself over and crawled over to the nearest two Fullbottles; Turtle and Watch. He grabbed them in his hands. But before he could move, two boots stepped on his wrists, eliciting a pained cry. Looking up, the two armored fighters looked down on him.

“Don’t even think about it, Sentry. You’re done here.” Stalk advised. They bent down and plucked the bottles from his hands before stepping back.

“Consider yourselves lucky we’re not killing you yet.” Night Rogue glowered.

“We still need the real Box from you guys. And what better way than to use you as a hostage?” He bent down to lift Flash up, but Cross-Z grabbed him and pulled him away.

“You’re not taking him!” He declared as he summoned his Beat Crozzer. “You’ll have to get through me, first!” He pulled the Pommel of his sword twice.

“HIT PARADE!”

“MILLION HIT!”

Cross-Z slammed his sword to the ground, kicking up rocks and dirt into the air, obscuring the Faust fighter’s vision. The cloud swallowed the two. When the pseudo-smokescreen finally dissipated, the Riders and their bikes were gone.

“...Meh. Alright. Consider yourselves free to go...for now. But since you double crossed us...no pardons for you.” The two teleported away, leaving the Masked Riders battered and on the run.

“The Build blog?” Princess Twilight asked her friends. The Rainbooms had finished compiling their inquiries from everyone that was affected by Faust in any way. Well, everyone that was from available.

Even then, they still lacked enough evidence to support Flash and Sol’s innocence. While staying at Pinkie Pie’s house to figure out their next plan of action, the party planner suggested the blog she set up.

“Yeah!” She smiled. “With all the craziness, I forgot all about it!” She pulled out her phone and accessed the blog before showing it off. “It’s something we whipped up a while back! It’s got a ton of followers! New videos of the Riders were posted constantly! And a lot of people post comments on their thoughts on these videos!”

“But what are videos about the Masked Riders gonna do for us?” Rainbow asked. “How will they help proving our friends’ innocence?”

“Maybe we can find something that proves that Flash and Sol are not working with Faust. Weren’t there videos about the Research Center?”

“Well, it’s worth a try.” The Princess nodded as she and the others scrolled through. They looked through any video updates that have been taken since the Blog’s creation. Whether it’d be about the Riders themselves for a Faust attack. They even found Pinkie’s alert about the Guardian attack a while back.

She saw many others. One taken at Sweetapple Acres with the giant Square Smash and Build saving the day. Another one with Build fighting the Strong Smash, and Cross-Z falling from the sky onto a car. Even some during the invasion at the Research Center. It showed Build crash through the window.

“Why did he even do that?” The Princess asked.

“Dunno. He was probably in a rush to stop Faust from making off with the Box.” Rainbow shrugged.

“And you said that Flash and Sol said he saved them from Night Rogue and Blood Stalk after they found them?”

“Yep. Although, Ah couldn’t help but feel there was somethin’ off with how they said it.”

“Off?”

“Like they weren’t tellin’ everything.”

“Why would they do that?” Fluttershy wondered aloud.

“It may have something to do with why they’ve been so secretive for a while. But that doesn’t mean they’re connected to Faust.”

The Princess looked through the other videos and comments. One was Cross-Z transforming for the first time and beating back a Smash and Night Rogue with ease. Some comments were about the Smash attack during Sol’s Burner’s match.

There was even a clip of the news story that featured the Faust base Raid led by the human Shining Armor. The Princess was still disturbed by what her counterpart said about her brother’s recent behavior. She couldn’t understand why he would ever act like that. There’s gotta be a reason. The only time she could ever remember her own brother acting mean and distant like that was during his wedding preparations when he was brainwashed by Chrysalis, but it doesn’t sound like the same. After all, who knows what kinds of stress he would be having due to Faust’s presence here…

She blinked out of her thoughts as a notification popped up on the screen.

“Huh? A new video’s been posted?” She went to click on it.

Blood Stalk and Night Rogue appeared in their new base. They dumped the retrieved nineteenFullbottles onto the table.
“Finally. After all this time, we got the Bottles back.” Night Rogue was pleased.

“Now all we need is the Box and the Dragon Fullbottle.” The Cobra-themed man nodded.

“Soon...it will all be over.” Night Rogue added as he took the Rabbit Bottle and shook it. He twisted the cap. But instead of the hiss of gas being released, something else came out.

“MISMATCH! MISMATCH! MISMATCH!”

Flash’s voice rang out. In unison, flags popped up from all of the bottles, knocking themselves on their sides. The flag depicted an image of Flash sticking his tongue out and dragging down his eyelid in a mocking gesture.

The two were still in silent bewilderment for several moments.

“...Huh...they double duped us with a fake Box AND fake Fullbottles.” Stalk stated factually. “...should’ve seen that one coming.”

As the bat suited man stared at the mocking images on the flags, his rage slowly began to boil until it finally hit its limit. "AAAAARRRRRHHHHH!" He flipped the table over and started stamping on the fake bottles, crushing them underfoot while Stalk moved over to a nearby workbench.

"Relax," he told him while putting a few pieces of machinery together, "getting angry won't help us."

"What would you have me do?!" Rogue turned to him. "We need the bottles and the box! As long as they have them, they have just as much advantage as we do!"

Stalk turned to him. "You're forgetting the one major disadvantage the Riders all have," he stepped over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "They care about others."

Rogue seemed to go stiff for a moment as these words washed over him, finally speaking. "What do you have in mind?"

“Now…it’s time to put Plan B into action.” Stalk said as he took out a knife and threw it at a picture of Canterlot high school, skewering the image dead center.

Meanwhile...

Flash and Sol had returned to the Lab after their scuffle with Blood Stalk and Night Rogue. Ever since, only one thing was heard throughout the room:

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”

….crazed laughter from all four teenagers. Even Crozz was laughing in the form of chirps.

“I-I can’t believe they actually fell for it!” Micro guffawed. “I thought our cover was blown when they got the box but...ahaha….they still fell for it!”

“I know! I bet they’re feeling really stupid now! Ha!” Flash said between laughs.

“Who’s laughing now, idiots?!” Sol shouted before breaking out into laughter once more.

“And-and look at their reactions!” Sandalwood pointed to the screen, tears in his eyes. The fake bottles that Faust took had miniature cameras in them. They had wanted to get a good look at their reactions at being outsmarted. They laughed even harder when Night Rogue flipped the table and crushed all the cameras. The video had been on a loop for several minutes.

“How were you able to make those things so fast?” Sol asked, finally calming down.

“Never underestimate the power of arts and crafts!” Sandalwood grinned, gesturing to his work table covered in resin and paper mache.

“Whew…! I needed that.” Micro said. “By the way, how were you able to switch the real bottles with the fake ones after the decoy box got blasted?”

“Well…” Flash began as he glanced at all twenty Fullbottles on the table next to him. “...It was pretty close. But I managed to pull off one sleight of hand trick.

Earlier…

The Faust fighters were about to pull the triggers of their weapons. Flash had just managed to turn the crank of his Driver five times.

“ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE SECONDS!”

Moving quickly in slowed time, he went over to the bag where he had stored all of the fake Fullbottles. He quickly swapped all real ones he had with them before hiding the real bottles inside the Machine Builder’s hidden compartment.

Once he finished, he made his way back to Sol and got into position. Time resumed again and they got blasted by the dual attack.

After being forced out of his transformation, Flash grabbed the nearby Turtle and Watch Fullbottles. Acting quickly, he hid the real ones in his sleeves while he palmed the fake ones in his hands. Then Stalk and Rogue stepped on his wrists.

“I honestly wasn’t sure if I would be able to make the switch in time. But I did it.” The musician smiled.

“Well, thanks to your quick reflexes, we still have Pandora’s Box and all of our bottles. Not to mention one more.” Micro pulled up the image of a can-like item on the screen. “Behold.”

“Whoa! So this is what you made from the Nebula Gas bottle?” Sol Asked.

“Yes.” He typed a few keys on the super computer, pulling up the Can’s schematics. “I’ve analyzed the power output from the Can. And based on the results, the power it has is more than twice than any of our current matches. Even KeyDragon and TurtleWatch pale in comparison.”

“Seriously?! That’s awesome!” The musician cheered.

“We finally got a secret weapon against Faust! You da man, Micro!” Sandalwood fistpumped.

“Well, couldn’t have done it without all you guys. It was a team effort and accomplishment. Even you Sol.”

“Yea- Hey! Whaddaya mean by that?!” He shouted indignantly.

As the two engaged in another argument, Flash eyed the still closed laptop that used to belong to Gizmo. ‘And that secret will stay secret.’ He thought with a frown.

However, all banter ceased once the computer beeped another notification.

“What is it?”

“It’s a notification alert from the Build blog.” Micro said.

“The blog? Huh. Haven’t checked on that in a while.” Sol mused. “What’s the update about?”

“It’s a new video. And it’s...oh crap.” The others stared at the screen as they saw what was on it.

Build Blog…

The video that was posted was a recording of the fight between the Riders and Blood Stalk and Night Rogue. It was only a few minutes long, but it was enough to capture the start of the fight and some of the dialogue exchanged between both parties. What were the most notable were the talk about Pandora’s Box being stolen from the red and silver armored men, and how Blood Stalk pulled off the Burning Assault against Build.

The comment section was absolutely flooded with talk about them. And it was definitely a bad sign given the content.

[Wait, so the Raiders stole Pandora’s Box from them? When did they manage to do that?]

[I thought the news said Flash Sentry and Sol Burner stole the Box in the first place. Does this mean the Riders stole it back from them?]

[Flash and Sol did not steal the Box!]

[Where’s your proof? You can’t prove they didn’t do it!]

[Hey, didn’t the red guy pull off the Burning Assault? Wasn’t that Knuckle Blaze’s signature move?]

[You’re right! But how does he know that?]

[Wait, isn’t Sol Burner Knuckle’s son? Maybe he learned it from his dad?]

[...OMG! It’s been proven! Flash and Sol are the red and silver guys from Faust!]

[Say what?! That crazy, man!]

[No, it makes sense! Faust had the Box, Flash and Sol stole the Box, Flash and Sol worked with Faust! And when the Riders took it back, Flash and Sol were sent to get it back! I mean, who else would know to use Knuckle Blaze’s move if not his son? Coincidence? I THINK NOT!]

[But if that red guy is Sol, then why would he shoot the one who recorded the video?]

[Why would a villain NOT kill off someone snooping? Obviously the guy saw too much! But the Rider saved him and allowed him to post this video to give us the truth!]

[But that would mean that Sol Burner tried to kill someone.]

[Well, he’s already a criminal. So how could it be any worse for him? He and Flash are the bad guys, aren’t they?]

[Find them, Masked Riders! Find the criminals and make them pay!]

[Make them pay!]

[Beat the crap outta them!]

[They deserve punishment!]

[Stop hiding cowards!]

[Answer for what you’ve done!]

[How can you say that they’re the two fighting the Riders?! You have no way of proving that!]

[Why defend them? It’s obvious they’re the ones who did it!]

And the list went on and on with similar content. Some ranged from agreement, to toxicity, to trolling, to the very, very few ones about denial.

The team fell in stunned silence after reading through all of the comments. They’re hope for clearing their names diminished further and further as

“....The world is out to get us. I just know it.” Flash dragged a hand over his face.

“This...this is what we’re supposed to be protecting…?” Sol frowned while his hands balled into tight fists. “They’re all practically wanting us to be fed to the wolves! And we’re fighting to protect people like them?! Bastards! Every last one of them!”

“Calm down, Sol!” Micro grasped his shoulder. “The internet’s always been a source of negativity and trolls!”

“That still doesn’t make it okay! We’re trying to help them, and they just turned their backs on us!”

“Okay, for one thing, don’t pay attention to the trolls out there! They’re just pathetic individuals who lack proper sustaining lives and resort to making toxic posts and comments just to fuel online conflict to make themselves feel superior and deny any and all accusations of being responsible due to the anonymous nature of the internet! They’re also quick to make fake, crackpot theories to string people along to incite more chaos in stuff like fandoms!Second, they have no idea that you and Flash are the Riders that save people!”

Once Micro finished yelling, Sol let the words sink into his head. Finally, he calmed down. “...alright, fine. But I still wish I had the power to punch them through the internet.”

“Trust me, everyone wants that power.” Micro agreed.

“But what are we gonna do now, dudes?” Sandalwood voiced his concerns. “The public is turning even worse against you guys now!”

“Unless we can stop Faust, unmask Blood Stalk and Night Rogue, and finally end this insanity, I’m not sure if there’s much else we can do for now…” Flash frowned.

Next Day…

“I can’t believe it! How can some people be such jerks!” Rainbow Dash snapped loudly. She and her friends walked through the school halls. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna called for a school assembly to discuss the current state of events in regards to the news and the online blog that quickly escalated to slander and even minor cyber bullying due to threats made.

None of the girls were happy...mostly at what they saw from the video that was posted on the blog yesterday.

“Trust me, darling. People can be quite devious little savages.” Rarity huffed.

“Look, there’s no use getting upset over a bunch of trolls and toxic commentators on a blog post.” Sunset advised.

“But didn’t you see what they said? It’s all lies! And they’re supporting it just to feel good about this ‘theory’.” Rainbow quoted the word with her fingers.

“Of course I did. We all did. But getting mad about it now isn’t going to help Flash and Sol’s chances.” The fiery haired girl said.

“I just don’t understand…” Pinkie Pie said with deflated hair, a sure sign of her depression. “I made the blog to support Build and try to learn more about him...not to use as ammo against our friends…” Her lip quivered.

“I know, Pinkie…” Fluttershy grasped her shoulder in support. “They had no right to be excessively mean about this. They’re just insensitive.”

“Insensitive is too weak a word.” Rainbow huffed. “They just need a good smack to the head to think clearly.”

“I never thought that people can be so cruel over an online blog.” Princess Twilight said.

“Well, the internet’s never been a safe or friendly place if you don’t know what you’re doing. And people can be especially callous to others if they don’t know the ones involved.” Her counterpart said. “But that’s what I don’t get. I thought you girls started the blog. If it was limited to students, how could anyone in this school say such horrible things to their classmates?”

“It’s likely the user-base expanded due to popularity.” Sunset explained. “The more popular Build got, the more fans he got. A lot of the commentators are probably from outside school.”

“Still, this doesn’t make any of this right.” Rainbow said with finality. As the conversation died down, she recognized someone else down the hall. It was Scootaloo with Sweetie Belle right next to her.

“Scootaloo?” She and the others approached the pair.

The short haired girl looked up. “Oh, h-hi Rainbow…” She gave a small wave and a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Are you okay?” The rainbow haired girl asked in concern.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine…” She smiled. But none of the girls were convinced. “I...I gotta go. I’ll save you all some seats.” She she slipped through the crowd and entered the auditorium.

“What’s going on Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked her sister. The young songstress sighed.

“Scootaloo hasn’t been...doing so well lately. Everyone’s been staring at her weird. Like they were wary of her or something.”

“What?! How could they?!” The athlete exclaimed angrily.

“I guess the videos and comments cut deeper than I thought.” Sunset realized. “More and more people are becoming more convinced that Flash and Sol really are criminals.”

“How awful.” Fluttershy agreed.

“What are we gonna do?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I’m getting scared, Rarity. I don’t like seeing any of my friends like this!”

“Now, now, it’s gonna be alright, darling.” The fashionista hugged her sister. “The others and I are working to figure this out. So don’t worry. We have this under control.”

“O...okay.” She sniffed before following her friend into the auditorium.

“Do we really though?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“We have to.” Rarity replied.

“And we will.” The Princess added. “We just need to get more testimonies and evidence. Let’s try again after the assembly.”

The others agreed as they entered the auditorium and quickly took their seats. Within minutes, all of the students were present as Celestia, Luna, and the rest of the school staff were on stage. The principal stepped forward and spoke into the microphone.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Now students, I understand that we are going through troubling times due to Faust’s presence, the Smash attacks, Guardian attacks, and even our own members of the student body ousted by the media and federal law. But I want you all to realize that this is no laughing matter. This is a serious situation that must be taken as such.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, Principal~!” A deep, filtered voice announced. Dropping down from the ceiling was Blood Stalk. The students and staff were thrown into a frenzy, recognizing the figure. “Buon Giorno!”

The Rainbooms grew alarmed by his presence. Just what was he doing here? How did he get in?!

“Wh-who are you? Wait...you were the one in that video!” Celestia realized as she stepped back.

“Never thought I’d be so famous. Well, allow me to introduce myself ladies and gents. You can call me Blood Stalk. And this…” He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. All of the doors were kicked open as an insane number of Guardians filed into the massive room. The students tried to flee, but they were quickly restrained. Not even the Rainbooms could do anything without putting others in danger as all guns were pointed at them. At the center of the room, right next to Blood Stalk, appeared Night Rogue. “...is a hostile takeover!”

To be Continued...

Author's Note

BUM BUM buuummmm...Cliffhanger!

There you all have it. Faust had made a major move now! Taking over the entire High School with everyone at gun point! How will the Riders react to this? Stay tuned to find out!

Get ready for a rather...Sparkling conclusion!

Thank you all for your support!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
Turtle

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
Watch

[Unknown]

Chapter 16: Riders Unmasked

“Heh…” Blood Stalk chuckled as he looked around. All of the students and staff were successfully restrained by their Guardians. “I’ve seen stories about school shootings…but this has got to be the first ever school takeover.”

“Focus, Stalk.” Rogue glowered as he panned around until he focused on two, identical girls. His gaze lingered longer than normal before he refocused. “This plan of yours better work.”

“Oh, don’t worry. It will…” The Cobra reassured as he walked around until he reached Scootaloo. “After all, there is no way the Riders can ignore such innocent people in mortal peril. Ain’t that right, kiddo?” He crouched over and pulled the girl close as if she were an old friend. Scootaloo quickly grew uncomfortable and disturbed around the less-than-sane man.

Swallowing her fear, she found her voice. “Wh-wh-what are you g-gonna do to us?”

“Hm. That is a good question, isn’t it?” He hummed and bobbed his head. “What should we do? Stab a few of you? Use some of you as target practice? Or maybe turn one of you into a Smash so you can kill the others?” He pulled out the Steam Blade and held it against her throat. “You wanna volunteer for that last one?” He took pleasure in the girl whimpering. “Could be fun~! For me anyway!”

The sight only enraged a certain, protective sister-figure. The rainbow-haired athlete’s teeth grinded as her muscles tensed. Her friends turned to her, worried she’d do something rash.

Scootaloo continued to whimper before Stalk finally made a decision. “Well, if you’re not gonna let me know, let me just decide for you.”

Something inside the athlete snapped.

“Let her go!” Rainbow Dash yelled out as she tore her arms out of the Guardian’s grip and grasped her geode before it could recover. She became super charged and sped over to the red armored man to tackle him away.

….only to get flung back by an electrical blast. She skidded across the wooden floor a few feet away from Stalk.

“Rainbow!” Her friends cried out in concern.

The athlete was dazed, twitching from the electric current that ran through her. Stalk walked over and grabbed her by the hair. He raised her to eye level. “Yeeeah hit and run tactics won’t work on us. My partner and I have contingencies for that. You should’ve paid more attention to that fight with the Riders on the blog.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t formulate a coherent response.

“But I will admit you got guts. Sadly, we can’t have you all rowdy before the guests of honor show up. So be a good girl and put this on, will ya?” He pulled out a collar and clamped it around her throat. It was made of metal and had a blinking light on the front.

She handed the dazed girl over to a nearby Guardian. “And don’t worry everyone…” Stalk announced as he pulled out a handful of collars. “I’ve got favors for everybody!”

“…Why the hell are you doing this, Burner?!” One random student shouted out. All eyes whipped over to the screamer. “Are you just salty that the Riders took your precious Box?! Why don’t you and Sentry do all of us a favor and turn yourselves in before the Riders kick your asses, again!”

Stalk made a hand motion. The Guardian that restrained the yeller kicked the student down and pinned them in place with the butt of the rifle. The red armored man strolled over casually before crouching down and ruffles their hair.

“You know, I’m betting you’re one of those types of that simply hang around in the background, easily forgettable and unnoticed. A simple background character who can do nothing but curse the ones that take up the spotlight and leave you in the dark. And you tried to use this chaotic moment to muster up the courage for one act of bravely that will make you memorable. But sorry to break it to ya, kid.”

He grasped the student by the throat and lifted them up. “The only thing you’ll be remembered for is complete ignorance, unparalleled stupidity…and a potentially gruesome end.” A tendril shot out from Stalk’s gauntlet and stabbed into the student’s face. They screamed in agony as their skin become discolored. They thrashed and spasmed around the floor. "You see, let's play a little game. If you can survive my poison for six hours, it'll fade and you get to live. If you don't....then game over for you. Well, even if you do survive, you'll pretty much be crippled for life. So I guess it's a lose-lose for you."

The entire student body and staff save the Rainbooms were stunned. He just…poisoned a student, and was playing with their life?!

“Just to be clear!” he pointed out before anyone else could react. “Next one that acts out like Prissy-pants Mc-Scream here," He kicked the suffering teen lightly, "gets the same treatment. Capiche?” That immediately made them shut their mouths and prevented any further outbursts. “…now where was I? Oh, yes. The collars.” He resumed his task of placing the collars around everyone’s throats. The Rainbooms remained huddled and wary.

How could things possibly get worse?

“…Does anyone have a phone I can borrow?” Blood Stalk asked out of the blue.

Meanwhile…

Back at the lab, Team Build wondered what to do next. Micro was hard at work finalizing the Nebula Gas Can to be used in battle. The sooner it was ready, the sooner they have a weapon to beat Stalk and Rogue.

Sandalwood tried to remain calm and meditated in the corner of the room.

Sol did some basic exercises to alleviate pent up stress. He added more to his usual routine.

Flash played on his guitar. It was a habit of his to play whenever he got stuck on something and needed and outlet to figure something out. Right now though, it wasn’t working.

Each member of the team did their own thing…until the computer beeped of another notification.

“Oh great…what is it this time?” Sol asked as he finished his reps.

“It’s another update from the Build Blog.” Micro answered as he pulled up the window. “Another video’s been posted.”

“Seriously? Please tell me it’s not a meme video about the one posted yesterday…” Flash groaned.

“Only one way to find out.”

They clicked on the video and in doing so; Stalk's face appeared on the screen. "Saludos!" His appearance startled the boys.

"What the heck?" Sol cried.

"What's he doing?" Sandal asked. Flash was wondering that too, fearing the answer.

"For those of you who don't know me, I'm Blood Stalk. The devilishly handsome antagonist of this fair story." Though they couldn't see under the helmet, he suddenly got a serious look on his face. "Now listen riders, I know you're watching. So listen up." He shifted the camera around and the boys all gasped seeing their classmates inside what they realized was their school gymnasium. They also saw Rogue and multiple guardians in the background. "As you can see, I've taken and few...volunteers to play a fun game with." He reached down and grabbed one random student, showing it was Trixie.

"Let her go!" They heard a voice cry, recognizing it as Celestia. They then heard that voice let out a cry of pain, the camera shifting to show Rogue twisting her arm and making her fall back to the floor. Her sister, Luna, tried to move to help her, but she was restrained by the other Guardians.

"Anyway," the camera turned back to Stalk and Trixie. The armoured warrior pulled on her hair, making her head move back enough to reveal the coller. "See this? This collar has a small but very powerful explosive on it." He threw the girl away before pulling out a remote with several numbered buttons on it. "All it takes is a few presses to detonate one of them. Heck, it'll only take one press to make them all go off."

If the boys weren't paying attention before, they were now. They watched as the camera shifted to show every student and teacher were wearing one of those collars, even the rainbooms and-

"Princess Twilight!" Flash cried, unable to believe he was seeing his former crush there and in trouble. The camera shifted again and he spotted Scootaloo, his eyes going wide as his heartbeat went wild. "No."

The camera showed Stalk again. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, even he's not crazy enough to do something like that. Well," he held up the remote, "maybe I should blow a few random collars to show I am."

"NO!" The boys cried, fearing they may lose their friends.

Stalk just laughed, as if hearing their reaction. "That's what I thought. Now that I've got your attention, let's talk business." The camera turned again, showing the scared faces of all the hostages. "You people see the riders as these big heroes that should be respected. But let's see how heroic they really are when the chips are down." The camera shifted one last time, now back on Stalk's face. "It's ten-thirty now. You have until...oh, let's say six o'clock. Come to Canterlot High School and bring the real Pandora's Box and Fullbottles, all of them. Do that and we'll let the hostages go." The camera moved like it was being put down, only to once again shift to show Stalk's face. "Oh, and for every five minutes you're late, I'll blow one collar. Ciao~" With one final wave, the video ended.

The room was filled with silence. None of them could find it in themselves to speak after what they had just witnessed. They tasted ash. Their mouths were dry. It was hard to swallow.

Blood Stalk and Night Rogue were holding their school, friends, and family hostage. They gave them no room to refuse.

They were trapped.

“…We’re not seriously gonna do what he says, right?” Sol asked, breaking the tense silence. “If we do, who knows what they’ll do with the Box and our Fullbottles! They’ll just keep doing what they’re doing, and we wouldn’t be able to stop them!”

“But if we don’t comply, we’re going to have to watch our friends explode one by one at his hands!” Micro argued. “Do you want that to happen?!”

“Of course I don’t!” Sol argued before kicking his punching bag. “Damn those guys! Of all the dirty tricks they had to pull!”

“….what do we do now?” Sandalwood murmured, still shell-shocked. What were they going to do? How were they going to save everyone?! If they refused, their deaths would be on their heads. If they complied, they’d be handing the enemy what they want. Even if they did, there was no guarantee that Stalk would hold up his end of the bargain.

“…Micro.” Flash stated. His head was tilted so that his hair overshadowed his eyes. “…how much longer until the can is done?”

“A-A few more hours. I-I need set it in the purifier to finalize everything. It should be ready to use by then.”

“How many hours?” He asked.

“Should be no more than three.” Micro held up the container for the fused essence. Flash snatched it out of his hands before placing it inside the purifier’s chamber.

“Sandalwood, you’re up.” The musician turned to the green haired teen. He was about to say something before he stared into Flash’s eyes. He gulped, nodded, and quickly entered the chamber to start the process.

“Hey,” Sol called out. “You doing okay man?”

“…I just had to watch the damn troll that’s been causing us grief these past few months threaten and toy with the lives of my classmates, friends, and little sister.” Flash glowered as he turned to look Sol in the eye. The Fighter backpedaled. His eyes were narrowed and his glare was dark. Flash wasn’t mad…

He was absolutely livid.

“If he wants a fight ...then he’s sure as hell gonna get one!”

“There. You all have a few hours to live. But knowing your heroes, they’ll be here to save you. By the way, thank you very much, fizzy-hair!” Stalk tossed the phone back to the shell-shocked Pinkie Pie. The device bounced off her head before it clattered to the ground. The man just shrugged before strutting off.

The rest of the hostages were just as shell-shocked. They were wearing bombs that could be activated remotely, and the unhinged culprit was the one with the detonator. No one made so much as a peep, worried that even the slightest provocation would set him off. The only remaining noise in the room was Blood Stalk humming a merry tune while the poisoned student continued to groan in agony.

Just as the red armored man passed the Rainbooms…

“Why are you doing this?” Human Twilight demanded, causing him to pause mid-step. She had been the first to regain her composure and immediately voiced her question. However, her body still trembled in fear. She had mustered up whatever courage she had to simply ask. Just what did he gain from all of this chaos and terror?!

“Why you ask?” He spun around to face her. “It’s because it’s all part of an elaborate and overly complicated plan that none of you will understand...and simply because I can. I mean, it would definitely grab their attention, wouldn’t it?”

He then crouched down to her eye level. “And the best part about this? I can thoroughly enjoy messing with the Riders. It’s simply the most fun I’ve ever had.”

"…How do you even sleep at night?" She asked him, thoroughly disgusted. Stalk chuckled back.

"You know, I'm remarkably good company."

“You’re not!” She spat out. “You’re just a monster!”

Stalk tilted his head. Like a snake, his hand shot out and grabbed the bespectacled girl by the throat.

“Twilight!” Her friends yelled out, snapping out of their daze upon seeing their friend in danger. The lavender haired girl gasped as Stalk had a crushing grip around her windpipe whilst raising her up into the air. His fingers dug into the skin, squeezing the metal collar and causing a sharp pain in her neck.

“Maybe I am. But it’s people like you that make things super interesting. Always wondering, always thinking, always trying to understand as much as possible! It makes me want to open up your skull and pick your brain a bit…see what makes you tick…” His other hand inched closer to Twilight’s now-turning-blue face. Her vision started to blur from the lack of oxygen. She desperately wished for someone…anyone to stop him. If only…her brother was here…

Suddenly, a black and silver armored hand shot out to grab the wrist of the hand holding Twilight's neck. “Oh?” Stalk tilted his head to look up to Night Rogue.

“Enough, Stalk.” He added a bit of pressure, forcing Stalk to release his hold on her and let her breathe. She fell onto her rear, massaging her throat. “A hostage is no good to us dead. Quit fooling around and get back to work.”

“Fine, fine.” He pulled his arm out of the grip. “I wasn’t actually gonna kill her," he placed that arm on Rogue's shoulder. "Just mess with her for a bit. I mean, six hours is a long time. I’m bound to get bored.”

Twilight watched the exchange while gulping down air. With her skill to determine fine detail, she noticed Night Rogue go a little stiff. It only lasted a moment before he pushed the hand off him. “If you’re bored, then go back to doing your job.” Night Rogue ordered. “Don’t waste time fooling around with the prisoners. If we’re going to get back what was taken, they need to be in good condition…until the deadline.” He then walked away, stepping over the still-suffering student.

“Pft. Spoilsport.” Stalk stalked off in annoyance. The Rainbooms were left alone in their group. They went over to Sci-Twi, trying to help her recover from near-suffocation.

“This…is just unbelievable.” Pony Twilight whispered. Sunset turned to her.

“What do you mean?”

“That man, Blood Stalk…From what I can see, he acts too much like Discord. Having fun and toying with people.But other times…he is far crueler.” The Princess shivered.

Within an hour after the video had been posted on the Build Blog, countless people have seen and shared it with other social media sights. Word spread quickly, alerting not only the police about the hostage situation, but also the parents and family members of the captured students. They immediately dropped whatever they were doing and rushed over to the school. The media swooped in as well, wanting to learn more about what is going on.

The police had the school closed off in a barricade. And said barricade was being hounded by a mob of worried parents and guardians and news reporters.

“Let our children go!” One pair of parents exclaimed from behind the blockade.

“You monsters!”

“How could you do this to your fellow students?!”

Additionally, some of these parents have seen the video where the Riders fought Night Rogue and Blood Stalk, read the comments, and believed the latter two are the missing suspects. Suffice to say, panic swept over everyone in the crowd.

The news reporters tried to interview the police officer for situation updates, but they were just as in the dark as they are.

Rainbow Dash’s parents, Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles, were some of the first ones to rush over when they realized that their daughter was held captive by a madman. They caught a glimpse of her unconscious on the floor in the video and flew into a rage. They had to be restrained by the police officers from simply barging in and put the students at risk.

Pinkie Pie’s family was also present. While some of them seemed calm and rational, those that truly knew them knew that their frowns were ones of anxiety and frustration. Except for Limestone Pie, who was one of the more vocal and expressive ones of Pinkie’s family. Maud had to properly restrain her from doing anything rash. Limestone spent the better part of an hour shouting profanities toward Faust.

Fluttershy’s parents were also worried beyond belief. First they hadn’t heard back from their son, Zephyr Breeze, for months and now their kind daughter was held hostage by a criminal terrorist.

In regards to Rarity and Sweetie’s parents, their mother fainted and their father was trying to wake her up, but he was close to a fainting spell as well.

Members of the Canterlot Research and Development Center also arrived upon learning that Pandora’s Box was involved. Director Night Light and Twilight Velvet were on the scene, beyond worried for her daughter and friends.

However, they were also concerned by something else.

“Still no answer?” Velvet questioned as Night Light pulled the phone away from his ear. He shook his head.

“Still nothing! It just went straight to voicemail!”

Ever since they saw that video, they had been trying to get in contact with their son. However, they had been unable to reach him. Every attempt was either denied or went to voicemail.

They were getting worried. First their daughter gets captured and their son isn’t responding. They figured they would find him in the police squad at the school, but there was no sign of him. Even when they questioned his fellow officers, they had no idea where he was either.

Something was wrong, there was no way Shining Armor would simply ignore a terrible act such as this. Especially not when it involved Twilight in danger. Just what was going on?!

“Velvet! Light!” A familiar voice called out and garnered their attention. They turned to see a familiar face squeeze through the crowd toward them.

“Cadence?!” Velvet exclaimed. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have work at Crystal Prep?”

“I let my Vice President handle things at Crystal Prep. This is more important! What’s the situation?” She questioned.

“Not good.” Night Light shook his head. “Nothing as changed. Everyone is still held captive and in danger. The Riders haven’t arrived yet. And we still can’t reach Shining Armor!”

“Wait, you haven’t been able to talk to him either?”

“Either? You mean you too?”

“I tried calling him before I left! It just went to his inbox!”

“Oh dear…” Velvet whispered worriedly. “I just hope he’s alright…”

While the three discussed about what is going on, another individual finally arrived on the scene. She did not go unnoticed by some people.

“Wait a minute…Isn’t that Misty Veil? The researcher?”

“Hold on, isn’t she the mother of one of the kids with the arrest warrant?”

“That means her son is behind this!”

The accusations kept piling up to their boiling point.

“THIS IS YOUR SON’S FAULT!” A voice screamed out before being followed by incoherent, anger-filled protests.The woman shied away from the agitated crowd, unsure how to handle it.

“…That’s enough!” Night Light yelled out as he, his wife, and Cadence walked up to the protesters. “Leave her be! She has done nothing to warrant your anger!”

“Of course she does! She’s the mother of that criminal!”

“So you’re holding the parent account for the child’s alleged crimes?”

“What’s there to be alleged?! It’s obvious he did it! And she was the one who raised him!”

“How is it obvious? That conclusion was made based on circumstantial evidence and theories! It does not prove that Flash is one of the Faust fighters!” Night Light argued.

“Maybe not, but there’s no denying that he worked with Faust to take the Box in the first place!”

“That is still being investigated! There is nothing concrete as of yet!”

While Night Light argued with and distracted the angry masses, Velvet and Cadence escorted Misty away.

“Are you alright?” The scientist asked the researcher.

“…barely. My son is in hiding and my daughter just got kidnapped by a madman. What’s worse is that people believe that Flash is one of those madmen inside the school!”

“Misty, please, calm down.” Cadence politely urged.

“Calm down…? Calm down?! How can I possibly do that?!” She snapped. “Everything has just gone to hell! Flash is missing and Scootaloo is a hostage! I could end up losing either or both of them! And you expect me to calm down?!”

“Misty…” Velvet whispered solemnly.

“I can’t…I just can’t lose anyone else, Velvet…” She broke out into sobs. She held her face in her hands as tears cascaded down her face. The two women pulled her into a comforting hug. “Trail is gone and it’s just us three…They’re all I have left.”

“…it will all be okay.” Velvet comforted her friend. She just hoped she didn’t just tell her a lie.

“Why aren’t you guys doing anything?!” One of the parents demanded the police officers. “Our kids are in there! Why aren’t you working to save them?!”

“Ma’am! Please calm down!” The policeman advised. “Right now, we can’t risk entering the building because the hostages are rigged with explosives! Aggravating their captors will only compel them to set them off!”

“No…!” The mother collapsed to the ground, her husband doing his best to support her. The others in the crowd felt the same despair. What were they supposed to do now?

They could only pray for the Masked Riders to show up soon.

At the Lab…

Micro sat at the super computer, running diagnostic scans on the can during the purification process. He wanted to be sure no mistakes took place. They were running out of time as is.

Sol Burner busied himself back packing their Fullbottles into a suitcase for the exchange. He hesitated placing his Dragon bottle in, as it was the only memento of his dad. But for the sake of the plan, he had to do it.

Flash sat in a chair as he stared at Pandora’s Box on the table. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was hard to believe that all of this insanity started because the strange object fell from space and landed on the city outskirts. And it all led up to his friends and family being held hostage by some madmen.

He had to...no…THEY had to put a stop to this madness. And they will. The musician turned away from his Box and back to his friends. “You know…we went through all sorts of craziness these past few months. But despite everything…I’m just glad you all went through this with me.”

Micro and Sol were surprised by his words, but smiled nonetheless. “The feeling is mutual.” Micro nodded. “I’m just sorry I dragged you all into this.”

“Hey, you didn’t drag me in, I volunteered myself.” Sol refuted with a smirk. “You wanted to learn what happened to your brother, while I wanted to find the truth about my dad. So we’re both guilty for trudging onward.”

“I guess you’re right.”

As the three discussed, the door to the Purificator opened and Sandalwood stumbled out. “I-It’s done…” Flash moved to support him before he could collapse.

“Thanks a lot, Sandal. You should probably get some rest now. We’ll see you when we get back.”

“No way, dude!” Sandalwood stopped him. His eyes were determined, despite the exhaustion. “We’re all in this together. I want to be there with you guys in the end.”

The others smiled, touched by his determination until the chamber door popped open with a loud Ding. And once again, Sol let out a manly yelp in surprise.

The four moved to the open door, staring at the object inside in awe.

“It’s amazing…”

“It’s awesome!”

“Faust is going down!”

“…Am I the only one wondering why it looks like a soda can?”

A Few Hours later…

Everyone was getting antsy. There was only ten minutes left for the deadline, and there was still no sign of the Masked Riders! They were given ration provisions and water as many refused to leave the site.

Blood Stalk and Night Rogue had moved all of the hostages outside for the exchange twenty minutes prior. All of the onlookers wanted nothing more than to storm past the blockade and attack Faust, but Stalk dissuaded them with his thumb hovering over the activation switch. Despite the terror, they seemed to be in safe condition. Like the crowd, the hostages were fed with ration bars and given water. They were even allowed bathroom breaks provided they had a Guardian escort.

They definitely kept their word that the hostages weren’t harmed until the deadline, all at Night Rogue’s behest, must to the confusion of the students.

“C’mon…where are they…?!” Trixie exclaimed, growing exceedingly nervous with each passing second.

“Should we panic?” A young teen named Snails asked his friend.

“I think we’re beyond that, dude.” His friend, Snips, replied.

“Rarity…I’m scared…” Sweetie Belle whimpered as she hugged her sister.

“Shh, shh…it will be okay. They’ll be here soon.” She cooed soothingly.

“Oh, they definitely will be.” Stalk said as he popped up behind them, startling the sisters. “Unless of course, they want to see all of your heads go kablamo!”

“Why are you doing this?!” Sunset demanded. “You said in your video that you wanted Pandora’s Box and all of their Fullbottles. But for what? What do you have to gain from them?!”

“Oh, that is quite elementary my dear, bacon-haired friend.” The Cobra said. “You see, I’m sure you’re already learned from your field trip that the Box houses unimaginable power; power that can be harnessed and controlled, but needs to be unlocked. And what’s a lock without a proper set of keys?”

Princess Twilight frowned as she processed the words. Her eyes widened in realization. “You’re saying these Fullbottles are the keys to open the Box?”

“Esattamente~!” He cheered. “See? Your strangely look-alike friend gets it…Still, didn’t realize you had a twin sister.” He whispered to the bespectacled Twilight, only to receive a silent glare.

“Stalk. One minute left.” Night Rogue interjected, reminding them of the time.

“Ah, right. A minute until the deadline. And five minutes after, one of you goes boom!” He announced to the crowd, much to their horror. “But who should it be first? How abooooooout….that one!” He covered his eyes and swiveled over the hostages with a pointed finger. He stopped whilst pointing at Scootaloo. “Well, it’s your lucky day, kid….you get to die first!”

“Guh…”The student that had been poisoned earlier finally keeled over. His skin was completely discolored. He lay still on the ground, his body breaking up into particles. Someone in the crowd screamed.

“…huh. Gotta give him props for holding out this long. Oh well…now you get to die second!” He said to the whimpering girl.

“No one’s dying on our watch!” A familiar, filtered voice yelled out.

The crowd and blockade parted like the red sea. Riding through were the disguised forms of Build and Cross-Z on their motorcycles. They each had a person seated behind them. Both the newcomers were garbed in dark jackets and wore helmets that obscured their faces.

The members of the Research Center and Cadence squeezed through the crowd, getting a better look at the arrivals. Night Light’s eyes were focused on Pandora’s Box strapped to the top of Build’s Machine Builder, which was another device he recognized.

“Th-those are…!” The four stepped off from their bikes. Build pressed a button, causing the Machine Builder to shrink and fold in on itself until it reverted to the Build Phone. He removed the Lion Fullbottle and placed it in the suitcase one of the helmeted men carried.

Everyone was dumbfounded by the strange feat. The motorcycle was a cell phone?!

"Huh," Stalk said as the four approached, "I was starting to wonder whether or not you'd show. You barely made it in time." The spotted the box and case in the non-rider's hands, "So you brought them then."

"Yeah," Build said deeply, "We did."

Stalk laughed at the boy's attempt to mask his voice, despite the mask already doing it. "No need for that. We already know who you are, so why leaving the rest of the public in the dark. Why don't you take those silly things off, hey Sentry." That word caught many people's attention, the students, teachers, and everyone in the crowd.

"Sentry?" Misty asked in confusion, silent praying that the one standing in front of her wasn't who she thought it was.

Build sighed, knowing the cat was out of the bag, before reaching up to remove his hood. Everyone saw a familiar mess of blue hair.

they then watched as Build reached to press something on his wrist. Seconds later, he was covered in light that quickly died down to reveal who had been wearing the get up.

Everyone was completely dumbfounded with wide eyes.

"FLASH!" Scootaloo screamed seeing her brother, while the rest of the hostages were just as shocked. Over in the crowd, Flash's mother was almost having a panic attack.

The two strangers removed their helmets, revealing themselves as Micro and Sandalwood. Cross-Z transformed out of his disguise as well, revealing himself to be Sol Burner and causing more people to gasp as well.

The four teens stood in front of the whole world, their secret known to everyone.

“Of course you would blab about our identities for your amusement.” Flash glared, an expression that was unfamiliar to those that knew him.

“What can I say? It’s fun messing with you guys.” The Cobra shrugged. The musician bit back and angry retort before sighing with a glare.

"Well," Flash said, "since we're practically telling each other's secrets." He turned to Rogue, "why don't you power down and show the world that’s under there...Shining Armor." This new statement caused even more confusion to fly over the crowd, along with horror for a few individuals.

Night Light, Twilight Velvet, and Cadence stood still as the dread crept in. Shining Armor?! It sure couldn’t be…could it?

"Shining?" Twilight asked, looking at the armored man that Flash had accused of being her brother. "Shining Armor...please don't let that be you."

Rogue just looked back at her, not even bothering to deny it.

"It's him alright," Flash told Twilight. "He's the one who leads Faust. The one who kidnapped innocent people and turned them into Smash. The one let those monsters out to attack innocent people, including you." He turned to Rogue, anger and hatred visible on his face. "But the only question I want answered is...why. Why would you do this? I know you care about Twilight, so why put her in so much danger." Rogue remained silent, "ANSWER ME!"

He continued to remain silent. Twilight couldn’t help but let a few tears leak out. Despite her heart wanting to deny it, her brain began to put the pieces together. How her brother had been acting out of character for weeks. The reason Rogue had cared about her well being, why he'd saved her from Stalk, everything.

Then she realized something. She knew her brother. Shining Armor would never do atrocities like this. She thought back to earlier, when he saved her from being choked by Stalk. How he seemed to freeze when Stalk touched him. She knew it was a long shot, but was it really possible? That Stalk was actually controlling him?

“You…you’re…Stalk is controlling you…right Shining?” She whimpered hopefully.

Her words were heard by Team Build, who slowly realized something. Stalk had the power to change people’s faces and mess with memories. What if it was true? Would it really be outlandish to believe that his power extends even to mind control?

If he is being controlled, then how could it be broken? How could they free him? Maybe if they captured him and kept him away from Stalk, it might fade on his own? Or would they need some sort of extreme external stimuli?

"…This is pointless," Rogue said before pulling out his Transteam Gun and pointing it at Twilight, causing her to freeze while her friends tried to move over to shield her, but were unable to as they were restrained by the Guardians.

“Twilight!” Her family cried out from the crowd.

"Hand over the box and bottles, or I shoot." Rogue ordered the musician.

Flash remained still, eyes defiant. "…I know you won't hurt Twilight. You forget, I'm a big brother too. I know how much you care for your little sister. Even if you were mind controlled, nothing would let you hurt your little sister. So I know you won't let her be hurt."

Rogue remained still for a moment, his hand started shaking as he slowly pulled away. Everyone saw this and realized this man might actually be Shining, to the dread of five individuals.

"…you're right." But instead of lowering the weapon, he simply changed its direction slightly. Now, it was pointed at Scootaloo. "And the same can be said for you."

“Scootaloo!” Misty cried. Now she was having a panic attack.

“Scoots!” Rainbow tried to rush at Night Rogue, but her friends held her back from doing something rash and setting the captors off.

“You damn coward!” Sol growled. Sandalwood and Micro restrained him from straight up tacking them.

“Now that you have a new ultimatum...give us the Box and the Bottles and everyone goes free. Or your sister gets a hole through her head.” He pressed the barrel against her skull for emphasis.

“And how do I know you won’t double cross us?” Flash glared.

“That’s the thing, Sentry....you can’t.” Stalk drawled. “But you’re not in a position to make demands. You have ten seconds.”

“...alright...”

Flash relented and went to grab the box and case, but Stalk spoke up. "Not you two. Send the nerd and the hippy."

“Hey!” Both Micro and Sandalwood took offense to that.

“Just do it, guys.” Flash told him. Begrudgingly, the two made their way across the gym and handed the items to the armored figures.

Rogue opened the briefcase and saw that all of the bottles and panels were accounted for. “Stalk.”

The Cobra-themed man placed a handheld device over the bottles. “…They’re the real ones. Every one accounted for.”

“Excellent.” He removed the gun from Scootaloo’s head and shoved her away.

“Here we go.” Stalk raised the detonator remote. “Thank you for your patronage~!” he pressed a button and all the collars beeped in unison.

“NO!” The boys yelled as they ran forward, trying desperately to save everyone. “Scootaloo! Everyone!”

The crowd froze with bated breaths and horror. Each beep was like hammering a nail into their collective coffin. Finally, the collars released one, prolonged beep…

…and died out as they unlocked themselves and clattered to the floor. Everyone froze in disbelief. The hostages that had the collars on stared at them on the ground. The atmosphere was silent…save for Blood Stalk’s laughter.

“Ahahaha…! That was priceless! Your faces were like ‘Uwah!’ it was freaking hilarious!” He slapped his knee before standing straight. “C’mon…am I really that heartless? Of course we were planning on letting them go. It’s no fun mindlessly killing everyone we meet…I prefer toying with them. Like I said, I enjoy messing with you guys!”

“…you’re a sick person.” Fluttershy glared with disgust.

“Oof. That hurts…well, not really.” Night Rogue slapped him in the back of the head.

“Enough.” He then ordered the other Guardians. “Release the hostages. We got what we came for.”

The robots complied and all the students and faculty were set free from their restraints.

“Flash!” Scootaloo yelled as she ran up and hugged her brother.

“I’m sorry I’m late. But it’s okay. I’m here now…” He returned the hug tightly and stroked her hair in a calming manner. The Rainbooms and Sweetie rushed up to them as well. And they all had their own questions.

“I can’t believe it! You guys were the Masked Riders this whole time?!” Rainbow screamed

“When did this happen?!” Princess Twilight demanded.

“How did this happen?!” Sci-Twi did the same.

“Does this mean you were the ones who saved us all of those times?” Fluttershy asked.

“Is that why y’all were disappearin’ for some reason or other?!” Applejack exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle rushed up and hugged Sol Burner tightly, catching the fighter off guard. “Thank you for saving us at the arena! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Uh…yeah, sure…” Sol awkwardly patted her head, unsure how to properly handle this.

“I can’t believe this…” Sunset voiced, glancing between Flash and Sol and Micro and Sandalwood. “You guys were the Riders the whole time…and you two were the ones helping them?”

“Yeah…it’s a long story…” Micro added.

“Well, I certainly hope you’ll explain properly.” Rarity advised. She and her friends went through a stressful ordeal, and would definitely appreciate some answers.

“Did you guys unlock some sort of secret experiment that was involved in this whole Smash and Faust conspiracy craziness?!” Pinkie Pie screamed.

“Flash. Sol.” Celestia and Luna approached them. “I believe you all owe us an explanation.” It was a sentiment shared with the rest of the student body, police, and the crowd of parents and civilians surrounding them.

“I know, but we’ll explain later…after we take care of things.” Flash answered as he gently pushed Scootaloo away and into Rainbow’s arms. “Please watch her.” The athlete looked like she wanted to ask more, but upon seeing the fire in his eyes, she bit back her words and nodded.

Sol waddled over to Rarity while Sweetie Belle remained clung to him. “Uh…can you please?” Nodding, the fashionista pried her sister off of him. “Thanks a bunch.”

Both teens trudged through the crowd of parted students and glared at the two armored fighters. “Hey! We have some unfinished business here!”

Many were confused. Why were they aggravating the two men that just took their means of fighting back? They should’ve been fearful or hesitant ...but never have their friends and family seen them so determined before.

“Oh?” Stalk craned his head over to them. “And just what sort of business would that be?”

"Earlier, we agreed that I'd give Pandora’s Box and our Fullbottles to you in exchange for freeing the hostages," Flash told him before placing his Driver on his waist. "I didn't say anything about not trying to take them back once they were freed."

Rogue and Stalk both shared a confused look before laughing. "And how do you expect to do that?" Rogue asked before holding up the briefcase. "We know these are the real bottles and without them, you can't transform."

Flash just smiled. "You're right, I have given you all my bottles." He then reached into his jacket and pulled out a strange can like object with Build's face from Rabbit-Tank form on it. "But you didn't say anything about this."

“Hm?!” Stalk stared at the can in confusion and a bit of alarm.

“….Uh, Flash?” Pinkie Pie questioned. “I know everything’s gone cray-cray…but is now really a good time for a soda?!”

He responded by shaking the can, creating a fizzing sound, before popping the rim and making a pair of connectors pop out the bottom.

POP! FIZZ!

Flash then raised the bottle up before slamming it into the Driver.

"RABBITTANKSPARKLING

The eyes of the face blinked left and right as the wheel on the Driver lit up. Flash grasped the handle and cranked it a few times. A series of tubes that formed the armor halves materialized. But instead of the standard model runner design, it more so resembled halves of a gear that contained his armor pieces.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Flash spread his arms wide before shifting into a fighting stance.

“Henshin!” He stood straight as the armor halves converged onto him, forming a completed insignia of two gear halves split by a zig-zagging line. It left everyone speechless at the. His form glowed as the armor assembled over him. The runners dispersed into a mass of what could be best described as carbonated bubbles.

Once they all dissipated, his new armor was revealed. It resembled the Rabbit-Tank armor, but the design was more jagged like lightning bolts, and there were several white lines that outlined the armor in a similar fashion.

THEEFFERVESCENTBURST!

“RABBITTANKSPARKLING!”

“YEAHHH!”

As Flash stood there in his new suit, everyone could only watch in awe at the sight of it. There was no doubt about it, Flash really was Masked Rider Build. Over at the barricade, several people had to act to catch Misty as she finally fainted.

Unlike his mother, Flash's sister had no plans of fainting. She didn't want to miss a second of this. "That's...that's my brother," she whispered before breaking out into a smile. She then yelled, "THAT'S MY BROTHER!"

Flash took this moment to push down on his spring leg before leaping forward. The power of the spring propelled him into the air faster than anyone can keep track of. One moment he was over with everyone else and the next, he was flying towards Rogue with his tank foot extended. "Yah!" He cried, Rogue and Stalk barely managing to jump back in time.

Flash's foot hit the ground with such force, it caused the whole area around them to shake and knock everyone but him off balance. Flash used this chance to swing his leg around to kick the box out of Stalk's hands before grabbing the bottle case by the handles. "Rainbow," he tossed the case behind him, "Twilight!"

Both Rainbooms heard their names and quickly realized what he was getting at, Rainbow using her speed to rush over to where Pandora's Box had fallen and grab it while Twilight used her magic to grab the airborne case pull it over to her. She caught it right as Rainbow returned with the box; now back on the good side.

The crowd cheered while Rogue and Stalk growled, both attempting to knock Build away and take their prizes back. "Not happening!" The Drill Crusher and Hawk Gatlinger appeared in his hands, using the two in tandem to push both armored warriors back.

"Amazing," Sunset said.

"He's awesome!" Pinkie cried, Sandalwood smirking.

"Of course. There's a reason we waited to the last minute to come."

Micro nodded, "We were using every spare moment we had helping Flash master his new power. Sorry about that by the way. Admittedly, we cut it a bit too close." They watched as Flash leapt back to avoid Rogue's gunfire, landing as he spun the barrel of his gun along the blade of his sword before firing a volley at them.

Micro then turned to Sol, "he could still use some help though. Sol nodded and turned to Twilight, who was still holding the case, opening it up and smiling as he pulled out his Fullbottle, as well as the Lock Fullbottle.

"Crozz!" He yelled as the little dragon flew in out of nowhere. It chirped and played electric samba, garnering most people’s attention.

“Where did that come from?” Applejack wondered.

“Oh! It’s so cute~!” Fluttershy squealed upon seeing the little Dragon. Crozz shifted to its adapter form and dropped into the fighter’s hand. He shook the Dragon bottle and inserted into the Dragon.

“WAKE UP!”

He then took out his Driver and slapped it on his waist, inserting Crozz.

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

He turned the crank and charged into the heat of battle. The armor runners manifesting as he moved.

“ARE YOU READY?”

“Henshin!”

The Armor segments combined onto his body as he reached the battle and tackled Blood Stalk away from Build and Rogue.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

“Holy cow! He just performed the first ever running Henshin in the story!” Pinkie exclaimed, much to the confusion of others.

Stalk hopped back up and swung with his knife. Sol ducked under it and grabbed his overextended arm, using it to flip the Cobra over. However, the red armored man used the momentum to land properly on his feet and used his leg to destabilize the Dragon’s footing. Once that happened, he elbowed him in the throat and knocked him back.

“So we’re fighting now? Sorry, but I’m more interested in the power your friend has. They can play with you, though.” With a snap of his fingers, the Guardians assembled into their giant mech form, to the shock of the onlooking crowd. The mech opened fired haphazardly, forcing the people to panic and scramble away.

Rarity quickly formed a wall of diamond shields to protect everyone from getting hurt. It was difficult to maintain so many at once, but she was determined to prevent everyone from getting shot. The shields were able to deflect the bullets, leaving everyone safe.

Sol followed up by turning the crank on his Driver.

“BEAT CROZZER!”

He pulled the pommel once.

“HIT PARADE!”

He immediately jumped into the air until he reached the same height as the mech’s head. He raised his sword and delivered a downward, blazing swing.

“SMASH HIT!”

The attack struck the robot that held the monstrosity together. Once it was destroyed, the others followed suit in a chain reaction of explosions.

The display of sheer strength rendered everyone speechless. The media had turned their cameras to film everything since the Rider’s arrival. Suffice to say, the display of the two teens immediately convinced the neigh-sayers that were convinced in the Faust theory to be horribly, horribly wrong.

Sol landed in a crouch before turning to face Stalk, who had clapped at the display.

“Very impressive. You took care of that faster than I-“

He was cut off as Sol charged at him with an overhead slash. Stalk immediately blocked it.

“It ends here, Stalk!” Sol growled as he pulled one of his hands and struck the man in the face with a flaming fist.

The man stumbled back with a chuckle. “Oh ho ho…3.4 right off the bat! You’re getting better!”

“Shut it!” Sol swung again, but Stalk evaded it through a cartwheel. Once he was back on his feet, he back flipped behind Sol and struck out with a reverse spin hook kick. The fighter brought his weapon in the block it before throwing him off balance. Cross-Z dropped down for a sweep kick that knocked Stalk down. But once he landed on his back, he twirled his legs to kick him away before he recovered and rolled onto his feet.

“Not bad…how about this?!” He crossed his arms before flinging them out, allowing two energy Cobras to shoot out towards the Dragon. Sol cartwheel away from the first, and slammed his sword into the head of the second. But the first recovered and circled back, knocking him away.

He tumbled by landed in a crouch. He took out the Lock Fullbottle and inserted it into the Beat Crozzer. He pulled the Pommel three times.

“SPECIAL TUNE!”

“HIT PARADE!”

“HIT PARADE!

“HIT PARADE!”

“MEGA SLASH!”

Cross-Z stood tall with his sword held high. The blade was covered in blue flames while it radiated golden energy. The Cobras slithered toward him while he met their charge. He jumped into the air and delivered a diagonal slash. As it approached the apex of the swing, the blade extended into a massive energy version of the Bind Master key from Build’s KeyDragon form. It cut through the teal energy constructs like a hot knife through butter. Sol landed in a crouch as the snakes exploded behind him.

Stalk rushed at him with his Steam Blade. Sol tilted his head to avoid the first stab before batting his arm away. He grabbed the red armored man by the collar and slammed his head into his. The snake stumbled in a slight daze while Sol kept on attacking. He tossed his sword aside as he pummeled Stalk with a mad rush of punches and kicks.

However, Stalk didn’t seem too shaken up about it and just kept reciting numbers to the confusion of most people present. “3.4…3.5…3.6…and 3.7 now?!” Sol leaped up for a jumping axe kick to the throat, but Stalk snatched his leg while in the air.

“Almost…you’re almost there, little Sol Burner!” Stalk announced with glee. “You just keep growing at an astonishing rate! You keep breaking your limits!”

“I said shut it!” Sol gripped the ground and twisted his body using his core. His legs followed and kicked Stalk away in the face. He flipped back onto his feet and grabbed the Driver handle before turning it.

Out from nowhere, an energy construct in the form of a blue, eastern dragon covered in orange fire flew around Sol and coiled around him.

“Seriously! Where does that thing keep comin’ from?!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Yeah! It always appears from off screen!” Pinkie added.

“Not now! This is gonna be awesome you guys!” Rainbow advised.

Sol crouched down, legs and arms spread apart. The dragon behind him roared, its body growing brighter as power surged through his body, his right foot gathering blue flames.

“READY? GO!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

He jumped for a kick while the Dragon released a burst of flame that both empowered and propelled him.

His foot met Blood Stalk’s guard in a fiery impact. Neither one wavered and the observers were on the edge of their seats, figuratively speaking. Stalk held his ground while Sol tried to add more force into the kick.

Soon, the stalemate produced an explosion that threw both fighters back. Stalk had been quick to recover as he brandished his steam blade and charged at Sol. The Dragon crossed his arms and defended against the knife before it could reach him.

Then a large explosion went off next to them.

While Sol took care of Blood Stalk, Flash and Night Rogue continued to duke it out.

Thanks to Sol’s intervention, he could divert all of his attention to opponent before him. Both fighters exchanged fire as Flash drew their fight away from the crowd to avoid hitting someone by mistake.

Thanks to his two firearms in hand, he was able to unleash more blasts than Night Rogue and laid the pressure on him. Growling in frustration, Rogue tumbled forward to avoid the energy bullets as he assembled his weapons into the Transteam Rifle.

“RIFLE MODE!”

He landed into a crouching position and shot the Drill Crusher out of Build’s hand with pinpoint accuracy. Using his free hand, Flash spun the barrel of the Hawk Gatlinger.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

He sidestepped another laser blast and returned fire. The energy bullets pelted the ground toward Night Rogue. He rolled to the side and sprinted toward him while taking pot shots. Once he got in close enough, he swung the bladed end of the Rifle.

Flash simply held up his arm to block it. Before Rogue could follow up, Flash delivered a back leg that pushed him back upon impact. Growling, the Bat went for a punch to the face. But like before, Flash blocked the hook and countered with a palm strike that released a burst of energy upon impact that sent him stumbling back.

Night Rogue recovered and, to the shock of many, materialized a pair of bat wings and took to the air.

“Wait, he can seriously fly?!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Now that’s just not fair!” Pinkie pouted.

But Flash wasn’t concerned. Despite the rain of fire delivered by Night Rogue’s rifle, he simply spun the barrel of the Hawk Gatlinger.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

“THIRTY!”

“FORTY!”

“FIFTY!”

With each spin, the Six Gun Muzzle glowed brighter with gathered power, a familiar sight to Sunset and Applejack who were present to witness it.

“SIXTY!”

“SEVENTY!”

“EIGHTY!”

Crouching down, he jumped high into the air with his spring-loaded rabbit foot. While he couldn’t quite follow Rogue’s flight path in the air, he didn’t need to.

“NINETY!”

“ONE HUNDRED!”

“FULL BARREL!”

He just let the energy hawks do all the work. He pulled the trigger and set them loose. Night Rogue tried to maneuver and shake them off. But they were locked on and kept advancing.

But he refused to be taken down here. “Then how about this?!” Night Rogue roared as he crossed his arms over his chest before flinging them back. The emblem on his chest plate glowed. And from it came a swarm of energy bats meet the energy hawks head on and not only withstood them, but blew through them.

The flying horde then swarmed over Build as he landed on the ground.

The Rider swatted them or blasted them back with ease. However, there were too many swarming him at once. They clustered together attacked him continuously as they closed further and further.

“Flash!” Scootaloo yelled in worry. Rainbow held her back from going after him, knowing they were pretty much useless in a fight like this.

But their worries were unfounded as streams of pressurized energy bubbles burst through the small gaps in the swarm. With immense power, he blew the horde away. He followed up by dismissing his weapons and dropping to the ground.

To the surprise of everyone, he started to break-dance, using his arms to spin himself around while his legs remained in the air. As he did so, his boots emitted the same energy bubbles as earlier. With each spin, they twirled around and around until they formed into a miniature tornado of energy that sucked up all of the energy bats in, damaging them in the process.

Using his hand as an axis, he spun around like a top before he launched himself high into the air. He kicked through the tornado ascended higher into the sky.

“Impossible!” Night Rogue exclaimed. Build reoriented himself in the air and turned the crank on his Driver.

“READY?GO!”

To the amazement and bewilderment of all of the onlookers, a math equation formed in the space before Build. From the equation manifested an energy glyph in the form of a singularity that sucked the energy bats in.

“I don’t believe it…!” Twilight’s jaw dropped. “He actually made a singularity?!”

Flash extended his tank foot as he was drawn into the portal and impacted the horde of energy bats that were congested in the opening. Endless waves of energy bubbles shot through the portal and impacted Night Rogue on the other side on in the air. He tried to shield himself with his weapons, but they were blasted out of his hands. He tried to bat the bubbles away, but there were too many to stop. He tried to fly out of their range, but the waves prevented him from moving freely.

“SPARKLING FINISH!”

With a final battle cry, Flash shot through the Singularity and landed a direct kick on Night Rogue. The Bat tried to use his wings as a means of resistance to try and stop himself, but it was all for naught as he was pushed back. “N-No! This can’t…!”

“It’s over Night Rogue! The nightmare is over!”

“No…No….NOOOOO!!!!” The attack was too much to endure. The Bat was driven into the ground and continued moving until he was thrown back into the air then crashed into the ground in a tumble. Once he stopped, his transformation finally broke down.

Many in the crowd gasped. The loudest were from the Sparkle Family, Cadence, and the visiting Princess.

Even though they learned Night Rogue’s true identity earlier, it was still astonishing to see the truth with their own eyes.

Lying unconscious on his back was definitely Shining Armor.

Flash landed right next to him, sighing in relief. It was finally over.

Back with Sol, he and Stalk had just seen Flash’s big finish and defeated Night Rogue. “Guess your puppet got his strings cut!” Sol quipped as he pushed Stalk off of him and followed up with a reverse spin kick. “And you’re up next!”

“An amusing thought.” Stalk hummed as he caught the kick and pushed him back. “Unfortunately for you…my story doesn’t end here.”

“Huh?”

Moving much faster than before, Stalk closed the distance between him and Sol and pressed the nozzle of his gun to his chest. He pulled the trigger.

“STEAM BREAK!”

The massive energy blast fired point blank. It threw Sol away into the air, eliciting startled gasps from the audience. To add insult to injury, literally speaking, Stalk summoned two more energy cobra constructs and made them attack Sol while in midair. They clamped him with their jaws and drove him into the ground. They kept going until they crashed into the school building, tearing through brick and mortar as the wall collapsed on top of the draconic Rider.

“SOL!” His friends cried out in fear and worry.

“Well, it’s been fun, everyone!” Stalk announced. “But I’ve got places to be. Ciao~!” With a wave, Stalk used his Transteam Gun to teleport away in a burst of mist.

Flash glared at where Stalk used to be, but had more pressing concerns. He, along with the Rainbooms and their siblings, Micro, and Sandalwood rushed over to the pile of rubble that buried their friend.

“Sol, are you okay?!”

“If ya can hear us, just shout!”

“Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay!”

As the team worked to try and unearth Sol Burner, an armored hand punched through the rubble, scaring the living daylights of those that had been extremely close to it.

The broken pieces of concrete and brick shifted as the draconic Masked Rider pulled himself out of the rubble with a groan. “Ow…!”

“SOL!” His friends cheered as they helped him out of the broken pile and onto his feet. Applejack and Sandalwood helped him on his feet and supported him.

“Well, that freaking hurt…” He grunted.

“I think you should be more concerned with the fact that you're still alive!” Micro admonished. “We thought we lost you!”

“Well, it’ll take more than that to stop me ...pretty much killed my armor’s power though. Did we win?”

“We beat Night Rogue…but Blood Stalk got away.”

“Damn! It’s like we can’t even catch him, no matter how hard we try!”

“They’ll be other chances, dude.” Sandalwood reassured. “For now, let’s just be glad we saved everyone.”

“At the cost of secrecy…but we still did it.”

“I still can’t believe you guys were the Riders this whole time!” Rainbow added.

“And just when were you going to tell us this?” Sunset inquired.

“We actually hadn’t planned on it; secrecy and all that. But since everyone now knows, we’ll explain later.” Flash said as he removed the Sparkling can from his Driver while Sol removed Crozz from his. Their armors broke apart, leaving them in their civilian forms.

What none of them expected were deafening cheers from the civilians that witnessed their fight. During the loud commotion, Misty Veil finally regained consciousness. The Rainbooms families ran towards their respective daughters/granddaughters once the barricade was broken. The girls were hugged tightly by their respective parents. The Pie family held Pinkie as if afraid she’d disappear.

Rainbow’s parents were openly sobbing in relief that their daughter was okay.

The same was said for Fluttershy’s parents.

Rarity’s and Sweetie’s parents joined the club as they openly bawled in relief.

Granny Smith ran at a pace unfitting for her age and grabbed Applejack in a tight hug, afraid that she would lose her as well.

Misty rushed over to her daughter and scooped up Scootaloo tightly, unwilling to let go.

Micro’s and Sandalwood’s parents went to their sons as well. The other students went over to their family members, the adrenaline finally dying down and letting the stress show in forms of tears of joy, trembling, and screaming.

Meanwhile, Twilight, Sci-Twi, her parents, and Cadence rushed over to Shining Armor the moment the blockade opened up.

“Is he okay? Is he breathing?!” Velvet demanded as she knelt by her baby boy. Cadence felt for a pulse, feeling relieved when she felt one. The rise and fall of his chest also indicated his breathing.

“He’s alright, just unconscious.” But the moment she said that, his eyelids furrowed before they blinked open.

“Uh….what…what hit me?” He groaned as his vision focused. His gaze became locked on his family staring down at him. “Mom? Dad? Twily? Cadence? What…what’s going on?”

“Shining!” The members of the Sparkle Household, including the Princess pulled him in for a hug, confusing him even further.

“Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re okay!” Velvet cried, relieved that he was still alive from that attack.

“Mom? What’s going on?” He winced as he felt his head throb. “Oh no, did I black out again?”

“Again?” Cadence asked, pulling away and looking at him in the eye. “What do you mean again? How long has this been happening?”

“Uh…a few…few months…” He answered. “I-I didn’t think it important to talk about. Why?”

Collectively, his family grew relieved. They realized that his blackouts must’ve been the instances when Stalk took control of him. But now he was free from that control.

“That’s bullshit!” One of the civilians yelled out. “You mean to say he just conveniently forgot everything that happened?!”

“He’s been freed from Stalk!”

“Like we can believe that!” Another shouted. “How do we know he’s not pretending?!”

“He’s just trying to trick us!”

“He needs to be restrained! Arrest him!”

The crowd grew riled and agitated. His family tried to defend him from the mob, but they refused to believe his claims. He still had no clue what they were talking about. What did he do?!

One member of a certain trio that stood off to the side had enough.

“SHUUUUUUT UUUUUUUP!!!!!” Sol yelled at the top of his lungs. His scream overwhelmed the collective noise and silenced everyone. Flash and Sunset had their ears plugged to prevent potential hearing loss. “Seriously! Just shut up! All of you! You’re all starting to sound like those guys on the blog that kept saying Flash and I were Stalk and Rogue! It’s annoying, and I seriously don’t have the patience for it right now so just shut up and listen! Shining Armor was Night Rogue, yeah, but Blood Stalk was using him as a puppet! And we can prove it too!”

“He’s right!” Flash said as he stepped up. “We have a surefire way to tell whether or not he’s lying. If you can all just calm down and wait, we can figure this out!”

The crowd murmured in confusion. The only ones who had an idea what he was talking about were the students and faculty that were aware of a certain girl’s magical ability.

The musician turned to face Sunset. “Sunset, I know you don’t like using your magic in public like this, but we need you right now to confirm our theory.”

“Don’t worry, I get it. I’m on it.” The fiery haired girl nodded before she knelt down next to Shining Armor and pressed a hand on his shoulder. Her eyes glowed white as she jumped into his mind.

Inside Shining Armor’s mind, Sunset saw a plethora of passing images. Just as Shining claimed, large portions of his memories were blacked out over the course of the past few months. He truly had no recollection of what took place while he was Night Rogue. She didn’t even see any memories of the chaos today.

All she saw were images from his workplace or with his friends and family. She even saw moments when he played video games with Flash at the arcade. Yet, she saw no memories of the Faust Raid itself, nor the press conferences he had over the news. She realized that those instances must have been when Stalk was in control over him.

Other than the deduction image, she saw nothing else that incriminated Shining Armor to be willingly committing his crimes as Night Rogue. Before he was about to leave, however, something caught her attention.

“Huh? What’s this?” She delved deeper into his mindscape.

It was from a memory around eight months ago. Around October. She could tell because of the passing images of Halloween decorations.

Then she finally found it. It was a scene of Shining Armor in his uniform inside a darkened room. She couldn’t quite hear what he was saying, everything sounding muffled. He was speaking to someone. But his form was blurry and indiscernible; it looked more like a moving, humanoid blur. But based on the tone of his distorted voice and figure outline, it seemed to be male.

What the blur did next surprised her. He pulled out a gun that was exactly like the one Blood Stalk and Night Rogue used, inserted a bottle into it, and pulled the trigger while raised to his temple.

The form was swallowed by a dark cloud of mist before it lit up in teal and red sparks. The mist dispersed. She gasped as it cleared, revealing the man to be Blood Stalk. He moves to attack, and the shock knocked her out of the mindscape.

“Gyagh!” She yelped while hyperventilating.

“Sunset Shimmer!” Princess Twilight exclaimed. “Are you okay?!”

“What happened?” Sol asked as he knelt down next to her.

“Did you see anything?” Flash mimicked the action.

“I…I saw Blood Stalk.” She answered, eliciting a collective gasp from the crowd. “He…he attacked Shining Armor months ago…just before the blackouts happened. Shining wasn’t…wasn’t aware of anything that happened. Just blank images. He really didn’t know what was going on…”

“So…does that mean he’s free?” Cadence asked tentatively. “He’s no longer his puppet?”

“I…I think so…” Sunset nodded. Shining’s family gave a collective sigh of relief.

“So…what happens now?” The fighter wondered aloud.

After everything had calmed down and the protests quelled, Shining Armor was handcuffed by his partner, Spearhead. Even if he didn’t remember anything as Night Rogue, he was still responsible for everything that happened.

Furthermore, he was still guilty of falsifying information about Faust during the Raid, insubordination, and under suspicion of manslaughter for shooting Dusk Walker. He was to be detained until further notice. The authorities wanted to question him in case any of his memories returned.

His family was not too thrilled by the outcome, but they were just relieved that he was free from that monster’s clutches. Maybe he can even help in the investigation if he remembers something about Faust.

But before he was escorted to a police van, Flash stepped forward.

"Shining." he called out, causing the two to stop and turn.

"Flash?"

"I know you don't remember anything while you were Night Rogue. But I want you to know that it's not your fault. None of it was."

The former officer gave a small grin, touched by the words. "Thanks...but I still have a lot to answer for. Even if I don't remember, I'm still guilty of what I did. Not to mention that Stalk is still out there somewhere. All I am is just a loose end to him."

"Don't worry. We'll find Stalk and stop him once and for all. As long as Sol and I are around, you'll be safe from him. You can count on that." He extended his hand. "Just remember that you have people to go back to. People who want to see you again. So no matter what, you have to return to them."

Glancing between him and his hand, Shining nodded with an unwavering face and grasped it, giving a firm shake. "I will. Thank you." With the final exchange, he was escorted inside the vehicle before driven off.

Most of the crowd went home with their children in tow. The only ones that truly remained were Team Build, the Rainbooms, and their parents.

However, the members of Team Build were surrounded by everyone that expected answers to the insanity of what happened, as well as their role within the underground war against Faust that had been happening the past few months.

At the lead of the group was a stern, Misty Veil with Scootaloo at her side. While she was relieved and worried beyond relief over her son, her parental instincts demanded an answer to what he had been doing under her nose.

“Young man.” Misty scolded her son as she crossed her arms. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Yeah…I figured…” He sighed.

Up upon a nearby roof, Stalk was staring down at the police van turned a corner onto the street his rooftop was on.

He chuckled seeing his former puppet being driven out of his clutches. Or so he thought. "Sorry Shiny," the armored madman pulled out familiar-looking remote and started pressing several buttons. "But Faust is a company with a lifetime commitment. You don't get out of it that easily."

Inside the van, Shining and the guard sat in silence as the vehicle rolled down the road.

What they didn't know was that below the guard's seat, one of the collars they'd used to hold the school hostage was laying in wait. The light on the device blinked a rhythmic green color for several seconds until it suddenly stopped, the pause lasting several seconds, before flashing a steady red.

KA-BOOM!

Everyone was suddenly knocked off their feet by a shockwave, every pane of glass shattering. The ringing in their ears lasted several seconds before they all finally recovered, Flash being one of the first to regain their cognitive functions.

He looked over at where the explosion had come from and went wide-eyed seeing a cloud of smoke coming up from behind some buildings. His brain quickly rebooted and remembered that was the direction... "Oh no." Everyone else was beginning to recover when they noticed Flash picking himself up and pulling out the Build Phone, slotting a bottle into it and throwing it into the air as it morphed into its bike form.

"Flash?" Misty asked as her son got on the bike, "what are you-" She didn't get to finish as Flash kicked the engine into gear and drove off, many others slowly beginning to put the pieces together.

"Shining," Twilight whispered before picking herself up. Upon realizing what she meant, the others followed in pursuit.

Flash pushed his bike well over the speed limit as he swerved around the corner and drove onto the street that explosion was on, praying beyond hope he was wrong about what had caused it. But as his eyes caught sight of flames and he pulled to a stop, his heart almost stopped at the sight.
Burning away in front of him was a police van, the same one that Shining had been driven away in.

He got off his bike and stared at it, his entire body freezing at the sight. He didn't know how long he stayed there but he soon heard the sound of footsteps, not looking away from the blaze as everyone else reached the same spot as him.

Twilight and her family were standing there, looking at the van with the same horrified looks on their face. Cadence finally broke the silence, "NOOOOOOOO!" She screeched, covering her mouth and falling to her knees as others moved over to comfort her.

Velvet was also breaking out in tears as she threw her face into Night's chest, the man as white as a ghost.

And Twilight, she walking closer and closer to the flaming vehicle. She stepped passed Flash and stopped just in front of him, her brain completely failing to process what she was seeing. "Sh...Shining?"

Flash finally looked at her, realizing just how terrible she must feel. He raised a hand to place on her shoulder, but he just couldn't do it. He pulled back and looked at his hand, the same hand that had shaken Shining's as he promised he'd be safe from Stalk. This was his fault.

Micro, Sandal and Sol all looked down at the ground, all feeling just as guilty as Flash.

They had managed to save their friends, clear their names and put a major dent in Faust's plans…but at what cost?

Undisclosed location…

The sound of heels clicked as a female figure made their way through a dark corridor, eventually arriving at a set of double doors that she threw open to reveal a large room with a single spotlight behind the door.

The figure stepped under the spotlight, revealing herself as Chrysalis.

She smiled and snapped her fingers, causing many more lights to fill the room. It could be seen that she was standing on a balcony, looking down into the room that had hundreds of Guardians lined up in rows. The lot of them activated as soon as the lights were on, all standing to attention while awaiting orders.

Chrysalis smiled as she pulled out a phone, dialing a number before putting it to her ear. "Hello," she smirked, "I saw what happened. Shame about Shining."

"Yes," Stalk's voice replied, "it was hard but it was a sacrifice that was needed to make. As he so often put it, for the greater good."

"Yes. But at least now we can move ahead with our own plans. Project Crows has proven quite successful. We should be ready for full deployment in a few weeks. Now, about our other little experiment. When can Project Grease start the next phase?"

"Soon," Stalk told her, "this little debacle as caused a small setback for it. But I'll have what we need soon."

"You'd better."

"In the meantime, show our friends why they shouldn't relax. Might give you the chance to see firsthand what the Masked Riders can do."

"Oh, I've seen plenty. Make sure to get me what I need soon or the deal's off." With that, she cut the call and looked down at her swarm of robots. She truly felt like a queen. And soon, she would be one.

To be Continued…

Author's Note

And there you have it, folks! The debut of Build's newest form! RabbitTank Sparkling!

With it, he saved his entire school and defeated Night Rogue!

However, now everyone knows the identities of Team Build.

Thank you for keeping up and supporting this story. We couldn't have done it without you guys!

But don't think everything is over just yet. We still have some stuff to go before the arc's proper conclusion.

See you next time!

P.S. This may be the last of the rapid updates for the foreseeable future.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
Turtle

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
Watch

RabbitTank Sparkling

Chapter 17: Keep Moving Forward

Canterlot Morgue…

The room was silent as a grave, which was not too far off in a sense. The smell of chemicals, alcohol, and rotting flesh filled the room, but the sole living occupant did not mind.

Night Light stood over a bench that carried a corpse, charred beyond all recognition. Limbs have been blown off. The body was as black as charcoal. Not even the lower half of its body remained intact.

In his hands was a series of documents detailing the identity of the corpse.

Based on the DNA tests and dental records he was reading, the dead body was his son, Shining Armor. His hands trembled as his gaze shifted between the corpse and the papers. His face twisted into a furious scowl.

He threw the papers away before storming out of the room.

Well then, that’s all the time I have for now. See you all again in the next log.” Gizmo wearing the Build Armor waved as the video ended.

Micro closed the laptop that played the video as he, Sandalwood, and Sol stared at their friends.

The day after the CHS Takeover and the police van bombing, Night Light and Twilight Velvet arranged a meeting for Team Build, Misty, Cadence, and the Rainbooms in order to explain everything. After everything that had happened, it was time for answers.

They were located in a meeting room inside the Canterlot Research and Development Center. At one end of the table sat Micro, Sandalwood, and Sol. Seated in front of them were the Rainbooms, Princess Twilight, Twilight Velvet, Cadence, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Spike, and Misty Veil. Flash sat off to the side, slumped against the wall.

Even the police chief, Blood Oath, was present. He was a tall, middle aged man with black hair and alabaster skin. He stood next to Velvet with his arms folded. His expression was stoic.

On the table in front of them was the laptop that showed the video, the Build Drivers, and all of their Fullbottles. Even Crozz was present, seated on Sol’s head. After the incident, Pandora’s Box was secured and stored in a different room.

Everyone stared at the items silently, processing what they just learned from Gizmo’s video tutorial.

The Rainbooms, Cadence, Spike, and the young girls couldn’t believe someone actually made the Driver and Fullbottles from their research on Pandora’s Box. Furthermore, they were unable to believe that the process involved human experimentation that no doubt cost people their lives, if what Gizmo said was to be believed.

Misty wordlessly stared at the Driver and Fullbottles. She had worked with Gizmo before while they were researching the Box. She knew how intelligent he was and what he was capable of. But she had no idea he capable of making such a device.

He essentially made a weapon for people to use. But for what purpose?

The only one who wasn’t surprised was Velvet, who stared at the devices solemnly.

“…I believe all of you have questions.” Micro finally said, breaking the silence.

“That’s putting it mildly.” Sunset murmured as she rubbed her temple. They were all astounded and horrified by what they just learned.

To think that Gizmo Poindexter, the man that had been missing for months, and prime suspect of the murder of Knuckle Blaze, created the Build system. Even more so, it all started with Pandora’s Box.

Who knew that the strange gas the girls saw turn people into Smash was made by the very Box that was under lock and key?

“Ah just…can’t believe it.” Applejack murmured. She saw no sign of deception in the video or Gizmo’s words. And what she saw the other day cemented the truth. She stared at the Driver and bottles. “People…really died cuz of these things?”

“It was never my brother’s intention.” Micro said adamantly. “He was trying to discover the cause of why some people turned into Smash while others died. He concluded it was the result of a person’s Hazard level.”

“Hazard Level?” Rainbow questioned. “What’s that?”

“It’s essentially a person’s innate resistance against Nebula Gas’s transmutation properties. As he explained, people with a Hazard level of 2 and above are safe from transformations, but they are rare instances. People with an innate level of 3 are even rarer.”

“But what causes a person’s level to be like that in the first place?” Scootaloo questioned.

“I don’t know. My brother never specified.”

“Then why not ask him? He’s at the police station, right?”

“That is not my brother!” Micro exclaimed, to the shock of the others. Seeing this, he immediately calmed down. “…sorry. What I meant to say is that the man locked up…isn’t my brother, Gizmo. Just a proxy Stalk made.”

“What?!” The girls and Spike exclaimed.

“A proxy?” Rarity asked. “How can that be?”

“It’s because Stalk has the power to change a person’s face.” Sandalwood added. “We saw it happen ourselves. The guy in jail…was just another unfortunate victim of Stalk. He was a scientist of this building. He doesn’t even have any memories.”

“Which is another side effect of Nebula Gas.” Micro continued. “It can alter or erase memories. We don’t know exactly how though.”

“You don’t think he’s actually an alien Prince dead set on destroying planets like Earth, tricking everyone to kickstart his plans, right?” Pinkie Pie wondered aloud. Everyone stared at her.

“…No idea where you got that from, but I hope not.” Sol deadpanned.

“This is getting crazier by the minute…” Rainbow groaned.

“Believe us. We had long gone past crazy months ago.” Sol murmured.

“…what I want to ask is why…” Misty finally spoke as all eyes shifted to her. “You four…you’re all just children. You have futures. You have lives. You have people who care for you.” She didn’t notice Sol twitch. “…why would you risk it all just to fight those monsters?”

“…All of us have a stake in this, Mrs. Veil.” Micro explained. “Admittedly, it was my fault. Ever since my brother went missing, I desperately wanted to know what happened to him. Sandalwood and Flash wanted to help. I ended up dragging them into my search, and we eventually found my brother’s lab and everything inside it. And you pretty much know the rest after that.”

“Given that it was my dad found dead in that apartment, I wanted answers too.” The fighter added. His resolve was unwavering.

“But how?” Velvet finally spoke. “…how were you able to find your brother’s lab? Not even my husband and I were able to do that when we tried to locate him.

“You probably didn’t know where to look.” Sandalwood pointed out. “It was inside his electronics store…kinda surprised it was still standing after everything.

“So that’s where he stored the Build System.” She murmured, catching everyone’s attention.

“Wait, you knew about the Build System?!” Micro voiced their shock. “You knew this whole time?!”

“…it was a project Gizmo worked with my husband’s permission.” She admitted. “With the phenomenon of these Smash transformations and the danger they posed to civilians, we decided that we needed a way to protect the people from them. Gizmo was the one who came up with the idea. We provided the funds and materials to make his work possible.”

“This…this is the first I heard of it…” Misty claimed.

“Mrs. Veil.” Micro spoke. “…you worked with my brother with Pandora’s Box. Did he really not tell you with what he was working on?”

“I’m afraid not.” She shook her head. “All I know was that he would take many readings and samples from the Box. He never divulged what it was, saying it was for a classified assignment Night gave him. But now that I know what it is…one thing is clear.” She stood up from her seat and turned to her son. “Flash…as of now, I forbid you from using the Build System.” Misty ordered.

“WHAT?!” The other members of the team cried while musician merely inclined his head to look at his mother.

“Mrs. Veil, please reconsider!” Micro pleaded.

“Yeah! We need Flash to use to Build System!”

“I will not place my son in Danger!”

“But mom! Flash has been doing this for months!” Scootaloo argued. “He even saved me and Twilight before!

“Don’t get me started, young lady! And that is because he went behind our backs to do this!”

“He’s able to handle himself, Mrs. Veil!” Sol reasoned. “Heck, he’s been doing this before I was even able to transform!”

“That is still not a proper excuse! Just find someone else to use it! Flash is not going to fight in this war of yours!”

Everyone else in the room could only stare back and forth between the arguing sides. Flash remained quiet while Night Light finally slipped into the room.

“We need him to beat Stalk!”

“He’s not going to be a soldier in this!”

“Do you really think he’ll just be okay with it?!”

“…okay…” The musician obediently complied.

“….eh?” All heads turned to the seated teen.

“…I’ll stop being Build. I’m done…” Flash stood up and walked out of the room. Everyone stared after him as the door swung shut. Silence filled the air.

“…what just happened?” Sweetie Belle asked. The rest of Team Build stared in concern. After the explosion, Flash had been much quieter and withdrawn. They too, felt guilt for what happened to Shining Armor, but Flash took it much harder.

He promised that Shining would be safe…and that promise was broken not even ten minutes later.

“Well…okay then.” Misty said, surprised that her son agreed so easily. Although, she did notice how disheartened he seemed, likely for a completely different reason. She would have to speak with him about it later.

“…So I guess it’s up to me then…” Sol said as he plopped down in his seat.

“I’m afraid not, son.” Blood Oath finally spoke. “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that.”

“What? What do you mean?” The fighter questioned. The others wondered the same thing.

“She’s right, kid.” Blood Oath finally spoke. “This stuff’s too dangerous for you boys to handle. Let us adults take care of things from now on. We’ll Stop Blood Stalk. Which is why as of now, the police will be holding jurisdiction over the Drivers and Fullbottles.”

“WHAT?!”

“I understand that you kids want to protect the city. It is admirable, truly. However, you have also been acting around the law doing so. Your fights have caused a lot of collateral damage. The only reason why you haven’t been brought in for acts of vigilantism is because you kids saved many innocent lives.”

"You can't do that!" Sol cried. "Sure, Flash's mom might not be letting him continue by my parents haven't said I couldn't."

"Kid, your parents are either dead or in a coma!" Blood reminded him. Everyone looked at Sol is shock. They knew about his father, but this was the first they were hearing about his mother. "Besides, you're a minor. You really think I'd allow a child to wield such power?"

“I’m the only person here that can use it!” Sol snapped, irked that the chief decided to bring up his parents like this.

“Not for long.” He replied. “We’ll find someone more suitable on the force to use it. I’ll have my best officers on the job. Sorry son, but your time as a hero is over. Let us take care of things.”

“So you’re gonna just take them for yourselves?! Is that it?!” His rage escalated. He simply couldn’t stand the man in front of him. He was just going to undermine everything they have done!

“We’re going to use them to protect the people and do our job!”

The onlookers could only sit quietly as the argument continued. Micro and Sandalwood worried for Sol. He was reaching his boiling point.

“Let’s not be hasty, sir.” Night Light finally interjected. His face was stern and betrayed no emotion. “You see, the Drivers and the Fullbottles are still property of the Research Center, despite their previous ownership. We need to analyze them further. We may be able to find some connection to Stalk and Faust to an extent if we do.”

“…alright. But when you’re done, please start production on multiple Drivers. That way, all police officers can use the armor.” Blood allowed.

“…well, if you’re really gonna go through with this, here.” Micro slid the Hazard level scanner across the table. “The Drivers won’t work unless your Hazard Level is at least three. Just point it at someone and press the button. Their level will show.”

Sol and Sandalwood snapped over to their friend in shock. Why would he do that?!

“Thank you.” The chief said as one of his subordinates entered. He handed the scanner over. “I want you to make a list of any and all officers that have a Hazard Level of 3.”

“Yes sir.” The man saluted and left the room.

“…I’m done with this!” Sol exclaimed before he barged out of the room. He was unable to tolerate any more of this crap. No one made a move to stop him.

Later...

The blue haired musician trudged through the streets aimlessly, having no set destination in mind. He had been listening to the entire conversation. But his heart wasn’t into it.

His mind kept replaying the same image over and over.

The fire. The burnt remains. The entire Sparkle family distraught and mourning.

All of it….his fault. He made a promise...but he was unable to keep it. And now Shining Armor was dead.

“Flash!” Sol yelled out, causing him to stop and turn. The fighter jogged up to him.

“Sol?”

“...What was that back there? Why did you just agree so easily?” He frowned.

“...It’s as I said. I’m done with this. I quit being a Rider.”

“Don’t give me that crap! Didn’t you tell me you wanted to help people? To protect them from Faust? Then why are you giving up?!”

“Because my mom’s right.” Flash shrugged. “...we’re just kids. We didn’t know what we were doing. All we did was screw up in the end.”

“...So that’s it, isn’t it?” Sol said in realization. “...it’s about Shining Armor, isn’t it?”

“Sol…”

“Flash, I know you’re feeling guilty about this. You’re not alone, the rest of us feel the same way.”

“You don’t get it.”

“What don’t I get? Look, I know what we did end up being bad, but none of us could’ve known that Stalk would bomb the van!”

“Sol…!” The musician felt the agitation grow.

“But that doesn’t mean you should just throw it all away! Sure, Shining died, but we still saved everyone else!” Sol tried to reason.

“No one should’ve died!”

“We can’t save everyone!”

“But we could’ve!”

“Why are you so hung up about this?!”

“It’s because of me that he’s dead!” Flash finally snapped.

“...what?” Sol questioned dumbly. Crozz stared in silence.

“It’s my fault...he’s dead…” He choked. “I promised him...I promised he’d be safe...but he’s gone...all because of me!”

“Flash you…”

“It’s because of me that he’s gone...that Twilight lost her brother!”

“...Idiot!” Sol smashed his fist into Flash’s face, throwing him off of his feet and on his back.

“Ow! What was that for?!” He cried indignantly.

“That was for you being a complete idiot!” The fighter yelled back. “How the heck is it your fault he’s dead?!”

“I...I promised him that-!”

“That doesn’t make it your fault! So what if you couldn’t keep your promise? None of us could predict what Stalk would’ve done! You’re not the one who activated the bomb! That was him! It’s not your fault! It was his!”

Sol grabbed Flash by the collar and lift him up. “And you’re just gonna throw in the towel? If you do that now, then Stalk is gonna keep toying with lives and taking them like this! Is that what you want?!”

The blue haired teen was stunned by Sol’s words. He finally noticed the unshed tears in his eyes.

“...I know you’re hurting. Believe me, I am too. I haven’t felt this helpless and lost since I lost my dad. But you know what I did? Instead of stewing in regret...I found a way to push forward. I know my dad would’ve wanted that. So let me ask you...what would Shining want from you?”

The words slowly sunk into his mind. It was a good question. What WOULD he want?

What would Shining say? What would his dad say if he were here right now?

Meanwhile…

“Uh, Mr. Light, where are we going?” Micro asked. After the officer left, and Sol Burner stormed out of the room, Night Light had invited Micro to see something in the lab.

The boy was hesitant to go, still worried about his friends. But that hesitation ceased when he was informed that the matter pertained to his brother.

“You’ll seen soon, Micro.” The man informed as they turned a corner. They came across a locked door. Night pulled out a key card and swiped it. The lock deactivated, allowing them to enter.

The room was dark and smelled of dust. Night turned on the lights, allowing Micro to see where they were.

It was a large, white room. Even larger than the secret lab his brother had in his store. There were several more devices and computers then there were in the lab. But other than that, it seemed….empty. As if the room itself was incomplete. He also saw that there was a chamber that resembled the one Faust had.

“What...is this place?”

“This was your brother’s lab.” Night answered.

“His lab?” Micro gawked.

“Yes. My wife already explained that I allowed Gizmo to work on the Build Project, correct?”

“But...why would you? I know Mrs. Velvet said it was a means of defense. But going through everything, they seemed to be more like weapons.”

“In a sense, they are.” Night explained.

“Huh?”

“...Tell me, are you aware of the true face of Tirek Heavy Industries?”

“You mean that they manufacture weapons, right?” Micro asked with trepidation. He had learned the truth from Flash and Sol when they returned with the Box.

“So you do. Then that makes things easier to explain.”

“Easier?”

"You see Micro, I've never trusted Tirek. He's always had a hunger." Night frowned.

"Hunger for what?"
"For everything. Power. Wealth. Anything he can flaunt over someone else. The more he gets the hungrier he becomes. I always knew he'd one day try to take something too dangerous for him. By any means necessary, no matter who he had to sacrifice. That's why, when your brother showed me his plans for the Rider System, I allowed him to develop them. I feared that if we didn't have the technology, then someone like Tirek might get his hands on them."

"How?"

"Tirek has eyes and ears all over Canterlot. I wouldn't be surprised if some of my own employees were spies for him. He'd have gotten specs for the Rider System, if not from Gizmo then from somewhere else. I needed a way to deter them. To show that if they used their system, we had ours to defend against them."

"You really think that would have worked?" Micro asked with a quirked brow.

"Let me put it this way, there's a reason the Neighpanese never retaliated when we dropped Little Colt on them."

"M.A.D," he whispered with Night nodding.

"I hoped the Rider Systems would make it so there'd be no need for them. But it looks like I was wrong. Now all I can do is clean up the mess I helped create. Before it costs anyone else anything important." Micro realised he was talking about Shining. How guilty might he feel right now?

"Anyway," he sighed,

“Me? You...really want me to continue working on my brother’s inventions?”

“I could think of no one else. You know his technology better than anyone. As much as it pains me to admit it, my son was right. I should’ve taken a more proactive stance over what is happening. Now...I can’t even hear him say ‘I told you so’, so I plan to do things right. That is...if you want to.”

“I...of course I do.” The bespectacled teen nodded. “Now, I feel like I’m getting closer to understand what happened to my brother. So I’ll do whatever I can to help. Not just you, but for my friends as well.”

"Thank you, Micro. I am truly grateful.” Night smiled. It was a small, tired one, but a smile nonetheless. “Take some time to get settled in. We'll work on transferring all the equipment from your brother's lab as soon as we can." Micro nodded and Night headed out, leaving him to look around.

He placed his laptop on a table and just stood there, trying to imagine his brother working one the Rider System in here.

Shaking his head, he opened up the laptop and pulled up the most important file. The Sclash Driver was nearing completion. A few more tweaks and it would be ready for prototype building. "Time to get to work."

After her father stepped out of the room with Micro, Twilight Sparkle excused herself as well.

She didn’t know where her destination was. She just wanted to be alone. She had been able to hear everything that was discussed, but her heart wasn’t in it. Everything she saw, every time she blinked, the only thing that she could see was the flaming wreckage.

Even now, all she could think of was that. The remains of the explosion. The explosion that took the life of her brother. Her Best friend. Ever since they were kids, he always protected her, watched out for her.

But now...he was gone...forever. The tears welled up in her blank eyes as her feet moved automatically. She had no idea how long she walked. Time had stopped moving for her.

“...it’s okay…” A voice, barely audible, reached her ears. It was soft and quiet, but it was enough to make her stop. She looked around, only to find herself alone in the halls. There was no one else to say those words.

She shook her head. Great...hallucinations. She continued onward.

Flash and Sol had finally reached the site of the explosion. The two had finally cooled off, the latter apologizing for the punch. They were just in time to see the extinguished wreckage being towed away.

Flash didn’t know why his feet led him here. Sol simply followed him to keep an eye on him. But the site was enough to churn his stomach.

The explosion kept flashing back in his mind. The explosion. The flames. The burnt corpse. All of it was a reminder of how he failed. They may have stopped Faust, but they lost a life in the process.

Just...just what was he fighting for anymore?

"Flash?" He looked back at Sol, "you okay?"

"No," Flash said honestly, "not really."

"I know it's hard," Sol told him. "But you can't let this stop you."

"Stop us from what? Getting more people killed. That's what I did Sol, I'm the reason he died."

"That's not true."

"If I hadn't beaten him. If I hadn't knocked the mind control out of him, he would be alive right now."

"And still be Stalk's slave."

"But he'd still be alive. We would have had another chance to save him, especially if we beat Stalk before rescuing him. That would have meant he'd be free and safe from Stalk's vengeance." His whole body shook as he thought about how he could have done things differently. All he'd cared about back then was beating Rogue, with no thought about what would happen after that. All because he wanted to play hero.

"Flash?" Sol wanted to help him, but couldn't really come up with any counter to his logic. Dang it, he wasn't good with these kind of things.

"Save it," Flash turned to walk off. Sol wanted to follow him but had no idea what he'd say. He needed some real help, from someone who knew Flash better than him. But who?

Back at the research centre, Twilight had headed to the bathroom. There, she splashed water on her face. "Get a grip." She told herself, her face dripping wet. "Come on Sparkle." She suddenly remembered back to when she was suffering from her Midnight Sparkle fear, the same hallucinations now returning to plague her. She wanted someone to talk to, like her brother.
But she couldn't. He was gone.

“...please…”

Her head shot up, looking at herself in the mirror. The voice was louder and clearer than before. Was she going insane?

She seemed to get her answer when her reflection moved while she remained still. The Twilight in the mirror placed a hand on the mirror, Twilight's eyes going wide at the sight as she started panting.

“...find me…”

"Who...Who are you?"

"Twilight!" The girl screamed when she looked around, seeing Sunset and Princess stepping into the bathroom. They both had worried looks on their faces. "We've been looking all over for you."

Twilight stared at them for a moment before turning back to the mirror, seeing her reflection was no longer moving on its own. Princess and Sunset both raised an eyebrow when they saw her touch the mirror. "Are you okay?" Princess asked, the two moving closer to her.

"I...I don't know. I'm...I'm seeing things." She turned to Sunset, "It's like after what happened with Midnight Sparkle. I'm seeing this that aren't real." That did worry them.

"Twilight," Sunset pulled her into a hug, "It's okay. You've been through a lot. You're tired, overstimulated and your stress is starting to get to you."

Princess nodded, "you need to relax."

"Relax?" She looked at her like she'd grown a second head, "how can I relax? After what happened. How can I ever relax again?"

"Twilight," Sunset pulled away from her, "we know how you feel."

"No, you don’t," Twilight almost yelled. "How could you possibly know how I feel?"

Princess was the one that replied, "you're forgetting who I am. Shining...he might not have been my actual brother but he was still him. Seeing that van...the flames...it made me forget for a moment which world I was in. It made me think it was...I understand. I felt the same pain you're feeling right now.”

"But you don't feel it anymore," Twilight's eyes began to break out into tears. "We may look alike, but we're not the same and neither were they. He wasn't your brother, he was mine. I lost my brother while you'll get to go home and see yours whenever you want." She pushed her glasses up and wiped her eyes, "I'll never get that chance. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was gonna get married, have a family, maybe one day be chief of police. But now...it's just gone."

Princess and Sunset both looked at her worriedly, unsure how to comfort her.

Twilight then headed for the door, the two going to follow. "Please, just leave me alone." With that, she was gone and left the two transformed ponies standing there.

Later...

Blood Oath stared wordlessly as the officer he sent off with the scanner came back with a blank sheet of paper. “...what is this?”

“I...I’m sorry sir.” The cop apologized. “I used the scanner on everyone as you said, but no one had a level of three.” When he scanned everyone, himself included, the available range was between 1.4 and 2.1. There was nothing higher than the upper limit. There were also only a handful of those with a level 2 and above.

“What? How could that be?” He whipped around to Micro, who shrugged apologetically whilst taking the scanner back from the cop.

“I-It’s as my brother said. Having a level of 3 is really rare. As far as I know, only Flash and Sol have levels that high.”

“But your brother was able to transform.” He pointed out.

“He probably had a level that met the requirements too.” Micro refuted.

“This can’t be!” Desperately, Blood pointed the scanner at himself and blinked at the results: 0.9

No one on the police force had a high enough hazard level.

“...It seems that none of you have the required level.” Night Light stated the observation. “I suppose we won’t be making those extra drivers any time soon.”

“Director, please wait, maybe there’s some other way…”

“I’m afraid not. I’m sorry. But with Faust on the loose, it seems our only users are those kids.”

“You are NOT dragging my son into this, Night!” Misty had to be restrained by Velvet and Cadence in her agitated state. “He’s already suffered enough!”

“You think I want to put them through this, Misty?” Night frowned. “I just lost my son...I don’t want you and Knuckle to lose yours. But what other choice do we have?”

“Well, there is one way to increase one’s hazard level…” Micro chose to bring up the change of subject.

“Really? What is it?” Blood asked almost too eagerly.

“My brother only mentioned it. He didn’t explain the exact process through his videos. But he emphasized that the process he knew was incredibly risky. That simply by increasing it by 0.1 has a low chance of surviving.” He explained morbidly.

“Oh…” He slumped over in dejection. “I-I see. Well, sorry for taking your time.” With a nod, Blood and the other officers left the room and building.

“...whew…” Micro sighed as he sat down. “Glad that’s over.”

“But dude, what are we gonna do now?” Sandalwood asked. “Flash is pretty much grounded from being Build, and all we have is Sol. Can we really stop Faust with just him?”

“Maybe I can do it.” Rainbow stepped up.

“R-Rainbow?” Fluttershy spoke.

“You wanna be a Rider?” Applejack questioned.

“Why not? With my speed and the Build armor, I can take care of those Smashes AND Stalk like cake!”

“We need to check your hazard level first. If its too low, you risk turning into a Smash or the Driver rejecting you. Believe me. It happened to Sol when he first tried out.”

“Wait, he couldn’t use the Driver at first?” Spike asked. “But how was he able to transform?”

“That’s the odd thing. We don’t really know.” Micro said as he scratched his head. “It wasn’t until we fought against Stalk the first time did we learn that Sol was able to somehow increase his Hazard Level. It seemed like the angrier he got, his level would spike before leveling out, increasing overall. It’s likely thanks to using the Dragon Fullbottle in tandem, but we don’t know for sure.”

“Well, let’s just see how I do. Scan me!” Micro complied with Rainbow’s order. A second later the number popped up. “Well? What does it say?”

“Hazard Level...0.” Micro deadpanned with wide eyes. The rest of the people in the room had similar expressions. “...how are you not dead from Nebula Gas exposure yet?”

“Wh-what?” Rainbow snapped out of her stupor. Her level was really that low? But how?!

“He’s right…” Sandalwood said as he scanned the rest of the Rainbooms present. The result was the same. Level 0. “...How did all you stay safe until now with the Faust attacks?”

“I...I don’t know…” The animal lover shook her head.

“Sure is strange. Back on the farm, Ah know for sure dat some of dat gas touched us, but we stayed normal.” Applejack recalled.

“Maybe something protected us?” Pinkie suggested.

“What protected us?” Sunset asked as she and the princess entered the room. “What were you guys talking about?”

“Hazard levels...and how you girls seem to be protected by something to shield you from nebula Gas despite having levels of 0.” Micro answered.

“Did you two happen to find Twilight?” Velvet asked. It had definitely been a shock for the Sparkle parents and Cadence first meeting their daughter’s counterpart from another world. But after everything that’s happened these past several months, they are becoming less likely to be surprised anymore.

At first Night questioned how her daughter managed to clone herself when their daughter brought her home before the school takeover.

“We did...but she wanted to be left alone. She’s still taking the loss pretty hard.” Sunset explained.

“I’m sorry. We couldn’t get through to her.” The princess shook her head.

“Well, do you know where she is?” Night asked, worried for his daughter.

“Don’t worry guys.” Spike spoke up. “We can find her. I’m worried for her too.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Pinkie spoke up. “We have a Sci-Twi to find!”

The group nodded and split up to search the building. They were separated into the following groups:

Sunset, Night, Micro, and Rarity searched the west wing.

Cadence, Misty, Scootaloo, and Applejack searched east.

Princess Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Spike took the north.

Sandalwood, Velvet, Pinkie Pie, and Sweetie Belle searched the south.

The four groups split and combed through the building, trying to find the missing girl. It wasn’t until minutes later, that Sunset noticed something amiss with the hallway they were in.

“Uh, Mr. Light, has that door always been open?” The Director turned to see one side of a double set of doors cracked open and panicked.

“Oh no! That’s where Pandora’s Box is!” He rushed and slammed the door open. He grew relieved when he saw the Box intact, but promptly panicked again upon seeing his daughter lying in front of it unconscious. The others filed in and saw the scene.

“Twilight!” They rushed over.

“Is she okay? Is she breathing?!”

“She’s breathing, but she’s unconscious!”

“Quick, get her to the infirmary!” Sunset and Rarity gingerly supported her while Micro contacted their friends that they found her while Night organized the Infirmary to get prepared.

While they moved her unconscious form, they failed to notice the golden bracelet on her wrist.

Undisclosed location...

While the people at the research center tended to Twilight, another incident was occurring.

Many people thrashed and screamed helplessly as they were dragged along by a group of Robots that put the previous Guardians to shame. They resembled their predecessors greatly. But these models were colored green and had blocky sections of armor on their shoulders. Their left hands were equipped with clamp-like claws while the other hand was a gatling gun.

The ones that were dragged grew terrified by these robots as they were brought into another room.
Within the room was a plethora of chambers and computer monitors and controls. Standing in the middle of it all was Blood Stalk, leaning against a railing.

“Good work everyone.” Blood Stalk clapped as the Guardians and their bounties filed in. “You all got done sooner than I expected.”

“Wh-what do you want from us?” One of the captives trembled. He, along with everyone else, was scared of what could potentially happen to them.

“Such a simple question. But I have a simple answer. You see. You fine ladies and gentlemen are here for one reason and one reason only.” Stalk announced as he held up a finger. “You are to become our little guinea pigs.”

Several minutes later, the group of sixteen regrouped in the building’s infirmary, standing by the unconscious form of Twilight Sparkle.

“Oh...I hope she’s okay.” Fluttershy said worriedly.

“I’m...I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Rainbow did her best to reassure her.

“What do y’all think happened?” Applejack wondered.

“Was she really found like this next to the Box?” Velvet asked her husband.

“Yes. I don’t know what could have caused this.” Night shook his head while rubbing it.

“Maybe the stress was too much for her?” Cadence suggested.

“It’s possible. But I don’t know why she was with Pandora’s Box of all places.”

“Well, maybe she-” Sunset stopped when her phone went off. She read the message sent. “It’s Sol.” Sunset said. “He said he and Flash are back.”

“Where did they go?”

“He said they went to the scene of the wreck. Flash was still torn up about it.”

“I see…” The Princess murmured. She was worried. She never saw Flash so dejected before. She really wanted to help him, but she had no idea how.

“He also says that you and I should probably talk to him.” Sunset added.

“U-us? Really? But what can we do?”

“I’ll explain on the way.” The two left the room as they tried to find Flash.

“What do you think is going on?” Rainbow asked Pinkie, who simply shrugged.

“No clue. I just hope they can help him.”

“...nngh…” All heads snapped over to the source of the groan. Twilight Sparkle’s eyelids cringed before they blearily blinked open. “Wh-wha….?”

“Twilight!” Night, Velvet, Cadence, and Spike knelt beside her. “Are you okay? Please answer!”

“Mom? Dad? Cadence? Spike? What’s going on?” She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Where am I?”

“In the medical bay, sweetie.” Velvet answered. “We found you unconscious in front of Pandora’s Box. What happened?”

“Pandora’s...Box…?” She blinked. Then she remembered.

Earlier...

After leaving Sunset and her counterpart behind, Twilight continued to wander the halls of the research center. She knew they were just trying to make her feel better...but she couldn’t at the moment. It was all just too painful for her to deal with.

She just wished her brother was here...but it was a futile wish. He was gone. Forever.

Her eyes teared up again at the realization. She blinked away the tears and wondered what she should do.

“....it will be okay…”

“Oh great, it’s back…” She murmured. Where was the voice coming from?

“Over here…” The voice seemed to come from a certain direction. Curiosity filling her being, she moved to pursue it. She needed answers. She followed the voice through a series of turns until she came across a set of double doors.

“What is…?”

“...inside….” it called out again.

“So it’s in here? Well…” She pulled out the access card her parents gave her to enter any room within the building. She just hoped it still worked. She swiped the card and the green light came on. The doors unlocked and she opened it.

She entered the room, realizing what it was. Sitting in the center of the room was Pandora’s Box. For some reason...it seemed to be glowing.

“...come closer…” it called out again.

“What? But this is…” Despite her protests, she found that her feet were already moving on their own. She drew closer and closer to Pandora’s Box.

The moment her hand made contact, a blinding light flood her vision before she blacked out.

Twilight blinked as the memories cycled in her head. Was that what really happened? That didn’t make much sense. Was that really real? Or some stress induced hallucination?

For that matter, what was this feeling? This strange sense of calmness? She still mourned for the loss of her brother and missed him dearly. But strangely...it doesn’t hurt as it did before.

“Honey?” Night asked.

“I...I’m sorry. I guess I’m just out of it…” She apologized. Everyone glanced at one another in concern.

“Maybe it’s best if you rested some more.” Cadence suggested. “...I understand how all of this is stressful. Perhaps you just need a break.”

“Maybe…” The girl nodded half-heartedly. She tried to process her memories and whether everything was real or not. She then noticed a couple of people missing. “...Where’s Sunset and other me?”

“Oh yeah.” Rainbow decided to speak up. “Sunset got a text from Sol. He and Flash returned from their walk.”

“Walk? Where are they now?”

Upon turning to the research center, Flash made his way up on the roof, telling Sol that he wanted to be alone. The fighter was worried about the musician. When he finally reached the building, he remembered just the right people to help Flash and shot them a text when he already left.

The blue haired musician stood on the roof of the building. His head swiveled around, taking in the newly repaired surroundings.

It was as if the fight he had with Night Rogue back then never happened. But it did happen. Flash remembered that fight, that pain well. He sighed. He wanted to get away from the others and be alone.

But he just couldn't escape what happened. What he had done.

“Flash?” his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. “ He turned around to see Sunset Shimmer peering through the door. The fiery haired girl and princess stepped onto the roof. “Thought we’d find you here.”

“What...what are you doing here?”

“...Sol told us what happened.” Sunset said. “He wanted us to talk with you.”

“That meddling…” He was cut off as his ex punched him in the face.

“Ow!...why?!”

“...he also wanted us to do that too. I would’ve done it even if he hadn’t asked.”

“...and I repeat, why?” He groaned as he rubbed his face.

“You’re too hung up over this. Yeah, what happened was a complete tragedy and affected all of us. But none of us could’ve known what would happen.”

“But I still could’ve done something!”

“There’s no use for what-ifs. It’s already happened and we have to accept it.”

“But why should I? If I just did something differently-!”

“Because it doesn’t matter, Flash!” His ex-girlfriend cut him off.

“What? But...why not?!”

“Because it’s all in the past, Flash. And your past is not today.” She answered. “Take it from me. Before, I was nothing but a bully who wanted to rule and get more than I deserved. I hurt and humiliated people for my own gain. But now? Thanks to the Princess here and the others, I’m nothing like I was back then. The past doesn’t define who you are.”

“Well, good for you Sunset. But that doesn’t mean what I did will ever change. It’s because of me that Shining Armor is dead. It’s all my fault.”

“No it isn’t!” Princess Twilight refuted. “None of that was your fault. You saved him from being a slave to Faust.”

“But if I didn’t, then he’d still be alive.” He argued.

“What kind of life is one of subjugation and deprivation of free-will?” She replied rhetorically. “You saved him from becoming a monster.”

“Maybe...but it still hurts.”

“The past can hurt. But here’s the thing. We can either run from our pasts, or learn from them. I learned from mine.” Sunset made a point by swiping at Flash, only to miss as he sidestepped. “See? What will you do now then?”

“I...I don’t know. I just can’t move on that easily.”

“...Well, for now, why don’t you see the other me?” Princess suggested.

“I think that’s the last thing on my mind right now…”

“But I’m sure she’d need your support. She collapsed earlier and-”

“Wait, collapsed?!”

“Yeah. We found her unconscious. Pinkie texted us that she just woke up before we got here. But I think she’d appreciate it if more of her friends were there.”

“Pft. After what I did...am I even really a friend anymore?”

“Flash…”

“Of course you are!” The princess said adamantly. “That is precisely why she needs to see you now.”

Flash shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He truly didn’t want to see her. But...if she really collapsed, the least he could do is make sure she was okay. “...alright.” He walked past them and down the stairs.

“I hope we got through to him.” Twilight said worriedly once he was out of earshot.

“We have scanned practically everyone. But none of them have the necessary hazard level to use the Drivers unlike you and Flash. If we’re going to put a stop to Faust, then we will need able fighters. So I ask you...are you still willing to be Cross-Z, Sol Burner?” Night requested.

Sol had entered the room where Night Light and the others were in. While he wanted to see how Flash was doing, the Director requested his presence. Once he arrived, the Director explained to him how he and Flash were practically their only options to use the Drivers and fight Faust as the Masked Riders.

“...Oh, so NOW you want my help.” The fighter spoke.

“I’m sorry. But the chief was insistent that we follow protocol under normal circumstances, we could not allow minors to fight our battles for us. But now the situation has changed. You are the last hope for the people.” Night bowed his head. “I know this is a lot to ask given how much you’ve been through, but will you consider taking up the mantle again?”

The rest of the occupants fell silent as they watched the exchange. Sol’s face betrayed no emotion as he was deep in thought. Finally, he answered.

“...I’ll only do it under two conditions.”

“And what would those be?” Night asked with a hopeful glint.

“First, I want the research center to help cover the costs of my mom’s medical bills. While I fight for you, I want her to receive the best care as possible so she can finally wake up.” Everyone was then reminded what they learned earlier. How Sol’s mother was in a comatose state. Many sympathized with him. His father died while his mother was in a coma. It must’ve been hard for him for months. Yet he still found the strength to move onward.

“It can be arranged. And for the second?”

“I want you to tell me everything you know about my dad and Pandora’s Box. My friends and I learned that he was the one that found it. But we want to know more.”

“Of course.” The director complied.

“Well, now you got yourself a deal.” The two shook hands in agreement. The others smiled at the agreement, and soon enough, Sunset and the Princess walked in. Their friends filled them in on what they missed. They were happy that they came to an agreement, but they were concerned for Sol due to his first request. They wondered how he was holding up during that situation.

“Thank you. Thank you very much, Sol Burner.”

“No problem. Now all we need is to convince Flash to join in!” Sol grinned.

“You are NOT dragging Flash into this!” Misty protested.

“And why not?” Sol questioned. “If he had the Driver, he can fight and help people!”

“I don’t want him to go around playing hero like this! It’s bad enough that he’s been doing this for months, but I won’t let him fight a war with Faust any longer!”

“So you’re just gonna force him to sit on the sidelines?!”

“If that’s what must be done, then yes.”

“Are you serious?! Keeping him away from the Driver will only make him vulnerable to Faust!”

“He won’t need it! We’ll protect him from this conflict!”

“Are you even listening to yourself?! In case you forgot, you got kidnapped by Faust because Flash didn’t transform that time!” Sol reminded. “Him without a Driver will just make him an easy target!”

“He won’t be a target if he can’t find him in town!” She retorted, eliciting gasps from some of the room’s occupants.

“M-Mom?” Scootaloo asked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean the next chance we get, we’re leaving Canterlot City.”

“WHAT?!”

“So you’re just gonna run away?!” Sol demanded. “You just don’t get it! Stalk already marked him as a target! You won’t be able to shake him off, and you can’t even protect yourselves from him!”

Before the argument could escalate further, a researcher rushed into the room. “Director!”

“Yes? What is it?!” Night stood up.

“Q-Quickly!” The man panted. “Turn on the news!”

Curious and alarmed by the instruction, Night Light obeyed. The monitor within the room flickered on. What was shown elicited sharp gasps.

Twilight's room.

The girl simply sat there, staring out the window while still trying to figure out why she'd collapsed and why she felt this new sense of calm. A knock at the door broke her focus, "Come in." The door opened and Flash stepped in, appearing to take great focus not to look at her.

"Hey, Twilight."

"Hey." Flash shuffled over to her, still refusing to look her in the eye

"You okay?"

"I think so," Twilight said. "I'm...still not sure why I collapsed."

"You've been through a lot," Flash sat in the chair beside her bed. "Makes sense you'd probably be overcome and your brain would shut down."

"Maybe." The two sat in silence for almost a full minute, the tension in the air so thick you could cut it with a spoon. "Flash," his eyes flickered up at her, "You came here for a reason."

Flash's body shook, tears threatening to break free from him as he looked at the ground. "I'm...I'm so sorry." Twilight stared at him in confusion, "Nothing I can possibly say or do will ever make up for what happened. Shining Armor." Twilight looked shocked at this.

"Flash," she whispered, "What happened..." She took a deep breath, talking about this being hard. "It wasn't your fault. You have nothing to blame yourself for."

"If I hadn't beaten him, freed him from the control..."

"He'd still be under Stalk's control."

"But he'd still be alive!"

"Flash, look at me." Flash didn't seem able too, forcing Twilight to use her magic and make him look at her. The two locked eyes, Flash's teary eyes locking onto Twilight's and seeing how serious she was right now. "You didn't know Shining as well as I did." Her serious look faltered for a moment, Twilight quickly stealing her nerves again.

"If you gave him a choice between what happened and staying as Stalk's puppet, he would have yelled at you to beat him. He would have rather died than be forced to hurt innocent people." Flash tried to look away but Twilight used her hand to grab his chin and make him look at her. "You didn't kill my brother. You freed him from a fate worse than death. You gave him back to me and I can't thank you enough for that."

Flash nodded and saw back in his chair, blinking away tears. "I just wish I could have done more."

"There was nothing you could have done," A somber expression appeared on her face. But then it was replaced by another serious one, "but there is something you can do for Shining now." This got Flash curious, "Don't let his death be in vain. Fight for him. Fight to bring the ones that did this to him to justice. Don't let Stalk do what they did to him to anyone. Be the one. Be Build."

Something inside Flash stirred at those words. If Shining was here, would he tell him to do that? If Twilight, who knew him best, was telling him that, then it must be true.

"Thank you, Twilight."

Twilight smiled, "No problem." She looked out the window. "I don't know why, but since waking up I've felt this...inexplicable calmness was over me. Like something in the back of my head's telling me everything will be okay." Flash nodded, only to notice something.

Twilight was subconscious holding her left wrist. Actually, what she was holding was a golden bracelet he didn't remember her ever wearing before. Something about it gave Flash an unusual feeling. Like it was almost...alive.

"Twilight," she looked at him, "Where did you get that bracelet?" Twilight looked at him in confusion before looking down, appearing to only now notice she was wearing it.

Wrapped around her wrist was a golden bangle with strange, circuit-like patterns on the sides before they converged to a quarter-sectioned circle with lined arrays.

"I...I don't know." The bracelet was a perfect golden look that hung loosely around her wrist, though wasn't loose enough to fall off her arm. There appeared to be no latch or means to remove the bracelet, shown when she tried to pull it off but couldn't. "It...it won't come off."
"What?" Flash was about to try himself, but in that minute the door opened and Rainbow rushed in.

"Flash!" She cried, "There you are! Sorry Twilight, we need Flash!"

"Rainbow-" Flash didn't get to finish as in that moment, the girl zipped over to him before racing them both out of the room with a rainbow blur.

Rainbow zoomed back into the conference room, Flash in tow.

“Ow...okay, what was that about Rainbow?!”

“Look at the TV!” She grabbed his head and turned it towards the screen. The news was turned on. The story featured was a horde of robots attacking people. They resembled Faust Guardians, but they were green had had several upgrades to them.

Flash felt a pit form in his stomach as he watched the disaster. People fled in terror. Some were already down. And he was here...just watching. He then noticed someone else missing from the group in the room.

“Wait, where’s Sol?”

“He went on ahead.” Sunset answered. “He grabbed his Driver, the Build Phone, a pair of bottles and left.”

As the people screamed in terror and ran through the streets, the army of Guardians slowly advanced. With their right arms, they shot out projectiles that stunned people they hit. With their left arms, they fished out and dragged those immobilized civilians towards them for capture.

As they fled, the populace wondered where their protectors were. Where were the Masked Riders?

Their silent pleas had been answered then the roar of an engine filled their ears. Speeding along in the Machine Builder was Sol Burner. The rider steered the motorcycle towards a slanted piece of rubble that resembled a ramp. He drove on it and flew into the air.

The fighter kicked off of the Machine Builder, back flipping into the air whilst donning his driver. The motorcycle descended and crashed into a section of the Guardian army and destroyed them in a fiery explosion. Fortunately, the motorcycle remained intact.

Sol landed in a crouch as Crozz flew around him. He shook his Dragon bottle while the dragon transformed in his hands. He stood up and inserted it.

“WAKE UP!”

He inserted Crozz into the Driver and cranked the handle.

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!”

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

Donned in his armor, Sol Burner charged into the Guardian horde head on.

He grabbed the nearest one and let himself fall backwards. He noted that it seemed heavier than the usual ones, but he was still able to throw it behind him. He ducked as another swung at him with his clawed hand. He tried to counter as it over extended, but it quickly drew its arm back to block it.

Sol was dumbfounded. How did the robots know how to block like that? He didn’t have time to ponder as he ducked and rolled under a hail of gunfire from the surrounding Guardians. Thinking quickly, he figured out how to get through their line of fire. Fortunately he took it when he had the chance earlier.

“DRILL CRUSHER!”

He summoned the Drill Crusher from his Driver and let the spinning blade deflect the projectiles away once he swung it in their path. With the spinning shaft protecting him, he charged into the group and swung at the nearest one. It tried to lean away from the attack, but he managed to graze its main camera. Once it was blinded, Sol spun and stabbed the Drill Crusher through its torso.

Another Guardian tried to pounce on him, but he dragged the broken body of the one he just destroyed as a human shield. Once the robots collided, he kicked the Guardian off of his weapon and slashed through both of them with the spinning drill.

Once the robots fell bisected, one of his arms was grabbed by another Guardian’s claw. The robot stood meters away and tried to reel him in with the cable extended from its gauntlet. He grit his teeth as the claw started to apply pressure and crush his arm. His grip on the Drill Crusher was starting to go slack.

“BEAT CROZZER!”

Summoning his main weapon, he sliced through the cable and freed himself. He quickly changed the modes of the Drill Crusher to its ranged form. Once he was equipped with a sword and gun, he rushed at the nearest Guardian. It tried to gun him down, but Sol quickly returned fire. The lasers burned through the bullets and punched through the metal plating.

Once he drew near, Sol swung and decapitated it.

His victory was short lived as another robot tackled him to the side. His grip fell loose, letting the weapons clatter as they rolled around the ground. The Guardian was mounted over Cross-Z as it tried to bash his head in with its claw arm. Sol moved his head to dodge it before he gathered power into his hand and delivered a flaming punch into its helmet. The plating caved in as it sparked before exploding. He shoved the heavy body off of him and backflipped away from the bullets peppering where he just was.

He looked up and saw the few remaining Guardians. Seeing their close proximity to one another, Sol decided to end this in one shot.

He turned the crank of his Driver for the big finisher.

“READY GO!”

The dragon appeared as power surged through him.

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

He was launched forward by the flames and sliced through the remaining robots with a well-executed, blazing kick. Once he landed, the Guardians behind him exploded.

He stood up and gazed at the remains of the robots, noting how different they seemed to the previous ones. It was almost as if these ones knew how to fight properly.

“It’s over…” He sighed as he picked up his weapons.

His statement was refuted as a group of Smash popped out of the alleyways. Their numbers consisted of the Strong Smash, Flying Smash, Ice Smash, Mirage Smash, Rotor Smash, Press Smash, and Shell Smash.

“....well crap.” As one unit, the Smash charged at him.

On the screen inside the lounge, they all saw the Smash appear before Sol before they rushed at him. At first, he did fine fighting them one at at time using hit and run tactics. But they grew to coordinate their attacks. While the Strong Smash kept him locked in close quarters, the Shell, Rotor, and Ice Smash’s bombarded him with their respective projectiles. The Flying Smash took to the skies and kicked him from the air with each pass. The Mirage Smash made clones of itself and attacked Sol from multiple angles.

The fighter tried his best, but it was too much for him.

“This is not good. Totally, totally not good…” Pinkie said worriedly.

“Is he gonna be alright? He’s getting his ass kicked!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy frowned in admonishment.

“Sorry, but do you even see this?” The Flying Smash kicked him in the face, knocking him down and allowing the Press Smash to body slam him.

“We all can, darling.” Rarity replied, concern etched all over her features. “This is absolutely terrible.” They all winced as the Rotor Smash blasted him with a tornado and flung him into a wall.

As the others watched their friend getting overwhelmed, Flash kept silent as he had to watch his friend getting beaten down by an army of Smashes, sorely outnumbered and out matched. Yet even against impossible odds, he continued to get back up and fight. Every time he gets knocked down, he still fights.

It had been the last straw once they saw the Strong Smash ram him into the side of a building.

“...I need to help him.” Flash murmured. “I can’t let this happen!”

“Oh no you’re not young man!” Misty refuted, realizing what he was going to do.

“I need to! If I don't, then they could kill him!”

“I’m not letting you out there!”

"Please, mom, this is a matter of life and death!"

"The only life I'm concerned about is yours!" Flash frowned, looking out the window knowing Sol was in trouble. "Don't look out there, look at me!"

This did it. Flash's fists clenched as he turned towards her, the previously extinguished flames of determination reigniting in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he smiled at her. "I love you, mom. I know raising both me and Scoots alone hasn't been easy. And I know that ever since Dad died, you've been worried about losing us. But you raised me by example, and time after time I've seen you put other people's needs first. I can't obey you know without disobeying everything you and Dad ever taught me about the world, life and responsibility." Flash rushed over to the table and grabbed the Driver, slapping it on his waist while getting all the Fullbottles.

"Flash," Misty rushed over to him, "I forbid you-"

"So when I get back, feel free to punish me however you want." He turned back to her before slotting the Hawk and Gatling bottles into the driver. "But right now, I have a friend who's in trouble." He started cranking the handle of his driver, everyone stepping back as the runners appeared around him. "HENSHIN!" In a flash of light, Flash was decked out in the orange and silver armour.

Before anyone could stop him, he turned and ran towards the window before leaping through it. The glass shattered as he spread his wings, taking to the sky to fly off towards the battle.

As they watched him go, Princess looked around the broken window and raised an eyebrow. "What is it with him and breaking through windows?”

“No idea. But we should help out on our end.” Micro said before he released the drone after their friend.

Sol had his arms crossed as the Strong Smash continued to pummel him to the ground. The hits were too fast and too powerful for him to counter or get away. The Flying Smash circled him above in the air while the Mirage Smash had him surrounded on the ground. The other Smashes continued to pelt him with shells, ice, and air projectiles respectively.

The damage levels of his HUD were blaring critical levels. Another minute of this continuous abuse and it’d be broken.

Just when the Strong Smash was about to slam both of its arms down on him one last time, a flock of energy hawks impacted the Smash and threw it off of his body.

The Flying Smash was also bombarded by these weaponized avians and crashed into the Smash. The hawks then flew around and attacked the Mirage Smash clones and Shell, Ice, and Rotor Smashes.

While the Press Smash was spared from the assault, a familiar orange and gray blur struck it hard and sent it tumbling. Flash backpedaled and landed next to his friend.

Up above, a news helicopter flew to capture the fight.

“Heh...took you long enough…” Sol said jokingly.

“Sorry I was late. You would not believe the traffic.” He quipped in return. He held out his hand and Sol grabbed it. He helped the fighter onto his feet before staring down the group of Smash. “Any idea what’s up with these guys?”

“No clue. They just popped right out of the woodwork.”

“Any idea Micro?” Flash asked his intellectual friend.

“Not much I can say. But they definitely seem stronger than the ones you fought before. I’m detecting large quantities of infused Nebula Gas in their bodies.” He answered.

“So we’re facing seven, upgraded powerhouses.” Build nodded.

“By the way, here.” Sol handed him the Drill Crusher. “Borrowed this earlier.”

“Thanks for not losing it.” He said as he stowed it away.

The Flying Smash was the first to rise back up. It flapped its wings and soared into the sky for a dive attack. Flash took to the air to meet it head on. He fired the Hawk Gatlinger to pepper the Smash with energy bullets. The two clashed through the skies, but Flash had the advantage in ranged weaponry.

He spun the barrel five times.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

“THIRTY!”

“FORTY!”

“FIFTY!”

A swarm of energy bullets shot out from the gun and tore into the Flying Smash, causing it to disrupt its flight and send it careening to the ground. While still in the air, the Rider fired additional shots at the Smash on the ground. But he took notice of the Mirage Smash and its clones rising back up.

Just as he was about to shoot them, he saw that there were still civilians left behind. They had tried to escape, but had been unable to during the chaos. And the horde was right by them. Thinking quickly, Flash dropped to the ground and replaced his current Fullbottles.

“TURTLE!”

“WATCH!”

“BEST MATCH!”

After transforming into the Clockwork Defender, Flash turned the crank of his Driver four times.

“ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR SECONDS!”

From the outside view, Flash moved faster than even the Mirages Smashes through dilated time. With the time he bought, he moved the civilians to safety before returning to the fight. Once time resumed to normal, he threw his shell shoulder pad like a discus and struck the Mirage Smashes clones. It rebounded off of their bodies repeatedly before it returned to his shoulder.

“Whoa…” Rainbow gasped in awe. Even now, she couldn’t believe how fast Turtle Watch was. “...I so wanna race that form!”

Once the Mirage Smash clones were subdued, the remaining Rotor, Ice, Strong, Shell, and Press Smash ran at him. Build simply replaced his Fullbottles again.

“PANDA!”

“ROCKET!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Once he transformed, he pointed his rocket arm and let the projectile fly. It struck the incoming Smashes repeatedly, altering its flight path with each hit, pushing them back to the downed forms of the other two Smashes. He then charged and struck the nearest Ice Smash with his clawed up before kicking it away. The Rocket looped around and landed back on his other arm.

As soon as the Smash had been grouped together, Flash switched to another combination.

“NINJA!”

“COMIC!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Once he was in Ninnin-Comic form, he took out the Sketch Saber and pulled the trigger three times.

“WINDSKILL!”

“TORNADOSLASH!”

He swung up, creating a massive tornado that swallowed the Smash and hurled them into the sky. Once they were airborne, Flash saw fit to finally end this fight.

“Let’s end this…” Flash removed the Fullbottles from his Driver and pulled out a familiar can. He shook it a few times before popping the tab.

POP! FIZZ!

Flash then raised the can up before slamming it into the Driver.

"RABBITTANKSPARKLING

He turned the crank as the circular runners appeared.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” He cried before the runners converged on him. In a mass of light and energy bubbles, he was donned in his newest form.

THEEFFERVESCENTBURST!

"RABBITTANK SPARKLING!”

“YEAHHH!”

“Now, I’ve got the Winning Formula!” He turned the crank of his Driver while he jumped into the air, heading toward the airborne Smash.

“READY? GO!” The singularity formed around the group of Smash, sucking them in and holding them in place. The Rider extended his tank foot as he flew into the Singularity opening. An endless mass of energy bubbles shot through the portal, tearing through the trapped Smashes. With a final cry, he shot through the portal, delivering devastating damage to the monsters as they fell to the ground in motionless heaps.

Flash landed in a crouch before standing up. “...man, hope I have enough bottles for this.” He took out as many Empty Bottles as he had on hand, and was relieved he had enough. But before he could move to extract them, someone had beat him to it.

Standing across the street was Blood Stalk, holding seven bottles newly filled with Smash Essence. “Thanks for doing all the work, Sentry.” He called out.

“Stalk!” Flash roared angrily. The source of all this madness was right in front of him. The one who manipulated Shining and killed him. The one that made so many suffer.

“Sorry, can’t stick around to chit-chat. I have an appointment to keep. Ciao~!”

“Wait!” Build ran to Stalk to stop him, but he was too late as the red armored man transformed into steam and vanished.

“Damn! He got away!”

“We’ll just get him next time, buddy.” Sol said as he hobbled over. “But...what are we gonna do about this?” He gestured to their surroundings.

Flash looked around and saw all the people still in the area, all of them having seen their battle and had been terrified before they arrived. Flash couldn't let that happen. He needed to show them they didn't have to live their lives in terror. They needed...a symbol.

"That's it," Flash whispered with Sol turning to him.

"What's it?" Sol didn't get his answer as his fellow rider turned away before using his rabbit jump to leap into the air, everyone seeing this and watching as he landed atop a nearby rooftop that overviewed the area. He went to his belt and turned the speaker on his helmet to max before speaking.

"People of Canterlot, hear me!" Many people had been filming the fight and were now filming this, including the news helicopter. "By now you all know who I am under this mask. I'm Flash Sentry, a normal high schooler who's gotten in way over his head. Over the last few months, my friends and I have been fighting from the shadows to protect the city from Faust."

Back at the Research Center, everyone was watching Flash's declaration.

"But now our time of hiding is over. From this moment on, you'll know exactly who's keeping you safe. Me, Cross-Z and all our friends will fight and protect you, no matter the cost." Misty, hearing this, was suddenly flashing back to when she was young and first getting to know Trail Blazer. Their son was so much like him, not just in appearance.

"Flash." She remembered the words she'd once told Sol about Trail's philosophy about responsibility. If he was here right now and knew that their son was the only one that could use the armor, no doubt he'd give Flash his undying support. Flash was right, she couldn't stop him from doing this. To do so would betray everyone principle of Trail's that she'd fallen in love with.

Back at the battlefield, Flash looked directly into the news camera. "Stalk, I know you're listening to this, don't think you can hide. Everything you've done, everyone you've hurt, you'll pay the price for. I won't stop until I find out who's under that mask and bring you to justice. Because..." Flash looked back at everything he'd done and everything he'd experienced. When he first started, he was just a kid using powers and abilities he had no clue about. But now, now he had become more. "I am the Masked Rider...BUILD!"

The people below cheered and clapped as Flash leapt down. "Nice speech!" Sol told him as he landed, "does this mean you're back on team Build?”

"Just sorry I left." Flash turned towards the remains of one of the Guardians, trodding over to it while looking it over. "We these things any different from the others we've thought."

"A little," Sol told him. "They don't fight the same, almost like someone else taught them how to fight. Whoever made these things, they're not the same guys that have made the ones we thought before."

"Micro, you getting this?"

"Yeah," the teen replied through the radio, "and Sol's right. These things might have the same basic appearance, but their inner design is almost completely different."

Flash nodded as he took a closer look, noticing something in the robot's wreckage. "Wait," he reached inside the destroyed machine's chest. He felt around for a second before finally pulling out his target, a machine part whose purpose he had no idea about. But what he did know was the image on the part, which was an image he knew all too well. "ChangeMaker?"

Once the battle had ended, the victims of the Smash sent to the hospital, and the remains of the Guardians had been retrieved, Flash and Sol returned back to the lab. There they were greeted by their friends and family.

“You two were awesome out there!” Rainbow cheered as she and the others greeted them.

“Yeah! You were all like, wham! Bam! Zoom! Fwoosh! Kablam!” Pinkie sounded out.

“Are you two alright?” Fluttershy asked as she approached.

“Good heavens Sol, you scared us to death back there.”

“Sorry...I thought I could take them.”

“Didn’t seem that way to us.” Sunset pointed out. “You’re lucky Flash showed up when he did.”

“Flash?” Misty spoke as she approached. Trailing behind her was Scootaloo, who was relieved to see him alright as well.

“Mom…” He sighed, ready to face the music. “Look, I know I broke my promise and I’m sorry, but I had to-”

What he didn’t expect was for his mother to immediately wrap her arms around him. “I’m the one who should be saying sorry.” She apologized. “...all this time, I’ve been trying to protect you and your sister. You two were all I had left. But in doing so, I desperately tried to forget about the loss of your father. I willingly buried the memories I had of him to numb the pain. But when I did so, I practically betrayed all what Trail stood for.”

She held him out at arms length and looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry, Flash. I know it was wrong for me to have stopped you like this. But I was worried I’d lose you forever.”

“I’m sorry too, mom. I just..I just wanted to help my friends and others. I wanted to be more like dad…”

“I know you do. In fact, I believe that if were here with us, he’d support you all the way as Build. I know I do.”

“Do...do you really mean that?” The musician’s eyes widened. They grew misty from the welling emotions.

“Of course. I love you Flash.”

“Love you too, mom.” The two hugged again, and soon felt someone else wriggle their way between them.

“Don’t forget me.” Scootaloo pointed out.

“Of course not.” Giggling, Misty wrapped her arms around her too.

“Group hug!” Pinkie cheered as she practically grabbed everyone present and pulled them in for a hug around Flash. They all stayed that way for about a minute. Finally, they broke off.

“I’m glad that the two of you were able to make up.” Night gave a small, relieved smile. “And with Misty’s approval, Flash and Sol are now officially the city’s Masked Riders and defenders. However, I’m afraid things will be a bit more...strict in a sense.”

“What do you mean?” Sandalwood asked.

“Since Flash and Sol are the only two people with the known capabilities of using the Drivers, they are our main line of defense against Faust. Since there’s no one else capable of fighting the Smash, they’ll need to work with the city’s police force and additional law enforcement. Now that they are publically known, they have to abide by the same code as the police. They simply can’t do as they please anymore lest they become outed as vigilantes.”

“Aw man...so now we gotta follow the orders of that douche?” Sol said in distaste. In all honesty, he did not like Blood Oath. Something about him seemed off to the fighter. Maybe it was because he brought up his parents before.

“I know he may seem a bit too strict and overbearing, but Blood Oath cares for the well-being of this city and its people. At times, he’s had to make difficult decisions.” Velvet reasoned.

“That’s right.” Night nodded. “If it makes you feel better though, we and the research center will be providing you support. Your friend Micro now has an official lab to work on any further gadgets you need for the upcoming battles. This also includes additional amenities that you may need to remain in top form for the war against Faust.

“I know it may be too much to ask for you kids to fight for us. But you four are the only hope this city has to stop Faust once and for all. Will you please fight for us?”

The four members of team Build glanced at one another, as if coming to a silent agreement. They turned to Night Light and in unison responded.

“We’re in.”

ChangeMaker Incorporated...

Chrysalis was in her office, sitting on a large couch watching a rerun of the battle. The footage finally arrived at Flash's speech, "because...I am the Masked Rider...Build!"

The woman smirked as she sensed another presence appear behind her. "Looks like our friends are declaring war. We shouldn't make things anti-climatic."

"Indeed," Stalk agreed as he stepped around the couch to face her. "The real game is finally afoot. It would be rude of us to make things boring for them."

Chrysalis nodded, "but all we've got are pawns. How long until we can get the real pieces on the board."

"Soon," Stalk assured her, "very soon. Everything we need will be in our grasp soon and we'll have our own enemies to thank for it."

"How are you so sure you'll be able to get the plans? They're hardly going to just give them to you."

Stalk began to laugh, almost hysterically. "Oh...but that's exactly what they're going to do. After all," the armoured warrior was suddenly consumed by mist. When it faded, it revealed a tall and lanky man with a pale complexion, dressed in a pair of tan slacks with the legs rolled up to show his ankles and a pair of loafers. He also wore a white buttoned down shirt with a dark suit jacket over it. His dark brown hair was slicked back and face had acne and facial hair on his upper lip. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of round glasses, which he placed over his eyes. "Why wouldn't they give them to their creator?"

The two smiled at one another, knowing the coming days would decide the fate of almost every living thing on earth. But would that fate be a good one...or a bad one?

To be Continued...

Author's Note

Last chapter had ended on a bittersweet note for our heroes. But now they have the chance to keep moving forward and take down Faust.

And now we have the big reveal at the end. It's time for Stalk to make his move.

Thank you for keeping up and supporting this story. We couldn't have done it without you guys!

See you next time!

P.S. I know I've been on fire with these rapid updates. But I seriously feel like I may be slowing down in the near future due to the semester picking up.

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
Turtle

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
Watch

RabbitTank Sparkling

Chapter 18: Snake in the Grass

Years ago...

A younger Micro Chips sat at the table with his older brother, Gizmo Poindexter. The latter had just recently been put on the research team to analyze Pandora’s Box at the research center.

The two boys were fiddling with a toy science kit that Gizmo got for his brother. From the kit, they were supposed to build a robot. With the instructions laid out, the Micro connected the pieces while Gizmo did the programming.

“This is fun.” The child Micro smiled.

“Yes. Science can be an enjoyable experience.” Gizmo agreed. “Well, as long as it’s used the right way.”

“What do you mean, bro?”

“I mean, like everything, there is a good and bad aspect to science.” He explained.

“But I thought science was used to discover the truth of the world and make inventions to help humanity.” Micro pointed out.

“While science does bring about the advent of technology and advancements, there are some inventions that reflect the dark aspects of human nature.”

“Like what?” Micro asked curiously.

“Like weapons for example. Tools of destruction that are used in conflicts like wars. And don’t even get me started on the Fat Stallion and Little Colt bombs.”

“Oh…” The youth replied in dismay.

“But that doesn’t mean science is completely bad. Think of all the medicine, equations, and technology that came about because of it.” Gizmo added.

“But if people can make all of that, why do they make horrible things like weapons?”

“It’s just another aspect of human nature. The one thing that seperates a technological advancement from being a new energy source or a weapon of mass destruction is a person’s morals. Remember this, Micro. Inventions are made for the betterment of mankind. Any form of science that requires sacrifice will never be for that betterment. Understand?”

“I think so.” He nodded, in awe of his brother’s wise words.

“Good. Because that is what I want you to keep in mind if you ever decide to follow the path of a scientist, little Micro-mite.”

“Hey! Stop calling me that!” He whined while Gizmo chuckled.

Two days had passed since Flash and Sol's first battle after being outed as the Masked Riders.

In that time, many things had happened. The first was an investigation into the new breed of Guardians. The remains of such had been brought to the research center to be dissected, Micro and the rest of the engineers there finding several differences between them and previous Guardians. One of the biggest things they noticed was that several parts and processors had the ChangeMaker Incorporated logo on them.

None of these parts appeared in any of the company's manifests, leading them to wonder how Faust could have gotten a hold of them.

That was something Chrysalis was very adamant about keeping to herself, simply stating the parts were prototypes that had been stolen but refused to state when and how. She simply demanded them be returned to her but Night Light and Blood Oath refused since they were evidence in the crime.

Something else that had occurred was that everything from Gizmo's secret lab had finally been collected and safely transported to the Research Center. While Flash and the boys were sad to say goodbye to their old hangout, they understood the equipment was dangerous and needed to be somewhere more secure.

They decided not to mention how the secret lab had never once been found while the Research Center had once been completely seized.

The good thing about the transfer was that now Micro wouldn't need to go dumpster diving for the parts he'd need for new gear, Sol had joked his sword had always smelled a bit funny, the equipment having been safely transported to the lab and ready for proper setup.

But he would have to set everything up alone as everyone else was...busy.

Twilight had finally been discharged from the medical bay but they still had no idea about why she collapsed, or how she got that strange bracelet. They'd tried everything to get it off, every known type of tool, a laser(after an extreme amount of protests and safety precautions from her family), even Applejack couldn't pry it off. The golden accessory remained wrapped around Twilight's wrist.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sunset asked her as they left her room.

Twilight sighed. "Sunset, I'm fine." She looked down at the bracelet. "Whatever this is, I don't think it's dangerous."

"How so?" Princess asked.

"I don't know. It's...just a feeling." That didn't sound like Twilight. Her scientific mind never let her trust in a feeling. "Anyway," she turned to her counterpart, "Is it true you're heading home today?"

Princess nodded. "Things seem to have calmed down here and I really need to be getting back to Equestria."

"It's too bad you couldn't stay longer," Sunset told her. She knew her friend had an important duty back home but still, she'd miss her.

"Me too. But I'm always one sentence away if you ever need me." The two girls nodded with a smile as they continued down the hallway.

"Well, I'm sure everyone will be happy to see you off."

Twilight nodded, looking around confused. "Speaking of which, where is everyone?"

"I think they went to watch the tests," Sunset explained.

"Tests?" Twilight asked, "what tests?" Her eyes suddenly went wide, "is it some kind of new technology that's being developed and today's its first testing phase."

"Not exactly," Sunset replied before turning the two of them towards a door and stepping inside. The first thing Twilight saw when they entered was a shirtless Flash running on a treadmill, a shirtless Sol doing the same besides him. They were behind a glass wall and both had several wires and sensors sticking out of their bodies. They also had oxygen masks on their faces.

"Oh," Twilight suddenly blushed, "those kinds of tests."

"What's up with her?" Princess asked Sunset, the bacon haired girl smirking.

"On this side of the portal, seeing a guy without his shirt one will do that to a girl."

"I'll say," they heard Rarity's voice and turned to see the rest of the girls watching. She, Fluttershy and Pinkie were watching the boys exercise with great interest, Rainbow and Applejack watching like they'd watch any other event.

"So why are they doing this?" Twilight asked, trying not to stare at Flash's chest. Though she had to admit he did have an impressive set of muscles, ones comparable to Sol's, likely due to all the fighting he'd done since becoming Build.

"We're checking to make sure the two of them are physically healthy." Twilight turned to see Misty walking in from another room. "We have to be sure using the Build System hasn't caused any abnormal effects on them."

Twilight nodded, "Makes sense." There was still so much they didn't know about Nebula Gas and its effects on humans. There was no telling what using it in the Rider System, as Pinkie nicknamed it, would do to a person, Gizmo not likely having time to test for any long term effects. "So, anything wrong?"

"No," Misty shook her head, "everything's fine." She looked back at her son, "the two appear to be perfectly healthy in every way."

"I'll say," Rarity said once again.

“How long have they been running like that?” Twilight asked.

“Believe it or not, they’ve kept a stable pace for well over half an hour, and showed no visible signs of fatigue.” Misty noted. “While I can understand Sol having that much stamina due to his training, my son wasn’t the fully athletic type. So his endurance surprised me.”

“Isn’t that because of the time he spent fighting?” Princess asked.

“That is a possibility. But we’re still looking into it further.”

“I think that’s enough time for them running.” Velvet said as she approached. “Alright boys. We have enough data. You can stop now.”

The treadmills slowed to a halt as the two boys panted, sweat glistening off of their skin and drawing further attention from the young, female onlookers.

While she refused to admit such a thing later, Rarity was visibly drooling while Fluttershy peeked through her long bangs with a flushed face.

Misty handed the two towels to wipe off their perspiration.

“So what’s next on the list?” Sol asked. Before running, they were given tests based on their flexibility and mental processing. The former consisted of basic stretches while the second was a series of mental exercises similar to IQ tests. The fighter didn’t quite do so well on the latter, mainly because he wasn’t used to complex thinking and just went with feeling.

“Next we have strength tests.” Misty read on her list. The crew transitioned over to a different room in the building. It was a weight room designed to act as strength testing for exosuits. “You two are to perform a series of repetitions based on the maximum weight you can lift. Based on Gizmo’s research, this is to determine if your Hazard level accounts for an increase of strength.”

The two nodded as they moved over to a set of weights. They did some test reps with the lower values, finding that they barely weighed much at all before moving to the heavier ones.

To the amazement of the others, Flash had been able to lift a full set of twenty with 90 lb weights despite his relatively slender frame. By the time he was done though, his arms were screaming. Sol managed to outclass him by lifting a full set of twenty with 120 lb weights. Even then he didn’t show signs of complete strain or exertion.

Once the data has been recorded, the tests ended and the two were led to the showers due to smelling like sweat and body odor.

After a quick shower, they changed back to their normal clothes. As Flash put his jacket back on, something fell out of one of the pockets. He picked up his father’s aviator goggles. He frowned when he saw a crack on the edge of one of the lenses. It had been from when Night Rogue shot him in the face back at the factory. While the crack didn’t affect overall visibility and the lens remained sturdy, it irked him to see his father’s memento like this.

Ever since his identity as Build was revealed, he no longer had a need to wear a disguise anymore. So he finally hung up the coat and respirator mask. But he could never put away the goggles. It wouldn’t feel right to part with them. As long as he had them, he felt like his dad was watching over him, giving him strength.

He stared at the goggles in his hands before silently nodded. He pulled them over his head and left them hanging around his neck.

“Huh. That’s a good look.” Sol commented as he saw his friend in the mirror.

“Thanks.” Flash answered as he looked at his reflection. It didn’t look half bad. “We should probably get going now, though. Micro and Sandalwood probably have everything set up now.”

“I still can’t believe we’re getting our own lab.”

When everyone arrived at the lab, they found the place was much different from how it'd been when Night first gave it to Micro. Several boxes littered the room, all containing either half-built equipment or diagrams and notebooks for said equipment.

In the corner of the room, they spotted the purifier with Micro and Sandalwood both working on it. Well, Micro was working on it and Sandalwood was just giving him tools. "Screwdriver," Sandalwood took the spanner Micro was holding out to him and replaced it with the requested tool. "Thanks." A minute later, he replaced the panel he'd taken off and smirked.

"So how's it looking?" Flash asked Micro, the teen stepping out of the machine.

"Everything's perfect. Doesn't look like it sustained any damage during transport."

"That's good," Sol told him. "If we manage to get any more bottles, we'll need it to purify them." Micro nodded as the girls moved to take a closer look at the machine, both Twilights and Sunset looking fascinated by it.

"It looks so high tech," Princess Twilight said. They didn't have anything like this in Equestria. "How does it work?"

"It's simple really." Micro explains while booting up his brother's laptop. "The machine scans the brain of who’s ever inside and turns those thoughts into a form of energy, which is then transferred into the bottle. That removes all the impurities and transforms it into a Fullbottle."

"I see," Twilight nodded while looking at the machine. "So sleek. So well designed. I can't make heads or tails of it."

"Join the club," Micro told her. "I barely understood how it worked at first. But, you'd be surprised what you learn from doing basic maintenance on it. Plus," he pressed a button on the laptop and it changed to show what looked like blueprints. He turned it to Twilight and she, Sunset and Princess looked them over. "With these, anyone with even a basic understanding of physics and engineering could make one."

Sunset let out a whistle, "Wow. You'd have to be an idiot not to understand this." At that moment, everyone else glanced at the plans and had zero clue what they meant. Should they be mad at Sunset or the blueprints?

"So what happens to the person in the machine?" Fluttershy asked as they stepped away, "They don't get hurt, do they?"

"They're exhausted after using it, but there's no long term side effects. As for what happens while they're in there..." Micro hummed before he, Flash and Sol turned to Sandalwood. "What does happen to you in there?"

Sandalwood looks up at them, having been meditating while everyone else talked. He then smirked, "Most of it's a blur. I see something, but I can't really remember what. It's kinda...like a dream." That made sense, who the heck remembered dreams. "But that's just the first part. The second part's something I started remembering the more I used the machine."

"Which is?" Applejack asked before Sandalwood leaned back against the machine.

"First, the Smash we got the essence from shows up in my head before it blacks out...like a shadow puppet. It's just the shape, but then the shape starts to shift and change. It stays like that until I figure out what the shape is. Then, there's a bright flash of light and the next thing I know the whole thing's over and I feel like I ran a marathon." He opened his eyes and looked at them all, seeing them all staring at him in amazement.

Rainbow was the first to speak. "That sounds...awesome."

Micro nodded, just as interested. "Sounds like the purified form is built into the essence itself and just needs a person to mentally visualize the final form to complete the process."

"But how?" Rarity asked. "How does gas from an alien artifact know what a rabbit or a rocket or a lock is?"

"Who knows?" Flash shrugged. "There's still a lot we don't know about Pandora's Box and the Nebula Gas. The only person who seems to know more than they should is Stalk, though trying to get a straight answer out of him is like trying to get blood from a stone."

Micro nodded. "All we can do is keep studying them and hope we eventually find anything that might help us better understand them." He turned back to the girls. "Now, any other questions?"

"I have one," Pinkie asked after stepping out from behind the machine. "Where's the plug?"

"Plug?" Micro wasn't sure if he should take her question seriously or not.

"The plug. You know...what powers it. This thing must use a ton of juice, so where's it coming from? You must use a lot of batteries if you don't have a plug."

"It has an internal power source," Micro explained. "Though I'm not really sure what." He showed them the blueprints again. "These schematics show a place for it to sit but not the power source itself."

"Why don't you take it out to have a look?" Rainbow asked.

"It's built deep into the machine. Getting too it would mean taking half of it apart. Even with the schematics, putting it back together again would take forever and that's not taking into account the many tests that would need to be done to make sure it was rebuilt right. It's better to just leave it as it is."

“Makes sense.” Sunset nodded. It would’ve been too tedious to take it apart now to satisfy curiosity. Not to mention it would be a risky endeavor since Faust is still out there and they would need to purify bottles.

“By the way, Flash. I couldn’t help but notice you changed your wardrobe a bit.” Rarity pointed out. “Where did you get those goggles?”

“Come to think of it, didn’t ya have those for yer disguise?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah...these were my dad’s.” The musician replied as he held them up. “I figured if I had these with me, I could fight with his strength as well ...if that makes any sense.”

“I think it’s a nice gesture.” Twilight smiled. “A nice way to pay homage to your dad and honor his memory.”

While the Rainbooms and Team Build discussed the new laboratory, Director Night Light sat in his office. On his computer screen was the security feed of Smash attacked the building during the field trip.

He accessed the footage of all of the buildings security cameras as something did not sit right with him. His suspicions were supported when he saw simultaneous videos of his son standing by him, Dusk Walker, and his family on one half of the screen while the other displayed Night Rogue and Stalk within the building and roof.

While he was preoccupied by the videos, his wife walked in the office. As she walked up next to him, she saw the various footages and couldn’t help but question. “...Why are you watching this?”

“....Don’t you think it's odd?” Night questioned back. “These security feeds are taking place at the same time. Yet how could Shining Armor be in two places at once?”

“Isn’t that Night Rogue a proxy sent by Stalk?”

“It could be. But based on what the boys said, the Night Rogue they fought was the exact same one based on his mannerisms and fighting style. That means the Rogue they fought was Shining Armor. Yet our son and Dusk stood by us the entire time during the incident.”

“Night, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that based on what we’ve seen so far...it’s likely the Shining Armor in the video could be a proxy sent in by Stalk to avoid suspicion.”

“A proxy? But how could that be?!”

“We know Stalk has the power to change faces and erase memories from the boys. Who says that he can’t alter memories as well? Combine those you, and you get the perfect substitute.” Night frowned with a sigh. “It makes me wonder...how often were we with the real Shining…”

“I...I don’t know…” Velvet shook her head in dismay. It was a disturbing thought. To learn that the time they spent with their son...might not have actually been their son most of the time.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna come with?” Sandalwood asked. After they got the Purificator and computer set up, Pinkie suggested they start shopping for supplies for Princess Twilight’s Farewell Party and Masked Rider Party. Since they were sure to be huge events, they needed all the helping hands they could get.

“I’m sure. I need to go through the files stored in the laptop, just in case I might’ve missed something that can give us a lead on Stalk.” Micro replied.

“Okay. Let us know if you find anything or need anything.” Flash said as the group left. Once the door was shut and he was alone in the room, Micro breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately pulled out the laptop and opened the Project Sclash file.

He smiled when he saw the words on the screen: Simulation complete.

Below them were the readings and results of the simulation that he ran on the files. Based on the data, all systems were 100% successful and ready for construction. After weeks of hard work and secrecy, he can finally start constructing the Sclash Drivers for his friends. But before he could even reach for the materials stored neatly in a nearby cabinet, his email notification rang.

He checked the sender, and his eyes widened upon seeing the address. It was Anony-Mister.

Later...

In an undisclosed location, Chrysalis and Gizmo sat across from one another. The female CEO sat neatly with a cup of tea in her hands. Gizmo on the other hand was lounged out on his seat with a cup and saucer in his hands.

“Ah~That is some mighty fine tea, Chryssy.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Stalk.” She frowned.

“Come now, feel free to call me Gizmo when I’m not in uniform.”

“I would as soon as you stop referring to me in that ridiculous nickname. Now...how goes the progress in obtaining what we need for the project?”

“It’s going.” Gizmo set down the pieces of ceramic. “I have a plan that’s practically done. I’ll get what we need later. What I need from you though is to keep the Riders distracted. Think you can do that?”

“Just who are you talking to? With our Guardians it will be child’s play.” She huffed.

“Glad to hear it. Now then…” Gizmo hopped up from his seat and fixed his coat. “I’ve got a meeting to get to.”

After he finally deciphered the email, Micro took time to process what he just learned. After finally coming to a decision, he got to work and packed his belongings after inserting a flash drive into his laptop.

Now curious, he opened the message and was greeted by a long series of complicated mathematical equations.

At the very end of the email was a message tacked on.

[Think you can solve all this? The answer will be your guide where to go next. It’s time for some answers of your own. Good luck Micro-Mite.]

The bespectacled teen scratched his head over the cryptic message. He was still confused about Anony-Mister’s identity. But after all these weeks, based on how he knew so much about his brother’s research and Faust’s movements, he’s gotten an idea of who’s behind the screen.

And if he wants him to solve this to get those answers, then challenge accepted.

He worked through the formulas at a lightning fast pace. Soon enough, he solved the equations and obtained the answers. At first, he didn’t know what to make of them. Then he looked back at the line of text, specifically the where and time parts.

He realized that the first two rows of numbers were coordinates while the third line of numbers was a specified time.

“Wait, so he’s telling me a time and place to meet?” As soon as he wondered that, another email from Anony-Mister popped up.

[P.S. Congratulations on stopping Faust during the whole Takeover debacle. Unfortunately, they’re still out there. I know you want to stop them, and I know you’ve been working on just the thing to do so….provided you deciphered by earlier message. I know it may seem strange, but you need to trust me, Micro-Mite. I need you to give me a full system copy from the laptop. I know some people who know what to do with them. I can only ask that you trust me. Come alone.]

He didn’t know if what Anony-Mister said could be trusted. But so far, he hasn’t steered him wrong. Not after giving them such precious intel. All he can do is find answers himself. After he got everything packed, he slipped a flash drive into his pocket and made his way to the door. But the moment it opened, he collided with another person and stumbled back.

“Oh, gosh! I’m so sorry!” He apologized as he re-adjusted his glasses.

“Micro?” Flash questioned as he stood by the door frame. “Where are you going? I thought you had to sort through the files.”

“I-I could ask you the same. Why are you here?”

“I forgot my new phone.” Flash answered. The day prior, after explaining that the four members of Team Build destroyed their smartphones while on the run, they were given new ones to maintain communication. The police chief insisted they do so to keep in contact. The musician walked over and picked it up from the table. “After getting so used to my old one, it’s a weird change. But what about you?”

“Oh, I just...forgot some things in the old lab. I need to go get them.”

“But I thought they transported everything from the old one.”

“Well, they did get all the important stuff, but I’m gonna go and double check because there are some parts and schematics that I can’t find. Tell the others I’ll see them soon. See ya.” Before Flash could inquire further, he already moved down the halls.

The blue haired teen narrowed his eyes in confusion and suspicion. He was definitely acting odd.

“So how do you….work this contraption again?” Princess Twilight questions as she stared at the line of buttons and a joystick.

“It’s easy. You use the stick to move. And to initiate actions, press the buttons. A is attack while B is block.” Sunset explained as she moved her own character on screen.

After shopping for Pinkie’s Party supplies, Rainbow suggested that after so much insanity, they should all have some pre-celebratory fun.

Which is what ultimately led them to the city’s arcade. However, the moment Princess Twilight entered, she felt out of her depth. She did notice her friends play what they call video games a few times she’s visited, but this was a completely different scale. She became transfixed by all the flashing lights and colors. The interior had weaker lightning, which highlighted the visuals on the various screens and games.

It somewhat reminded her of Manehatten at night. After seeing her confusion, Sunset had pulled her aside to try out one of the games herself while the others split off to different sections. The Princess tested the controls of the fighting game she was at, trying to get an understanding of how things worked. She mimicked the instructions Sunset gave her as her avatar moved awkwardly.

“See? You’re getting it. Now. Let’s fight!” Sunset cheered as the match began.

“Huh? W-wait!” But she didn’t wait as the first round began. Rather than calmly pressing buttons to execute the necessary actions, Princess Twilight ended up button mashing everything in her panic. It eventually resulted in her loss.

“Yes! Victory!” Sunset cheered.

“No fair! I was still learning the controls!”

“Hey. All’s fair in gaming. Besides, real matches can build experience. But most of all, just have fun.” The bacon haired girl gestured to their other friends.

Applejack and Rainbow busied themselves in a competitive game of air hockey while Rarity watched them. Fluttershy and Sandalwood were at one of the crane claw machines trying to win prizes. Twilight was at the skeeball machine, running calculations for the required force and angle needed to score the most points. Pinkie Pie was enthusiastically hammering the fake moles at a Whack-a-Mole. Sol was at a machine that measured how much psi your punch creates. He has been hitting it over and over to break his record repeatedly.

However, their fun came to an end as the overhead monitors that displayed random animations were replaced by an emergency broadcast. There had been reports of rampaging Guardians on the other side of town by the residential district.

As the story played, Sol got a call from his phone. “Hello?”

“Sol Burner. I need you and Sentry to head over to the residential district to stop those Smash. I need you there on the double!” Blood Oath ordered.

“Alright, alright, We’re going!” He snapped as he ended the call. He really didn’t like interacting with Blood Oath in any way, shape, or form. But if he wanted to be Cross-Z, he had to suck it up and listen. “Sorry to cut this short guys, but Flash and I are heading out.”

“Well, you’re not leaving us behind.” Rainbow said as she, Sandalwood, and the Rainbooms stepped forward. Ever since their involvement in previous magical incidents was brought to light to the police, they have been made as a means of reinforcements to the Riders to protect the populace and assist in evacuations while the two fought Faust. It was either that or being prohibited from using their magic abilities. “We’re not letting you two handle everything yourselves anymore.”

“Alright. But if you guys see a Smash, run and let Flash and I handle it.” They nodded in agreement as they ran out of the building for Sandalwood’s truck. The fighter shot a quick text to Flash, notifying him about the situation. Not even a minute later he got a response.

[I’ll catch up with you. But I might be late. Take care of things till I get there.]

“Well...this is the place…” Micro mumbled as he stood before a parking garage. Given how late it was in the afternoon, there were barely any cars left. The teen took a deep breath, steeling himself for what’s to come. With steeled resolve, he walked inside.

Unbeknownst to him, a figure hidden in the shadows watched his movements.

Minutes later, the gang reached the residential area. It was utter chaos. Buildings and houses were broken into as the Guardians dragged the captured civilians away. Half were caught while the rest tried to flee. Even fewer managed to flee successfully.

One Guardian dragged away a paralyzed couple by their feet. But before it could leave, a slice of pie splattered against its helmet before exploding. It released its grip and fell lifelessly.

Another Guardian had aimed at a fleeing civilian. But its arm was severed by a multi-faceted shield. Before it could move to discern the threat, another shield sliced it in half down the middle.

Two more ceased their mission to locate the eradicate the sudden threats. But neither could react to the slab of concrete that impacted the one on the left while the other had its head camera speared by a levitating metal rod.

Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight took to the field to drive off the Guardians while Rainbow moved to retrieve the people caught in the crossfire. Sunset, Fluttershy, and the Princess stayed back to escort them off the battlefield.

“Remember, if a Smash shows up, fall back and let me handle it!” Sol called out as he donned his Driver and held out Crozz in its adapter form. “But until then, take out the robots and save the people captured!”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie saluted before winding her arm back and chucking a jawbreaker at another guardian. The baseball-sized candy dented its chestplate before it detonated and blew the upper torso clean off.

Once, Rainbow pulled the remaining people off of the battleground, she picked up a fallen piece of steel rebar and joined the fight. More Guardians abandoned their main objective and charged at the interlopers.

The one at the lead ran towards Rainbow with its gatling arm whirring up. The stun bullets it shot out were much faster than the standard rifle the previous models had.

But the athlete was much faster. She weaved through the projectiles in a rainbow colored blur before she stabbed the rebar through its helmet, taking out its main control unit and shutting it down. Two more tried to pincer her, but she slipped through their path and stopped behind one before kicking it forward. The two robots crashed into each other in a pile, leaving them wide open.

“Pinkie, now!” Rainbow yelled before she zoomed away.

“Bombs away!” the party planner screamed as she pulled out a multi-layered cake from her hair and chucked it at the fallen Guardians. The tower of cooked batter and frosting splattered over their frames before they went up in a pink, confetti-filled explosion that took out any of their comrades in a five meter radius.

The two girls high fived at a job well done before more robots poured into the street. While some of the abductors tried to go after the civilians, their route was blocked off by a wall of diamond shields.

“Not in your lives!” Rarity huffed. The guardians turned their guns to her. But as they fired, they were immediately intercepted by another row of shields that deflected the bullets right back at them. The projectiles struck their metal plates, slightly denting them from the rapid fire. Before they could recover, two, razor-edged shields flew at them and cut them down like a pair of scissors. Both halves fell unceremoniously to the ground.

The fashionista smirked and flipped her hair. “How dull, darling.”

Another Guardian saw its brethren fall and tried to rush into assistance. However, it gained no traction or ground. It wasn’t until later that it realized that it wasn’t even on the ground! It was suspended by a magenta light that was caused by Twilight Sparkle. “This is for all the people you hurt and captured!” With glare, she threw out her arms and dragged the Guardian through the ground. The horrible screech of metal scraping the earth filled their air, but none of them paid any mind. Twilight hurled the Guardian into more of its comrades, like a bowling ball knocking down a set of pins.

While the group was down, she grabbed all five of them in her aura and compacted them into a crude ball of scrap. She then threw the mass towards her awaiting friend. “Applejack!”

The farm girl nodded as she hefted a fallen tree as if it were no more than a baseball bat. She swung with all her might and magic. The massive piece of oak struck the scrap ball, destroying the crushed Guardians for good as they broke to pieces.

“You girls are doing alright?” Sunset called out as she, Fluttershy, and Princess Twilight returned to the scene.

“We’re doing great!” Rainbow cheered as she tripped up another Guardian for Rarity to slice with her shield. “What about the others?”

“They’re all evacuated and the police sealed the area off. Now all we need to do is-”

“Look out!” Sandalwood yelled as he pointed behind the trio. They spun around and gasped when they saw another Guardian lumber towards them. Its gatling arm was gone, but it raised its claw arm menacingly.

It brought its arm down, but Sunset reacted quickly. She grabbed its descending arm and let the momentum carry her back. She used the Guardians weight against it as she flipped it over and threw it to the ground.

It was momentarily stunned by the disorientation, but it soon recovered and tried to get up. But it stopped when a flaming fist, courtesy of Cross-Z punched through its chest. Its movements slowed down until it finally died.

The Rider pulled out his arm and nodded at Sunset. “That was a nice throw.”

“Thanks. And was that all of them?”

“I think so.” Twilight nodded as they stared at the metal remains of the robots.

“At least there wasn’t a Smash this time.”

“But isn’t that weird? Doesn’t really seem like Faust’s Modus Operandi.” Twilight pointed out. “They usually send out a Smash to terrorize people.”

“Hey, not looking a gift horse in the mouth...no offense you two.” Rainbow apologized to the Princess and Sunset who shrugged. “At least this time, we were able to help out and not sit on the sidelines while Faust attacked.”

“Ah know. But is it just me, or do y’all feel stronger somehow?” Applejack questioned.

“What do you mean?” Rarity inquired.

“Ah mean, don’tcha all think somethin’s up with our powers? Like they’re gettin’ easier ta use? Ah mean, Twilight was able ta squeeze all those bots like an apple during Cider Season with ease. And Rarity was able ta make many more shields than before. And don’t get me started on Pinkie’s explosions.”

As the girls looked back, Applejack had a point. They hadn’t noticed back then, but their magic has improved somewhat. Especially since the Guardians and Faust first showed up. The more they had to use it, the easier their magic seemed to come.

“Maybe it’s something like a muscle?” the Princess offered. “The more you use your magic, the easier it becomes?”

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s something else. Could something be happening with our Geodes?”

“No clue. But have any of you seen Flash? He was supposed to be here minutes ago…” Sol asked after cancelling his transformation.

They looked at one another in confusion. Now that he mentioned it, they were fighting for quite a while. Where was Flash?

As if on cue, Sol’s phone rang as he got a call from Flash. “Hey, where ya been?...Huh?... Wait, what?!”

Meanwhile…

Micro had been waiting for several minutes. When he first entered the building, he realized that the directions never specified a particular level or room within the parking garage. As a result, he had been wandering around, calling out for anyone that might be Anony-Mister. When nothing but silence greeted him for several minutes, he decided to return to the ground level and wait a bit more.

Eventually, the sound of footsteps reached his ear. He turned around and saw a figure hidden in the shadows before they stepped into the light. Micro felt his breath hitched, eyes wide in recognition. Even though he was dressed differently than what he normally wore, it was still someone he knew.

“It...it really was you...Gizmo?”

“That’s right, Micro.” He nodded with a solemn smile. “Sorry for hiding for so long.”

“...Prove it.” The younger teen announced with narrowed eyes. After everything that happened, he learned to be suspicious of others. He wanted to know if this really was his brother, or some proxy look-alike. He chose to ask something that only his brother would know. “What did you get me for my tenth birthday?”

“Do you really need to ask? I got you a build your own robot set. One that you later customized, with my help, into a robot butler to help retrieve any tools or parts you would need to build your other creations….until it got run over by a speeding bus after you dropped it.” Gizmo answered earnestly.

Micro froze. That...that was exactly right...He even got the details of what happened to it.

Before the bespectacled teen realized it, his feet were already moving. He wrapped his arms around his brother in a tight hug. Months worth of pent up emotions flooded as tears leaked through his eyes.

“It...it really is you!...I thought I’d never see you again! After that story about your apartment, you going missing, I didn’t know what to do!”

“I know. I’m sorry, little Micro-Mite.” Gizmo said as he ruffled his brother’s hair. “But it’s alright. I’m here now.”

After several more tear-filled minutes, Micro finally calmed down and stepped back. Once he collected his thoughts, he finally spoke.

“Why…? Why did you leave in the first place? And what happened back at your apartment? There’s no way you actually killed someone, right?”

“I didn’t kill him. Believe it or not, Knuckle and I knew each other a while back. I asked him to come over to get an opinion on something. What neither of us knew was that someone had followed him and infiltrated my home.”

“Wh-who would do such a thing?” Micro asked, despite having an inkling of answer.

“It was Faust. They broke in and attacked us. Knuckle fought them off, but one of them got lucky and poisoned him. They were the ones who really murdered Knuckle Blaze that night. For some reason though, they spared me and left.” Gizmo explained morbidly. “It was completely bizarre. After panicking, the realization of what happened set in. I had to flee because I would’ve been suspected and prohibited from going after them. I’m sorry for worrying you, mom, and dad.”

“It’s fine. Sounds like you had your own fair share of troubles. But why haven’t you contacted us at all about anything? You just fell off the radar.”

“It was hard to keep in touch while on the run. Besides, if I tried to reach out to you guys, I could’ve put you all at risk from Faust finding out about you all.”

“Yeah. Good point.”

“At any rate, it’s good to see you again, Micro-Mite.”

“Will you stop calling me that? It got old years ago.”

“As long as I’m the older brother, I think I have the right to call you that.” Gizmo chuckled before growing serious. "But I think that’s enough catching up. Remember that Faust is still out there, and we need to stop them.”

“R-Right. What do we need to do?”

“Well, first things first. That other email I sent you. Were you able to figure it out?"

"You mean about the Sclash Driver?" Gizmo smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I found it alright."

"Excellent. I don't suppose you managed to finish the design, did you? It'll make my work a whole lot easier if you did."

"Don't worry," Micro smiled. "I managed to finish the design and run a simulation just before you contacted me. It'll work perfectly."

"Well," Gizmo smirked, "That's convenient."

“Even better, it’s all on this drive.” Micro held out the item.

“Excellent. With this we can defeat Faust once and for all! Nice going little bro!”

While Micro felt happy from his brother’s praise, something didn’t sit quite right with him. While he was overjoyed to see his brother, his actual brother, again, the reasons seemed a tad odd. Why would he go through all this trouble in having him deliver a copy of all the research data? Did he forget it while on the run?

“...Something the matter Micro-Mite?” Gizmo asked in concern. “You seem to be spacing out.”

“S-sorry. I had a lot on my mind lately.”

“No doubt. Especially with all of the excitement your friends went through the past few days.” Gizmo then grimaced. “A shame about what happened to Shining. He was one of my best friends.”

“I just...can’t believe he’s gone.” Micro murmured. “We just spoke with him right before he...you know…”

“I’m sorry, Micro.” His brother rested a hand on his shoulder. “He was a good man. It was unfortunate, but Faust was crafty. They would never allow loose ends like Shining wander around. Now you see why I needed you to gather everything? I know some people that can reproduce more Drivers, even the Sclash Drivers you completed. With them, we can turn this war around.”

“Got it. But...can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Fire away.”

"I learned why you built the Build System. But...was it really necessary? Why a weapon in the first place?"

"I had to. Night told you that Tirek was involved, right?” Micro nodded. “We needed an edge over them to keep them in line. If left alone, they would’ve harnessed Pandora’s Box’s power to create a weapon of mass destruction, something I could never allow.”

“But why the Build System? There could’ve been another way, right?”

“Unfortunately not. When it comes to a man like Tirek, we need a means of deterring them from any rash actions. That’s why I had to make the System what it is now. Not to mention that we needed a way to stop the Smashes. I never anticipated so many would result from Nebula Gas exposure. But at least with the system, we were able to have a means to protect the people.”

"B-but a lot of people still died!" He argued. “You said it yourself! So many people died because their Hazard level was too low!”

"I know. But they were necessary sacrifices for the greater good." Gizmo answered seriously, showing no inclination of guilt or regret over the past.

Micro flinched from his words as the horrifying realization set in. His brother...he would never say such things. Gizmo always believed that science that demanded sacrifices was not true science at all. It would never benefit humanity. It would only cause unparalleled suffering. This was a lesson he was taught long ago.

What’s more, he said the exact same words Night Rogue did, while Shining was under Stalk’s control. This man….this...this was not Gizmo he knew. This was not his brother.

“Now...please. If we’re gonna stop Faust, I need that flash drive.” He held his hand out. “Can you trust me on this Micro-Mite?”

“...Don’t call me that!” Micro slapped the hand away as he backpedaled. “You...you have no right to call me that!”

“Why not? You’re my brother-”

“Am I really?! My brother...he would never accept sacrifice of any kind in the name of science! He would never use people and let them die just to initiate progress! I don’t know who you are, but I’ll never trust you with something like this! Who are you and what have you done with Gizmo?!”

The man dropped his hand as his glasses glared up. He remained silent before releasing a sigh. “I guess there’s no helping it.” He reached into his coat and leveled a familiar firearm at the teen.

Micro felt his heart stop as he stared down the barrel of a Transteam Gun.

“You just had to be suspicious, dontcha, Micro-Mite?” ‘Gizmo’ sneered as he pulled out a familiar bottle from his pocket. “Then again...it’s a good trait to have. Keeps you alive in a cruel world like this.” He shook the bottle, twisted the cap, and inserted it into the gun.

“COBRA!”

Gizmo raised the Transteam Gun to his temple with a smirk. “Jouketsu” He pulled the trigger and his body was consumed by mist. The cloud crackled with red electricity, illuminating his body’s outline. The light flickered on and off as he was encased in the armor.

“COBRA!”

“MISTMATCH!”

“CO-COBRA!...COBRA….FIRE!”

The teal Cobra insignias on his helmet and chest glowed as the pipes on the armor blew away the mist cloud, the remnants dispersing into red and teal sparks.

“I am Blood Stalk.” Gizmo said before he adjusted his collar and cleared his throat. When he opened his mouth, his voice changed from slightly nasally to a clear, deep baritone. “Or would you prefer this voice?”

“It...it can’t be…” Micro backpedaled in horror. “You’re...you were Blood Stalk this whole time?!”

“Yes indeed.” With astounding speed, Stalk rushed in and kicked Micro into the wall. He unceremoniously collapsed to the ground. “Thank you for your help. I’ll just pluck the flash drive from your corpse now.”

“Cough! But...but why…?” He gasped as he tried to catch his breath. “Why did you become Blood Stalk…?”

“Sorry, Micro. But that answer’s part of a long and complex tale that I don’t feel like telling ya now. To be honest, I was gonna reveal myself no matter how this went down. Can’t leave loose ends and all that. That’s why I told you to come alone.”

Stalk pointed the Transteam gun at the cowering teen. “Let this be a final lesson, little Micro-Mite. You’ll never know who will end up betraying you.”

He slowly squeezed the trigger. Micro backed away until his back hit the wall. Seeing that there was no way out, he squeezed his eyes, praying to whatever deity was out there for help.

BANG!

The teen flinched from the gunshot, expecting blinding pain or the silence of death. However, he felt none of those things. Reluctantly, he opened one eye. He saw Stalk clutch his smoking gun arm as the line of fire was redirected. A few feet away from him was a smoking crater where the shot went off.

Micro spun around, his eyes going wide as he spotted Flash stepping out from behind a pillar with the HawkGatlinger smoking in his hand.

"Flash!" Micro quickly jumped to his feet and rushed over to the Rider, "What are you doing here!?" Flash didn't answer, instead just glaring at the newly revealed villain

"Yes," said villain asked as he stood back up, "How'd you know we were here?"

"I had a feeling something was up with Micro," Flash told him. "Call it a gut instinct. I decided to follow him and he led me right to you."

"Seems you have some trust issues," Stalk told him condescendingly. "To think you suspect him of being a traitor.

"No, I trust Micro perfectly. And I never thought he was a traitor." He smirked as he pointed his blaster at Stalk, "I know what you did to the laptop." This seemed to catch both Micro and Stalk by surprise.

"What are you talking about?" Micro asked him.

"The laptop's been how Stalk's had the jump on us from the start. How he was able to counter anything we threw at him, even if it was the first time he saw it. It's because it wasn't the first time he'd seen them. He's been watching us through the laptop from the start. Either he hacked the webcam or planted another camera on it. Either way, he bugged us."

Micro turned to his brother, wondering if all that was true. Then, to his horror, Stalk began to clap. "Bravo~! What gave it away?"

"I knew someone had to be leaking info to you, one purpose or not. So I held a little...experiment. Remember when I used Turtle Watch the first time."

"Ah," Stalk realized, "You did that behind Micro's back."

"Didn't want to. Had to cover all bases. I had Sandalwood purify the bottles without him knowing, while I had Micro decide the best route to the area we knew the box was. When you had all the Guardians there to slow us down, along with not knowing the bottles, I realized Micro was the source of the leak. And since there was no way you could plant a permanent camera on him, I then realized there was only one way you could have bugged him."

"The laptop," Micro whispered. It was the only thing they'd brought in from the outside world. Gizmo bugged it and sent it to them, hoping they'd bring it to the lab. He even provided instructions and a vague location and hint to egg them on!

"Well done Sherlock. But, I have to know. If you've known I was spying on you since way back then, why keep Micro in the dark?"

"Micro's not the best actor. If I'd told him about the bug, no doubt he'd give it away that we knew. Then you might not have revealed yourself. I knew if I kept quiet, you'd come out of the shadows."

"You're good," Stalk chuckled.

"I have my moments," Flash said. "Let me guess, that Sclash Driver thing Micro was talking about is why you've finally shown yourself."

"Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. Either way, the data he copied will be quite useful."

Micro thought about what Gizmo had said. It wasn't convenient. Gizmo had been watching him and when he saw he'd finished the specs, he had him come here. He...he planned this. "You...you used me." He whispered with betrayal. “You’ve used me….to do your dirty work. Even back then...all this time…”

"Yeah," Flash agreed solemnly, "He did. But that's the one thing I can't figure out." He turned back to Stalk, "Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you do this all from the start? It's clear you wanted the bottles to be purified and you could have finished this Sclash thing yourself, so why not do it yourself? Why bring us in on the whole thing? You had your lab and everything on hand. You could have had Shining make the Smash and send them out, then take the essence to purify yourself. You didn't need us, so why?!" Micro realized he was right. Why did he drag them into this? He could’ve easily handled the process by himself, so why rely on them?

Stalk said nothing, just staring at the duo. "It's...complicated. There's a bigger game at play here. One a simple-minded being like you could never understand."

Flash frowned, "Well this simple minded being's managed to outsmart you three times now."

"Well it won't be four," Stalk raised his gun as Flash smirked.

"Yeah," The musician pulled his goggles up over his eyes, "About that." Before Stalk could fire, a rainbow blur shot into the area and the next thing Stalk knew he was being knocked into the air by a high speed impact.

"AUGH!" He cried as he slammed into the wall, falling to the ground with a groan. He looked up and saw what had hit him, that being Sol's burning punch accelerated by Rainbow carrying him. "How?"

Flash smirked as he put his driver on. "I may have made a call when I saw who Micro was meeting up with. Had Rainbow brought Sol over and told them to wait outside. I...might have sent another text telling them to get in here. And they're not the only ones." At that moment, a bunch of police officers began to march into the area. As soon as they saw Stalk, they raised their weapons.

“Freeze! Gizmo Poindexter! You are guilty for the crimes of kidnapping, human experimentation, murder, and terrorisim! Come quietly or we will have to use force!” The leader of the troop announced.

The rest of the Rainbooms caught up inside Sandalwood’s truck. They stepped out and rejoined their friends. “Are you dudes okay?!” The eco teen called out in concern. Sol got out of Rainbow’s hold and ran over as well.

“We’re fine. Flash saved my life, and we definitely need to talk later.” Micro glanced at the musician.

“I know. But now it’s over, Stalk. Just give up!” Flash glared. The red armored man looked around before hanging his head. But to the confusion of many, he began to chuckle.

“Hehehe...fufufu...fuahahaha!!!!” He grasped his head as he cackled madly. “You honestly think that by having me cornered, surrounded by trained cops armed with rudimentary weapons, girls with bizarre magic, and the two of you Riders and your lackeys, I just throw in the towel?!”

“Uh...yeah?” Pinkie Pie questioned. Her Pinkie Sense, in the form of a prickly back, was screaming at her that something terrible was about to happen.

“Well, you are all bigger fools than I thought.” Faster than anyone could react, he whipped out the Steam Blade, turned the dial and swung.

“DEVIL STEAM!”

Two clouds of Nebula Gas shot out and swallowed the two closest police officers. They screamed as their bodies mutated into Smash, forcing the others to back away from the gas clouds.

By the time they dissipated, they were replaced by a Compact Smash and a Square Smash.

“O-Open fire!” One of the officers yelled. Team Build and the Rainbooms dove for the ground as the police released a hail of bullets at the Smash. But to their shock, they failed to even faze them.

Now it was their turn for retaliation. The Compact Smash raised its suction arm towards a lone, nearby car and practically inhaled it. The vehicle twisted and warped as it entered the Smash’s body, which then bulged and shrunk as it turned the scrap into ammunition. The Square Smash raised its blade arm and slammed it to the floor, splitting it into several concrete blocks that it levitated.

“Everyone take cover!” The police scrambled away as the Smash unleashed their respective attacks. But it was all for naught. Some of the officers got hit by the flying cubes while two were crushed between the wall and scrap cannon ball. Rarity hastily erected diamond shields to block the projectiles from hitting the general area of her and her friends. While she managed to save most of the police, she was too slow to protect all of them.

“Sol!” Flash yelled as he pulled out his Driver. “Let’s take these two down!”

“Thought you’d never ask!” The fighter agreed as Crozz flew down to his hand. The two shook their respective Fullbottles and inserted them into their Drivers. They turned the cranks as the runners appeared.

“GORILLA!”

“WAKE UP!”

“DIAMOND!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” Both Riders were donned in their armor. While Sol was clad as Cross-Z, Flash was covered in a familiar combo.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“THE DAZZLINGDESTROYER!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“GORILLAMOND!”

“YEAH!!!”

Build pounded his fists together as he ran at the Compact Smash while Cross-Z charged at the Square Smash.

While the two engaged in the fight, the Rainbooms worked on evacuating the remaining officers away from the battlefield while carting off the wounded survivors of the initial attack. Suffice to say, the girls were disturbed to see the crushed bodies of those that didn’t survive the block and ball attacks.

The Compact Smash shot out another scrap ball at the two-toned Rider. But the Dazzling Destroyer was undeterred as he batted it away with ease. Once he got in close enough, he jumped for an overhead swing that sent the Smash into a stumble. It countered by swinging its cannon arm. Build caught the limb and pivoted on his heel. Using the strength of a gorilla, he threw the Smash over his shoulder and into the ground.

The mutated officer bounced on the ground before it pulled itself up and fired another scrap cannon ball. Flash took the attack head on before charging through.

Meanwhile, Sol weaved through the flying mass of cubes that the Square Smash launched at him. With nimble footwork and reflexes, he side-stepped around the cubical projectiles and rushed right in. The Smash tried to brain him with its saber arm, but Sol ducked below the swing, got in close, and delivered an uppercut to its box-shaped head.

The Smash backpedaled as Sol spun for a side kick that pushed it back further. The Square Smash did not go down. In fact, it used its momentum to dig its blade arm into the ground before dragging it across, creating another wave of concrete cubes that rushed toward the dragonic Rider. He flailed as he became swept up by the tide and slammed through one of the walls.

Back with Flash, he got through the onslaught of cannon balls and caught the Compact Smash in a series of hook punches that sent it reeling from side to side. With one final blow, he delivered a liver punch and sent it flying. Once it fell to the ground, Flash turned the crank of his Driver.

“READY?GO!”

The Smash reacted quickly and shot off a massive scrap ball at Flash. His friends within the Rainbooms yelled at him to get out of the way. But he remained steadfast and caught the ball as it reached him with his diamond arm. He skidded back a few inches, but remained strong. With the power of the Driver and Fullbottles, he transmuted the mass of crushed metal and glass into a compacted sphere of diamond.

The girls were simply dazzled by the transformation, either by the science behind the transmutation of the aesthetic.

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

With a heavy swing, Flash punched the diamond mass with his Gorilla arm, breaking it to countless pieces and shooting them at the Smash.

At first, he assumed that the fight was already over. That it would end just like the last time he fought the Compact Smash using this form.

That….did not happen. What currently happened was the Compact Smash sucking up all of the diamonds Flash fired at it, much to their shock and dread.

“Um...is that supposed to happen?” Pinkie had to ask.

“Nuh-uh...and that’s bad!” Sandalwood exclaimed. “This never happened before!”

“He’s right! The last time Flash fought a Smash like this, it never did anything of the sort!” Micro added.

Once the Compact Smash finished sucking up all the diamonds, its body shook as it processed the minerals into what are likely hard and lethal projectiles. Then it pointed its cannon arm at Flash.

“Uh...do-over?” He offered weakly.

Its response was shooting off a diamond-encrusted cannon ball at his head at a high velocity. Flash managed to dodge in the nick of time. The ball broke clean through the concrete walls of the parking garage and struck the ground with a resounding THUD. Not only were the diamond projectiles faster, but much harder as well.

And it did not stop in its assault as it started shooting off diamond balls as if it were a semi-automatic gun. Flash switched between ducking or moving out of the line of fire, or attempting to smash the projectiles. Keyword being tried as when he tried, he was thrown back by how much force was behind them.

This Smash...it was much stronger than the first time he fought one like it. It performed feats the previous one didn’t. As a result, it was too risky to keep fighting it for long. With that in mind, he took out the Sparkling Can and popped the tab.

POP!

FIZZ!

But before he could replace the Fullbottles in the Driver with it, the Compact Smash used its suction arm again and snatched it out of his hands!

“NO!” He scrambled after it, but it moved too quickly. He watched in horror as the can drew closer into the Smash’s arm, waiting to be compacted and devoured. But before it could even reach the mouth, it was intercepted by a rainbow blur.

“I got it!” Rainbow yelled as she swerved away from the Smash. But the monster refused to let her leave and aimed its suction arm at her. The athlete eventually noticed that her surroundings haven’t changed despite running at full speed. She finally looked down and realized that while her legs moved, they weren’t gaining ground as the Smash was sucking her backward with its vacuum. She tried to run faster, but the Smash simply upped the power of the suction to compensate.

While she tried to get away from the Compact Smash, Cross-Z returned to the fight against the Square Smash by charging through the hole in the wall. Another wave of blocks flew at him, but he was prepared this time.

“BEAT CROZZER!”

Sword in hand, Sol batted away and sliced through any incoming blocks. Seeing as the waves weren’t working, the Smash twirled its arm and formed rectangular pillars that shot at him like javelins. Sol pulled the pommel of his sword.

“HIT PARADE!”

Once the pillars drew close, he swung down his raised sword and sliced it in twain.

“SMASH HIT!”

The halves of the pillars broke down into smaller cubes next to him as he continued his charge. The Square Smash slammed its arm down and raised the ground it stood on as a square platform while two more massive blocks were carved from the concrete floor. It flung both of the blocks in a move to crush the Rider between them. But Sol spun around and slashed through the pillars.

Once he was free he leaped high into the air and swung his blade. A wave of blue fire shot out and impacted the Square Smash, knocking it off of its platform and grounding it once more. Sol dashed at the Smash and jumped into a forward flip to use his momentum to enhance his sword swing. The Square Smash hastily raised its blade arm to block the attack.

Back with Flash and Rainbow, the latter continued to run from the Compact Smash’s suction, but was gradually losing ground. Flash quickly pulled out two new Fullbottles, shook them, and replaced his current set.

“LION!”

“CLEANER!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?”

“Build up!” He yelled out as he became donned in Lion Cleaner form.

“THE MANED CYCLONE!”

“LIONCLEANER!”

“YEAH!”

Flash raised his Cleaner arm and activated it. He used its suction to counteract the Compact Smash’s and allow Rainbow a chance to escape. The athlete was able to gain traction once Flash pulled her forward, allowing her to escape the Smash’s hold.

Aggravated that its target escaped, the Compact Smash raised its cannon arm and fired three diamond scrap balls in succession. Flash ran forward as his vacuum arm sucked up the projectiles, rendering them harmless. Once he drew close enough, he slammed his golden fist into the Smash’s face. He advanced and struck the same spot repeatedly before delivering a jumping reverse spin kick, knocking the Smash down.

The Compact Smash got back up and swung its suction arm to bat Flash away. But he looped his vacuum arm around it, keeping it in place. He then slammed his lion fist into the joint of the arm, caving the tubing in, crippling its suction capabilities. He then elbowed it in the chest and punched it away.

As he did so, Sol had knocked the Square Smash down once more and kicked it away. The two foes collided with one another in a heap.

“Time to end this!” Both Riders turned their Driver cranks.

“READY? GO!”

Flash’s suction arm dragged the Compact Smash back to him as his Lion fist glowed.

Sol crouched down as the energy Dragon formed behind him.

While this went on, no one, not even the Rainbooms, noticed the figure silently sneak up behind Micro, as they were all in front of the teen, invested in the fight. He quickly wrapped his arm around his neck and covered his mouth before dragging him back. With his other arm Blood Stalk removed the flash drive off of Micro’s person.

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

The Riders unleashed their respective attacks. Flash flung his fist forward, shooting out a lion head-shaped blast of energy that chomped down on the Smash before it exploded. Sol flew forward with a roundhouse kick that slammed into the Square Smash’s side, flinging it away before it exploded on contact.

Once the battle was over, the Smashes laid motionless on the ground. Build and Cross-Z approached the two with Empty Bottles, ready to extract the Essences.

But once again, someone beat them to it as the Essence was removed from their bodies, reverting them back to humans. Everyone looked to where the essence went, and were shocked to see their friend held hostage by Stalk. Once the Bottles the Cobra had on hand were filled, he closed and pocketed them. “Good show you two. Impressive work.”

“Micro!” They yelled as they tried to rush at them, only to stop when Stalk pressed his Transteam gun to the teenager’s temple.

“Ah, ah, ah~! I wouldn’t if I were you.” He taunted. Meanwhile, Micro trembled under his hold, the threat of certain death paralyzing him.

“How...how could you do this?!” Twilight snapped. “He’s your own brother!”

“Yes. And it’s thanks to my little bro that everything’s going as planned. An excellent pawn.”

“Ya no good varmit!” Applejack growled. She couldn’t stand anyone that treated their family like that.

“Now that I got what I came form, it seems I overstayed my welcome. Ciao~!” Without any warning, Stalk’s body dissolved into a cloud of mist that flew off into the night. Once he was free, Micro fell on his knees, his face dripping with cold sweat.

“Micro!” His friends rushed over to him, making sure he was alright. “You okay, dude?”

Unable to trust his voice at the moment, Micro nodded his head. While his friends were relieved that he was okay, they were disappointed by how much Stalk got away with.

Despite winning this battle, they still lost.

Later…

“Are you sure you need to leave?” Fluttershy questioned. She and the otherRainbooms stood before the Canterlot High statue. After the incident at the Parking Garage, the victimized police officers were carried off to the hospital while Team Build stayed behind to fill out their report with the police chief. The girls were spared and used this chance to formally say goodbye to the Princess, knowing that the situation was worsening by the day. Princess Twilight stood right in front of the panel that was the portal to her home world.

“I do.” The Princess nodded. “I’ve been here too long, and I need to get back to my duties. And it seems like you all have a handle of the situation at the moment.”

“It won’t be the same without you here.” Sunset said. “We could really use your help.”

“I’m afraid this whole matter with Nebula Gas and Pandora’s Box is outside my expertise. But I’m always willing to lend a hoof-er, hand. I’m just one letter away.”

“Hope to see you soon!”

“Take care of yerself, ya hear?” Applejack offered.

“Say hi to the other me for me!” Pinkie piped up.

“I will.” She turned towards the portal. But before she could step through, she stopped herself and turned back around. “And when you girls see Flash again, tell him that he shouldn’t doubt himself. I’ve seen what he’s capable of, and I think that he’s doing a great job.”

“We’ll be sure to pass along the message.” Rarity nodded.

“I’m glad to hear it. Thank you all, everyone. I’ll be sure to visit again...when things have died down a bit. Bye.” With a final word of farewell, the Princess stepped through the portal and left the human world.

Inside a castle made entirely of crystal, the library had only two occupants at this time of night. One was a small, purple dragon with green fins reading a comic book. The other was a unicorn with a lilac coat, a purple teal mane and tail, and blue eyes. On her flank was a white and purple start with two blue, glimmering streams. Her attention was preoccupied by a novel detailing various magic spells.

The quiet air was disturbed as the mirror on the far side of the library sharted shimmering before another equine figure popped out. Princess Twilight Sparkle stood on her hind legs before falling back on all fours. Her friends, upon noticing her return, dropped what they were reading and rushed over to her.

“Twilight!” The two rushed up and hugged her. The alicorn returned the hug in kind.

“What held you up?” The dragon, Spike asked. “You’ve been gone for days!”

“Has something happened on the other side?” The unicorn, Starlight Glimmer questioned.

The Princess sighed. “It’s...a long story. One that I’ll tell you both and the girls tomorrow. But first, Spike, I need you to write a letter.”

“To Princess Celestia?” Twilight shook her head.

“No. Not yet. I want you to send a letter to Shining first. Tell him that I’m going to be visiting him.”

“Okay. I’m on it.” Spike rushed to get a quill and piece of paper. Starlight looked at her in confusion.

“Why the sudden need to visit the Crystal Empire?”

“Because the moment I see my brother, I’m going to give him the tightest hug anypony’s given anypony.” Twilight Sparkle answered seriously.

Later…

Back at the laboratory, the Rainbooms, Team Build, Night Light, Velvet, and Misty were all present.

Micro threw his brother’s laptop onto the ground and proceeded to stop on it, venting every bit of frustration, betrayal, and anguish he’s experienced in the past few hours. After learning that Stalk had used the laptop to spy on them, they all came to a consensus to destroy it.

That is...after they made backup files, stored them, and removed the laptop’s hard drive. Even though Stalk manipulated them, the computer still had valuable data and information they desperately needed if they were going to fight against him and Faust.

“Gragh! Agh!” Micro yelled as he stopped on the laptop one final time before proceeding to smash the broken pieces with a hammer and wrench. Soon, all that remained of the computer were broken pieces of plastic, metal, and circuitry. The bespectacled teen panted over the wreckage and set the tools down.

“...You good, dude?” Sandalwood asked tentatively.

“...As good as I can get.” He huffed before he swept up his mess and discarded the broken remains.

“I’m really sorry, Micro.” Flash apologized. “I should’ve told you about the camera sooner. I’m sorry I kept you in the dark like this.”

“It’s fine, Flash.” He waved it off. “You brought up a good point. If I knew about the camera, I would have acted differently and gave us away. Given how crafty Stalk was, he would have found another way to spy on us.” He made it a point not to say his brother’s name. After what happened...he could no longer see that monster as the brother he loved and admired.

“So Stalk really is Gizmo Poindexter…” Sol said. “And you guys thought I was crazy back then.”

“Well, we didn’t have solid evidence to believe it. Not until now, that is.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing. Now I know who it is, I can beat the crap out of them with no regrets.”

“It’s good dat you two made up an all.” Applejack spoke before turning serious. “But it ain’t over yet. From what ya told me, Stalk tried to split you apart fer keepin’ secrets like dat. If we’re gonna beat him and Faust, y’all gonna have ta be honest with each other. No more secrets an no more lies.”

“So we pretty much share everything with each other?”

“Exactly. Now, anyone got anymore secrets ta share?” She scanned over the four boys for any signs of secrecy. They stayed silent until Sol finally spoke up.

“...I’m scared of those robot animals from those pizza party places. They creep me out.” He admitted honestly. Everyone stared at him oddly.

“...Ah don’t mean those types of secrets. Ah mean ones that are about Faust an the Drivers.” She clarified.

“Oh...Well, I got nothing.”

“Same here.” Flash nodded.

“Double for that.” Sandalwood agreed.

“Then that means no more secrets among us.” Micro nodded. “I too, have something to confess. A few weeks ago, I was given an email that hinted at something that I discovered could help us in the fight against Faust.”

“Really? That’s great news!” Pinkie cheered.

“The issue? It was Stalk that notified me of it.”

“That’s not great news!”

“And you trusted it?” Sunset asked skeptically.

“Granted, I didn’t know it was actually him at the time. But I looked through the files, and learned his words held weight. There’s something I need to show you all.” He took the hard drive of the laptop and hooked it up to the super computer. With a few rapid keystrokes, he pulled up a set of files that he worked on for weeks, including its blueprints.

It was a device that resembled the Build Driver. But it appeared to be blue with a pair of vice clamps where the Fullbottles were supposed to be placed. There was only a single slot as well. On the left side of the machine was a liquid gauge of some sort that was connected to the slot by a single pipe. On the right was a lever that was fashioned after a wrench. Both Night and Velvet recognized it.

“That’s…”

“The Sclash Driver?”

“Sclash Driver?” Rainbow asked. “What’s that?”

“It was a project my brother was developing before he disappeared months ago.” Micro explained before showing a bitter expression. “Stalk told me about it in passing, which led me to uncover it in the hard drive. After decrypting all of the files, I learned that it was supposed to be the next step of the Rider System.”

“Rider System? I thought it was the Build System.” Twilight pointed out.

“Yeah. I didn’t think the Rider System was an actual thing, I only nicknamed it after Flash made it a thing with his debut.” Pinkie added.

“That was before he came up with the Sclash Drivers. The current Drivers we use are the Build Drivers. Once he developed these, he renamed the project into the Rider System.”

“But why Rider?”

“I honestly don’t know. He never specified the naming convention. But we’re getting too off topic. The point is, the Sclash Drivers are an upgrade to the Build Drivers. They used a jellified form of Nebula Gas to transform. And doing so actually makes a stronger transformation.”

“Amazing. This could truly turn things to our favor.” Rarity said.

“Unfortunately, there’s one issue about this...Stalk now has these plans due to my carelessness.”

In her office, Chrysalis was busy making another pot of tea.

As she placed the final sugarcube into the liquid, she looked over at the TV as it showed news footage of Gizmo being revealed to be Stalk. She then heard her door opening, looking up to see Gizmo step into the room. "So...how'd it go?"

"Not a hundred percent perfect, but I got what we needed. I've already given your scientists the drive. They're looking it over and adding the final calibrations now. We'll soon see how they turn out."

"Good," Chrysalis took a sip of her drink, "A shame you had to lose your cover."

"Oh, don't worry. I have my ways of getting where I want. If those fools think they can outsmart me, they've got another thing coming. It's just too bad my brother doesn't follow orders so well." This made Chrysalis look up at him, confused. "I told him to copy everything, but he only copied the data for the purifier, Schlash Driver and a few other loose bits and pieces. Everything else is likely still on my old laptop."

"That's annoying," she said. "But as long as we have what we need." She finished her drink and stood up, "I'm going to go see how everything's going. Are you coming?"

"Naw," Gizmo said, "long day. I think I'll get some rest."

"Fair enough," she stepped out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Gizmo smirked before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the flash drive Micro had made for him.

"Poor foolish Chrysalis. So naive." It's true, the drive he'd given the scientists didn't have everything on it. But that was only because he'd copied a few files from the original too. Now, to cash it.

He took out his phone and dialed a number, listening as it rang before picking up. "Hello, Sombra? It's me. Have a meeting set up between us and Tirek." He smiled down at the drive, "I have something you're gonna want to see."

Chrysalis marched down the hallways until she finally arrived at the lab in question, stepping inside and seeing her head engineer hard at work on a computer. "Status?" The scientist stood to attention as she arrived.

"Everything looks good madam. We've realized what we were missing and are implementing them now. But..."

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, "but?"

"We had to rejigger the design a bit. The blueprints didn't have anything on a power source. But simply using electricity should do the trick." As he said that, lights flashed on behind him and revealed the room was much larger then first seen. It looked like a small warehouse and inside it, ten Fullbottle Purifiers stood in a line.

Chrysalis smiled as she watched others scientists step up, each one carrying a Fullbottle. They placed them inside the microwave before stepping into the machine, ready to turn them into bottles they could use. "Soon. Soon I'll have everything. The Masked Riders won't know what hit them."

To be Continued…

Author's Note

And Stalk made his move. He's revealed himself to our Heroes and revealed he had been manipulating them this entire time. But for what purpose?

With the Sclash Driver blueprints in his hands, events are now escalating. How much longer until we reach the tipping point?

Thank you for keeping up and supporting this story. We couldn't have done it without you guys!

See you next time!

Bottles Possessed:

Organic:

Rabbit
Hedgehog
Gorilla
Lion
Hawk
Dragon
Ninja
Panda
Pirate
Turtle

Inorganic:

Tank
Diamond
Cleaner
Gatling
Comic
Rocket
Fire Engine
Lock
Train
Watch

RabbitTank Sparkling

Trailer: Riders of Two Worlds

A transcending amount of power is being sought, by the scientist of evil.

Our story begins in some kind of underground tunnel, where multiple strange machines could be found. Each one was beeping and buzzing, doing whatever it was they were designed to do. And standing beside them was a lone figure, whose features were hidden by the shadows that surround him.

"Soon," he said, "Soon my perfect world will be born."

And with it, the fate of not just one world will be placed in danger.

"He's trying to merge our world?" Flash asked.

Twilight nodded, "But he doesn't know how dangerous doing that could be. He could end up destroying both worlds."

Against such a threat, two heroes might not be enough.

Build and Cross-Z stared at the monsters, having no idea what they were looking at.

But luckily...they're not alone.

"Don't worry," the man said. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a thick smartphone. "I got this."

A new ally, has arrived.

"HENSHIN!"

"DOWNLOAD!"

Flash and Sol were both stunned by what they'd just seen. "Who...who are you?" Flash asked.

"Kamen Rider...CYBURST!"

New friends.

"I'm Jet."

New enemies.

"His name is Doom Raiser."

And the return of those thought lost.

Flash's heart was beating a mile a minute as he stared at the man in front of him, unable to believe what he was seeing. "...Dad?"

Now, to save the ones they love.

"He wants us?" Rainbow asked.

"He wants our Equestrian magic," Sunset corrected.

They'll need to work together.

Build and Cyburst stood side by side, both getting into a fighting stance.

But this battle, won't be so easy.

The group began to shake at the sight of the army in front of them. It looked like there were hundreds of them, maybe even thousands.

"The world will end in twenty-four hours."

"Augh!" Cross-Z cried as he was knocked back.

Build and Cyburst weaved around on their bikes, avoiding the many explosions that were being sent their way.

The people of Canterlot screamed as they ran, only for the meteors to come crashing down around them.

Will our heroes fall?

The two riders yelled out as they were blasted off their bikes, crashing into the ground and rolling across it.

Or will they stand tall against the ones threatening their world?

"We can't just give up!" Flash told them, "Not like this. We have to fight, until the very end!"

"Son," Trail held out his arms, "Help me make a world we can all be happy."

Flash moaned as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet, flinching at the pain running through his body. "I..." he took a deep breath, "I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY MY WORLD!"

With that, Flash and Jet took a fighting stance before crying out in unison. "HENSHIN!" Seconds later, they were morphed into their suits. The two riders stood side by side, ready to face off against their enemy.

And with a mighty outcry, they charged forward into battle.

To Build the Winning Formula:

Riders of Two Worlds.

Author's Note

Surprise!

As you may not realize, this story, To Build the Winning Formula, will be put on break. But don't worry, the story is not over. We just need time to set up the Riders of Two Worlds Special as its own story. What happens there will provide the basis for the later parts of the story.

Please stay tuned, and thank you for all of your support.

Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 2

After the bizarre sequence of events from the unknown enemies to the appearance of the previously deceased Trail Blazer, Flash had dragged Jet Storm back to the CRDC Laboratory to get answers. Well, it was more his friends asking the questions while he regrouped with his family to be alone.

The revelation and appearance of Trail Blazer shocked them to the core. How was he alive? Why was he alive? Why was he an enemy?

“So you don’t even know how you got here?” Micro asked Jet Storm.

"Look, I don't know what to tell you guys. One minute I'm fighting a guy covered in gears and the next, I'm waking up in the dark ages."

"Dark ages?" Twilight looked confused by this, "What are you talking about? Our world's become pretty advanced."

Jet let out a chuckle, "Keep telling yourself that." He moved over to the window and looked out at the city. "Internal combustion engines, terrible trash control and not even a moon base. I bet you still use that ancient refined petroleum stuff. What was it called...gas of beans?" Everyone couldn't help but feel a little bit insulted. Their technology was pretty advanced for what it was. "Nothing against you guys," Jet turned back to them. "But comparing my world to yours is like comparing a car to the horse drawn carriage."

"So what?" Rainbow asked, "You're from the future as well as another universe?"

"No, I come from the same year as you. My world just made a few...different choices compared to yours. When I first got here, I did a little research. Once I knew everything I could about your Smash problems, I looked into your history and found a few differences to my world. In my world, what you call the age of scientific repression never happened. That's why we're so much more advanced."

"I see," Twilight hummed. "Mind sharing what type of technological advances you have?"

"The usual. No pollution, end of world hunger and we've even wiped out almost all illness and disease." This last statement really surprised them.

"Really?" Velvet asked, "how?"

"In my world, we developed the art of data fields." Everyone gave him a confused look. "Data fields are a mist-like field that changes anything it enters into a form of data, including living tissue. The conversion is simple, painless and has done wonders for our world. Any injury or illness, the data field fixes it right up."

"How's it go and do dat?" Applejack asked.

"Data manipulation," Twilight realized. "If a person is converted into data, they can then be altered by altering their data."

"Exactly," Jet nodded. "You have a broken leg, they put you in a data field and reprogram the leg so it's not broken. Heck, even entire limbs have been regrown. The data field's first successful test run was on a war veteran that lost an arm and a leg. They just copy and pasted their existing arm and leg, flipped them over and the guy was back to full health."

"That's incredible," Rarity announced. "And the same thing works for diseases?" Jet nodded again.

"Yup. Just scan the person's data, find the illness and then send in an anti-virus that eliminates it."

"Wow," Sunset couldn't help but say, "Sounds like a utopia." It was then that a frown appeared on Jet's face, the man turning back to the window.

"Not exactly. The data field also had another ability. Anything physical that entered the field became data. But anything made of data could become physical if it left the field. Including computer viruses." Everyone's eyes went wide hearing that.

"Like those Gigabyter things?" Micro asked.

Jet nodded. "They were the foot-soldiers of an even more powerful virus. His name was Malware and he was the most deadly virus ever created. He was created when an artificial intelligence program was corrupted by a virus, morphing it into a monster that came to see us humans as outdated and disposable. So he made it his mission to get rid of us. It evolved too quickly, bypassing our standard anti-virus and rampant AI procedures."

"So basic robot apocalypse backstory," Pinkie stated. "Do you have robots in your world that like to say I'll be back in funny voices."

"No," Jet looked a little weirded out by this. "The company that made the AI that became Malware took responsibility. Cyburst Industries' top scientist had been working on a device that could allow humans to enter the digital world. When Malware became a thing, he redesigned it to become a weapon to use against him. And that became what is known as the Kamen Rider System."

"And that's where you come in," Night stated. "How long ago did this threat occur?"

"Malware was first created four years ago. He escaped into the internet and began to build his viral forces, returning six months later."

"So you were sixteen when you started fighting monsters?" Fluttershy looked horrified by this.

"It wasn't just supposed to be me," Jet explained. "We were supposed to have an entire army of virus busters. But the scientist only managed to build one Cyburst driver before Malware attacked the company. Malware destroyed most of the company's data on the rider system before killing its creator. Without him, there was no hope of creating more Cyber Drivers. Meaning I was the only one who could fight Malware's forces, since the Driver was locked to my genetic code and that couldn't be overridden."

"That's harsh," Sandalwood frowned. "So you've been fighting this Malware guy alone, for four years?"

"Nope," Jet shook his head, "I got some help from a few unlikely friends. And actually, I took Malware down about two and a half years ago."

"Really?" Twilight asked in shock.

"Yeah. Wasn't easy, but I managed to completely wipe him off the net and trap his base-code into a Cyber Card. Once that was done, it was a simple manner of purifying the AI of all the virus."

"But what about the Gigabyters?" Micro asked, "If they come from Malware, how are they here if he's been dealt with?"

Jet sighed, "That brings me back to last week. A Cyburst Industries storehouse was broken into and the card that contained Malware's programming was stolen. The virus might be gone, but the AI still had the data needed to make Gigabyters. I tracked the guy to some underground lab and fought him to try and get it back. But before I could, I was pulled into the same vortex your friend was stuck in."

Sunset sighed, recalling their current predicament. "I hope Sol's okay."

"That's a loaded question," Jet replied. "If he runs into the wrong people, who knows what might happen?”

When Sol Burner woke up and saw that everything was futuristic, he got curious and walked around in sheer awe. Was this even Canterlot anymore? Everywhere he looked, there were human-like robots, tall, futuristic-looking buildings, and roads in the sky that looked like they were made of hardlight.

Did he somehow get teleported to the future? Wait, if that’s true, then how’s he supposed to return to the past?! He doesn’t know time travel!

What’s more, what the heck was up with all the signs?! Every type of advertisement he saw had weird messages. Be Crash? What was that supposed to mean for a sunglasses ad?!

"Hot dogs!" He heard a man yell out, said man standing next to a cart. "Get ya'h hot dogs here." He then spotted Sol and smiled, "Hello son. Hungry?" Sol's stomach answered for him. "I'll take that as a yes. How'd you take it?"

"Err...onions between the dog and the bun with relish on top."

"Gotcha." he opened some kind of laptop on the cart and typed something in. Seconds later, the cart lit up before it dinged and the side opened. A tray then folded out with Sol's requested meal on it. "That'll be five and a half creds."

"Creds?"

"Creds. You know, credits." Sol quickly realized what he was getting at and panicked. He didn't have any of this place's money. "Will you be paying in cash or retinal?"

"Retinal?" The man took his question as an answer and held a device to his eye, a quick flash disorientating him before it beeped.

"Excellent. Transaction approved." He handed Sol the hot dog, "Have a crashing day."

"Err...you too," Sol walked away before anything else could happen. He ate his meal as he continued to look around, spotting many other strange things. Wheelie bins that were driving themselves and had arms to pick up trash. Restaurants with tables that bust themselves. There was a man in a suit that was flying above him, Sol quickly realizing he had a backpack like device with some sort of propulsion mechanism that resembled floating rings. The whole place looked incredible.

As he wandered about in his confusion, he was caught off guard when a squad of hovercraft cruisers surrounded him. To him, they looked like police cars. But what did they say PDNC? Shouldn’t it be the other way around with NCPD or something? What changed in the future?!

“Freeze!” The leader of the squad called out when he and the others exited the vehicles. They all wore futuristic body armor that made them resemble fighter bots that he saw in games and anime had what Sol assumed were laser blasters in their hands. The fighter raised his arms in surrender, bewildered about what was happening.

“Wh-what did I do?!” He couldn’t help but question. He hasn’t even been awake for more than half an hour and he already got in trouble with the law? Was this because he had no idea how that retinal credit currency stuff worked?

“Quiet.” The squad leader barked. “Officer on deck!”

The crowd of police officers parted down the center. Walking through was a figure clad in armor. In Sol’s opinion, the guy looked very similar to that Cyburst guy from before. But instead of the white bodysuit, this guy had black. The blue armor pieces were instead red. His visor however, was different. They looked like two triangles pointing at each other, somehow resembling an H. He also had a black poncho wrapped around his shoulders.

The man walked right up to Sol and stared down at him, being slightly taller. “So...you’re the source we detected. That strange energy is all over you.” His voice was male, yet slightly filtered due to the helmet.

Sol Burner...had no idea what this guy was talking about. What energy?

“Although, I highly doubt that you’re the culprit. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look smart enough to pull off such a thing.” He continued.

Yet Sol couldn’t help but feel insulted. Seriously...what was he talking about?!

“Be that as it may, your presence is of concern to us and warrants investigation. So we’ll need you to come with us for the time being. Any questions thus far?”

“Yeah...just who are you? You a friend of that Cyburst guy or something?”

“...Just what I wanted to hear.” The man reached to the side of his belt and pressed what seemed to be a data pad. A holographic image appeared in his hand before he grabbed it. The data materialized into a spear with a blue blade, red handle, and black shaft that he pointed at Sol.

“Whoa! What the heck?!” Sol demanded as he backed up.

“You’re the anomaly we have been detecting. We know you have something to do with Cyburst’s disappearance. Where is he?!”

“Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about right now!” The fighter yelled as he got into a defensive position. “Who the heck even are you?!”

“The name’s Hacker. And you will answer our questions...one way or another!” Hacker swung his spear, his De-Bugger Blade, aiming the pommel to knock the teen out. But Sol ducked below it and rolled backward. He pulled out his Build Driver and placed it on his waist.

The other officers were prepared to shoot the resisting teen, but they quickly retreated when they were intercepted by a stream of blue fire. Crozz, Dragon Fullbottle equipped, flew around driving the police back before dropping into Sol’s hand. He then inserted it into the Driver and turned the crank.

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” He cried before the runners enclosed over him.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

Sol yelled as he charged at Hacker. The latter swung his weapon but Cross-Z blocked it.

“How did you transform?!” Hacker demanded. “That’s not a Cyburst or Hack Driver!”

“None of your business!” Cross-Z pushed him back before summoning the Beat Crozzer.

“So that’s how we’re gonna do it? Fine by me!” Hacker tapped the battle app folder on his belt and clicked a new icon.

“CEMENT GUN!”

Hacker’s left arm transformed. It was now replaced by a gun barrel that resembled a cement truck mixer. The barrel spun around before shooting out globs of liquid cement at the Dragonic Rider. Sol batted the shots away with his sword, only to scowl when the substance solidified and weighed it down.

Grunting, Sol slammed the concrete-encased sword over his knee, breaking it free. Hacker took more potshots with his weapon. Now knowing what to expect, Sol weaved through the cement shots as he ran towards the enemy. Before he could fire again, Sol swung his weapon and parried it before slashing Hacker across the chest.

The digital-themed Rider backpedaled with a growl. He opened up another battle app and clicked the icon.

“HACK CLAW”

The Cement Gun broke away before it became replaced with a wicked-looking gauntlet with sharp claws. He raised it to block another overhead slash from Cross-Z before kicking him away. The dragonic Rider then spun to the right for a side swing before he was parried by the De-Bugger blade. Once the blade was parried he thrust the spear forward and stabbed it dead on his chest plate.

Cross-Z stumbled back, giving Hacker an opening. He threw his gauntlet-clad arm out and the tips of the fingers flew forward while connected to the main hand with energy wires. The claws latched onto the Beat Crozzer before yanking it away from the foreign Rider.

“Hey! Give that back!” Sol charged at the man with raised, flaming fists. He threw a punch that Hacker side stepped and ducked below another before he countered with his spear. He jabbed him in the gut with the blade before swinging it around to strike the side of his helmet with the pommel.

Sol stumbled as Hacker continued his assault. He delivered blow after blow with either his weapon or the stolen sword to ensure his opponent had no opportunity to recover. But as he swung to deliver a final blow to the head. Sol ducked under it the last moment and jumped into his guard before slamming his head into his. The sudden impact dazed him enough for Sol to grab his sword back and bash the pommel against the side of his head. He then leapt up for a reverse spin kick to knock him back.

Hacker crouched down with a grunt. “Enough of this!” He dismissed his Hack Claw as he pulled the lever on the left side of his Driver. He fell into a stance with his spear pointing forward as power charged along the blade.

“ANTI-VIRAL STRIKE!”

Recognizing this action, Cross-Z responded in kind and pulled the pommel of his sword.

“HIT PARADE!”

“MILLION HIT!”

As their weapons charged up, the two Riders ran at one another to deliver the final blow.

"ENOUGH!" before either could unleash their respective finishers, something hit the ground between them, triggering an explosion that threw them backwards.

Once the dust settled and Sol regained his senses, he tried to track down the cause. Both he and Hacker looked up and found a figure standing atop a building not too far from them.To the former’s shock, it was another Rider.

This new Rider appeared feminine in design. Her armor was more slender, colored pink with a white bodysuit with pink circuitry patterns beneath it. She also had a pair of kit-shaped pieces of pink armor coming off her waist, with white fabric that gave her a shirt appearance. Her pink helmet was similar to Cyburst and Hacker, except it was pink and her visor looked like a heart that was split in two at all but the tip and pulled apart so that it resembled a V. A medical cross was on her armor and she carried a futuristic looking bow. Instead of a string, it had some kind of handle that can be pulled back with a slot in it. The bow itself seemed to actually be blades.

“I swear, I leave you alone for five minutes and this happens?” She spoke to Hacker as she dropped onto the ground between them. “I thought you got over rushing head first into danger.”

“Don’t patronize me, Vaccine.” He scoffed as he pulled himself up. “This guy’s the only lead we have to Cyburst. I wasn’t about to let him get away.”

“And by doing so you risked injuring him and collateral damage. And I thought Jet was the reckless one.” The female Rider then turned to Cross-Z and bowed. “I’m sorry about him. He has a habit of shooting first and asking questions later in emergency situations. He was just worried about our friend who went missing a week ago and you were our only lead.”

“Well, he has a funny way of showing it.” Sol replied, standing as well. “And since you seem like a voice of reason, can you just tell me where and/or when I am?”

“That’s fine. But first, maybe it’s better to power down and speak face to face….without weapons.” Vaccine suggested. Following the order, she and Hacker undid their transformations with Sol following suit.

Now that she was out of the armor, Sol knew what Vaccine looked like. She was a young woman just a bit older than him. She had a stark complexion with bright red hair tied up in a bun and blue eyes. She was dressed in a pair of pants, a red shirt and a pink jacket over it. Around her arm was an armband with a red medical cross on it.

The same was said for Hacker. He was a young male around the same age as Vaccine, maybe a bit older. He was dressed in a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a black jacket. Around his neck is a red scarf while a black fedora with a white stripe rests on his head.

“Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Heart Beat. And my associate is named Code Breaker. As for your questions, you’re in NewGear City. And the year is 2017.”

“....huh?”

Back in Canterlot City…

“So what do you think this is supposed to be?” Micro questions as he and the others stared at the mysterious syringe that Trail Blazer had.

“Maybe some kind of steroid?” Rainbow offered.

“Antidote to some poison maybe?”

“Well, we took a sample of it and are currently running an analysis on it. We should get the chemical makeup and find out what it’s supposed to be soon.” Night Light answered. When he and Velvet first learned of Trail Blazer’s appearance, they were equally shocked. The test pilot had been a good friend of theirs, and to find out he was alive was quite alarming.

What was even more alarming was learning that he was somehow connected to the attack.

“I see. But what about you, Flash? What do you think it is?” Twilight Sparkle questioned, only to be greeted with silence. “....Flash?” She turned around and saw the teen huddled up in the corner.

The blue haired musician sat with the wall to his back. He stared down absently at the aviator goggles in his hands. The meeting with Trail Blazer continuously ran through his mind.

“Flash?” The sudden voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning his head he saw Twilight smooth her skirt before sitting next to him. “...What’s wrong? Are you doing okay?”

“...To be honest, I don’t even know.” He shook his head. “I just met my father...who had been dead for years. I was there. We had a funeral and everything. But now…? He’s running around back from the dead, and from the look of things, part of some crazy sci-fi plot. I don’t even know what to think anymore, Twilight.”

“Now hold on. I know things are crazy...well, crazier than normal, but there’s no way of proving that man was actually your dad.” She argued.

“What do you mean? Twilight, he recognized me. And those scars...they were like the injuries I saw when I saw his...his…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. His grip on the goggles tightened. He stopped when the girl placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Flash...I’m sorry about your dad. I may not have known him, but my parents told me he was a good person. And he most definitely wouldn’t be the type of person to cause such destruction and kidnap Sol. Whoever he is...he is not the man you knew as your father.”

“But…”

“No buts. We still don’t know who he is. But I promise, we’ll all work together to find answers. Okay?” She consoled.

It took a few moments of processing. Twilight brought up a good point. If what Jet said was true, then the Multiverse theory held weight. It really might not be his father he saw, but a different Trail Blazer. He didn’t know. But... at least he won’t be alone to find out. Slowly, he nodded in understanding.

Before he could say anymore, Jet's entire body suddenly seized up. The next thing everyone knew, he fell to his knees and clutched his sides while crying out in pain.

Misty, Fluttershy and Velvet rushed to his side while the others just stared at him in shock. "What's happening to him?!" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know," Misty looked him over but saw no signs of injury on him. But then something else happened. Jet's body started glitching, his entire form appearing to pixilate and shift around. "I've never seen anything like this!"

"...I have," Flash said. Everyone looked at him in confusion as he got up, "...dad did the same thing before he disappeared. But before he did," he turned to the needle on Night's desk. Could it be?

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked him as he reached over and grabbed the syringe, rushing to Jet's side.

"If I'm right," he pulled the cap off. "Saving him." Before anyone could stop him, he stabbed it into Jet's back and pushed down the plunger. The serum entered his body and everyone waited a moment, hoping Flash hadn't just killed him.

But then, the glitching reduced and his pained screams lowered in volume. After about a minute, Jet appeared to be back to normal despite being out of breath. "Ahh," he moaned as the others helped him to his feet, "That...was so not crash."

"You okay?" Sunset asked, Jet nodding.

"I think so." He turned to Flash, "thanks."

"No problem," Flash looked at the needle. "Sorry I did that without asking."

"No drip. I probably would have done the same thing. At least now we know what it does."

"What did it do?" Applejack asked, the other looking just as curious. Velvet, however, appeared to have a theory.

"Could it be...the multiversal backlash." The others turned to her, most looking confused.

"The what?" Sandalwood asked.

Velvet smiled. "It's been theorized that inter-dimensional travel isn't as easy as they make it seem on TV or in movies. Maybe some times, there'll be two universes similar enough that you can just step between them like stepping through a room. But it's more than likely you wouldn't be able to exist in certain universes. Different physical laws can hit you when you least expect it, causing you to get sick or die. And even if you are able to exist in a universe, there may be some other side effects to entering it."

"Like what happened to me and Princess Twilight," Sunset explained. "The only way we were able to enter this world from Equestria was to become human." The others understood, minus Jet, what she meant by that and nodded.

"So what happened to me?" Jet asked.

Velvet hummed. "Best guess, you were likely being rejected by our world. That serum must perform some kind of physical rewrite that allows you to synchronize with our world. If Flash hadn't injected you, you probably would have disintegrated or something."

"Not crash," Jet said. "But I should be okay now, right."

"Maybe," Velvet said.

"Or it might be that it was just a temporary fix," Twilight finished. "And if that's the case, you'll need to keep injecting yourself. But it won't last forever. You'll probably build up a resistance."

"Not that it matters," Jet said. "That was all the serum we had."

"We should be able to fix that," Night said, holding a stack of papers from a researcher. "We just got the scans and readings from the serum. Shouldn't be too difficult to replicate it for you until we get you home." Jet smiled at this.

At that moment, Sunset realized something. “Hold on a minute.” Everyone’s attention became focused on her. “If Trail Blazer had this episode before, and needed the serum to stabilize himself, then doesn’t that mean he’s from another universe like Jet?”

The others were surprised by this realization as everything started to make sense, if only slightly. The Trail they say wasn’t the one they knew. It was a different one from another universe.

“But if that’s true...then why was he even here?” Flash wondered.

“So where are you guys taking me?” Sol Burner questioned. He was at the back of a cruiser with Code Breaker and Heart Beats in the front.

“You’ll see. It’ll be where hopefully we can get some answers.”

After Heart broke up their squabble and explained to him where and when he was….Sol was more confused than ever. He had no idea a place like NewGear City existed. And he was pretty sure that they shouldn’t have technology this advanced from WHEN he was from.

“We’re here.” Heart announced as they pulled over to a massive building that Sol could only gawk at.

It was multiple stories high, probably around 50 or more. It also looked way more modern than any building he saw, with sleek construction and what appeared to be screen windows on the sides. On the front was a logo that resembled a stylized C, just like Cyburst’s.

“Welcome to the world’s leading source of innovation and technology, Cyburst Industries.” Code droned as he and the others exited the vehicle. Once they left, Sol was surprised to see it drive off by itself to a nearby parking garage. That was pretty neat.

“Well don’t just stand there. Come on!” Code snapped as he opened the door for Heart to enter. Grunting at the attitude, Sol followed. If he was amazed by the outside of the building, the lobby was equally astounding. It looked much bigger inside than outside. Everything looked so clean with the white floors, walls, and ceilings. There were several floating monitors and robots. There were also men and women in suits working what seemed to be reception desks.

“Welcome back, madam President.” Came a chorus of greetings from everyone, even the robots.

“Wait...president? Madam?!” He looked over to Heart, who giggled sheepishly.

“Yeah...that’s me. I’m currently the President of Cyburst Industries. Pretty cool, huh?”

The fighter felt his mind short circuiting. Futuristic technology. Weird place and time. And now a company president of a technological conglomerate around the same age as him? If it wasn’t due to the pain he felt from the earlier fight, he would’ve written this off as some sort of sci-fi dream.

“Come on. Let’s go.” Heart pulled him along while the fighter did not resist. He was too out of it to even try. Code snorted. Just what was with this guy?

Eventually, they found themselves inside an underground research facility via a private elevator car. The fighter took note of how spacious it was. It was probably three times the size of their new lab in the Research Center. Everything looked so high tech that he can’t even begin to describe it outside of being sleek and shiny.

Code took a seat before what looked like a computer and started typing.

“So how did you even get here? You said you woke up in the middle of town, right?” Heart asked.

“Yeah. One moment I was being thrown into some giant metal hand, the next moment I’m in the middle of some science fiction story.”

“It does sound crazy. But given what we do with datafields, anything is practically possible. So where did you say you were from?”

“Uh, Canterlot City.” Sol answered. Code ceased his typing as he and Heart exchanged uncertain looks.

“...You sure?”

“Positive, why?”

“Well...I don’t know how to say this but...Canterlot City is….gone.”

Sol felt his stomach drop. “...uh, gone? What do you mean gone?! A whole city can’t disappear overnight!”

“Were you living under a rock or something?” Code questioned in befuddlement. “Canterlot City was razed to the ground around four years ago, when Malware and his Gigabyters first broke out of the Data Fields and attacked everyone. There were barely any survivors and we’re still trying to help them rebuild. It was pretty much a warzone.”

“That’s impossible!” Sol snapped angrily. “I was just there hours ago!”

“And I’m telling you that’s impossible!” Code retorted in irritation. “Canterlot City is gone! There hasn’t been anyone living there for years!”

“Don’t joke around!” The fighter grabbed the hacker by the collar. “You can’t expect me to believe my friends and mom are gone just like that!”

“If they were, then they were gone for years! Now tell us the truth on where you’re from!” The hacker grasped his wrists to pry him off. Heart glanced back and forth between the two with trepidation. The fight kept escalating and would do so until someone threw the first punch. But before she could stop it, something else did.

“GRAH!!!” Crozz screeched as it flew between the two men, separating them. Sol Burner looked at the little dragon in surprise while Code Breaker did so in confusion. He recognized it from the fight earlier, but had no idea what it was.

“...Okay, just what the heck is that thing?”

“Hey! He’s not a thing. Crozz here is my friend. Ain’t that right, buddy?” The little critter chirped as it landed on the fighter’s shoulder and nuzzled his cheek.

“But...what is he?” Heart asked with intrigue. The little device was similar to their drones, but different in some way.

“Well, Crozz is my friend. But he’s also what allows me to Transform into a Masked Rider.”

“Masked? Not Kamen?” Code inquired.

“Well, yeah. By the way, what’s the deal with that Kamen thing?”

“Not important now. But you said he helps you transform?”

“Yeah. And he also works as a drone for the lab back home.”

“So he has a connection to video feed to where you’re from?” Heart questioned.

“Yeah. Why?”

“...I think that’s how we can get to the bottom of this mystery.” Code said, realizing what she was getting at. Without warning, he snatched Crozz off Sol’s shoulder and placed him inside a chamber connected to the computer.

“Hey!” He tried to rush Code but Heart pulled him back.

“Easy, we’re just trying to find the frequency signal that Crozz emits that allows him to relay video feedback to your lab. We just need to cross-reference the existing frequencies used for communication in the database, triangulate the points of reference and use them to pinpoint the exact coordinates.”

“....what does that even mean?” Sol asked in confusion while Code rolled his eyes.

“Oh, uh, if we can find the signal needed to form a connection with Crozz, we can find where you’re from.” Heart explained in laymen terms.

“Oh….now that makes sense.”

“It does...but one issue.” Code announced as he pulled over the monitor and showed them the results:

NO SIGNAL FOUND

“I can’t isolate the frequency. It’s not found in the database.”

“But how can that be?” Heart wondered as he moved beside him. “All communication devices are developed by Cyburst Industries. Meaning we should be able to have access to all frequencies. It should exist.”

“That’s the weird part.” Code tapped a few keys, displaying a specified location in NewGear City. “The signal exists. But when I tried tracing it to a location, it just stopped flat. Like, it stops several feet above of the city.”

“But how can that be?”

“Wait...that place…” The fighter said, recognizing the approximate area displayed.

“What’s so special about it?”

“I think that’s the spot where I woke up. Like, after I went through that giant hand thing and landing.” The two processed what he meant as they refocused on the strange location.

The signal’s trail seems to just stop midair. Not at a certain building or a certain spot in the ground. But in the middle of the air. Almost like….the middle of empty space.

“Hold on a sec...Sol Burner. You said you were just recently in Canterlot City, correct? With complete buildings and everything?”

“Yep. Buildings, populated, and the occasional monsters that Flash and I fight to keep the people safe.”

“What year was it?”

“...2017.” He answered, much to the surprise of Code and the confirmation of Heart.

“...I knew it. We’ve been looking at this the wrong way.” She stated.

“What do you mean?” Sol questioned.

“The issue wasn’t due to the City itself. There’s a reason why your Canterlot City and our Canterlot city are so different, despite being the same year.” She typed several commands onto the datapad and pulled up diagrams of the Earth. “It’s all coming together. The cut-off unknown signal, the different city descriptions...and when we add in the Multiverse theory it all comes together.”

“Hold on, you’re saying this guy came from a different world?” Code asked skeptically.

“It makes sense. Think about it. Our scanners picked up the enigmatic energy coming off him, right? When comparing it to the signal Crozz is supposedly connected to, they have the same frequency. It is a frequency that doesn’t match up with anything known in our world. That means, by process of elimination, Sol Burner must come from a different world!”

The fighter was speechless. A whole new world? Was that where that hand thing took him? “...Huh...never thought I’d be isekai’d...ever…”

“....okay...but how does this help us? Last I checked our communication devices don’t have interdimensional coverage.” The hacker remarked sarcastically.

“Maybe not. But if we use the signal Crozz gives off and hook up our detectors to the company’s signal boosters run in parallel, we should be able to emit one powerful enough to reach wherever Jet is through the Cyburst Driver.”

“Makes sense...unless it explodes on us.”

“It won’t, just do it!”

“Alright, alright.” The two went to work while Sol just stayed back. All of this technological babble went right over his head. Within the hour, everything was set up and they were all waiting for a response. They had a lock on the specific coordinates where the rip in the dimensions occurred that allowed Sol entrance to their world.

But before they could pursue the signal, an alarm went off.

“Dammit! More Gigabyters!” Code cursed as he located the mass of monsters not too far from the building. What was worse was where they were found.

“Sorry, Sol. But we need to take care of this. We’ll finish this later.”

“I’ll go with you guys. I can fight too!...and I’m not sure what to do here without breaking anything.” He answered as he took Crozz from the scanner thing.

“Good call. Let’s go.” The three rushed up to the surface using the express elevator.

Heart and Code rushed out of the building while Sol trailed behind.

The two took out a pair of phones just like the one Cyburst had, only Code's was black while Heart's was pink. The two held the phones almost the exact same way, right out in front of them with both hands together. Code held his in his right hand while Heart held hers in her left.

And like with Jet, they pressed the button before lights the same colours as the phones shot up their arms and flew down to their waists. A black and pink Cyber Driver appeared on their waists, except theirs opened differently. The black driver on Code's waist opened at the top, the two halves splitting down the middle before folding upwards. Meanwhile, Heart's pink driver opened almost exactly like Jet's, only for her it was the left side instead of the right.

"HACKING DRIVER!"

"VACCINE DRIVER!"

"HENSHIN!" they yelled as they swung their arms around differently. Code swung his downwards in a circle until his arm was held straight up, then pushed the phone into the open slot before it closed.

"JACK IN!"

Heart swung both her arms apart in a circular motion before bringing them back in front of her chest in an X formation, slotting the phone into the driver as she did.

"DOWNLOAD!"

Instantly, the drivers unleashed the same light the Cyber Driver had unleashed, only these were red and pink. Sol watched as the two transformed the same way as Cyburst, Kamen Rider Hacker and Vaccine eventually standing in front of them.

"Awesome," was all he could say as the two looked down at their drivers.

"Let's get going," Hacker said as he pressed something on his driver.

"Transport!"

"Alright," Vaccine took out a memory card before slotting it into the center slot of her driver.

"DOWNLOAD!"

Both drivers shot out a red and pink beam, which struck the ground and created a pair of data field clouds. Seconds later, the clouds vanished and revealed a pair of tricked out rides. One was a black motor trike with two red wheels on the front and one on the back, along with a red windscreen and red lines running along. The other looked like a white futuristic motor scooter with a pink windscreen, wheels and lines.

"Double awesome." Sol watched the two climb onto the vehicles, Hacker turning to him.

"What are you waiting for?" Sol gulped but rushed over and climbed onto the trike behind Hacker, the riders revving their engine as the red and pink sections of the vehicles glowed. "Hold on!" With that, they shot off down the road.

"WHOA!" Sol barely managed to grab onto Hacker's waist before he was thrown off, unable to believe they could move at such speeds.

Meanwhile…

Back at the Research Center, Night Light, Misty Veil, and Twilight Velvet were at work studying the device Jet loaned them. He called it a Cyber Pad, which seemed to be his world’s equivalent of a smartphone. Within it contained the anti-virus software that allowed Jet to fight off the Gigabyters with ease. It took a while for them to establish the right adapters to hook it up to the computer given how advanced it was.

It would take some time to find and copy the necessary files and programs that they needed. In the meantime, Flash, Twilight, and Sunset decided to show Jet around the building.

“So everything related to scientific advancement and research takes place right here?” The otherworldly Rider asked as they passed through the robotics wing.

“Pretty much.” Sunset answered. “It’s home to all scientific fields. Energy, mechanics, materials, prosthetics, biomedical, software, you name it. It’s why the place is as big as it is.”

“Man...it’s almost like walking through a museum.” Jet said. Despite seeing the latest achievements in technology, he seems to view it more as seeing severely outdated creations.

“Look, I know you came from a futuristic world, but that doesn’t mean you can just downplay all of our current achievements like that.” Twilight responded with slight annoyance.

“Sorry if it came off like that. But It’s hard to be amazed when everything I’ve seen so far is more or less an antique prototype of what my world currently has.”

“And yet for all your datafields revolutionizing healthcare and welfare, you were all susceptible to an AI virus attack.” Flash rebutted.

“Yeah, can’t argue there.” He chuckled sheepishly. “We definitely needed to upgrade our firewalls and security after that mess...Still, can’t believe this is what Canterlot City used to be like.”

“‘Used to’?” Sunset questioned. “What do you mean? You had a Canterlot in your world? What happened to it?”

Jet soon frowned and stopped walking, causing the others to turn towards him. “...Unfortunately, Canterlot City in my world is….gone. It was Ground Zero for where Malware and his Gigabyters first broke out. There were only a handful of survivors. Four years have passed and we’re still trying to rebuild.”

The startling revelations shocked the three teenagers. Their home in Jet’s world was...the first to have been erased by Malware? That was crazy to learn.

But before they could continue the conversation, they were silenced by a loud grumbling noise.

Jet just chuckled with flushed cheeks. “Ah, sorry about that. I haven’t actually eaten for a few days since I got here. Turns out, my credits are no good in your world.”

His admission helped ease the tension ever so slightly. “Well, we can’t exactly fight on an empty stomach. How about we grab a bite? My treat.” Flash offered.

“Sounds crash. Just let me get my Cyber Pad and we’re good to go.”

After retrieving said item, the four were on their way to the city’s favorite cafe. While Night and Velvet were able to retrieve the data, they were still unable to decode it properly. Meaning that if Flash were to fight the Gigabyters again, he wouldn’t be able to do much. Thankfully Jet was more than capable of handling them.

While they went to fill their empty stomachs, the rest of the gang were at the local community house that is typically rented out for celebrations. After the fiasco at Canterlot High, Pinkie decided to throw a party in appreciation to the Masked Riders that saved them. While they waited on the progress of cracking Jet’s Cyber Pad, she took the others to help set up for the party.

“Hey Pinkie, where do these go again?” Sandalwood lifted the box full of DJ equipment.

“On the left hand of the stage.” The party planner said as she blew up a red balloon and twisted it and a blue one into the visage of Masked Rider Build. “The fog machines go on the other side, AJ.”

“Got it.” The farm girl nodded as she hefted the crate of equipment over her shoulder. Rainbow Dash zoomed around setting up the banner that read THANK YOU MASKED RIDERS! Over the stage.

“Pinkie...are you sure we should be doing something like this?” Micro questioned as he looked over the notes of the Sclash Driver to make sure he knew what to do when they got back to the lab.

“What do you mean, Darling?” Rarity asked as she helped organize the decorations.

“I mean, I get that you want to show appreciation to the Masked Riders, but is now really the best time for that? I mean, we have an alternate version of Flash’s deceased dad running around, Sol is missing, and...Gizmo...is still out there somewhere, plotting his next move. Should we really be working on a party at a time like this?”

“What are you saying, Micro?” She asked as she zipped over to him. “Now’s the best time to throw a party! Everyone’s all stressed and serious! If we keep going like this, we’ll never get anything done. So we gotta help everyone unwind to refresh and figure out what’s next. Besides. We need to make sure that Flashy and Solly know that we’re supporting them. And a party is just the way to do that!”

The intellectual hummed as he thought about it. Pinkie’s reasoning made sense. Admittedly, morale had been dropping lately due to current circumstances. The alternate Trail Blazer’s appearance did not help matters. Maybe throwing a party would be good to boost morale, provided everything died down before then.

“So this is Sugar Cube Corner?” Jet asked as he and the others were seated at a booth. “I’ve never seen a small cafe this...bustling before. Usually it’s all quiet where I’m from since everyone just orders to-go. Gotta say the atmosphere is nice though.”

“You don’t know half of it.” Flash said. “This place has the best milkshakes and baked goods in town.”

“I’ll hold you onto that.”

“Well, this is a surprise.” A familiar voice rang out. The others turned to see Silver Speech. However, aside from his traditional fedora, he was in his casual clothes. “Usually I see you guys with the rest of the gang.”

“Oh, hey Silver.” Sunset greeted. “What are you doing here? Working?”

“Sorta. I have work at my other part time job today, but I’m just dropping by for lunch before I go.”

“It must be rough working two jobs like that.” Twilight said. “I don’t think I could do that while having school.”

“It’s not so bad. The hours are flexible and the pay’s good. Besides, I’ve already graduated so I have the time to spare.” He answered as he noticed an unfamiliar face. “On a side note, care to introduce me to your friend? I haven’t seen him around before.”

“The name’s Jet Storm.” Jet greeted with an extended hand that Silver took. “I dropped in town about last week. I just met these guys not too long ago either.”

“Ah, so a new friend then.” He nodded with a smile. “Looks like Pinkie’s gonna be throwing another party soon. Nice to meet you.”

Meanwhile…

Trail Blazer rummaged through several drawers within the room he was in. He growled before ripping the drawer from its table and flinging it to the side, scattering several miscellaneous items. He had spent several hours overturning the room to find what he was looking for.

He needed more of those stabilization injections. He had lost his remaining one at the hands of Cyburst, and if he was going to remain in the other world, he needed more.

But no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find any. Had his partner moved them? Sighing, he consulted his final option and contacted him.

In a matter of seconds, a holographic projection emerged from his communicator. Unfortunately. The device was damaged from the previous fight, leaving only a shadowed figure in view.

“Ah, Trail. I wasn’t expecting you to contact me again so soon. Have you finished your assignment?”

“There were some...complications. I’m also out of injections. Some...obstacles intercepted and took my last one, forcing me back here. I'm trying to find them, but can’t. Where are they?”

“I have them. Apologies, but I needed to keep some on hand due to the nature of my task. But don’t fret, you’ll get one soon….after you complete your missions. Now that you’re here, you should be stable enough to make another trip and finish the job, yes?”

“Well, yes, but-” He was cut off by the figure.

“Trail. I can’t express the importance of your assigned task. We need to do this correctly. If we can’t, then neither of our wishes will come true. And you do wish to see your family again, correct?”

The scarred man fell silent as his mind was caught in a flashback. The fire. The blood. The lifeless eyes of his wife and children. “...I won’t fail you. I will succeed.”

“I’m positive you will. Oh, gotta go. Looks like I have some unwelcome guests.”

Sol and the Riders continued to zoom through the streets towards their destination. Once he got used to the speed, the fighter asked where they were going.

Vaccine answered that they found Gigabyters at the town’s Solar Collector Receiver.

Having no idea what that was, Sol had to ask.

Hacker answered that it was a facility with a giant thermal collector dish composed of thousands of tiny, individually-controlled mirrors. It absorbs the solar energy that is focused through an orbiting satellite in the form of a concentrated beam, hence the Solar Collector. It was facilities such as these that places like NewGear City around the world were able to run off of clean, environmentally friendly power.

“But isn’t that dangerous? I mean, it sounds like a freaking space laser.”

“There definitely were concerns during the development stages. But after the idiocy of an ignorant sales director pushing a prototype’s power to critical limits, limiters and regulations were installed in much safer variants. Now we no longer have any worry of positively charged plasma bolts from roasting us and destroying aircraft.”

“Oh, joy.” Sol mumbled.

“We’re here.” Hacker announced as the two bikes swerved to a stop. Once they got a look at the facility, they all scowled.

“It’s worse than I thought.” Vaccine frowned. The number of Gigabyters present rivaled the amount Sol and Flash fought against back at the power plant. They swarmed all over the facility.

“Well, let’s take them all out!” Hacker declared as he summoned his De-Bugger Blade. Vaccine did the same with her bow. The two charged into the horde with determined yells. Sol watches them as they attack. Unable to sit back and do nothing, he dons the belt and transforms.

“Henshin!” Now transformed, he ran at the nearest Gigabyter and punched it in the face. Sadly it did nothing. He tried a kick. Still nothing. The Gigabyter counter attacked by slamming its arm into the side of his head, sending him tumbling. He rolled and pulled out the Beat Crozzer to try again.

While he managed to knock them back with powerful swings, they didn’t so much as have a scratch on them.

Meanwhile with Hacker and Vaccine, they were taking down Gigabyters left and right. Hacker fought with his spear and Hack Claw, slashing and stabbing enemies while flinging them away with his unique gauntlet.

Vaccine sniped them from afar with deadly accuracy from her bow. Every time she pulled the handle back as if it were a bowstring, arrows of energy manifested before shooting out and striking the Gigabyters.

She was about to shoot down another one until Cross-Z entered her line of fire. She quickly diverted her shot and it landed right next to her target. Said target proceeded to thrash Cross-Z around like a ragdoll before knocking him into Hacker, throwing them off the elevated platform.

The two landed in a tangled heap before the Kamen Rider threw the Masked Rider off. “What are you doing? Stop getting in our way!”

“I’m just trying to help!” Sol argued.

“You can help by standing aside and let us handle it.” He shoved Sol off as he returned to the fight. The martial artist growled in frustration before kicking the wall.

Vaccine glanced at Cross-Z from the corner of her vision and sighed. She felt sorry for him, wanting to help but unable to. But she couldn’t let such thoughts cloud her mind and instead focused on the fight.

Two Gigabyters tried to ambush her from behind. She spun around quickly and slashed them with the blades on her bow. The blades cut through their armor before knocking them aside. Two more took their place and charged. She took out a memory card with a snowflake emblazoned on and placed it in her bow.

“FREEZE BOLT!” She then ran at the charging enemies and jumped on one of them. She kicked off as if it were a platform into a flip in the air. She reoriented herself and shot them both in mid-flight. The bolts of energy immediately froze the two where they stood upon impact.

Once she landed, she replaced the memory card with one with a fire symbol on it.

“FIRE BOLT!”

She took aim and fired twice. Bursts of intense, crackling heat shot out and struck the frozen foes before engulfing them in explosions.

“CEMENT GUN!”

Hacker aimed and shot out globs of liquid concrete at an incoming mob of enemies. The cement quickly hardened and locked them in place. He then rushed at them and slashed them down with his De-Bugger blade.

Soon, the two had taken out about half of the number of Gigabyters. However, the ones that remained were the ones that continued to siphon off power from the collector receiver. But before they could attack them, a series of blue energy gears flew at them and exploded on impact.

“Hacker! Vaccine!” Cross-Z rushed to where they landed.

As the smoke from the explosion cleared, a new figure approached them. Sol’s eyes widened beneath his helmet. The armor the man wore was similar to the guy that he fought by the giant hand. However, the gears on his armor were blue instead of red and were situated on the opposite side of his body.

“Who...who are you?!” Hacker growled as he used his spear to support himself.

“...I am the man that will bring about the perfect world.” he answered cryptically. “And I will not allow you to interfere.”

“I don’t know what you’re babbling about…” Cross-Z scowled as his grip on his sword tightened. “But I know you’re with the red gear guy that sent me here. Which means I just gotta beat the answers outta you!” With a cry, he charged

“Ugh. Uncouth barbarian.” The man scoffed. He nimbly side-stepped the diagonal swing and ducked beneath the horizontal follow up. He caught the kick aimed for his ribs before flinging the dragonic Rider away. However it left him wide open to Vaccine’s energy arrows. He got shot in the chest before rolling to the side to avoid the barrage.

Hacker leaped after him with his spear pointing forward to skewer him. The geared man ducked beneat the charge before slamming his gear shoulder into Hacker’s midsection. Energy gears grinded against his armor before shooting him off into the air and exploding.

“Hacker!” Vaccine cried before aiming at the man again with the freeze memory card equipped.

A chilling bolt flew at him, but he simply grabbed the ambushing Cross-Z from behind and used him as a human shield. The bolt struck him in the chest and covered his body in a layer of frost.

“Oh! Sorry!” She apologized before the man threw the semi-frozen Rider at her. The two crashed to the ground while Hacker struggled to get up.

“How pathetic.” The stranger drolled in boredom. “Is this really what this world’s protectors have to offer?”

“Shut up!” Hacker yelled out before selecting a battle app.

“HACK CLAW!”

Gauntlet now equipped. He flung out his arm and latched onto a crate before flinging it at the man. He quickly dodged it only to cross the attack path of a charging Kamen Rider. With inhuman reflexes, he sidestepped, grabbed the shaft and wretched the weapon away from Hacker. He slammed the pommel into his face before kicking him away. To add insult to injury, he hurled the De-Bugger blade back at him, knocking him down.

It was at that moment, the Gigabyters hooked up to the power modules within the facility let out a collective beep. They were finished and the man laughed.

“Finally...the time is almost here. Come, Enigma!”

With the command, the roof of the facility broke apart as a towering device manifested out of thin air in the middle of it. As Sol Burner thawed himself out, he immediately recognized it as the giant hand he saw before. But it seemed a bit different, as if it were the opposite hand.

With a snap of the man’s fingers, the Gigabyters exploded. Streams of energy data emerged from where they stood before they became sucked up by the giant hand. The hand then opened up from its closed position and shot out a giant beam of light from its palm. It pierced the heavens, igniting it into an eerie glow.

“I don;t believe it...he..he used the Gigabyters to collect power for that thing!” Code exclaimed in realization.

From outer space, waves of energy encompassed the Earth and the space around it. Soon, a mirror image of earth manifested right next to the original separated by a thin boundary.

Back on the ground, the Riders were unable to believe what they saw. It looked as if another Earth had appeared through a hole in the sky. The man continued to laugh more and more like a maniac.

He finally peered down to the dumbfounded trio. “...The world will end in twenty-four hours.”

Before they could even inquire what that meant, he and the giant contraption disappeared. The Riders were left alone, exhausted and frustrated by the turn of events. They all powered down. At that moment, Heart received a notification from her company.

“President, we finally got the signal boosters hooked up and running to your specifications. We now have the capability to make the call you require.

Heart wasted no time in calling up Jet.

Back in Sugar Cube corner, the three teens and young adult finished their meal. Jet was impressed by how much flavor the food had, despite outdated cooking ware.

“Well, I should get going.” Silver said as he got up. “I still need to get to my job after all. It was nice seeing you guys again. And meeting you, Jet.”

“No drip.” He said. “Feeling’s in synch, Silver.”

“Right…” The man said, not really knowing what that meant before he left.

“He seems nice.” Jet said as he slurped more of his milkshake.

“Yeah. But what was that all about?” Twilight had to ask. “No drip? Crash? In synch? What do those mean?”

“You mean you don’t know? It’s how people talk. You know, lingo.”

“Lingo? You mean where you’re from?”

“Yeah. Don’t you guys have the same thing?”

“We do, but it’s different.”

“How so?”

But before their discussion could continue, they heard several people screaming outside. The commotion drew their attention and after paying for their meal, they rushed out the door. Once they got out, they noticed everyone was staring into the sky. When they looked up, they understood why.

Instead of the blue heavens above, they were greeted by the face of the Earth!

“...sweet Celestia…” Sunset whispered

She and Twilight stood there, processing how this was even scientifically possible should it not be a hallucination. Was Equestrian Magic involved somehow? Jet’s jaw dropped while he rubbed his eyes, making sure this was real. Flash was rendered speechless. What...what the heck was even happening right now?!

The familiar ringtone of his phone snapped him out of his panic. He answered the Buildphone and heard the familiar voice of Night Light.

“Flash! We just detected a group of Gigabyters attacking the Coltfield Dam!”

“Sure but...are you even seeing what’s happening with the sky right now?! Is this even real?!”

“It is. We have satellites relaying video feed and images back to us. It is definitely another Earth. Trust me, we’re all currently having mental breakdowns over the physical and scientific impossibility of a second Earth being right next to us without gravitational repercussions. But we can worry about that later! The Gigabyters are currently attacking and we need you and Jet to handle things there. Micro and the others are en route back to the lab as we speak to provide further logistic support.”

“G-Got it!” He answered before hanging up. “No time to skygazing, guys! We got Gigabyters attacking the Coltfield Dam right now.”

“So we’re just going to ignore this?!” Twilight gestured to the Earth above their heads.

“Believe me, a lot of us would like nothing more than to have nervous breakdowns over the end of the world, but we gotta take care of some monsters before they can hurt people!”

“R-right. Let’s jet!” The four rushed toward the attack site. But before they could make a few blocks, Jet’s Cyber Pad went off. Such a thing surprised the teen as he hadn’t been able to get a signal for the past week. Gingerly, he answered it.

“H-hello?”

“Jet?! Is that you?!” A holographic screen appeared over the device, showing Heart, Code, and Sol in the background.

“Heart!? Oh you have no idea how glad I am to see you!”

"Sol? You're okay!" Sunset exclaimed in relief.

“Hey guys!”

“Thank God, we finally made contact with you.” Heart returned. “Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but we figured out what happened to you. You’re-”

“On a parallel Earth? Yeah, I figured it out for about a week. And let me tell you, everything here is so primitive.”

"We're not that bad!" Twilight pointed out.

“Well, I’d love to ask about it, but we have a problem. A dire situation. It turns out, someone’s definitely orchestrating the Gigabyters. They already hit the Solar Collector Receiver and siphoned off power.”

“What?! How did that happen?!”

“We tried stopping him, but he was just too strong! He used something called Enigma to fire a beam into the sky. Next thing we knew, we saw ANOTHER Earth appear in the sky!”

“Well, we’re seeing the exact same thing on our end!”

As they discussed and exchanged stories over what happened up to this point, Twilight slowly put together different pieces of the puzzle. The Gigabyters. The Power Facilities. Something called Enigma. Finally, it all came together. "I...I think I got it!"

"Wh-what is it?" They all focused their attention to her.

"I think I know why these attacks have been happening." She elaborated, before turning to Heart. "You said the Gigabyters attacked a facility on your end in order to siphon power, right?"

"Yes."

"Then that coincides with what happened to us. Our attack was at the city's power plant. If it weren't for Jet taking them out, then they would have succeeded."

"But what's the point of these attacks?" Sol questioned.

"My best guess is that whatever this Enigma thing is, it requires large amounts of power. The Gigabyters must be attacking any industrial level source of energy to enable its functions."

"But what the heck is Enigma supposed to be anyway?" Flash questioned.

"A device that could doom both our worlds in the wrong hands!" Flash, Sunset and Twilight all froze at the sound of that voice, slowly turning around to see Gizmo. He genius turned psycho casually strolled towards them, not looking at all worried.

"You!" Flash and the girls got into a battle position while Jet looked confused.

"Oh don't look so grim," he told them as he pushed passed. He looked up at the store he now stood in front of, a coffee shop, then up towards the sky. "The current situation isn't exactly good for me either." He sat down and began to make himself a cup of coffee from the brewing kit he strangely had on hand. "So I thought I'd give you a hint."

"What?" Flash asked both confused and annoyed.

Gizmo continued to make his drink as he explained. "Those Gigabyters are giving off a smash signal, are they not?" They nodded. "That's because they've been imbued with Nebula Gas. So in a way, they're Nebula Gigabyters. And unfortunately, only the anti-viral riders will be able to stop them until you find a way to upload the same software they use into your system."

"My parents are trying that but it isn't working," Twilight told him.

"Thought as much," Gizmo said. "Luckily, I've had more luck." This surprised them, the lot wondering if he'd actually give them something that'd help. "But instead of focusing on the problem, maybe you should turn your attention to the source."

“The source?”

"...My dad," Flash whispered.

"Oh yeah," Jet turned back to his phone. "Are you guys still there?"

"We're here," Heart replied.

"Do a search for a guy named Trail Blazer."

"Err...alright," Heart grabbed Code's phone and used it to search the name on their database. Seconds later, she got a hit. "Trail Blazer. Well decorated test pilot who lived in Canterlot City with his family, Misty Veil, Flash Sentry and Scootaloo." This caught not just Sol's attention, but the attention of the ones listening. "It also says he's one of the few survivors of Canterlot's destruction by Malware. He was badly injured and scared, but alive. Alas, his family weren't so lucky."

"...Anything else?"

"No," Heart shook her head, "After that he seemed to disappear. No one has seen him since."

"So he is from your world," Flash realized. "But I don't get how he could do that. My dad was a great pilot, sure, but he wasn't a scientist. How'd he get here?"

"He had a little help," Gizmo explained as he began to sip his coffee. "Help from someone from our world. Enigma was designed by a man named Doom Raizer, who used to work at the Research Center."

"Hey," Twilight realized, "I know him. We met a few times when I went to visit my parents at work. He was... weird."

"How so?" Jet asked.

"I don't know. He just had this weird vibe about him."

"Doom was one of the few people helping me research the effects of the Nebula Gas. He was there when I designed the Transteam Gun and by the sounds of things, he must have reverse-engineered my design."

"He must have been the one in the blue armor," Sol realized.

"Most likely," Gizmo nodded. "His research into Nebula Gas led to an interesting discovery. A way to use Nebula Gas to open portals to alternative worlds." They all gasped, understanding what that meant. "And to do that, he designed a device called the Enigma. But before he could build it, I had him removed from the Research Center."

"Why?" Sunset asked.

"He was going too fast for his own good. He wanted to build it without looking into what dangers opening portals to another world could have caused." Flash, Twilight and Sunset knew more than anyone what problems that could lead to, the Midnight Sparkle incident springing to the forefront of their minds. "I tried to slow him down, but he refused to listen. So I had no choice but to terminate him."

"But that clearly didn't stop him," Flash pointed out.

"Yes. He went to work for Tirek Heavy Industries and used their resources to create the Enigma, allowing him to enter another world." He turned to Jet, "your world, to be precise."

"But why my world?"

Gizmo chuckled as he took another sip. "Doom's always been a bit of a technophile. All his life he's wanted to live in a world that is far more advanced than ours. When he discovered a means to enter another world, it's clear he saw it as a way to escape the dark ages that he considers our world to be in. For someone like him, your world was clearly the best choice. And had there not been any issues, he probably would have just stayed there forever and not caused all this mess. But alas, he ran into one glaring complication."

"The multiversal backlash," Jet realized with Gizmo nodding.

"He wants to stay in your world, but it's rejecting him. That's why he's doing all this."

"But what is he doing?" Heart asked over the phone. "You said this Enigma would doom both our worlds, but how?"

"And what's my dad got to do with all this?" Flash asked.

"It's quite simple," Gizmo poured another cup. "Doom wants to live in your world but can't and Trail Blazer wants to live in this world for some reason but can't. So that leaves them one option. Combine our worlds." Those listening had been expecting a crazy response, but not that crazy.

"Combine our worlds?" Twilight asked, "that's impossible."

"Actually, it's not. If done correctly, the Enigma can be used to fuse both worlds into one." He took another sip of his coffee. "I looked into the enigma myself after Doom left and discovered that if two systems are built on both worlds and have a large amount of Nebula Gas and unbelievable amounts of power, then they can overlay the two worlds and rewrite them to create a stable fusion."

None of them could believe what they were hearing. Was it really possible to combine both their worlds?

"But there is a catch."

"What?" Twilight asked as Gizmo finished off his second coffee.

"Why don't you ask my brother. The information should be on my laptop." Gizmo then put his cup down before reaching into his jacket, Flash and Jet preparing themselves to fight back until they saw him pull out a set of orange and purple Fullbottles. "Here," he placed them on the table, "A little extra help to deal with the annoyance." He then picked himself up and began walking away, Flash glaring at him.

"If you don't like him so much, why don't you deal with him yourself?"

Gizmo turned to smirk back at him, "Because that's hero work. Not my thing." With that, he pulled out his gun. "Ciao~" He shot at the ground unleashing a burst of smoke that caused him to vanish.

The four were left alone by the store, processing what they just learned.

“...Who the heck was that guy?” Jet finally asked.

“Someone that I really, really want to beat the crap out of.” Sol growled hatefully, something Code took note of.

“We’ll explain later.” Flash said as he approached the table and snatched the Fullbottles in a swift motion. “We have Gigabyters to take down first.”

“R-Right.” Jet nodded. “Sorry guys, I’ll call back later.” He cut off communications as he inserted a new memory card into his Cyber Pad.

“CYBER CYCLE!”

From a stream of data, a futuristic motorcycle materialized. It looked more akin to a hovercraft seen in a certain video game featuring giant space rings. He hopped on and held out a helmet for a passenger. The three were surprised by the new vehicle.

“We’ll get there faster if we ride. You have one too, right?”

“Yeah.” Flash inserted the Lion Fullbottle into his Build Phone.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

“Okay, now that’s cool.” Jet admitted when he saw the phone transform into a motorcycle.

“Why didn’t we just use these before?” Twilight asked as she hopped onto the Machine Builder.

“To be honest, I was too shell-shocked to remember.” Jet admitted as he handed a helmet to Sunset before she hopped onto his machine.

“Enough chatter. Let’s ride!” With a rev of their machines,. The two pairs shot through the streets towards the Coltfield Dam.

To Be Continued...

Author's Note

Here's the next part of the movie saga. Sorry it took so long. But with all the craziness happening, it took a while to get out. I hope everybody is doing okay in these tumultuous times.

There were also a few Easter Eggs featured in this chapter. Anyone care to guess what they are?

Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 3

The moment the other Earth had appeared in the sky, the people grew panicked and terrified. The members of the Rainbooms and Team Build were no exception. Applejack had to catch Rarity after she fainted. Rainbow Dash was speechless. Fluttershy hid behind the athlete in fright. Sandalwood stood still. Micro repeatedly cleaned his glasses to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

And Pinkie Pie continued to panic.

“IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD! EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! KYAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!” She screamed as she ran back and forth across the yard and in circles….and up and back down the walls of the community center.

“How...how is this even possible?!” Micro questioned, finally finding his voice.

“Y’know dude? I always had a feeling we might see the end of the world in our lifetime...but I always chalked it up to climate change.” Sandalwood admitted.

“Oh dear…” Fluttershy trembled.

“Just what the hay is goin’ on right now?!” Applejack exclaimed while trying to revive Rarity.

“This is just plain crazy!” Rainbow paced back and forth once she remembered to speak.

They continued their little bewildered episode before a ringtone cut them off. Micro answered after seeing who it belonged to and put him on speaker.

“Director Night Light! Are you seeing this right now?!”

“We are! But we have more pressing concerns at the moment!”

“How is it more important than this?! We have a flipping Earth staring right back at us!”

“We can see that! But we also have Gigabyters attacking the Coltfield Dam. We already contacted Jet and Flash and they’re on their way. We need you and the others back at the lab where it’s safe...well, relatively, and help provide support!”

“R-Right! On it!” Micro hung up and looked at his friends. Even Pinkie had stopped to hear what the man had to say. As much as he wanted to ask more, they were needed more elsewhere. Plus, they could still question him when they returned. “You heard him. We need to head back and try to help Flash while we figure this out. Hopefully they can stop this insanity.”

Rainbow Dash looked at him, then at the Earth overhead, then down deep in thought. Face scrunching in determination, she made her decision. She thought of a better way to help her friends.

The athlete took Rarity from Applejack and handed the unconscious fashionista to her best friend. “Flutters, you take Rarity. AJ and I got this!”

“Got wut? Whoa!” The farm girl yelled as she was suddenly pulled along the rainbow blur towards the Coltfield Dam.

“What the, where are they going?!” Sandalwood wondered.

“...Knowing Dashie, I think they’re trying to go and help them fight the Gigabyters at the dam!” Pinkie answered in a moment of clarity.

“What?! That’s crazy!”

“We can worry about that later. Knowing those two, they should be fine and handle their own. But we should get moving too!” Micro announced. Hesitantly, they nodded and rushed back to the lab.

At the Coltfield Dam, the Gigabyters were at work draining energy from the hydroelectric generators. Normally, the amount of power produced by hydroelectric generators is low in comparison to other alternative energy systems such as nuclear reactors. But due to the proximity of the Enigma unit hidden in town, it was the best source of power due to Canterlot’s lack of nuclear reactors on site.

“...This town is completely out of date.” Trail Blazer, donned in his gear armor, murmured. “If only this were my world’s Canterlot. The Nuclear Reactors would produce the necessary power in a shorter amount of time. But I guess it’s a moot point...since it’s no longer there...or them…”

His thoughts were soon overtaken by memories...horrific memories that he’d rather deny and forget.

4 Years ago…

It was utter chaos. Buildings that once stood tall were broken down and now mere rubble. The bustling streets were bursting with chaos as monstrous Gigabyters roamed and attacked any nearby civilian. The skies of Canterlot City were darkened as the landscape itself burned.

The virus monsters flooded the streets after hijacking the data fields one day. They poured out by the dozens. The local law enforcement was overwhelmed. The citizens stood no chance. Many didn’t even have the time to scream as the Gigabyters’ lasers charred their bodies to a crisp. If they hadn’t been blasted, they would’ve been ripped apart by their bladed, jaw-like arms.

The Research Center was the first to fall, being the course of the city’s data fields. Then the security stations. Then the hospitals. Anywhere and everywhere that had access to data fields for their needs were taken out. This included communications, which resulted in the town being cut off from the rest of the world.

It was not mere mindless bloodshed. Malware had created these Gigabyters for an organized attack to wipe out all of the people in Canterlot City. He even stationed them out at the city gates to keep them trapped as they were systematically killed off.

Seeing no other option aside from death, there were some that tried to band people together to form a resistance of sorts and drive the monsters back. One courageous soul inspired those willing to fight to rise up and protect their loved ones. The man known as Trail Blazer inspired the citizens to stand together to fight back.

...It did not last long.

They were simply outnumbered. For every Gigabyter they subdued through guerilla tactics and numbers, three more took its place. While their firearms and explosives were able to do damage to them, the monster’s weapons were much more lethal. Additionally, their defenses were superior due to their armor.

People continued to die off one by one. Then the dozens.

Canterlot and a significant portion of its populace had been taken down in only half a week.

And now the one who started it all, the one who tried to bring hope to the citizens, continued to fight as he started to choke on their despair.

Using his weapon baton, Trail Blazer stabbed it into a Gigabyter’s eye. He ripped it out before slapping an explosive charge on its chest and threw it into another group of them. He pressed the trigger and they blew to pieces. The force of the explosion knocked him off his feet as the flames licked his cheek. He hissed at the pain, but the adrenaline had numbed it.

He panted heavily. He had been at this for several minutes. He had to keep going. To regroup with his wife and children.

Once the situation had taken a turn for the worst, upon seeing many family and friends being gunned down, Trail Blazer finally called for an escape plan. Many had blamed him for not proceeding with this action sooner. Many called him a fool for trying to fight back. A lot of them consisted of people who lost everything. The sole Pie Family sister had been quite vocal, the pain of losing her sisters and parents breaking through her monotone voice.

The sole survivor of the Apple Family had tried to strangle him, his rage blinding him and opening a floodgate of enraged slurs. He had lost his whole family and friends because of him.

The man bore their resentment and anger, as it was his mistake to stick with his beliefs when the odds grew to be insurmountable. Yet his family stuck by his side. They believed in him. They trusted him. If anything, even if he didn’t survive this, he would be damn sure that they would.

The reason why an escape order hadn’t been issued was because it involved a suicide plan. As some were needed to cause a distraction to draw the guards attention while the rest of the people slipped through the breach in defenses.

Since they had nothing left, Big Mac and Maud Pie volunteered for the bait group. Trail Blazer volunteered himself as well.

His family had vehemently protested this course of action. But he promised them that he would come back to them safely. And he never broke a promise.

So when the remnants of the resistance made its way out of the city, the trio made their move. They set off a variety of explosions at key locations to draw the guards away while they ambushed any that strayed too far to keep their number manageable.

His tactics training from the military paid off in more ways than one. While he lost hundreds of people, it was due to him that dozens had managed to survive days longer than they would have.

Even though they knew it was suicide for them, Maud and Big Mac kept fighting….even to their last breath. He gazed sorrowfully at their bodies...or rather their remains. Big Mac had been torn in half from the waist. Maud had her arms chopped off before a laser shot through her skull. Trail made a small prayer for the two, thanking them for their assistance and hoped they reunited with their families.

He was the only one left. But at least he took down the guards, allowing the remnants of the resistance to escape.

Then his thoughts were broken by a scream. A familiar scream from a familiar voice. His daughter’s voice.

“SCOOTALOO!” Now panicked, Trail kicked off the Gigabyter and ran to the source of the noise. The monsters behind him tried to shoot him down. Most of the shots missed, but quite a few grazed his body. He bit through the pain and continued to run, his feet thundering against the ground like a man possessed.

Trail Blazer soon made it to the clearing where the scream originated from. He took his rifle and gunned down any Gigabyters that got in his way. He changed the mode of his baton and now had a hard light blade. He used it to hack through any Gigabyter that got too close and shot down any incoming ones. He tried to run towards his wife and kids to get them to safety...

...only for the blood in his veins to run cold.

Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. There were two Gigabyters. One stood in front of a 13 year old Flash Sentry, who had been protecting his mother and sister with an energy knife in a shaking grip. The other stood over a nine year old Scootaloo while she was wrapped in Misty Veil’s protective embrace. The mother had her own rifle unsteadily aimed at the monster, despite having depleted ammunition not too long ago.

Then the eyes of the Gigabyters glowed brightly.

Trail screamed. He pushed himself through the pain and exhaustion and rushed towards his cornered family. His yells have caught their attention as they turned to him in hope.

Only for it to be extinguished by the well-aimed lasers that tore through them like tissue paper. Their bodies dropped to the ground, riddled in gaping wounds. They choked on their own blood as their lives rapidly faded before succumbing to the cold embrace of death.

Trail Blazer had stopped in his tracks. His body froze as chills crept up his heart.

The Gigabyters, the ones that slew his loved ones, turned their sights on him.

He could barely remember anything after that. Everything just blurred together. There were angered cries. All he saw were flashes of red and blood. His vision fell to half when one slashed him over the eye. He felt pain. He felt numbness.

Deep in his heart, he only sought one thing: retribution.

Soon it all came to an end. All of the Gigabyters were in pieces. He stomped a severed Gigabyter head vindictively. Once the adrenaline finally died down, his body grew numb. Numb to the weight in his hands. Numb to the pain. Numb to the world. He limped over to where his family lay. The sight haunted him to the core as the despair that plagued so many beforehand finally caught up with him.

Back then, it all seemed so simple. Trail Blazer had the ability to protect the remaining people of their beloved home. He had the skills, the training, and the tactical knowledge. He had the responsibility to act and keep them safe.

But this? How was any of what he did keeping them safe? Most of them were dead. Canterlot was in ruins. Everything had been for naught. And he had been a part of this. He was responsible for their deaths. Responsible for many of them walking off to their doom. And now it all caught up to him.

The horrific realization crept him. Added to the sight of the lifeless bodies of his wife and children, Trail Blazer finally broke.

Unable to take it anymore, he fell to his knees and screamed.

He shook off those horrible memories. They were a thing of the past. If everything went well, he’d have them back. Then everything would return to normal. Maybe even better than before. The Sentry Family on this world and him were both broken. But together, they would be whole once more. It was the lone hope, the sole reason why he continued to live.

“This time...I won’t fail them…and nothing will get in my way” Trail vowed. He then noticed the two Riders fighting off the Gigabyters. He frowned when he saw the Riders arrive. “...even if I have to force my son to stand down.”

“Just how many of these guys are there?!” Flash yelled as he and Jet swerved their vehicles to a stop.

“Not sure, but I’m guessing about a hundred or so.” Jet answered in dismay.

To say that the dam was infested with Gigabyters would be an understatement. They have the structure completely swarmed. They could even see several of them at the hydroelectric generators siphoning off the energy.

“With all of this going on, it’s almost like a nightmare.” Sunset admitted.

“I know. Everything’s just happening too fast. If we don’t stop them, then the Enigma on this world will be fully functional and merge our worlds.” Twilight added.

“We won’t let that happen.” Jet and Flash donned their respective Drivers.

“These guys are going down!” The musician inserted the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles while the otherworlder prepped his Cyber Pad.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

Flash turned the crank of his Driver as Jet slotted the pad into his own Driver.

“Henshin!”

"DOWNLOAD!"

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

Now donned in their armor, the two charged into the horde, leaving the girls alone. Twilight nudged her friend. “While they’re handling the monsters, let’s see if we can work on the power lines of the dam.”

“Why?”

“If we reroute the power, then we can minimize how much the Gigabyters can drain.”

“...Which in turn would delay the plans to bring Enigma online.” Sunset realized.

“Exactly.” The two then snuck off to the power management facility.

Back with the guys, Build and Cyburst continued to mow their way through the Gigabyter horde. Although it was more so Cyburst thinning out the horde while Build continued to struggle. Try as he might, his weapons had no effect on these monsters. They shrugged off his attacks and simply kept going.

He tried using the Drill Crusher to slash and stab them, but it failed to break through their armor. After he got thrown back, he switched to its blaster mode. The lasers didn’t faze them.

On the other hand, Cyburst’s attacks have been taking them out left and right. With the Blast Burner in one hand and the Blade Buster in the other, he tore through the enemies like they were tissue paper.

The two-toned Rider cursed his inability to fight them. If only they had time to crack Cyburst’s software for him to use! Then he recalled what happened earlier. Their meeting with Gizmo. There was a way to fight these things.

Flash then pulled out the bottles Gizmo had given him. It might have been stupid, but right now he didn't really have any other choice.

Pulling his current bottles out, he then placed the purple bottle into one slot.

"CROCODILE!"

He then placed the orange bottle into the slot next to it.

"CHAINSAW!"

"BESTMATCH!"

He started turning the crank as the purple and orange spruces appeared around him, forming the armour in front of him.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

"Build up!" The armor slammed onto him, morphing him into a new form. Most who'd seen it thought they were looking at Key Dragon, as the design was so similar. Build was a mismatch of purple and orange. The left side of his helmet, right arm and left leg was purple while the right side of his helmet, left arm and right leg was orange. The eye-patches were of a crocodile head and a chainsaw, the blade and snout sticking upwards. His right arm was the head and back of a crocodile, the mouth opening to show his hand. His left arm had a large chainsaw blade sticking out the back.

"CUTTING CAIMAN,SAWDILE!"

“YEAH!”

The surrounding Gigabyters were momentarily surprised by his change in attire before they snapped out of it. They soon rushed at the Rider to crush him right then and there.

The saw blade started to rotate as Build swung his arm around, slicing through the encroaching Gigabyters. The bisected creatures collapsed before exploding.

“Whoa...that was awesome!” Flash exclaimed in amazement. He actually got them. But the moment of joy was soured upon recalling it was due to Gizmo’s assistance.

He almost didn’t notice the Gigabyter jumping at him from behind until Cyburst shot it down.

“Good to see you taking care of things!” He snapped before cutting through another one. “But stay locked on!” He ducked below a swing and shot it through the back of the head.

“O-On it!” He nodded before entering the fray once more. Now that he was able to fight back properly, the mob started to thin out even further. However, many of these mutated enemies swarmed the dam.

“You think this is the right place?” Sunset asked as she and Twilight crouched out of sight to avoid the Gigabyters. They made their way towards the power station to see if they can shut down the facility to prevent them from stealing the power.

“We’re almost there. I remember the directions to the generators and power management station from when I toured here a while back.”

“Of course you did.” Sunset shook her head, knowing full well that would be a Twilight thing to do.

“We just need to make it past this pathway and...oh no…” She trailed off as she and Sunset stared at at least a dozen Gigabyters that blocked their path. Their sights were now focused on them. “....RUN!” Using her magic, she levitated a nearby trash bin and threw it at the group. The lead monster blasted it to bits with a laser. But the explosion was enough of a smokescreen to cover their escape.

The two fled down the path they came to try and find another way to their destination while simultaneously shaking off their pursuers.

It was a short lived mission.

When they made it to the clearing that branched off to a different path, they found that their way of escape was blocked by another trio of Gigabyters.

They tried to backtrack again, only to be cut off from the dozen they fled from before. The two of them were now pincered in. “...Well this just went from bad to worse.” Sunset lamented.

The two girls stood back to back. Twilight’s hands glowed with her magic while Sunset had her arms raised defensively. Even though her own magic wasn’t useful in combat, she wasn’t going down without a fight. Yet their determination was betrayed by their knees shaking at the prospect of certain death.

The Gigabyters closed in, their eyes glowing brightly. But before they could surround and end them, the three that arrived were suddenly bowled over by a rainbow blur. The blur then zoomed back around and knocked a few more Gigabyters off their feet. It then swept Sunset and Twilight up before zipping away from the monsters and stopping.

“R-Rainbow? Applejack?” Sunset questioned as she and Twilight recovered from the near whiplash. “What are you doing here?”

“To help you guys out of course.” The athlete answered as she wound up her arm.

“And good thing too.” AJ added. “You gals ‘right? Y’all were in a sticky situation there.”

“Well with you two here…” Twilight said as she turned to the recovering Gigabyters. “I think we stand a better chance."

A Gigabyter fired a blast from its eyes, but Build raised his right arm to block. The laser bounced off of the crocodile hide. The two-toned Rider then threw a punch. The crocodile heard around his arm opened and enlarged until it slammed its jaws down on the monster. He flung his arm out and tossed the Gigabyter into its approaching brethren.

Cyburst rolled away from another laser blast and landed on his knees before shooting another Gigabyter in the eyes. The blast struck the upper half of its face, damaging it and flinging it back. He then spun up and slashed another one across the chest.

“Just how many left are there?!” Build delivered a spin kick at a rushing enemy before grabbing another and slamming it into a third.

“No clue, but I think we’re thinning them out!” Cyburst declared as he jumped on a Gigabyter, using it as a platform, before snap kicking another in the face and downing it with a well placed laser to the face.

Ever since Applejack and Rainbow arrived in the nick of time, the conflict turned into the girls’ favor.

Rainbow’s speed gave her the advantage, allowing her to zip around the enemy and unbalance them. Since their focus was on her, the others were able to pick them off one by one. Applejack handled close quarters and managed to overpower the Gigabyters with her magic. One tried to strike her down. But a well-timed block and counter-punch tore through its body and taking it out.

Twilight held a supportive and offensive role by levitating random debris and using it to pelt the Gigabyters.
Due to the nature of her Magic, Sunset stayed back for a supportive role and kept an eye for enemy attack patterns that they could exploit. But as they fought, she couldn’t help but wonder. If these Gigabyters really had Nebula Gas infused into their being, then how could their magic be working on them?

Ever since they got their answers, she came to the realization that Equestrian Magic doesn’t seem to have an effect on Nebula Gas, which is why they were useless when fighting the Smash, Blood Stalk, and Night Rogue when using magic directly. But this was not the case here. Was it because of the otherworldly nature of the Gigabyters? Or something else?

As the four fought off the enemies that surrounded them, they failed to notice the armored figure watching their actions. When he saw them use their powers, he noticed a strange energy being emitted from them. It was more prominent in the three girls fighting, but he was also able to detect the same signature from the remaining one, albeit at a lower intensity. They were all connected and synchronized. It was unlike anything he has interacted with previously.

“...strange….this power those girls possess…” Trail became intrigued. He did not know the nature of their abilities. But perhaps Doom Raiser has an idea. It wasn’t part of the plan, but if these abilities would somehow help in their endeavors, then all the more reason to take them.

After a while, the girls finally took care of their enemies. With one final punch, Applejack knocked the head off of one Gigabyter.

“Finally…” Rainbow sighed in relief. While it took quite a bit of effort, they were able to beat the Gigabyters. It felt nice to be able to beat something that wasn't robots.

“Well, we got that taken care of. Now we need to go to the power room and divert power so the Gigabyters can’t steal energy from the Dam.” Twilight declared.

“Stealing power? Why would they do that?” AJ questioned.

“We’ll explain on the way.”

“You four won’t be going anywhere…” A distorted voice announced. The girls turned around and saw the red gear armor of Trail Blazer approach them.

“....Uh-oh…”

After taking out several of the Gigabyters, it was time to end this fight.

Cyburst dismissed his weapons and pushed down the lever on his Driver.

“FULL POWER!”

He ran up to his group of Gigabyters and jumped up with his foot extended. “Rider Kick!” He suddenly shot forward as his foot exploded with energy, turning him into a meteor that came crashing down towards the Gigabyters.

"VIRUS BUSTER!"

Cyburst struck one of the Gigabyters and caused an explosion, the others were caught in it and were destroyed.

Build, on the other hand, began turning the crank of his driver.

“READY?GO!”

An aura of purple and orange energy flared off his body before shooting into the air, merging to form the image of an energy crocodile with a chainsaw tail.

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

Build punched the air, the crocodile charging forward until it reached the Gigabyters. It scooped them up in its mouth and chomped down on them before throwing them into the air. And as they fell back to earth, it spun around and slashed them all with its tail.

Their bodies sparked before exploding into fiery blasts.

As soon as the fight had died down, Flash received a call from his communicator.

“Flash? Do you read me?” Micro asked. “Have you seen the sky?!”

“Yeah, I was filled in by Director Light earlier. So what’s up? We just finished taking out the Gigabyters.”

“We just got back to the Lab. Except for Rainbow and Applejack. They went to you to provide backup.”

“Wait, they’re here?! But how do they expect to fight?”

“No clue, but just what are those Fullbottles? We never purified those two. Where on Earth, and I mean our’s, did you get them?!”

“...Yeah…” Flash grimaced. “...We actually ran into Gizmo on the way here. He gave them to us.”

“Wait, what?!” His alarm was shared by the others that listened in. Gizmo gave those to him?!

Flash then explained what happened and what they learned from their conversation. Starting with Doom Raiser and his role in orchestrating the Gigabyters, Enigma, and his mad plan of fusing the two worlds.

“That’s insane. How is that even possible?! Combining worlds like that doesn’t sound possible without repercussions!”

“He said that the details would be on his laptop. You think you could look it up from the hard drive?” Flash inquired.

“I’m already on it.”

Micro then hung up, leaving the two riders alone. “So what was that? You got a radio in your helmet?” Jet inquired.

“Yeah. Micro called in. Hopefully we can figure out what’s going on with the world fusion thing on his end.”

Their conversation came to a close as a multi-colored blur zoomed past them and skidded to a stop.

The Riders saw that the source was an exhausted and slightly battered Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Sunset, and Twilight.

“Are you girls alright?” Flash rushed over to them in concern. Jet followed.

“We’ll live.” The athlete grunted. “But we gotta get outta here!”

“But why? We still need to stop the Gigabyters from taking power!”

“We got bigger things ta worry ‘bout!” The farmgirl added in alarm.

“Is it what did this to you all?”

“It is...and it’s definitely worse…” Twilight warned. Before the guys could ask them for more, a blur of red shot from the sky and crash landed right next to them, kicking up dirt.

“Did you really think you could escape?” Came the chilling voice as the dust settled. The visage of the armored Trail Blazer stepped forward, unperturbed by the Riders before him.

“So you’re actually here.” Cyburst scowled as he readied a memory card. “Didn’t think one of the masterminds would show up this soon.”

Build remained silent, yet stared at the man before him. He knew that this was an alternate version of his father from another world. It wasn’t the same person. He was an enemy. He had to fight. Yet…

...he couldn’t even bring himself up to speak out.

“Plans have changed.” Trail answered and snapped his fingers. The giant mechanical hand, Enigma, materialized into existence before them. “In addition to what we have stolen so far,” His gaze focused on the four Rainbooms. “We have found a new source of power to study.”

The girls realized what he meant and the dread set in. “He wants us?” Rainbow asked.

“No...he wants our Equestrian Magic.” Sunset corrected in trepidation.

Before either Rider could react, Enigma’s hand opened up and shot a ray of light down at the group of four.

“Twilight look out!” Sunset reacted quickly and shoved the bespectacled girl out of the rays. She tumbled before stopping and looked up to see her friends get abducted. The girls were then sucked through the gate Enigma had made before it closed.

“NO! SUNSET! RAINBOW! APPLEJACK!” Twilight screamed in horror. But it was all for naught as her friends were no longer in this world.

“...A pity. I was only able to nab three.” Trail shook his head before turning his sights on the bespectacled girl. “Oh well. The remaining one will be no issue.”

“...you…” said a voice seething in rage, causing the red armored man to look up.

Trail quickly brought his arms up to block a savage strike from Build’s crocodile arm. “GIVE THEM BACK!” He roared angrily. “GIVE BACK MY FRIENDS!”

“...sorry son,” He apologized before kicking him away. “Afraid I can’t do that.”

“Then we’ll just make you!” Cyburst cried as he came at him with the Blade Buster in hand. Trail expertly weaved through the swings before grabbing the Rider by the arm and twisting it behind his back. He twisted it hard enough to force his grip to weaken before ramming his geared shoulder into him. And energy gear manifested and ground against his back before exploding. Cyburst was sent flying before he smacked against the dam wall. The impact left cracks along the surface and forced him out of his transformation the moment he dropped to the ground. Twilight rushed over to help him up.

Flash recovered and charged at Trail once more. “Son, just listen to me!”

“Shut it! I'm not your son! You’re not my dad!” He threw a punch, only to have it parried and countered with a liver strike. Momentarily stunned, Trail dropped and kicked his feet out from under him. Once he went down, he pinned him to the ground with his foot on his chest.

“I am!” He shouted desperately. “Why can’t you understand that?!”

“You’re just someone trying to replace what he lost!” Build snapped before summoning the Drill Crusher and firing at him. Trail had to leap away to avoid the lasers. Flash closed in swinging his chainsaw arm. “You don’t know me, just like I don’t know you!”

“I know more than you think!” He rammed his gear shoulder to the saw blade. Sparks flew as the two rotating blades slammed into each other. “I know you lost your father, just as how I lost my own family.”

“And you expect to be a replacement?!” Flash roared before batting him away and stabbing him with the Drill Crusher. “My dad’s dead! And you’re nothing like him!”

“I’m trying to bring about a better world! Can’t you understand that?!” Trail snapped in frustration. He took out his own weapon, a modified version of the Transteam Gun, and fired back. Flash blocked it with the crocodile hide.

“You’re risking billions for an insane plan at the behest of a madman! My dad would never do something like that!”

“You mean because of his principles, right?” Trail stopped firing with a hint of venom in his voice. “Of how having the ability and talent gave you a responsibility to help others?”

“What of it?” Flash questioned as he slowly lowered his arm, but kept his own weapon at ready.

“...stop believing in those worthless lies.” He said coldly, voice unfiltered.

“...Wh-what?” Flash actually backpedaled. The fact that it wasn’t his father momentarily forgotten as those words spoken with his voice registered in his mind.

“That philosophy is a sham. You thinking having power gave you the responsibility to help others? Moreso, you expect to help everyone just because you have some sort of talent? Well guess what? It’s not true...it was never true…”

The musician froze as he words of this...remnant reached his mind. Part of him thought it was just a ploy to force him to drop his guard. Yet...another part of him questioned the truth of those words.

“No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t save everyone. My ideals turned out to be nothing more than a sham that got everyone killed. But you...you don’t have to do that. Just give up, and everything will be alright.”

“I...I can’t give up!” Flash shook his head rapidly, trying to snap out of it. He raised the Drill Crusher and fired. But his unfocused mind made him miss his shots. “I have to fight! To stop Blood Stalk and protect this town!”

“Even if it meant risking your life? Risking your mother and sister losing you?” Trail asked rhetorically as he slowly approached.

“That’s…”

“You fought with that philosophy driving you, as it is one of the only things left of your Trail Blazer. But what did it leave you? An impossible ideal to live by. A life of continuous regret. And doomed to be obligated to help others when you can’t even help yourself!” Trail rushed in and knocked the Drill Crusher from his hands. He kicked his son in the knees to destabilize his footing before kicking him into the wall. He pressed his forward against his throat and pinned his Chainsaw arm to the side.

“I...I thought...you’d be proud of your son helping people.” Flash choked, his mind in disarray.

“One time I would. But now...I can only be disappointed and ashamed.”

“FUNKY DRIVE!”

The gears on his shoulder glowed and spun once more, at a greater intensity than before. They ground against Build’s armor, eliciting a pained scream. Then they finally exploded.

“Flash!” Twilight yelled as she helped Jet limp over. The smoke soon cleared, revealing an injured, unarmored Flash Sentry at the mercy of the Red Kaiser.

Seeing that his son’s armor was gone, Trail backed away, leaving him to crumple on the floor in agony.

“Give up trying to be the hero, son. It’s not worth it. It never was.” Trail Blazer shook his head. “Rest assured, what I’ve done won’t be for naught. Soon...the perfect world will be born.” He spun on his heel and walked away. A portal appeared that soon swallowed him and the Enigma.

The three were left alone to wallow in their defeat and loss.

Flash glared at the ground despondently with clouded eyes.

Sunset had experienced interdimensional travel before. One prime example was going through the mirror portal from Equestria to the human world.

She expected a lot. But she didn’t quite expect her, Rainbow, and Applejack to appear several dozens of feet up in the air and falling freely.

They screamed as they descended at terminal velocity. It was only a matter of time before they hit the ground and went splat.

“C’mon wings! Open! Fly! Help!” Rainbow had desperately tried to conjure wings as she had back in the Friendship games. However nothing worked.

“What’re we gunna do?!” Applejack yelled over rushing air as she kept a tight grip on her hat.

“I don’t know!” Sunset yelled back in panic.

Just when they thought they would splatter on the ground, they were saved in the form of three armored figures. Hacker and Vaccine had managed to catch Applejack and Rainbow respectively while Cross-Z misjudged his timing and simply broke the fall for Sunset Shimmer instead. The three landed safely on the ground while the latter two groaned in pain, but nonetheless alive.

“We’re...we’re alive? Hah! We’re alive!” The athlete cheered. “That was awesome!”

“Never again…” Applejack shook her head as her adrenaline levels regulated themselves.

“Are you girls okay?” Vaccine questioned as they set them down.

“We’re fine. Thanks for the save.”

“You’re just lucky we detected the spatial anomalies and reacted accordingly.” Hacker replied. “Now who are you?”

“Ow….” Sol and Sunset groaned as they untangled from each other.

“...How could you have missed that catch?” Hacker wondered aloud.

“No clue…” Cross-Z groaned.

“Wel, thanks for that, Sol.” Sunset thanked before her mind registered something. “Sol! You’re alive!”

“Yeah, you two.” He groaned as he cancelled his transformation. “What are you three doing here?”

“We got sucked up by that Enigma Machine. It almost got Twilight until I pushed her out of the way.”

“So you know about the Enigma? Who are you?” Hacker interrogated.

“Relax man.” The fighter got between him and the girls. “They’re my friends. Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.”

“So they’re from your world?” Vaccine inquired.

“Wait, world? Where are we?” AJ wondered as she looked around. It was then the three noticed the futuristic setting they were in. They were simply amazed by how everything looked clean and advanced.

“Well, you’re not in Canterlot anymore. You’re in NewGear City. Believe it or not, the year is 2017 like ours.” Sol answered.

“Seriously?” Rainbow exclaimed as she took everything in. “Man, Twilight would have a fit if she saw all of this!”

“Well that can wait. With everything going on, and the sight of another world staring back at us from the sky, we’re gonna need you three to come with us and answer our questions.” Hacker explained.

“Just where are you taking us?”

“Cyburst Industries.” Sol Burner answered. “Hopefully we can find some more clues there.”

Back in Canterlot, the group of three finally made it back from the dam. Seeing as Flash was in no condition to drive the Machine Builder, Jet drove them all back on his Cyber Cycle.

They entered the lab to see their friends and family at work. Misty and Scootaloo immediately rushed over to Flash to ensure that he was okay. He answered despondently, mind still reeling what he had heard from the alternate Trail Blazer.

“Welcome back.” Night Light welcomed.

“Where are Sunset, Rainbow, and Applejack?” Fluttershy asked.

“They...they were taken. They were captured by the Enigma.” Twilight morosely answered.

“WHAT?!” Pinkie Pie yelped in a mix of shock and horror, a sentiment shared by their friends.

“Twilight, please explain. What happened back there?” Velvet asked her daughter.

She explained how they encountered the Gigabyters at the Dam and Flash and Jet worked to fight them off while Sunset and her tried to reroute the power or shut down the dam to prevent them from stealing energy. However, they were intercepted by a group of Gigabyters until they were saved by Rainbow and APplejack, who helped fight them off.

But then Trail showed up and tried to abduct them for their Equestrian magic. They ran, but he caught them in the end. He would’ve taken all four until Sunset pushed her out of the way.

“As you can see, we didn’t have much luck in stopping them.” Jet added while shaking his head. “But what about you guys? Did you find anything about the world fusion?”

"Yes," Micro nodded with a frown, "and it's not good." He showed them his computer, which had a bunch of complex algorithms, charts, equations, and readings only Twilight understood. "When my brother looked into the Enigma's ability, he realized the worlds could be fused. But there was a possible problem. Overlap."

"What's overlap?" Pinkie asked.

"Basically, it's trouble. If two universes are fused together, anything that exists in both universes will overlap and cancel each other out."

"Still not following," Sandalwood told him.

Twilight thought for a moment to try and figure out how to explain it. "Alright," she had an idea, "let's try it like this. There's a version of Trail that comes from Jet's world, but there isn't one in our world. At least there isn't one anymore. If the worlds fuse, there'd be no overlap because there's only one of him in both worlds. But if there's, say, another version of you in Jet's world, then when the world fused you'd overlap with your counterpart and would be destroyed." Now everyone was starting to understand.

"So if the world's fused," Rarity went on. "Anyone in our world who has a twin in Jet's world would...what, both vanish?"

"Possible," Micro explained. "He said it's only a possibility. It's just as likely only one of them would survive while the other vanished. The fusion process would pick and choose which bits of both worlds it took to make the new single world. And it's not just people. Cities, possibly whole countries could both be destroyed or mixed and matched. And that's if the fusion's done right at all?"

"What happens if it's not done right?" Fluttershy asked.

"Imagine two cars hitting each other at super fast speeds." This image made Fluttershy 'eep' and hide behind her hair.

“So by fusing our worlds together, there’s a huge risk of cancelling itself out or both would implode?” Twilight questioned.

“That’s exactly right.” Micro responded morbidly.

The revelation weighed heavily on all of them. This plan of Doom Raiser and Trail Blazer would risk the destruction of both planets. Even if they were somehow successful, there would still be casualties from people and places being cancelled out.

Despite the troubling discovery, Jet felt his own determination to stop them burn brighter. He was not going to let his world be destroyed by some technophile who’s willing to risk destruction to fulfil his desires.

On the other hand, Flash stayed silent. The more he heard about the fusion of worlds, the heavier the weight on his mind became.

“Wait, dude. Where are you going?” Sandalwood asked as he noticed Flash heading for the door.

“...I’m just gonna clear my head. I’ll be back later.” He answered without turning around.

“Flash, wait.” But Scootaloo’s cry came too late as he stepped out of the room.

“What’s up with Flashy?” Pinkie wondered as she rocked on her feet.

“I have no idea, darling.” Rarity shrugged.

“Did something happen at the Dam?” Misty asked Twilight.

“Well…” She wasn’t sure how to explain this.

“Don’t worry.” Jet said, shifting focus to him. “I’ll keep an eye on him.” Before the others could question what he meant, he already left.

“Brilliant….absolutely brilliant!” The man exclaimed ecstatically. Trail had just returned to their shared base of operations. While his Enigma was not yet fully charged, it almost had just enough power to complete their goals. All he had to do was find the final source to energize it.

He had also submitted his readings regarding the strange powers he received from the girls to his partner. Said man was in his own corner, studying the readings and conducting calculations. He was a middle aged man with red skin and yellow hair that was slicked back. He was garbed in a pair of slacks, a shirt with a bloodied sword emblazoned on the front, and a lab coat over it. His eyes shone with mirth and curiosity as his fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard.

“I can’t believe that you were so fortunate as to find this mysterious form of energy, Trail Blazer!” Doom exclaimed in glee.

“Neither could I.” The scarred man answered as he focused on his own task. “Still, I had no idea what to make of it. I was unsure if they were a discovery that we can use to accelerate our plans. Can the energy be harnessed?”

“That remains to be seen. However, it appears that the energy sources you claimed are synchronized and linked. They seem to resonate with one another.”

“And what does that mean for us?”

“For now, it’s still inconclusive. However, if we were to acquire these girls and harness their powers, we may be able to further power the Enigma to unprecedented levels, possibly enabling a completely perfect fusion of the worlds!”

“Is that truly possible?” Trail asked hopefully.

“Well, it’s merely a hypothesis. I still need to conduct further tests, with those girls preferably. But now that they are in this world, it should be no issue to retrieve them.” Doom then began to ramble on theories and possibilities that have opened up.

Realizing his partner was lost in his own world, Trail resumed his own tasks. Ever since returning to the world he desired, he made it a habit to acquire any information about the current state of affairs. The more informed he was, the better preparations he can make.

It was during his browsing that he found a news story that caught his interest. It featured the debut of Masked Rider Build saving Canterlot High School from an organization called Faust. It also talked about a man who had been a part of Faust, as well as a lieutenant in the city police force, was arrested and how his life was lost due to his transport exploding.

“...how interesting…”

“Okay, I stand corrected, this is even more awesome!” Rainbow cheered as they saw the Cyburst Industries laboratory. Everything was so high tech and futuristic that it just looked so cool to the athlete.

Sunset was equally excited, wanting to know how everything worked. They were sure Twilight would have a gushing moment if she were present.

“Yes yes, everything is more advanced than what’s back on your own world, but we don’t have time for that.” Code steered the conversation back on track. Once they entered the lab, he and Heart requested their phones. They needed to contact the other world in order to determine if there had been any discoveries that could help them understand the situation.

Sunset had explained to them what she learned from Gizmo on during the trip. The others were surprised by the revelation, and Sol grew angry at the mention of the fallen scientist for helping them for some odd reason. But they learned how the Enigma’s were made to combine the two worlds using Nebula Gas. However, they needed copious amounts of power to activate. With the activation of the Enigma in NewGear City, the merge is halfway complete.

And based on her explanation, Trail Blazer nearly completed his task in Canterlot. It will only be a matter of time before he tries again, so they had to act quickly.

Which was why Code and Heart used their phones to forge a more stable connection to the other Earth and make contact. They were hooked up to the computer as he typed on the keys. The screen buffered briefly before blinking to a new image. It was the inside of the CRDC Lab.

“Hello?” Code spoke through the microphone, startling the inhabitants and catching their attention. “Can you hear me?”

“Wh-who are you?!” Micro Chips demanded.

“Hey guys!” Sol waved as he pushed Code Breaker out of the screen.

“Sol?! Is that you?!” Sandalwood questioned as he rushed up to the screen next to Micro.

“Yep. It’s me!” He was then shoved to the side as Rainbow and the others joined in.

“We’re here too. These guys found us as we came into this world! And let me tell ya, it’s all so sci-fi here!” The athlete said.

“Thank heavens you’re alright, darlings.” Rarity said in relief. “Your disappearances made us worried sick.”

“Where have you been all of this time?!” Pinkie questioned.

The fighter opened his mouth to speak but he and the girls were shoved out of the way by an irate Code. “We can talk about that later. I’m not sure if you noticed, but we have a planet earth staring at us from Orbit! I’m sure you guys do too, and we really should figure out how to stop this mess before our worlds end up colliding! So what do you know?!”

His exclamation startled the teenagers, but also conveyed how dire the situation had become. “R-right!” He quickly explained what he learned from his brother’s data. He went in-depth about how the merging of two worlds would lead to drastic complications should it fail.

The crew in NewGear City processed this discovery. The girls and Sol were shocked by the notion of cancellation.

“That’s….awful…” Heart gasped. “So this insane plan of fusing the worlds would end up causing billions of casualties?!”

“I’m afraid so.” Micro nodded morbidly.

“But wait, if this Doom guy is doing this, then what’s to stop him from disappearing too?” Sol questioned.

“That’s what we need to figure out.” Velvet spoke in as she appeared. “...Say, do you know if there’s a Doom Raiser in your world?”

“In our world?” Code inquired.

“Yes. If Doom was really adamant about this plan, he would no doubt deal with any obstacles in his way. That was the type of man he was.”

“Let me see.” Heart performed a quick search and was greeted with the results. “It says here that Doom Raiser was a leading mind in environmental conservation. But it also says that he went missing around two months ago.”

“So that’s it.” Night stated from his end. “Doom definitely took precautions for his plan. It’s highly likely he killed his other self to ensure his existence when the worlds would combine.”

“That is troubling.” Code stated with folded hands. Doom Raiser was definitely determined to see his goals to fruition. But he seemed to be overlooking one glaring implication. If two Earths fused like this, then wouldn’t the planets themselves cancel out?

Before he could voice said concerns, Sol spoke out, noting the missing person in the lab. “Hey guys? Where’s Flash? Isn’t he with you?”

The Masked Rider of Canterlot leaned against the railing of the city bridge. The man-made construct overlooked the wide river below. He stared off into space as the words of the alternate version of his father circulated through his head. They had weighed down on him ever since the fight’s conclusion.

Were...were his father’s principles nothing but lies?

He recalled a time in his past, when his father explained to him his principles. He was a skilled jet pilot. But instead of continuing his work in the military, he chose to be a test pilot instead. Flash had wondered why that was the case. He could’ve helped people while still a member of the air force. Then he explained his reasoning.

“Sure I would be able to help out the nation’s defense as an air force pilot, but what about the little guys? Who would help them? While so many would come to the conclusion that being a member of the military, a policeman, or fireman, or doctor would help people, there are other ways to do so. For example, if there were no test pilots, how would aerospace manufacturers know how well their creations function? If they were to fail mid flight, a lot of people would get hurt or killed. Just because I have the skill to be a good pilot, doesn’t mean I should use them for my own benefit. It’s because I have these abilities that it is my responsibility to help others in my own way.”

He never forgot those words. They were what helped Flash become the man he was today. But after hearing the refutation from Trail Blazer, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Were those principles truly a lie? Sure it was impossible to save everyone. That was the nature of this world. Not everyone can be saved. But were the words his father told him completely false?

He became Build to help people. It was his responsibility to. But was it all for naught? What would his father really say if he were alive?

Is this what his father would’ve been like? Would this be how he reacted instead? Would he have condemned him for doing something so dangerous that it risked his life?

The more he pondered about it, the more his hesitation and fears grew. He grasped his father’s goggles around his neck and took them off. There was a hairline crack on the side from where it saved him from a bullet. If he hadn’t worn them, he would’ve been killed back then by Blood Stalk.

If he didn’t have them, he would’ve died.

But now? They were just a reminder of his father’s and Trail’s words. Flash’s grip on the goggles tightened until his knuckles turned white. His face twisted into one of confliction and anguish. Unable to take it anymore, he reared his arm back to throw them over the edge.

But a firm grip on his wrist stopped him. He turned his head to see the stern expression of Jet Stream.

To be Continued...

Author's Note

Hey guys. Hope everyone's doing well in these troubling times.

Right now, we just witnessed the alternate Trail Blazer's backstory and how he managed to survive his own Canterlot being destroyed by Malware. But at a cost to everything.

We also saw him deconstructing his own ideals before Flash, as well as breaking down his determination to fight.

And to top it all off, Sunset, Applejack, and Rainbow were taken for their magic!

Also, the debut of a new Best Match! Crocodile Chainsaw! The only thing that allows Flash to fight against the Gigabyters!

How will things play out from here? Well...stay tuned....

Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 4

The two teenagers stood on the bridge. One filled with anguish, the other calm and collected. They stood silent as the sound of rushing water echoed below them. .

“...I have no idea what you’re thinking right now. But I doubt you’d want to make a mistake like that, Flash.” Jet frowned.

“...Why are you here, Jet?” Flash questioned as his arm relaxed, allowing Jet to release him.

“Someone had to keep an eye on you. You didn’t look like you were in the best state of mind earlier.” The ravenette answered. “...I heard bits of what Trail Blazer said to you earlier. Just don’t let it get to you.”

“It’s not that simple.” He shook his head while he dropped his hand.

“And why not? We both know that man isn’t really your father. Just an alternate version of him.”

“Yeah. A version that lost everything he held dear. A version so far gone that he denounced his ideals and played a hand in this inter-dimensional mess we’re in right now.” The musician scoffed sardonically. He crossed his arms and leaned against the railing to overlook the water. “...I never imagined I would hear him reject his own principles like that. Guess it takes losing your family to open your eyes like that.”

“C’mon. Don’t tell me you’re starting to believe him.” The Kamen Rider frowned. “He’s just a shadow trying to reclaim what he lost.”

“Don’t you think I don’t know that?!” Flash snapped. “Of course I realize that! But hearing him speak like that, with his voice….I don’t know!” He pounded his fist against the railing, creating a dull clang. “I know he’s not my dad! He’s just a remnant of another world that lost his family and wants us to replace them! My father is dead and he’s never coming back!”

“So you’re just going to let that counterpart’s words get to you?” Jet questioned back as he leaned on the rail next to him. “

“I’m not even sure anymore.” He sighed. “...as much as I hate to admit it, he did bring up valid points. If I keep fighting, there’s a chance I might face something too much for me to handle. I would be risking my life and risk my mom and sister losing me in the process.”

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I know I made a decision to be a Rider long ago, but now he’s got me questioning everything again! What’s even the right thing anymore?!”

“That’s a hard question to answer properly.” Jet replied as he leaned back into the rail, hands in pockets. “Whether we’re right or wrong, we all make decisions based on our beliefs. I’m not sure about the specifics about your choices, but I assume you started out as a normal teen before being thrust into the responsibility of being a Rider to protect the people.”

“Yeah. But look where that got me. I might have stopped Faust’s initial plans, but now I have a friend that’s dead and even more friends captured by madmen. Some hero I was.”

Jet Stream frowned at his doubt. “Don’t go beating yourself up over this. Sure you made mistakes. But what teenager doesn’t? Sure there are times when we’re put on the spot, thrust into a role we weren’t looking or preparing for. But At the end of the day, we just gotta accept it and do our best. Trust me, I should know.”

“Oh yeah? How?”

“Because I was the same way.” Jet answered, prompting a confused stare from the bluenette. “Remember? I was a Rider fighting Malware since I was sixteen. Heck, I wasn’t even supposed to be Cyburst, initially.”

“You weren’t?” The musician’s eyes were wide in surprise.

“Nope. In the beginning, my dad was selected to be Kamen Rider Cyburst.”

“Your dad?”

“Yep. In fact, he was chosen to be the Rider because he was the one who successfully warded off Malware when he got to Cantelot...despite circumstances.”

“Circumstances? What do you mean?” The bluenette asked in confusion.

“After Malware manifested in Canterlot, before he cut off communications, his attack was broadcasted nationwide. A distress signal was issued and Cyburst Industries picked up on it. From there, they constructed a weapon made to destroy Malware in the form of an antivirus program tailored specifically for him.”

Jet laughed lightly. “The thing was, My dad wasn’t even supposed to be the one to use the weapon. He was just a low level security guard at the time.”

“So what happened?”

“Well, the team arrived in Canterlot, and the damage was worse than they thought. The city was in ruins and most of the populace was wiped out. They weren’t able to save the people, but they were driven to avenge them and destroy Malware. They broke into the city, but by some ironic twist of fate, the one who was supposed to use the weapon was killed by a Gigabyter. Most of the team went down until my dad and a few others were left. He was forced to grab the weapon and continue the mission. Soon, they reached Malware’s location and blasted him with it. At the time, we thought it destroyed him, as there wasn’t anything left. The remaining Gigabyters broke apart once their boss was destroyed. We thought we won. But we didn’t know at the time that his attack in Canterlot was just a scouting mission. A mere test to see how much damage he could do with his capabilities, test out human defenses, and acquire information.”

“Wait, if Malware was destroyed back then? Then why were you fighting him as Cyburst for two years?”

“I was getting to that. It turned out that Malware broke off a portion of his data and escaped to the cyberworld before his destruction. He took refuge in NewGear City, the place Cyburst Industries was located, and recovered as he built his power back up. While they weren’t aware of it back then, Cyburst Industries took precautions in case of a threat like Malware popped up again.”

“Thus they made the Cyburst Driver and Rider System.” Flash stated in realization.

“Exactly. And because of his accomplishments and bravery, my dad was chosen to be its user. His DNA was locked into it and everything. At least, that’s how it was supposed to be.”

“Supposed to? You don’t mean…”

“...Months later, on the day he was supposed to make his debut to the world as the best means of defense against monsters like Malware, he struck first.” Jet ran a hand down his face. “He ambushed the spot where the premiere took place. And my dad and the scientist that made the Driver were captured by Malware. Immediately, they were fragmented into millions of bits of data and scattered throughout the cyberworld.”

“Holy crap…” Flash whispered in disbelief. He didn’t know what else to say.

“...We were still under attack.” Jet continued. “The leader of it was one of Malware’s Commanders; went by the name Trojan. He grabbed the Driver and tried to destroy it. Then something both incredibly brave and incredibly stupid happened. I ran up to the guy and ripped the Driver out of his hands.

“I didn’t know what I was doing at first. My feet just moved on their own. I just didn’t want that monster to ruin what I had left of my dad. It was completely unintentional, but the Driver responded to my touch. It recognized my DNA, likely because my DNA is very close to my dad’s, being his son and all.”

“So that’s when you first transformed?”

“Yeah. Despite having no idea what I was getting into, I put the Driver on and transformed. Granted, my fighting skills were abysmal back then. It was only through the system’s instructions and armaments that I was able to win that time. Before I knew it, I became NewGear City’s resident Kamen Rider; it’s protector.”

“...why are you telling me all of this, Jet?” Flash asked, wondering if there was a point to his past and how it related to him right now.

“Because, like I said, you and I are similar.” The man shrugged. “Both of us were placed in roles we weren’t ready for at first. But after bearing such responsibility on our shoulders, we grew into them.”

“More like being forced into it.” Flash scoffed. He stared at his reflection below. “...When I first started as a Rider. I was torn between doing what was right and helping my friends, or stay out of it and not worry my mom and sister.”

“And yet you ultimately chose to be a Rider. Why was that?”

“...because I wanted to keep them safe. If I kept being a Rider, then I had the power to protect them and so many others from being used by monsters like Blood Stalk and Faust.”

“And you didn’t care about what anybody thought of you back then? How would they react if they knew you were the Rider?”

“...Not at the time, no.”

“There you go!” Jet clapped his hands. “That’s it right there.”

“What’s it?” Flash looked up in befuddlement.

“Your reason for fighting. It wasn’t directly about shouldering responsibility just because you have ability like your dad’s ideals.”

“Huh? But...my dad said-!”

“Ahp, ahp, ahp, ahp! Stopping you right there.” The ravenette raised his hand. “Forget about what your dad said. Forget about what anyone else said about your choice as a Rider. Because when you get down to the core of the matter, you chose to don the mantle because you wanted to help and protect others. That sole reason is the foundation of your choice. Because that is the type of person you are.”

At first, Flash didn’t know what he meant. But after he let the words sink into his mind and process them, his eyes slowly widened in realization.

Jet saw he made the connection. He smiled and nodded. “Don’t pay any mind to what your dad said. Don’t pay any mind to what anyone else says or thinks about your choices. Just care about what you think is right. In the end, the only person who can make your decisions is you alone. Got it?”

Several moments passed as his words left their impression on Flash. Slowly, the bluenette nodded as a smile grew on his face. “...yeah. I think I do.” He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Thanks Jet. I really needed that pep talk.”

“No problem, man.”

Meanwhile, back in NewGear City…

After making contact with the Canterlot Research Lab and exchanging information, the two groups were able to properly update each other on the situation. So far, the Enigma in Cyburst;s world is functional, despite not being fully powered. On the other hand, the Enigma in Build’s world is only partially operational due to a lack of power, as it failed to completely charge at the dam.

According to the files found in Micro’s computer, even half-charged, the Enigmas are functional. In order to combine the worlds, both devices need to be fully powered. Knowing how persistent Doom and Trail seem to be, they would no doubt strike again to complete their tasks.

However, they had no way of tracking their movements. All they could do is wait for them to make their move first. Sol and the others hoped for Flash to return and get better. The fighter had been surprised to learn that the man behind the red gear armored mask was an alternate version of Flash’s father, one that lost his entire family. He had no idea how to process this revelation. Although, he had an idea of what his friend was going through. If it had been Knuckle Blaze in his place, he’d be just as distraught.

But after hearing how Gizmo was the one who provided Flash assistance, Sol just snapped angrily. After everything he had done to them, Gizmo had the gall to actually be helpful for a change? It didn’t make sense to the fighter. Quite frankly, he didn’t even want to understand his reasoning. The words he spoke, the hatred they held, none of it passed over Code Breaker.

It took several moments for Sol to finally calm down, begrudgingly. After they exchanged information, they had been left on standby until Build and Cyburst could track down Trail and stop him.

Seeing as they had no other option but to wait on Build’s end, Heart had the brilliant idea to show them around NewGear City. After all, it wasn’t every day they’d get to see an alternate world. Rainbow Dash and Sunset were completely ecstatic to see the technological and sci-fi marvels. Applejack was also pretty curious.

Their jaws simply dropped when they saw all of the functional hardlight roads, hovercraft vehicles, and even people wearing jetpacks to travel through the air. They were also surprised to see random sights that were commonplace in their own world, such as hot dog and ice cream stands.

After a couple hours, Heart and a reluctant Code had taken the girls and quiet Sol to a local restaurant. The eatery was so clean that it looked like you could eat off of the tabletops. In fact some people did just that.

Once they were seated, they were to place their orders via holographic selection screens. There were even text boxes to input any additions or dietary restrictions.

The moment they placed their orders, their food materialized right before their eyes in mere seconds. It was like watching their meals be made by a 3D printer. The moment they took their first bite, their taste buds were greatly stimulated.

“This place is just...awesome…!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she bit into her burger.

“Is that what you describe everything?” Code Breaker scowled. Seriously, he heard her say the same thing for every little thing that got her and her friends excited about their world.

“How does this even work?” Sunset asked after she tentatively chewed her food. Despite the show of how it appeared, it tasted like the real thing!

“The menus simply took the orders we set in and programmed them through the data fields. Our meals were made to our inputted specifications and materialized in the physical world upon their completion.” Heart answered.

“I dunno know about y’all. But I feel like this is cheatin’ outta hardworking cooks and chefs.” Applejack replied.

“Oh, don’t worry. Places like these are more for fast food type of lunches. For those that want a quick, yet tasty meal during their busy schedule. There are other restaurants that have actual chefs due to their unique skill sets that machines and computers just can’t replicate.”

“Sounds good and all, but is now really the time for us to be stuffing our faces?” Sol snapped as he shoveled his beef bowl into his mouth.

“Whaddaya mean, Sol?” Applejack questioned as she ate her risotto.

“I’m saying that while we’re waiting here twiddling our thumbs, Doom and Trail could be planning their next attack. Heck, they’re probably on their way to attack right now!”

“Well, until we get an alert, we’re still in the dark on their location.” Code answered.

“Then why aren’t we preparing to fight them instead? In case you guys forgot, but my gear does squat against those Gigabyter things.”

“We’ll get you outfitted with proper equipment as soon as we return to the lab. Just be patient, Sol.” Heart tried to reason.

“Why didn’t we do it when we were already in the lab?” Sol inquired as he finished his meal. “We’d at least be better prepared.”

“Well getting mad won’t help the situation at all.” Code responded as he took a sip of his coffee. “It’ll just make you riled up and unfocused.”

“And just how would you know?” Sol asked with narrowed eyes. The man finished his drink and stared at the teen.

“...Let me ask you this. Have you ever experienced rage so intense that it blinds you to everything else? That it leaves a void in your being and won’t stop gnawing at you until it’s satisfied?”

The fighter’s eyes widened. Code’s response hit the nail on the head. For the longest time, ever since his dad’s death, that was exactly how he felt. The hacker noted his change in expression and nodded.

“H-how…?”

“Because I’ve been in the same place.” Code answered the unfinished question. He pulled out his phone and scrolled to an image that depicted him and another person that resembled him, albeit a few years older. He also wore a white version of Code’s fedora with a black stripe around it. “It was a few years ago, after Canterlot’s destruction. My brother, Hard Drive, and I...we hacked into Cyburst Industries’ mainframe.”

“Wait...you’re an actual hacker?!” Sol gawked.

“Yeah. Why do you think I’m called Kamen Rider Hacker? It’s not just a name.”

“So he seriously hacked your company?” Sunset questioned Heart, who nodded.

“Oh yeah. I gave him hell after I found out it was him.”

“Anyway, we hacked into the mainframe and found the blueprints for the Cyburst Driver. I thought we were going to steal them and sell them to the highest bidder, but Hard...he saw potential in them. We copied the files and went to build and improve the design. Instead of the chips, we developed the battle apps to enable weapons and combat features. After months of hard work, we almost finished it.”

“...I’m guessing something happened just before that happened?” Sol asked.

“Yeah. When we were about 90% done with the Driver, we were attacked by one of Malware’s Virus Generals. It came to his attention that we had been developing our own Driver. I later learned that he somehow traced our steps from our hacking job, even when we made sure to erase our tracks.

“That general had the power to digitize human consciousness into data chips. Back then...I was terrified. I had no idea how to deal with monsters like them. Before I realized it, my brother shoved the Driver in my hands while he held the virus off. I ran away. But when I returned later, after finding help, I found my brother’s body on the ground.

“I thought that he was dead. I didn’t learn until much later that his mind was just turned into a data chip. But since I didn’t know back then...I was a mess of grief and anger. I swore revenge against malware and all of his Virus Generals. So I completed the Hack Driver and became Kamen Rider Hacker.”

“...whoa…” Sol replied, unable to think of anything else to say.

“Yeah...whoa.” Code shrugged.

“...why are you even telling me this?” The fighter finally asked.

“Because...I got the feeling that you have your own share of animosity towards someone. I might not know what happened to you, but I’m sure Blood Stalk had something to do with it.”

“...It’s because of him that my father is dead.” He answered.

“I’m sorry. I know that you’re mad, but let me give you some advice. Don’t let that rage consume you. If you do, it will blind you to everything and get in your way, even vengeance. People may say revenge isn’t the right answer, but they don’t know the pain of having something precious ripped away from them.

“In fact, it was only because I was able to get past my anger that I was able to exact vengeance against Malware.”

“So...what am I supposed to do?” Sol wondered.

“Don’t forget the anger you feel towards Blood Stalk. But don’t let it overwhelm you. When the time comes, keep a cool head and make him pay.”

“...got it. Thank you...Code.”

“No problem. When you do fight him again...give him hell.” Code raised his glass in a toast that Sol met with a clink of his glass.

Meanwhile, the girls were off to the side, staring at the exchange in silence. Rainbow was the first to break it. “Do you girls get the feeling like they completely forgot that we’re here too?”

“Eeyup.” Applejack nodded.

“I’m more concerned on how their talk about revenge and murder being okay.” Sunset noted.

Meanwhile…

“I see...how magnificent!” Doom exclaimed as he obtained the results from the analysis.

“Did you find anything more about those energy readings?” The former pilot asked with folded arms.

“If you mean finding out that these girls are the answer to our problems, then correct!”

“Pardon?”

“The energy sources that these girls utilized. They possess a type of energy I have never seen before on either of these worlds. Astounding, really. The amount of energy per unit volume from these unique sources that the girls had are unprecedented! Why, with just three of these sources, we would be able to fully power one of the Enigmas.” His response made Trail’s eyes widen.

“Truly?” Such a thing was possible? That means their goal...is much closer than before.

“Yes! I thank you for capturing those three girls, Trail.” Doom pulled up the surveillance feed of Sunset, Rainbow, and Applejack. “It just made our job easier. With their powers in our grasp, we can fully power the Enigma stationed on this world!”

The survivor smiled before he realized something. If the girls were here, then what would they use to power the Enigma on Doom Raizer’s Earth? That world is not as advanced as his, and it would make things more difficult to power the Enigma there.

Then he remembered something else. There weren’t just three girls who had those powers. There had been a fourth. That bespectacled girl that suspiciously reminded him of the Sparkle Family before Canterlot fell to ruin. It might have been a far cry from the amount they need, but just having one would shorten the time amount needed to charge the device.

“...Right. We have our next course of action.” Trail decided as he walked towards the portal. “I’ll retrieve the remaining source in Canterlot to power its Enigma.

“And I shall retrieve the sources here to power up the one here. I look forward to your progress, partner.” Doom replied as he made haste to track the girls down.

The former pilot nodded before setting foot into the vibrant Canterlot once more, palming a handheld device.

Canterlot Research and Development Center…

Twilight Sparkle was at the super computer, decrypting the files they obtained from Heart and Code regarding the Cyburst Driver technology and the Gigabyters. Seeing as they had no leads on tracking down Trail or Doom, the bespectacled girl decided to use her time to decipher the files and find a means to fight the Gigabyters.

After Flash and Jet had left, her parents chose to escort Misty and Scootaloo back home whilst processing what they had learned. Her friends had gone out while Sandalwood and Micro tried to follow Jet to look for Flash. She was the only one left in the lab.

Truthfully, however, she wanted nothing more than to work on finding her friends and bring them back home. But without the Enigma, they have no way of accessing the other world. Furthermore, Flash and Jet were still gone...wherever they went. It wasn’t like she could consult the Riders in person.

“Twilight?” Spike called out, snapping her out of her focus. She turned to see him, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity standing by with concern etched on their features. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just trying to find something to help.”

“Twilight, darling. You’ve been at this for hours. Maybe it’s time you took a break.” Rarity offered.

“Yeah. It’s no good working on an empty stomach. Which is why I brought a cupcake platter!” Pinkie cheered as she whipped out a plate covered in an assortment of cupcakes.

“Thanks. I’ll have some later. I just need to decrypt these files first.” She turned back to the computer. Her friends looked at once another before turning to Twilight.

“Twilight. You need a break. I know it must have been bad back at the dam, but-” Spike was cut off.

“You didn’t experience what I did.” She retorted without turning around. “I...I couldn’t do anything. I just stood there. If Sunset hadn’t pushed me aside, I would’ve been taken too. What’s worse is that he plans to use our friends as a power source to fuel the Enigma, and we can’t do anything to stop it!” Her voice cracked towards the end. She tried to stifle a sob that nearly escaped her throat.

She wanted to help. To do something. Anything. But she had no idea where to begin. All she could do was try to work with what they had. But it was still slow progress. Before she could continue, she felt three pairs of arms wrap themselves around her, and something furry nuzzle her leg.

“Twilight...it’s going to be okay.” Fluttershy spoke first.

“Indeed, darling.” Rarity added. “We know you’re stressed. We all are. But working yourself ragged like this won’t do anyone any good. Believe us, Applejack learned that lesson that hard way.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. Before you know it, Flash and Sol will join up here safe and sound and kick butt!” Pinkie voiced her own encouragement.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Twilight. We’re all here ready to help however we can.”

“That’s right.” The puppy nodded. “We got your back.”

The bespectacled girl was touched by their kind, helpful words. She raised her hands to grasp their arms in turn, nodding in acceptance. “Thank you…”

However, the touching moment came to an abrupt end when the Smash Alert went off. The screen popped open to reveal the different sightings across town. There were more sightings than last time. Much more.

When Trail Blazer first stepped foot into the shadow of his former home once more, he immediately summoned hordes of Gigabyters to attack multiple locations at once. He realized that too few would allow them to be dispatched by the Riders easily. However, if he were to summon a force greater than they could handle, then that Sparkle girl should be drawn out to provide assistance...that is, unless she’s perfectly fine with several civilians dying due to her inactivity.

Truth be told, Trail had grown numb to Canterlot. Despite the name and eerily familiar layout, everything was vastly outdated than what he was used to. Furthermore, the very city was the place where his family and friends perished.

However, when the worlds became one, he would find it acceptable to call it home once more. He kept monitoring the progress of his expendable soldiers, noting how their readings seemed to vanish at a steady rate near the bridge. It was likely that it was Cyburst’s doing. After speaking with his son before, he was sure he shattered Flash’s will to keep fighting.

One Rider he can handle. Furthermore, the bridge was quite a ways away from his current location. Speaking of locations, he saw that another group of Gigabyters were being destroyed, but at a slower rate. He grinned. He found his target.

Previously, he noticed while these strange powers did well against the Gigabyters, they were not as effective as Cyburst’s powers. So it was natural to assume that this slower rate of destruction was a result of said power.

He raised his Nebulasteam Gun into the air and pulled the trigger, sending him to his desired location.

NewGear City...

The moment the group returned to the lab, their time of waiting was cut short.

Two mass Gigabyter readings appeared near two different power plants in town. Fortunately, the numbers weren’t as significant as previously. So the Riders decided to split off to handle the situation. Code would take care of the horde on the east side while Sol and Heart would fight off the West. While the Dragonic Rider’s weapons admittedly wouldn’t do much, he would act as Heart’s back up.

Rainbow was adamant about joining them, but was immediately denied by Code and Heart to make sure that they wouldn’t interfere. If Trail had gone through the trouble of kidnapping them, then it would be risky to leave them out in the open as targets. Thus they were instructed to remain in the lab. Sunset had been the voice of reason to convince her friends to stay back.
That didn’t mean they had to like it.

“This sucks!” Rainbow complained for the umpteenth time.

“Doesn’t matter how many times ya say it Rainbow Dash, ain’t gunna change nothing.” Applejack reminded her as she lifted her hat from her eyes.

“How can you be fine with this? We should be out there helping Code or Heart! I mean, even Sol got to go, and his weapons can’t do squat to these guys!”

“We’re here because we’re a target.” Sunset answered as she perused through the files and articles on the computer. “We go out there, and there’s a good chance Doom Raizer or Trail will capture us.”

“But we have magic, they don’t.”

“Which is why they want to abduct us. They almost got Twilight earlier, remember? They want us for something. That’s why they went to the trouble of splitting us between worlds. Without the others, we can’t fully pony up and use our full power against them.”

“...Fine. I get it.” Rainbow finally relented.

“Still, Ah’m kinda worried. What if they find a way in here?” Applejack voiced her concerns.

“You mean like right now?” A new voice called out from behind them. The girls jumped onto their feet and spun to the source, revealing himself to be Doom Raizer. “Hello little batteries. Have you right where I want you.”

“Huh? Batteries?”

“How did you even get in here?!”

“You’d be amazed by the wonders of teleportation technology.” He brandished his Nebulasteam Gun. “Truly, an amazing piece of work, one that is the first step to bringing forth my perfect world.”

“Do you even know the risks your insane plan has?!” Sunset snapped.

“Bah! Of course I do! I took every precaution. Every calculation! Every variable has been accounted for! Why do you think I went through the trouble of killing my alternate self here?” Doom snapped offended.

“Well all we know is that you’re a freaking lunatic that needs to be stopped!” Rainbow yelled as she and Applejack got ready to fight.

“Oh, isn’t that adorable. You girls think you can stop the inevitable.” He chuckled. “No no...what will happen is that I will abduct you to fully power the Enigma. Even if I have to beat you three into the ground.”

He shook an unknown bottle before inserting it into his weapon.

“GEAR REMOCON!”

He then raised his Nebulasteam Gun and shouted out.

“Kaiser!”

Once he pulled the trigger, a mass of steam exuded and covered his body before dispersing into his blue, geared form.

“FUNKY!”

“REMOTE CONTROL GEAR!”

The girls were suddenly overcome by a sense of dread. This presence...somehow it reminded them too much of Blood Stalk and Night Rogue.

“Now then…” He chuckled in a sinister manner. “Who’s first?”

Canterlot...

“Just how many of these things are there?!” Pinkie cried as she tossed another cupcake at a virus before it exploded. When the Smash readings first appeared, they immediately contacted Flash and Jet to combat them. Unfortunately, they were preoccupied dealing with the Gigabyters in their vicinity, leaving the other sectors defenseless.

It certainly didn’t help that the police had been trying to contact Flash and Sol whilst defending the populace. Left with no other choice, the girls decided to join the fray. As Twilight noted earlier, for some odd reason, their magic had some effect on these viruses.

At the very least, they could try to thin out the horde while protecting the people. Unfortunately for Pinkie, this also meant that the ‘Make Twilight feel better Cupcakes’ remained uneaten.

...At least she was making good use of her cupcake platter in this case.

While Fluttershy and Spike handled the evacuations, Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight held off the Gigabyters. The fashionista used her shields to round up the viruses and then box them in for a Pinkie dessert explosion or simply cut them to pieces.

Additionally, due to the nature of her shields, she was able to refract and disperse any lasers that the Gigabyters shot out. Twilight used her telekinetic magic to lift debris or help hold off the Gigabyters. Eventually, all of the viruses had been defeated.

“Are you girls okay?” Spike called as he and Fluttershy returned.

“I think so, darling.” Rarity replied as she brushed away the dirt from her outfit. “A little dirty, but fine.”

“Was that the last of them?” Twilight asked her friends. But before they could respond, a lone figure dropped down behind them. They all turned to see the scarred Trail Blazer rise on his feet.

“...aw man! The boss is here!” The puppy whined.

“Why are you here, Trail?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “And give us back our friends!”

“Apologies Miss Sparkle.” He shook his head. “Can’t do that. Not while we’re so close to the two worlds combining.”

“Think about what you’re doing!” The intellectual pleaded. “What you’re doing has the risk of both worlds imploding! Even if the fused Earth remains intact, billions of people would be cancelled out! Either one would live while the alternate dies, or both would disappear! Can’t you see that what you’re doing is practically genocide?!”

“I don’t care.” Trail replied swiftly, stunning the five. His eyes were as empty as ever, driven by a single goal. “I don’t care how many millions of people have to die. I’ve come this far already. I don’t care who I have to kill, or what I have to do to make my family whole again.”

“...You’re insane…” Pinkie whispered in horror.

“No...I just have nothing left to lose, but everything to gain.” He whipped out a Fullbottle and his Nebulasteam Gun.

“GEAR ENGINE!”

He then raised his weapon and shouted out.

“Kaiser!”

Once he pulled the trigger, a mass of steam exuded and covered his body before dispersing into his red, geared form.

“FUNKY!”

“ENGINE GEAR!”

The armored Trail Blazer stood tall whilst cracking his knuckles. “Let us begin for the end.”

Trail turned his sights towards Fluttershy. He appeared right before her from a cloud of mist. With a swift strike to her solar plexus, she was knocked out cold.

“FLUTTERSHY!” Her friends cried out. Angered, Spike pounced on the man, trying to bite through his armor. Unfazed, Trail picked up the puppy and hurled him into a wall. A sickening crack resounded upon impact. Spike collapsed to the ground in a pained whimper.

Sunset was the first to fall. Her powers had no combat capabilities, making her an easy target for Doom. She tried to run, but the armored man was faster. He grabbed her by the scruff of her jacket and flung her to the side of the room. She crashed through a workbench, scattering its contents.

Before she could pull herself back up, Doom was already upon her and grabbed her in a sleeper hold. She struggled to break free, only for her movements to grow weaker with each passing moment. Soon enough, she lost consciousness.

After Fluttershy and Spike fell, Pinkie grew enraged and started chucking confections like there was no tomorrow. Trail dodged one of them, only to pale when the splattered cupcake immediately exploded.

Her power was turning sweets into bombs?!

That was dangerous. He had to take her out quickly. He vanished into mist and appeared behind the party planner. He wrenched her arm and twisted it, forcing her to drop her confections before picking her up and dropping into a suplex. Pinkie’s head slammed to the ground and knocked her out cold. Her body fell limp, and he tossed it next to the fallen Fluttershy.

“You’re toast!” Rainbow roared as she zoomed across the room and slammed her fist into Doom’s face, knocking him off his feet. The athlete then winced from the sharp impact. Her hand was bright red from the poorly planned punch on her part. Instead she picked up some sort of metal rod to use as a makeshift bat. The moment the rod slammed into Doom, he was frazzled by a concussive burst of energy, one that Rainbow also felt from the tremor in her arms.

“Whoa! Was this some kinda experimental weapon? Nice!” Grinning from ear to ear, she sped towards Doom and whacked him in the back of his legs, knocking him over. She repeated the process by zooming around the room, beating the man again and again. But doing so allowed him to analyze her movements and react accordingly. Annoyed by this repetitive abuse, he acted.

“Come here!” Just before Rainbow could slam into him again, Doom stepped to the side at the last moment, grabbed the rod, then grabbed her by the face. He ripped the bar away then hoisted her into the air before slamming her back to the ground head first. He repeatedly slammed her to the floor until she lost consciousness.

As soon as he took down Pinkie Pie, Trail jumped to the side to avoid a pair of spinning diamond shields. They grinded across the ground like buzz saws, trying to reach him. The controller was a visibly incensed Rarity. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Trail raised his gun and shot off a burst of energy.

Rarity manifested a shield to block it. But doing so blocked her line of sight. She didn’t notice Trail vanish and reappear behind her until it was too late. The armored man pistol whipped her on the back of her head, taking her out of the fight.

Upon seeing her friends fall so easily, Applejack growled as she hefted up a table and hurled it at Doom. The man broke it to pieces with an empowered punch. She charged again with her arms raised.

She swung punch after punch to try and knock him out with one blow. But Doom proved to have a handle on martial arts, given his displayed fighting capability. He weaved through the blows. Soon enough, he grabbed both of the farm girl’s outstretched arms before crossing them downwards, leaving her head wide open.

He slammed his head into hers, stunning her long enough for his follow up attack. He rammed his gear shoulder into her.

“FUNKY DRIVE!”

A blue energy gear ground against her before launching her across the room. She crashed into the wall, leaving a sizable crater before peeling off and dropping to the floor in a motionless heap.

The mad scientist smiled widely beneath his helmet.

“You monster!” Twilight yelled as she pushed her magic to its apex, raising upturned concrete, and non-grounded items from the ground and throwing them at the target of her ire. Trail displayed superb physical ability by weaving through the thrown objects and blasting the rest to rubble as he continued his advance towards her.

Recalling how easily her friends had fallen, Twilight made a barrier of debris by orbiting the fragments around her in an attempt to protect herself from his sneak attacks.

Unfortunately, she had not accounted for Trail using brute force. He blasted the area around her before the red gear on his shoulder started to glow.

“FUNKY DRIVE!”

A massive red energy gear appeared and shot towards it. Its rapid rotations allowed it to easily crush her makeshift barrier before striking her dead on. She screamed in agony from the energy feedback before she was tossed into the air. She hit the ground hard into a roll before coming to a stop. Her head throbbed, her ears rang, and her body screamed in agony. She willed herself to stand back up, only to be greeted by Trail’s emotionless visage.

“I told you. I will do whatever it takes to reach my goal.” He told her before raising his leg and stomping on her head.

All she knew next was darkness.

Hacker, Heart, and Sol returned to the lab after destroying all of the Gugabyters at their respective locations. Surprisingly, neither party found any trace of Doom Raizer or Trail Blazer around. Such a thing set off alarm bells within the Riders, so they chose to rush back to the lab to continue their search.

But when they returned, they were shocked to find the lab in ruins. “The hell happened here?!” Code wondered aloud. Tables were upturned, walls were caved in, and there were craters in the floor.

“I happened…” Doom called out from the corner of the room. The three turned upward to find Doom Raizer sitting on an elevated platform. Around him were Gigabyters carrying the unconscious forms of…

“Sunset! Rainbow! Applejack!” Sol yelled in a mix of anger and horror.

“Put them down!” Hacker yelled while he and Heart aimed their weapons at him. “Then I’ll beat you into a bloody pulp!”

“Hm...tempting. But I refuse.” Doom hummed before rising to his feet. The Gigabyters shifted so they held the girls as shields between Doom and the blasters. “I’m so close to my goal after all. With my intellect and Trail’s initiative and hard work, it was only a matter of time. No matter what you kids would have done, the result was a forgone conclusion.”

“You mean killing billions just because you’re a technophile?!” Code growled.

“Of course. You have no idea how glorious your world is. All these advancements, all this technology. Why, with my own intellect, it can be accelerated even further!”

“They don’t need your messed up insanity!” Sol snapped.

“Bah! What do uncultured swine like you know!” He scoffed. “Either way, you’re too late. The time to activate Enigma...is now! Enjoy your remaining time in these separate worlds while you can. But three fifteen tomorrow, my dream will finally come to fruition!” Before they could hound on him, Doom and the girls vanished into steam.

“Finally...it will finally happen.” Trail said with relief as his Gigabyters hoisted the four girls up for transport. He had everything he needed for his dream to come true. But before they could leave the vicinity…

“Stop right there!” Cyburst yelled out.

The former pilot growled as he turned to see not only Cybust, but his son in that orange and purple armor.

“G-girls!” He gasped upon seeing his friends captive before turning to the man in red. “Let them go!” Both Riders brandished their respective blasters and shot at Trail. However, the man easily deflected each blast. Unfortunately, one of them ricocheted wrong and struck the Gigabyter holding Twilight, destroying it and causing her to drop on the floor.

Trail tried to grab her again, but a series of blasts stopped him from doing so. Build and Cyburst stood between the man and Twilight. After staring at Flash for several seconds, the Kaiser sighed.

“So this is what you chose. But it doesn’t matter....wait until 3:15 tomorrow...everything will be fine.” Without another word, Trail, the girls, and the Gigabyters vanished in a cloud of steam.

“Wait!” Build called out too late. He was already gone.

“F-Flash…?” A soft voice cracked out through pain. The two teens looked over to see the purple puppy crawl his way over.

“Spike!” The two-toned Rider was immediately on him, gingerly carrying him to avoid aggravating his injuries. “Are you okay? What happened?!”

“T-Trail got us by surprise...he...he took us out so easily. But forget me...how’s Twilight?”

“She’ll be okay.” Cyburst answered whilst carrying the girl. “She’ll need her injuries treated though.”

“Huu...what a disaster.” Gizmo mused as he viewed the sight from the top of a nearby building. His eyes trailed up to the mirror image of the Earth in the skies. “Even after all your hard work, things have escalated this far. We’re practically in the end game now. Are you really up for this Sentry?”

He gazed at the armored teenager below as he and Cyburst evacuated the Sparkle girl and her dog. He then broke out into a chuckle.

“...Well, knowing you, you’d probably fix everything in the last minute. At that climactic final moment. Show me that you’re up for this. And if you are…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red, trigger-like device. He tossed it up and down in his hand. “...maybe you’ll be ready to take on an even greater challenge.”

Later…

After abducting the girls, Doom had placed them in a series of pods that were hooked up to the Enigma. While he wasn’t entirely certain about the nature of their powers, he learned that they responded to a certain frequency. All it took was a matter of replicating that frequency to forcefully jump start them.

“Excellent. We’re finally at the final stage. You ready, Trail?” Doom asked the man through the screen. The man back in Canterlot nodded. He stood by a similar set of pods with three girls inside them. Likewise, they were hooked up to the Enigma.

“I have been ready for years.”

“Then pull the switch!” At the same time, both pulled the levers to their respective devices. The machines glowed to life as the pods glowed a variety of colors. The geodes around the girls’ necks sparkled erratically as their energy was being siphoned through the system and into the Enigmas.

“It’s working...it’s working! Hahaha! Perfect world! Here we go!” Doom cackled.

Simultaneously, the giant mechanical hands started to come to life.

To be Continued...

Author's Note

Hey guys. Hope everyone's doing well in these troubling times.

Now we're in the end game. The girls have been captured and the Enigmas are almost fully charged.

The Final Movie Battle approaches.

Stay tuned....

And thank you all for your support.

Special: Mirror Magic Part 1

It had been weeks since the fiasco that took place with the Gigabyters, the Enigma, Doom Raizer, and the alternate Trail Blazer. The City of Canterlot had more or less recovered from the harrowing ordeal and life had returned to normal...relatively. In the Canterlot Mall, repairs had been completed and citizens were able to browse and shop once more.

For one Juniper Montage, however, it was just another day at work at her part-time job at the cinema. Begrudgingly, anyway, as she disliked her current job. Not only was her boss a jerk, but tonight was the premiere of the Daring Do movie her uncle directed. The very same movie where she got kicked off the set for sabotaging in order to get a recast so she could be the star of the film.

At least...that was what happened until Blood Stalk took her hostage, killed off the security guards, and turned her into one of those Smash monsters. She still had no idea what had happened while she was transformed, only that it really hurt and her mind was in a fuzz. The next thing she knew was that one of the Riders, Cross-Z, had saved her and she was hospitalized for a few days. Her uncle was relieved that she was okay. But he was still adamant about having her banned from the set until further notice. He claimed it was also for her safety as that monster might return, but it was mainly to stop her from interfering with production anymore.

But at least he wasn’t that angry with her anymore. She loved her uncle, and she felt guilty for exploiting those feelings to give her a chance for stardom. When he would visit, they would both watch clips regarding the Masked Riders, as their appearance stirred the public and gave Canter Zoom ideas for another project. Juniper, on the other hand, simply admired her blue savior.

Imagine her shock to learn that a few days later, he and Build revealed their identities as the fighter Sol Burner, and Flash Sentry respectively to save their school and classmates. Not only was her savior a hero, but someone famous in the MMA circuit.

She felt horribly conflicted emotions from it. On one hand, she was grateful that he saved her and still admired him. But she couldn’t help but be envious how he and the girls got a taste of the attention she craved.

And it didn’t help that the girls were on every single screen at the mall through their music video. Even though it had been months since the premiere, they were still widely popular. There were also showings of the Masked Riders fighting monsters and saving people from the ‘World Crossing’ event that happened weeks prior. That had been terrifying.

But now everything was back to normal. And she fit right in by being absolutely mediocre. An average nobody. She stopped in front of the cinema, glaring at the promotional sign for the movie.

“Grr!” She picked up the sign and shook it, ignoring the strange looks she received from the other shoppers. She ceased her episode when her boss contacted her via walkie-talkie, requesting her to return to the popcorn stand. She responded by faking static to delay that order. She just wanted to be alone at the moment.

She ended the call and walked to the sunglasses booth in front of the theater. “If only things went differently. If I had been casted, tonight would’ve been about me. I would’ve been a star, just like Cross-Z.” She replaced her glasses with a pair of red, glittering, star-shaped frames.

The clerk lowered his own sunglasses to look at Juniper and silently shook his head. The glasses did not fit her.

She looked at herself in the hand mirror. “Yeah, you’re right. They’re a bit much.”

However, as she picked out another pair of sunglasses, she did not notice the glowing ball of magic that descended from the skylight above and into the hand mirror, changing it from mere plastic to crystalline. When she picked it back up to look at her newly chosen pair, she saw her reflection….before it quickly changed to an image of her with a different look.

Juniper yelped as she dropped the mirror. She glanced around, wondering if anyone else saw what just happened. “What...what was that?!” Gingerly, she touched the reflective surface, witnessing a small flash that resembled dark green flames before picking it back up. Her reflection changed back to the glamorous image of her blowing a kiss. “...incredible…”

She pulled out a few bills and placed it on the counter. “Keep the change. Something tells me this thing’s worth it.” She walked away whilst staring at the image, unaware of her eyes flickering green.

XXXXX

Within the food court of the Mall, Sunset Shimmer sat alone at a table. Her focus was preoccupied with the magic journal she wrote into.

Dear Princess Twilight,

Tonight is the premiere of the big Daring Do movie and all my friends are really excited for it. And I should be too, except I can’t seem to keep my mind on anything aside from our new powers, the rogue magic that lives in this world, and the incidents with Faust and Blood Stalk.

Things have finally settled down after the incident with the Enigmas and the alternate Earth. It was sad to say goodbye to our new friends, but it had to be done for the dimensional stability. On a more positive note, our magic has recovered a few days after the events. But even so, I can’t help but be worried. The Enigma incident affected all of us. Flash especially, given how he had to fight an alternate version of his deceased dad that went mad from grief. But I think he’s gotten better after spending much deserved time with family and friends.

On the other hand, aside from his brief appearance, we strangely haven’t heard anything from Gizmo since the incident. Just waiting around is suspenseful, and that’s only on the Smash side of things. I know Flash and the others can take care of it, but I can’t help but be worried for them. They went through so much without any of us even knowing. Not just that, but I’m also worried about the rogue magic I mentioned earlier. It’s a scary, yet exhilarating prospect. Like, how does it work? How will we be prepared for it? When will it show up again? Not to mention the fact our magic seemed to have gotten stronger lately from the Faust attacks. But so far, things seem pretty calm.

Well, I guess you see the problem from multiple fronts.

With the weight of Equestria on your shoulders, you must have some advice on how to…

She turned the page to continue her excerpt and promptly panicked.

“Oh no! Shoot!”

“What’s the matter, Sunset Shimmer?” Pinkie Pie asked as she set a plate of burgers on the table, accidentally, knocking one off onto the table.

“Oh, I just ran out of pages in my journal. That’s all.” She replied with a nervous smile.

“Chillax, Sunshim.” Rainbow winked as she sat at the table next to theirs.

“Um, who’s Sunshim?” Fluttershy asked.

“That’s Sunset Shimmer’s new movie star nickname.” The athlete answered with a sip of her drink. “I just made it up.”

“For Sweet Apple’s sake, we only had bit parts in this flick. We’re not movie stars.” Applejack said in exasperation.

“Yet, darling.” Rarity interjected. “Yet.”

“There’s more bothering you than just journal pages, isn’t there Sunset?” Twilight asked, shifting back on topic.

The bacon-haired girl sighed in contemplations before Pinkie came in and squished her cheeks.

“Come on! Share your troubles and soothe those stressed nerves!”

“Well, I don’t want to take out any fun from our big night-”

“JUST! DO IT! SUNSHIM!” Pinkie snapped while standing over her.

“Okay, okay!” She replied while easing Pinkie back in her seat. “It’s just things have been calm around here.”

“Calm? Well we just finished rebuilding after the Enigma Incident.” Twilight pointed out.

“Well, yes. But I was referring magic wise. We haven’t really encountered anything magic related outside of our geodes at Everfree.”

“And that’s bad...how, precisely?” Rarity asked.

“It’s not. But instead of me enjoying the fact that things are calm, I’m constantly thinking about things going wrong even when they aren’t. Not to mention the fact that we haven’t heard anything from Blood Stalk or Faust for weeks now, and who knows what they’re planning...”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“I don’t know. But I shouldn’t be thinking things like that right now.” Sunset did not notice her journal pages glowing. “And neither should you.”

Pinkie snatched the journal and stood up. “Ooh! Look! Twilight’s writing you back. Hey everybody! Sunset’s getting an Equestra-text!” Sunset snatched the journal back with an amused smirk before it became a confused one upon reading the response.

“Princess Twilight wants me to come to...Equestria.”

XXXXX

Back at the Cinema, move goers hung around the lobby waiting for the premiere to start. At the snack counter, Juniper kept staring into her mirror, showing her visions of what she wanted: her as a movie star and the center of attention. She was dressed in a glamorous purple dress and her hair was styled with multiple curls on the end. She even wore the arm gloves movie stars wore.

There were even cameras flashing in the background to take her picture within the picture.

“Wow...it’s like this mirror is showing me my dream come to life. This is so amazing. This is so...me…” She smiled, unaware of the green light in her eyes. But the trance was broken when someone else spoke up.

“Ahem.” Her boss cleared his throat, causing her to shift focus on him. He held out a broom. “Popcorn spill at the condiment counter.”

Juniper felt a wave of irritation flare up. “Does this look like someone who cleans up popcorn spills?” She held out her mirror to show him her image, but all he saw was his confused reflection.

“...No. It looks like someone about to fire somebody.” Grunting, Juniper took the broom and dragged it and the catch pan to the mess. She was about to clean up the mess, but couldn’t help but feel the chore to be a drag.

“...maybe a little mirror me time.” She set the cleaning tools aside and pulled out her mirror. This time the image showed her signing headshots of her. The sight of her fame immediately brightened her mood. “Oh, I wish this popcorn would just clean itself up, so I could stare at you all day.”

Just as she wished, the mirror surface glowed in a swirling vortex before a beam struck the mess of popcorn and sucked it back up. In a matter of seconds, the floor was spotless. Juniper had no idea what just happened. Her boss walked by and saw the clean floor.

“You’re done? Already? Wow, I’m shocked.” Without anything else to say, he continued his patrol.

The bespectacled girl was equally shocked. “You and me both…” She stared at her mirror, wondering what it did.

“Hey!” The sudden shout nearly made her drop her mirror. She scrambled to catch it before it hit the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. She spun around to see who yelled and froze. A hooded figure with strands of familiar blue and orange hair peeking out was hunched over, panting after running straight from home to the cinema. “I’m...I’m not too late, am I?!”

“L-late? Late for what?” She quickly hid the mirror behind her back, an action made out of anxiety.

“The premiere of the movie! I wanted to reserve my seat. Are reservations and tickets still open?” He asked as he finally caught his breath. “Whew...that was a lot of running.” He pulled back his hood, revealing himself to be Sol Burner.

“You...you’re Sol Burner! Masked Rider Cross-Z!” Juniper exclaimed in recognition.

“Yeah, that’s me. Well, actually, we’re calling ourselves Kamen Riders now. Sounds better.” He then squinted his eyes as he looked at the girl, then they widened in recognition. “Wait...aren’t you Canter Zoom’s niece?”

“You remember me? Really?” She was surprised. She didn’t think a celebrity like him would recognize her.

“Of course. I turned you back to normal after you attacked the studio as a Smash. How you doin’?”

“W-well, after that stay in the hospital, I’ve been better.” She answered nervously. Who would’ve thought she’d be speaking with someone so famous like this?

“That’s good. So you work in the movie theater?”

“Not by choice.” She scoffed. “But since I’m not a movie star, this is the closest thing I can get until I get my big break.”

“I guess that makes sense. But why do you want to be a movie star so bad?” Sol questioned. He had heard from the girls that Juniper had sabotaged the filming of the Daring Do movie in order to force a recast in hopes of her uncle making her Daring Do. Sol thought it was a pretty crazy plan to begin with.

“Because I want to be noticed. To be heard, to be seen on the big screen!” Juniper exclaimed, arms spread wide. “I’m always known as the plain jane girl. I just fade into the background. But I want to shine like a star. The center of the attention. The celebrity that everyone loves.”

Sol Burner heard her answer. Going unnoticed. Wanting to be heard and seen. For some reason, his friend Wallflower Blush came to mind. Now that he thought about it, he really should meet up with her sometime. He enjoyed their conversations. “...I see. But Juniper, take it from me. Even though you may be seen everywhere, you get hounded by the media, asking details about your life and what you plan to do next.”

“But aren’t those typical questions that the public wants to know? They just want to know how you plan to take your career. And your plans for the future.”

Sol winced as he had experienced it before, even back in the junior league. Since his father was a renowned fighter, the world kept their eye on him, casting expectations on him. Sure he strove to surpass them and move away from his dad’s shadow, but they wouldn’t leave him alone. Even when the questions grew personal.

One time, when Knuckle Blaze was still alive, some pushy reporters wanted to talk about his comatose mother and questioned if they had any hope for her or moving on, claiming her to be a lost cause.

Both father and son made it clear that those questions had crossed the line, yet they remained insistent on pestering them. Tensions and emotions gradually escalated. Then it erupted with a small shove from pushy tabloids.

It spiraled into a brawl that sent the paparazzi in the hospital. They wanted to sue, but the news outlet the reporters worked for recognized that they were in the wrong, denied those orders, and promptly fired them. The newly freelance reporters tried to stalk them for the tabloids, but they were found to be in violation of newly made restraining orders and promptly arrested.

Sol had no idea how that even happened. Weren’t there certain regulations that would’ve interfered? For some reason, he thought someone influential had a hand in it. But he certainly did not miss those story-scavengers.

All in all, it was a huge mess that left him completely drained. Fame was definitely not worth dealing with that type of crap.

And as of now, Juniper did not understand any of that.

“Well, all that media focus, and the potential mess that gets tied up in it, is something I can live without.”

“But why?” She did not understand. “You’re famous. You’re the Rookie Fighter of the year and now a Masked Rider that saved our city several times. You have millions of people looking at you.”

“Kamen Rider. Yeah, well, stardom isn’t quite cracked up to be. I’m fine with people watching me in the ring, but my private time is my private time. I don’t want any of the press stalking me 24/7. Trust me Juniper, having the press pry into your private life and asking unwanted questions is just not worth it.”

The girl frowned in thought. Sol...technically had a point. She wouldn’t mind the attention. But if the media kept hounding her, would she even be at peace?

“Oh, that’s right!” The fighter yelled, causing the girl to flinch from his outburst. “I just remembered!” He fished into his pocket to pull out a voucher. “I just wanted to turn these in. Apparently, director Canter Zoom gave this to me as thanks for saving you. He also sent in extra for my friends. They’re like reservation seats for the premiere.”

Juniper took the vouchers, and realized they were VIP seating vouchers. Those were usually reserved for people personally invited to movie premieres in town. Which was usually due to their roles in the film. Her uncle gave him four? “I...see.” She accepted the voucher and nodded. “I’ll log them in and get your seats ready. Is...will that be all?”

“Actually, Canter Zoom said he also wanted to talk to me about something. He said he’d be here by the time of the premiere. He told me to ask you to set his seat next to mine so we could chat.” He answered.

Now the girl was even more surprised. Her uncle was coming? Here? Tonight? He never told him about this! “Uh, sure. I can. But out of curiosity, do you know why my uncle wants to talk to you?”

“Well, he didn’t really provide details. Just something about another project of his.” At the answer, Juniper felt her heart drop. Another project? That could only mean one thing. Another film. And he wants Sol and his friends in it? Not her? Well, given how she was banned from the set, it made sense. But before she could ask more, Sol’s phone rang. He saw the ID and frowned.

“Sorry, I gotta take this.” He turned away and answered. “Hello?...Flash?....Yeah?...Wait, why?...But why do we need to be there?...Security? But what about the movie? Okay, okay. I’ll be right over.” He hung up. “Sorry about that. I gotta head out. Friend’s calling. See you tonight!” With a quick goodbye, he rushed out of the theater.

“...just what was that about?” Juniper questioned in befuddlement. The version of her in the mirror shrugged.

XXXX

Later…

Sunset, Flash, and Sol had walked across school grounds and approached the statue. Even though school was not in session at the moment, several teens were seen loitering the school grounds as a means to hang out. Sol thought it was weird.

“By the way, any idea when I can get my Crozz Phone back? I had to run all the way from home to the mall to hand in those vouchers.” Sol said.

After the Enigma Incident, the Build Phone replica, or Crozz Phone as Sol nicknamed it, had actually shorted out and broke down after his first time use in battle. While Sunset said they completed it, they had yet to fully test it and work out the final kinks. Fortunately, it didn’t break down during battle. After which, Sunset and Twilight took it back to complete it properly and work out all of the bugs to prevent further malfunctions.

“It should be ready soon. Twilight and I will be able to finish it after the movie.”

“But why were you running? Why didn’t you use your motorcycle or take the bus?” Flash wondered.

Sol opened his mouth to retort….only to close it as the realization hit him like a flaming semi-truck to the face. He then smacked his palm against his face. He never thought of doing that.

Seeing as their friend had a startling revelation, he decided to shift the topic. “...So the Princess wants you to come to Equestria to pick up a new magic journal?” Flash asked for clarification.

“That’s right.”

“Couldn’t she deliver it herself? Or...use a magical courier or something?” Sol wondered.

“Given how she’s one of Equestria’s Princesses, she’s too busy with responsibilities to make random trips to our world. The incident a couple months ago was an exception because it was an emergency.” Sunset answered.

“I guess that makes sense. But why do you need Flash and I here? Wouldn’t one of us be enough if we were to stand guard? Speaking of which, why do you think Faust would try to take the portal when you’re gone?”

“It’s more of a precaution fueled by paranoia. We already know Faust did some research on other worlds, given the Enigma project Doom made. But what they don’t know, at least I hope they don’t, is the portal to Equestria. I have no idea how they would exploit it once they learn of its existence. And frankly, I don’t want to. We already had a disaster with magic portals during the Friendship Games.”

“You mean when our Twilight got possessed by magic and became a she-demon named Midnight Sparkle?” The fighter asked.

“Yes. But please don’t bring it up. It’s still a sore subject.” Sol nodded in agreement.

“So in short, we’re both here to make sure no Smash, Guardians, or Blood Stalk appears to take, destroy, or harness the portal?” Flash spoke.

“That’s right. I shouldn’t be gone too long, but better safe than sorry.” The trio reached the statue, and the fiery haired girl took a deep breath. “Okay, here I go.” She pressed her hand on the portal, allowing herself to sink through as she walked into it, leaving the two teenagers alone.

“...okay, that was pretty cool.” Sol hummed.

XXXXX

“Whoaaaaagh!” Sunset yelled as she spiraled into the rainbow lights that composed the portal. Before she knew it, she was shot out to the other side into a stack of books. Disoriented from the trip and impact, her vision spun. She blinked her eyes open and saw the blurred figure of a lavender unicorn. “Twilight? Is that you?”

Suddenly, her vision cleared and realized it was someone else. “Nope. Starlight Glimmer.”

“Ehehe. Oops.” Sunset went to stand back up, but due to the nature of her new body, she grew unbalanced standing on her hind legs. After waving her forelegs around, she managed to stay upright, much to the confusion of Starlight. After seeing her weird look, she realized this and went back on all fours. “Sorry. It feels kinda weird after all this time. But you must be Starlight Glimmer. Twilight’s student, right?”

“Uh-huh.” She smiled with a nod before levitating another journal copy in her blue magic aura. “She wanted me to give you this.” Sunset reached for it only for it to drop on the ground. The two stared at each other awkwardly before the fiery-maned unicorn tried to pick it up with her fingerless hoof. After struggling for a few moments, Starlight gestured to her own horn. Sunset got the message and picked up the book with her own magic aura, relishing the familiar feeling after so long.

“She wanted to give it to you herself, but then she and her friends got called away to solve a Friendship problem.” Starlight explained in disappointment as Sunset flipped through the pages, getting used to her magic again. “It happens a lot around here.”

Sunset Shimmer pocketed the journal in her bag. “It must be stressful, huh? Never knowing when you might be called to save the day...dropping everything at a moment’s notice? Just...how does she do it? I mean, I’ve seen my friends do it all the time against Faust, but how do they do it too?”

“Sorry. She just told me to give you the journal.” The lavender unicorn apologized. “And I don’t know what your friends are thinking.”

“Heh...well, are you sure she won’t be back anytime soon?”

“Pretty sure.”

“Oh…” Sunset replied dejectedly. “Okay. Yeah. I guess I’ll be going now.” She made an attempt to stand on her hind legs before flailing again. Instead she trotted back to the portal. Yet Twilight’s apprentice could no longer contain her curiosity.

“What’s it like back there?” Starlight questioned. “I’ve heard from Twilight about what the organization Faust did. But aside from that, what’s that world like?”

“Well, it’s pretty different. Yet, not so different at the same time. Kinda hard to explain.”

“Huh. Guess you kind of have to go there to really get it, huh? I don’t suppose you could…”

“I’m sorry Starlight. But I can’t.” Sunset shook her head after realizing what she was about to ask.

“But why not?” She absolutely did not whine like a filly.

“If Twilight told you what happened on her last visit, then she also told you how dangerous Faust and Blood Stalk are. They held our entire school hostage and were willing to kill us.” She emphasized. “To make things worse, Equestria magic doesn’t affect them and we have no idea how.”

“But you all know the dangers. If I stick with you, I’ll know what to avoid!”

“Maybe, but you don’t know Blood Stalk. If I had to make a comparison to someone from this world...I’d say he’d be like Discord, based on Twilight’s descriptions of him...only more bloodthirsty and sadistic.”

Starlight actually paled and winced. “That bad, huh?”

“Yeah. And we just made it through a multi-dimensional conflict a few weeks ago. Everything finally calmed down and we haven’t seen or heard anything from Faust since then.”

“But doesn’t that mean it’s safe right now?”

“We don’t know when they’ll attack. It could be today, tomorrow, or even right now as we speak.”

XXXXX

Meanwhile…

Flash and Sol leaned on either side of the portal keeping watch. They had no idea when Sunset would get back and they quickly grew bored of waiting with nothing going on. So they decided to delve into discussion to pass the time when Sol brought up a curious topic.

“...So why would you even think they would make steak-flavored ice cream?” Flash asked incredulously.

“Hey, it could happen. All they would need is to mix gravy and beef bits in it. Maybe even some bacon bits and sauteed mushrooms too.”

“That’s disgusting. It totally rebukes the concept of ice cream being a dessert. It’s supposed to be sweet, not savory.” The musician said in disgust. “That just sounds like a frozen pureed dinner.”

“Actually, isn’t anything made of frozen milk and cream considered ice cream? Like how some people say hotdogs are sandwiches? Or how sherbet is still ice cream despite being fruit and ice?”

“Okay, first of all, ice cream is a soft, frozen dessert made of sweetened and flavored milk fat. Which is why people don’t stuff a carton of milk into a freezer and call it ice cream. Second, that’s a whole different can of worms I’d rather not open. And three, at least fruit is sweet, not savory. Plus, sherbert is still made with frozen cream, so it still counts. Steak ice cream sounds completely disgusting. Who would mix red meat into frozen cream?”

“Nah. It’s steak. It'll probably still be delicious!” Sol grinned.

“...you must have an iron stomach, huh? No wonder Micro calls you a protein-junkie.”

XXXXX

“But if what Twilight said is true, then your friends would be more than capable of handling them.” Starlight argued.

“I don’t know. It’s still too risky.” Sunset kept trying to deny her.

“But I’m sure Twilight would let me as long as I’m with you and your friends!”

“...So you really think Princess Twilight would be okay with that?” The unicorn raised a brow.

“I don’t know for sure that she wouldn’t say no.”

“That’s not a particularly compelling argument.” She deadpanned.

“She wants me to learn as much as I can about friendship. And I’m not learning a whole lot just lying around here in her castle.” Starlight reasoned. “I’ll likely learn more about friendship by being with you and your friends. And if Faust does attack, I can always just run and hide.”

“Hm...Well, I haven’t ever seen you in that world, so chances are you aren’t gonna run into yourself-”

“-is something you don’t hear everyday-”

“-so just lay low. Don’t draw too much attention.”

“Pft. You’ll barely even notice I’m there.”

“Introducing you to my friends could be a nice distraction-”

“But you’ll also totally notice I’m there. And it will help keep your mind off other things that might be bothering you!” Starlight smiled adorably with sparkling eyes before she hopped excitedly. “So? What do you think? Could I go back with you?”

Sunset put a hoof to her muzzle in thought as her eyes trailed back to the portal behind her.

XXXXX

“...Okay, I will admit that it's theoretically possible to use protein powder to make ice cream, but that doesn’t mean it would taste good.”

“What are you talking about? There are protein bars and shakes that taste delicious!” Sol argued.

“Maybe to you. But I’m not a fan of the chalky aftertaste. I mean, what if-” Flash’s rebuke was cut off as the portal came to life and Sunset stumbled through.

“Oh hey, you’re back. You sure took a while. How was the chat?” Sol asked.

“Well…” Sunset tried to explain. But the portal glowed again and an unfamiliar figure tumbled through before falling flat on her face.

“Whoa!” The two males backpedaled from the portal as the figure fell on her hands and knees. She was a girl around their age with tattered jeans, a green t-shirt, and a black vest over it. She wore a pair of knee high black boots over her pants while her purple, teal-streaked hair was covered by a beanie. On her left wrist was a black watch. She seemed disoriented after the landing. But as she regained her senses, she stared at her hands in confusion and fascination.
“Wh-wh-what happened?” She questioned blearily.

“It’s okay.” Sunset assured her whilst helping her back up. “It’s all pretty weird at first, but try and roll with it.” But as she stood, she immediately lost balance and would have fallen if Sunset hadn’t been supporting her.

The two boys looked around, noting the odd looks from passing people before shrugging it off. Apparently, with all the craziness that happened, this occurrence seemed normal in comparison.

“Are these-?!” She gawked at her newfound fingers.

“Hands.” Sunset replied. Starlight then glanced at her lower half. “And what happened to the rest of my hoo-”

“Feet. Those are feet.”

“...is this one of your pony friends? Who’s she?” Sol asked.

“This is Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight’s student.” Sunset introduced.

“H-Hello.” She waved with a balled hand.

“...I thought you were just going to grab a new journal. Not bring back a visitor.” The musician shot a look at his ex-girlfriend.

“Well...the plan...sorta changed. She was just too curious about our world.” She sheepishly explained. “And the Princess was absent. We both thought this would be a good chance for a Friendship Lesson, given how she’s Princess Twilight’s apprentice.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to bring her here now? With Faust and all that jazz?” Sol asked.

“Especially just after the incident with Enigma?”

“Guys, trust me. I had the same reservations. But we agreed that if anything happens, Starlight would stay out of the way and we’ll bring her back to Equestria immediately.”

“You guys won’t even know I’m here. So please let me stay.” She begged while giving them the same cute expression she gave Sunset earlier.

“...This might come back to bite us, won’t it?” Sol remarked, trying to remain composed and not topple over from the cuteness overload through sheer force of will.

“Oh yeah.” Flash nodded before sighing. “But given how everything’s said and done...just gotta roll with it. Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m-”

“You’re Flash Sentry, right?” She then turned to the fighter, visibly delighted by the approval. “Then you must be Sol Burner.”

“Yeah. Are you psychic or something?”

“Well, I am...or at least was...a unicorn. But I can’t read minds if that’s what you’re asking. No, Princess Twilight told me all about you guys.”

“Gotcha.” Flash nodded. “How’s she doing by the way? Is she getting better after that takeover incident?”

“She is. She told me all about what you guys went through back then. In fact, I should be asking you that.”

“We’re holding up. But we still haven’t seen or heard anything about a certain snake for a while now. Until then, all we can do is wait and prepare.”

“Sounds like you two have it rough.” Starlight commented.

“Maybe. But nothing we can’t handle as long as we have the others to watch our backs.”

“So...what do we do now that she’s here?” Sol had to ask.

“Well, I was thinking we’d meet up with the others and call over Micro and Sandalwood. We have some time before the movie, and I think it’d be great for Starlight to get acquainted with everyone.” She then turned to the beanie-wearing girl. “So for now just try and lay low and play it cool.”

“Oh, right. Play it cool...Play. It. Cool.” Starlight nodded. She moved to take a step...before crawling forward on all fours, earning more odd looks before Sunset chased after her.

“...well if anything else, she can make a good distraction.” Sol deadpanned.

XXXXX

Meanwhile…

Juniper stared into the mirror once more. She had been trying to recreate the event where the handheld vanity piece sucked up popcorn like a vacuum.

Unfortunately...nothing had happened. She experimentally dumped popcorn on the floor and tried to have the mirror suck it up to no effect. She tried telling it what to do. Ordering it. Nothing worked.

All she got were strange looks from other patrons who thought she was crazy. She wasn’t crazy. The mirror actually did something. The best she had been able to do since then was making two annoying moviegoers go away...which kinda worked. They left her alone.

“Well...that kinda worked…”

“Juniper Montage?!” A familiar voice exclaimed, startling her and nearly made her lose her grasp on the mirror. Her attention was then focused on the Rainbooms minus Sunset Shimmer.

“What in blazes are you doin’ here? Weren’t ya recoverin’ in da hospital?’

“Were you invited to the Daring Do premiere? Ooh that’s exciting! No! Crazy! No! Concerning! No! Just NO!” Pinkie rambled. “...No offense.”

“I...wasn’t invited to the premiere.” Juniper tried to calmly adjust her glasses and not react. “As for your other question, I was. But I was let out a while back. And my uncle Canter Zoom felt bad for firing me so he pulled some strings and got me this job at the Cinema.”

“You work here?” Fluttershy asked.

“...as little as possible.” The aspiring actress admitted whilst kicking at fallen popcorn kernels.

An awkward silence settled in for a moment. “...you know if you hadn’t tried to sabotage the movie, you could be celebrating with us.”

“Well, I realize that now.” She grunted. “And all it took was for me to get caught, fired, and turned into a Smash Monster and nearly killed all for that to sink in. I just really wanted to make my big debut as Daring Do! It’s my favorite series!”

The girls looked at each other uneasily, now realizing they were prodding a sore spot.

“Well...nothing’s set in stone, dear. Things can always change for the better.” Rarity tried to console her.

‘They took everything from you.’ An odd, yet familiar voice rang through the bespectacled girl’s head.

‘Huh?’ Juniper blinked. That didn’t sound like any of the Rainbooms. And what was this feeling welling up in her chest. The words then continued

‘It’s their fault…!’

‘Make them pay!’

‘Make them disappear!’

Each and every sentence stoked the flames of envy and frustration within her. She was deaf to the reassurances of the girls as the jealousy and anger grew.

“Uh...Juniper? Are you okay?” Twilight had to ask upon noticing the girl’s gritted teeth.

“Just...leave me alone!” From the Mirror, a wave of energy shot out and washed over the Rainbooms. Like the ocean waves, the flow of power receded back to its source, dragging the girls into the handheld object. Unbeknownst to Juniper, a small burst of energy flowed into her.

Juniper picked up a fallen Butterfly accessory and attached it to her collar. Once again, she stared into her reflection, her eyes a glowing green, her lips twisted into a grin. “Looks like I’m getting the hang of this.”

The image rippled into her desired form. “Hi me!”

XXXXX

Later...

After helping Starlight adjust to walking on two legs, the group of four made it to the mall and met up with Sandalwood and Micro Chips. After a brief round of introductions, they all went for ice cream at Starlight’s insistence upon seeing the parlor.

Sunset abstained from having any, due to being preoccupied with something. So she paid for Starlight’s triple scoop cone of strawberry, pistachio, and mint. Flash himself got a double scoop of red velvet ice cream.

“...So...how’s that steak ice cream tasting?” Flash asked as he stared at his friend licking from his own triple-scoop cone. Coincidentally, the parlor DID have steak ice cream as a temporary promotional item...for whatever reason.

“...meh. Could be better. Sadly most of the flavor comes from the caramelized bacon bits. At least they had Rocky Road too.” Sol shrugged as he licked the second scoop of rocky road while the third was mint chip.

“I have no idea how you’re able to stomach that.” Micro shook his head as he took a lick of his single vanilla scoop.

“Hey, it’s Sol, man. Dude can pack away a bunch of protein like it’s no one’s business.” Sandalwood chuckled after finishing his mint chip cone.

“Yeah. But consuming all those protein supplements can’t be good for you. I mean, those things cause kidney stones and those hurt...a lot.” The intellectual refuted.

“Of course I do. My parents warned me about that all the time. Why do you think I drink so much water and lemonade?”

As the four guys continued their banter, Starlight fell in step with Sunset. “So how’s contacting the girls?”

“Six messages all straight to voicemail.” She responded bluntly.

“Well...I’m sure they’re around.” Starlight tried to assure her. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Faust and/or Blood Stalk.” Sunset deadpanned.

“...Oh, right.” The newcomer winced, tilting her ice cream cone and unknowingly spilled over the top scoop.

“On top of that, magic is on the loose here. And it doesn't act the same way it does in Equestria. And lately, I’ve been spending practically 40% of the time thinking about it while the other 40% is about Faust-related stuff.” Sunset sighed. She turned and saw the concerned looks of Starlight and the boys.

“Well...the girls are probably fine. I just might be overreacting...or not? I don’t know anymore.”

“I can relate to that.” Sol nodded as he licked up the last of the steak ice cream, leaving a messy smear around his mouth. “Everything’s gone crazy, we’re still in the dark about Faust, and we have no idea when they’ll strike next.”

“I take it this is the type of problem you wanted to ask Princess Twilight about, huh? Because you can still talk to me about it...if you want.” Sunset debated as she pulled out the journal. “...or you can just journal with Princess Twilight about it. That works too.”

“Sorry. It’s just, I know the girls and I have been given these powers for a reason. And I want to be ready for whatever gets thrown at us...magic-related anyway. We tried against Faust and the Smash, but none of our magic even works on them, and we still don’t know how or why.”

“But that’s why we’re here.” Flash stepped up. “Looking back, it might have been some sort of ploy to use us to purify Fullbottles for Faust, but my mom always said things happened for a reason. Heck, I don’t even know how or why Sol and I are the only ones capable of having a required Hazard Level to use the Rider System. But I do know this. We were given the tools to fight. So when Blood Stalk does pop up again, we’ll be ready.”

Sunset smiled at his reassurance. “Yeah. You’re right. But I guess it’s those sorts of what-ifs that are making me feel like I can’t let my guard down. I can’t really relax. I just end up obsessing over it and can’t get it out of my head.”

Starlight quietly listened while licking her ice scream, processing everything. “Hm...that is a toughie. Guess my advice would be to just trust things will work themselves out in the end. If you spend too much time worrying about the bad things happening, you’ll miss out on all the good things that are happening.”

She then blinked as she noticed her second scoop missing. But then frowned forlornly when she realized it fell on the floor.

“Heh. Like how Twilight’s student is giving me a lesson right now?”

“Yep, like that.” The beanie-clad girl chomped on her frozen treat.

“A-heheh. Come on!” Sunset took her ice cream cone and steered her in the right direction. “Let’s go find the others. I’m sure they’re fine.” As the two went on ahead, the boys hung back, locked in a discussion of their own.

“You know dudes, we should probably take her advice too.” Sandalwood pointed out.

“I wish we could. But things have gotten too quiet. Faust and Stalk might be planning something big and catch us while our pants are down.” Micro pointed out.

“And don’t forget Changemaker.” Flash added. “Remember those Guardians that had their logo? Even though Chrysalis denied it, something just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“You think she’s in on this big conspiracy thing too?” Sol asked as he gobbled up his cone and wiped his mouth.

“It’s possible, but we don’t have any proof. So all we can do is wait.” The musician frowned before shrugging. “Well, at least we get to see the Daring Do movie to pass the time. Plus, the Director said he wanted to talk with us. I wonder what it’s about?”

“Maybe to thank us for saving his niece? She seemed to be doing alright when I last saw her.” The fighter suggested.

“That seems to be the most likely case. But I still don’t know about the private discussion if he just wants to thank us.”

“Maybe it’s an interview about what we went through? Dunno about you guys, but all the craziness that we experienced seems to be something right out of a popular live action franchise.”

“You think that one of the best movie directors in the country wants to interview us for details of all the events, fights, and horrors we had to endure for the past few months?” Micro questioned with skepticism.

“Yes.” Sol nodded bluntly.

“...Sometimes I wonder what your thought process is.”

“Guess we’ll have to see and find out. Just hope everything happens smoothly.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, man...what’s the worst that can happen in the meantime?” Sandalwood asked.

Not even a few seconds later did the screaming begin.

XXXXX

Earlier...

“Um, girls? Do you have any clue where we are or what just happened?” Rarity asked once all six regained their bearings. They were standing in the middle of the cinema lobby. The next thing they knew, they were in the middle of an empty, white void. “...anything?”

“Not to worry girls! Pinkie Pie is on the case!” She reached out and seemed to tilt an invisible panel mid air. “...nope! No wall over here! Come out come out, walls! Wherever you are!” She called as she wandered around the area. She had left the group in one direction, and a few seconds later passed by them again from the other side. “...I don’t get this place. There’s no walls in here anywhere!”

Suddenly, a massive hole opened up in the air above them.

“Somehow, someway, Juniper sucked us all up in that mirror of hers.” Applejack deduced.

“Or maybe some kind of Limbo behind it.” Twilight pointed out.

“I...I think I might be freaking out a little bit…” Fluttershy whimpered.

“....you call that a freak out?” Rainbow questioned, staring at Fluttershy hunkering down whilst holding her arms.

“A deep down inside freak out.” She replied.

“Well….on the plus side, there’s popcorn in here!” Pinkie jumped and several kernels flew out of her hair before landing in her mouth. “Hm...could use some more butter.”

“Oh how could this happen on the evening of my very first movie premiere of all nights?” Rarity lamented. “Curse you, cruel fate!”

“Hey! Not our number one problem here, Rarity.”

“Hm...true. But perhaps we can agree it's in the top five.”

Applejack rolled her eyes before getting back the matter at hand. “Is dere really no way outta here?”

As if to respond, a mass of brown pellets poured through the portal and pelted down on the girls like raindrops.

“Oh my heavens! What’s that?!” Rarity exclaimed as she projected diamond shields to protect herself.

Rainbow used her speed to catch one to examine. “Chocolate covered...almonds?”

Twilight outstretched one of her hands and stopped the almonds mid air.

“Dibs! I call dibs!” Pinkie cheered before gobbling them right out of the air like pac man.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Juniper used her magic mirror to suck up a box of chocolate covered almonds off the ground. Once she was done, she took another gaze at herself in the vanity piece. As she did, she failed to notice Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer walk into the theater.

Upon seeing her, the bacon-haired girl pulled Starlight to the side out of view. “It’s Juniper Montage…”

“No…” Starlight gasped dramatically. “...who’s that?”

“She’s trouble...sorta...it’s complicated. First she tried to sabotage a movie shoot to try and get the role for Daring Do. But then Stalk came and turned her into a Smash. Things could’ve been worse if Sol hadn’t arrived to stop her. Last I heard she was in the hospital.”

“Well, looks like she’s gotten better.” Starlight pointed out. But Sunset immediately took notice of a familiar item.

“That’s Fluttershy’s beret!” Taking a moment to think, Sunset decided her next course of action. She handed her backpack to Starlight. “Wait here for me.” She ducked out of cover and made her way to Juniper. At that moment, the bespectacled girl saw Sunset approach her through her reflection.

“Oh, Sunset Shimmer. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“Hi, Juniper. Glad to see you’re up and about. I’m looking for my friends. I don’t suppose you’ve seen them?”

All the aspiring movie star did was giggle in response, her eyes flickering green.

“...Where are they?” She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“I’ll never tell~”

“...You don’t have to.” Before she could react, Sunset grabbed Juniper’s arm and her magic went to work.

The first vision depicted a conversation Juniper had with her uncle.

“You’re lucky I managed to get you this job after the stunt you pulled on my set.” Canter Zoom admonished his niece.

“I just wanted to be Daring Do. I just wanted people to like me…” She said dejectedly.

The following memory showed her conversation with Sol. How fame was not it was all cracked up to be.

The next vision showed her what she did to her friends. How they were sucked up in the mirror. And how her eyes flashed a malicious green.

Juniper pulled her arm away. “What are you doing?”

“I know you want people to like you, but you’re going about this all wrong. Trust me, the magic in that mirror is only going to make things worse for you.

“You’re just saying that because you want the mirror for yourself!”

“What I want is my friends back. Please, Juniper. You wished them into that mirror. Maybe there’s a way you can wish them out!”

“And why would I want to do that? So you can ruin my chances at stardom again?!”

“Is that what this is about?” Sunset questioned. “Juniper, we were just trying to help your uncle film the movie. Sure you want to be liked, but don’t you think you went about it the wrong way? And you don’t have to be a movie star for others to like you. Isn’t that like what Sol told you?”

“How...how do you know that?” How did she know that conversation?

“I know you were alone. I was too. Please. Let me and my friends help.” She pleaded.

Juniper wavered. Maybe...maybe Sunset was right. What would Sol say if he knew what she did? He wouldn’t like her anymore. Just when she was about to relent, something stopped her.

‘She’s lying.’

‘She wants the mirror for herself.’

‘She wants to ruin your chances.’

‘Make her pay.’

‘Make her disappear!’

“How...how about you join them?!” With her eyes a glowing viridescent, she activated the mirror and a burst of magic came out. It swallowed Sunset and sucked her into the void.

Starlight, who saw the whole thing, could only gape in horror. “Sunset!” She quickly silenced herself and ducked out of view, narrowly avoiding Juniper’s scanning gaze.

“Well now.” A voice called out. Juniper’s eyes snapped over to the corner of the room. Starlight’s gaze shifted as well in surprise. Where did that guy come from? Was he here the whole time? “Isn’t that an interesting little party trick? Quite useful too.”

“And who are you?” The girl’s eyes narrowed.

“Now now, no need to get hostile.” The man waved his hands in a placating manner. “I was just in the neighborhood and I saw your little fancy trinket. To think it could suck up people you don’t like. I could really use one of those. I’m willing to buy it off you, if you would be so kind.”

“Go get your own. This one is mine.” Her green eyes flared dangerously.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” He pushed up his glasses while tossing the wallet away. “That mirror in your hands is undoubtedly unique. I doubt I can find one like it so easily.”

“I said back off, bub. If you don’t want me to make you disappear, go away.” She glared, aiming the vanity piece at him.

“...I see we’re doing this the hard way, huh?” The man sighed as he pulled his hands from his pockets, revealing the items in his grip. Both girls were surprised by the firearm and bottle in his hands. Gizmo Poindexter’s face twisted into a fierce grin. “Now THAT’S more like it!” He inserted a bottle into his newly unveiled Transteam Gun.

“COBRA!”

“Jouketsu!” He held the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger, allowing his body to be consumed by the mist. Any remaining animosity and trepidation vanished from Juniper’s face as the steam cleared, revealing the red-clad figure before her. The only emotion she could feel then was terror, as if she were a small animal being stared down by a predator.

“COBRA!”

“MISTMATCH!”

“CO-COBRA!...COBRA….FIRE!”

“Recognize me now?” Blood Stalk asked in amusement. The bespectacled girl felt her stomach knot in fear. How could she forget? This was the man responsible for what happened back at the studio. Starlight scooted further back in her hiding spot, hoping he wouldn't see her. She recognized the figure based on Twilight’s description of him. What was he doing here?!

“Wh-wh-why are you here?!” Juniper slowly backpedaled. “What do you want?!”

“Like I said earlier, girl. I want your mirror.”

“You can’t have it! It’s mine!” She yelled with a sense of possessiveness that overshadowed her growing terror..

“How stingy. Well, no matter.” Blood Stalk casually pulled out his Transteam Knife and turned the nozzle. “I’ll get it one way or another. And you’re not needed.” He then swung his arm, creating another cloud of gas.

“DEVIL STEAM!”

The corrupted mist flew and surrounded Juniper Montage, who then flailed about in fright. She remembered the feeling all too well, down to her very bones. She never wanted to experience it again. Through the agony, she called out to her one means of salvation.

“Mirror! Make the mist go away!” Juniper cried in a panic. Obeying her commands, the reflective surface glowed before it sucked up all of the Nebula Gas like a vacuum cleaner. In seconds, the air was clear once more.

Blood Stalk tilted his head in confusion. “...Huh. Whaddaya know?” He knew the mirror somehow sucked things up like a vacuum. Yet he had no idea where the absorbed items went. Maybe a pocket dimension?

XXXXX

A bit earlier...

Back in Limbo, Twilight attempted to reach out to the opening with a boost from Applejack to no avail. She soon noticed a glowing red light that rushed towards them. The light materialized as missing friend, who crashed onto the ground.

“Sunset Shimmer!” Twilight cried in joy. She and the others helped the dazed girl onto her feet.

“Hooray!” Pinkie skipped in cheer before glomping Sunset in a hug. “We’re all together again!”

“Wait, if we’re all together, then nobody out there knows where we are!” The bespectacled girl pointed out in panic.

Fluttershy then noticed that not only her’s, but all the girls’ geodes were flashing. “Um, girls?”

“Starlight Glimmer does.” Sunset continued, not hearing Fluttershy’s words. “And it won’t be long until Flash and the others know about it too.”

“Um, girls?”

“You mean Twilight’s Student back in Equestria?”

“How would she know- Oh~!” Pinkie said in realization, sending a knowing grin to Sunset.

“You didn’t…She isn’t...” Twilight spoke with trepidation.

“I kinda told her she could come back with me.” She answered sheepishly.

“Girls?” Fluttershy continued to try and grab their attention.

“Yah really think Princess Twilight would be okay with dat?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know for sure that she wouldn’t be okay with it.”

“Um, so sorry to interrupt but-!”

“Whoa, check out our geodes!” Rainbow Dash pointed out the strange phenomenon.

“...that’s what I was trying to say…” Fluttershy frowned in exasperation.

Just then, a portal manifested above the girls. But before they could even realize what happened, a torrent of familiar, gray gas spewed through. All seven of them accidentally inhaled the vapors and started coughing wildly before screaming in pain. Their forms glowed briefly before the geodes around their necks glowed brighter. They covered each of their wearers in a protective aura that neutralized and repelled the Nebula Gas.

XXXXX

“...Oh well.” Blood Stalk shrugged, twirling the weapon around his fingers. “More to study on it later, once I rip it out of your cold, dead fingers.”

“S-stay back…” Juniper backpedaled. “Stay away from me!”

“No can do, kiddo. It’s time for you to exit stage left…” He slowly sauntered over to her, unaware of the events transpiring in Limbo.

XXXXX

After what seemed like several minutes, despite only seconds passing, the pain ceased. The girls lay on the ground, gasping for air.

“What...what the heck was that?!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Was...was dat Nebula Gas?!” Applejack wondered.

“But how is that possible? Was Juniper exposed to another dose of it?”

“Was...was it Blood Stalk again?” The animal lover trembled.

But all questions ceased as the space they were in started to flash different colors while rumbling.

“This...this hasn’t happened before!” Twilight realized.

“Maybe it’s because all seven of us are together now.”

“Is this a good thing or a bad thing?” Applejack’s question was answered as beams of light shot out of their necklaces and struck the portal. The seven colors spread out to the edge before encircling it in a spectral ring.

“I’m going to go with ‘not a good thing.’”

XXXXX

As Juniper backed away from the approaching psychopath, her mirror started to glow. Both her and her reflection were surprised by the rainbow ring of light that encircled the rim before it snaked up her arm. Her body then began to grow. A layer of magic covered her body, transforming her into a twisted, corrupted version of her magical reflection.

She stood at least two meters tall, wearing a dark dress of purple and dark shades of green. Her hair was also styled differently, flowing freely in curled tendrils. Her glasses were gone, now replaced with dark eyeshadow.

“...Huh. The surprises today just keep piling up.” The snake crossed his arms with a tilt of his head. Starlight was equally surprised. She heard of what Equestrian magic could do in this world. But seeing it before her eyes was definitely something.

Initially confused by the changes, once she peered into her reflection, she smiled. “Now everyone will recognize I’m a real star!”

“Eh. Personally, I’d think they’d see you more as a monster.” Blood Stalk pointed out, earning a glare from her. “I mean, you grew by like a meter and look like a typical villain from an old movie of that one famous franchise that’s monopolizing the entertainment industry. What were they called again? Starts with a D…Dish-key? Dizzy...something? Whatever. Anyway, neat transformation trick you got there, kid.”

“So you still want to try and take this from me?!” The now empowered Juniper questioned with a smug grin.

“Hm….nah.” He refused, surprising her and Starlight. He...gave up? Just like that? “As fun as it would be, I think I’ll let today’s stars handle everything.” He snapped his fingers as if to signal something.

“Gyaaaaaagh!” A bunch of people fled in terror past the movie theater, much to the confused shock of Juniper.

“What was that?”

“You’re about to find out soon, my little studio wrecker. Enjoy the blood and terror! Ciao~!” Blood Stalk vanished in a cloud of mist.

“Tch, coward!” Juniper scowled. More curious than before, she walked out of the theater to see what was going on. Starlight tailed after her, hoping things were alright.

But those hopes were dashed by what she saw.

To be Continued...

Author's Note

Whew....finally got back to this. Sorry it took almost two years to post this one. Honestly, my drive to write has been dwindling. Despite how much I want to put ideas down, I just can't find the energy to flesh them out.

I actually planned to post this as a single chapter, but I wasn't able to trudge through the latter half yet where the real fun starts. Hopefully I can get it done soon, but I am not sure. It's just the ideas of what we have in store are my sole driving force to get to them.

Chapter 1: The Best Match Begins

It all started in a quiet night in the countryside. Free from the hustle and bustle of the city. Daylight faded away as blackness overtook the heavens above. One by one, stars littered the dark sky, completely visible from the lack of light pollution.

Everything seemed so serene and still….until a bright light streaked across the night. Normally, one would associate this phenomenon with a shooting star…until the light changed direction mid-flight and crash landed in a clearing not too far from the dirt road.

The impact alerted everyone within the blast radius, which just so happened to be a single man on his drive back home. Curious about the noise, and being the adventurous youth he was, he turned towards the source to investigate.

When he reached the crash site, he noticed a large amount of gas-like substance was released from the object in the crater, but eventually chalked it up as dust being kicked up from the impact and steam from the cooling celestial body.

He approached the fallen object, noting in surprise that said object wasn’t a meteorite at all. It was too cubical in appearance.

Just as he initially suspected, the object was cubical in shape. Almost like a box. But what intrigued him was that it looked futuristic. The octagonal plates that made up the box’s walls had strange, circuit-like patterns and markings. It was hard to tell due to the lack of proper light, but it seemed to be a stone-like gray to him.

Curiosity and excitement overwhelmed his apprehension of the mysterious box. He whipped out his cell phone and made a reported his finding to the Canterlot Research Center.

Hours later, a series of vehicles, suited men, and researchers littered the crash site. The box was properly retrieved and secured as the man was interviewed by the government officials on what he found.

However, no one could’ve ever foreseen how the secrets sealed in this little box of mysteries would change the world.

18 years later…

The last class of the day had just finished for the students of Canterlot High School. A steady stream of teenagers poured out from the campus front doors. Each and every one of them was eager for whatever after school activity they had, such as homework, clubs, or heading to their favorite hangouts.

However, for three certain individuals, other plans were in store.

The first of the trio was a tall male with a strong build. His long green hair was tucked under a black beanie, and was garbed in a pair of jeans, a red t-shirt, a brown vest, and a pair of black wristbands. On his vest was a button of the recycling symbol.

The second of the group was a shorter boy with a medium build, similarly light complexion, and spiky blue hair. He wore a pair of jeans, a white shirt, a black hoodie, and a pair of sneakers with lightning bolts on the sides. An emblem resembling a blue shield with a yellow lightning bolt was on his sleeve. In his hands was a black guitar case.

The final member of the group was the shortest of the three. He had short grayish hair and a pale violet skin tone. He was dressed in a pair of slacks, white suspenders, and a yellow sweater. A dark badge depicting an atomic symbol was pinned over his left pectoral. His black eyes were hidden by a pair of taped, black glasses.

However, the last member of the trio was also the most noticeably depressed. The other two tried their best to cheer him up.

“So you guys wanna head over to Sugar Cube Corner? I heard that the Cakes are giving out a limited time milkshake flavor.” The spiky haired teen, Flash Sentry offered.

“Or maybe we can head to the arcade. I think they just got a new fighter game.” The green haired, Sandalwood Forests added.

“I appreciate the offer guys, but I’d rather just go home and get started on the assignment.” Micro Chips politely refused.

“But Mr. Doodle said that the assignment isn’t due until Friday. And today’s only Tuesday.”

“I know, I just want to get it done and…do other stuff later…”

Flash and Sandal looked at one another before turning to their friend. “…You’re still upset about what happened, aren’t you?”

Micro stopped walking. After a moment, he sighed. “…Of course I am. It’s been six months and we still haven’t heard anything.”

Six months. This exchange had been a common occurrence for the past six months. No matter how much his friends tried to help him, he just couldn’t move on.

The reason? It had been six months since his older brother, a renowned scientist and genius, Gizmo Poindexter, had gone missing.

The worst part? At the same time his disappearance had been reported, a dead body had been found in his apartment.

It had been the most prominent news story of the month. The media would not keep quiet about it. How could they not? Acclaimed scientist goes missing just as a dead body is found in his place of residence? A scoop of the century.

But Micro refused to believe a single word of what the media spewed. His brother was no murderer. Admittedly, he did get a bit eccentric regarding his experiments and inventions. But he was a kind and caring individual. The thought of him taking a life was absolutely absurd!

His family had been going through tough time due to the shocking revelation. The media would keep hounding on him and his parents for explanations and answers. They had all been emotionally exhausted from the ordeal. Fortunately, like himself, his parents refused to believe Gizmo being the culprit.

It was only recently that things had gotten back to normal. Due to the lack of follow up from the event, the media backed off and things slowly died down. His life at Canterlot High had gone back to normal.

…well, as normal as things can get when Equestrian Magic was involved.

In fact, just a few weeks ago at Camp Everfree, a certain group of students defeated the Camp’s Director who had been corrupted by said magic and turned into a force of nature named Gaea Everfree. Since then, the Rainbooms had obtained a set of geodes that enabled them to perform magical feats, such as animal communication, super strength, diamond shields, mind reading, telekinesis, super speed, even turning sugary confections into explosives.

…knowing a particular party planner, it was best not to question that last power.

The excitement from back then had made him forgot about the incident. But since today marked exactly six months since it happened….the feelings were back again.

He just wanted answers. What truly happened back then, and where his brother was now. Something just wasn’t sitting right with him.

Before he could ponder further, a steady hand rested on his shoulder. “Micro, buddy.” Sandalwood looked him in the eye. “We get that you’re still hurting from what happened. But you need to move on. Otherwise you’ll be plagued with bad vibes for the rest of your life.”

“I’m sorry. But…I…I just can’t let this go! I don’t even know what happened to Gizmo! I know my brother, and he’s no murderer! The media has got it all wrong.”

“And we believe you.” Flash interjected. “But as you said, we don’t know anything else about what happened. There has been no follow up about the incident. If there was a trail, then it’s probably gone cold by now.”

“But that’s just it. Usually, stories like these have circulation that lasts for months, maybe a year, especially in a town like ours. But it stopped just a couple months ago. There’s gotta be something more to this.”

“Maybe there is. But it’s not like we can do anything. We’re just high school students,” Micro opened his mouth, but Flash quickly added. “…despite the fact that our school has been the center point of multiple magical events. Besides, we don’t have any magic ourselves. That’s Sunset and the girls’ jurisdiction, so we can’t really do anything.”

“…Fair point…” Micro sighed.

“Sorry bud. Trust me, Sandalwood and I wish we can help, but we don’t have any clue where or how to start.”

“It’s fine.” The shorter teen shook his head. As much as it frustrated him, there was no use getting worked up over something beyond their capabilities.

“…Well, I should probably get going. I wasn’t kidding about the homework. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can do something else. Like maybe get started on that new game I got.”

“Then do you mind if Sandalwood and I join you? I kind of need some help on that calculus assignment we have.” The musician questioned. “I’m still having trouble with integration.”

“Sure.”

“Then let’s hop into my truck and go.” The eco-teen smiled as he pulled out his keys. Even if it was only for a brief moment, at least they managed to divert Micro from the incident.

Eventually, the three made it to Micro Chips’ home. It was an average, two story building with no prominent features aside from the satellite dish on the roof, a series of inventions seen through the second floor window, and the package outside the front door…..wait….

“Looks like you got mail.” Flash noted as they got off the truck.

“But I haven’t ordered anything. And I’m sure my parents’ weren’t expecting anything either…” Micro picked up the box and inspected it. The weight in his hands felt familiar for some reason. Since his parents were at work around this time, it was up to him to pick up any packages they may have gotten.

“Maybe someone sent you a gift or something?” Sandalwood asked.

“I don’t think so. If they did, then there would’ve been an address.” True to his word, there was no return address on the box. That in itself seemed suspicious. “Should we even open this?” Micro wondered.

“I don’t know. It’s up to you since it’s your package.” Flash said as he now held the box in his hands. “But I am curious about what it is. Feels about the same weight as my laptop at home.”

“But as I said before, my parents and I didn’t order anything. And I’m pretty sure I would remember ordering a laptop.”

“Well, this has got me curious. Let’s just see what’s inside instead of speculating.” The green haired teen offered. “Better that than just standing around.”

“…alright then.” The three made their way inside and passed a series of pictures of Micro’s family moments. One of them had an image of a person standing next to a younger Micro Chips. He was a tall and lanky fellow with a pale complexion, dressed in a plaid shirt, slacks, a green bow tie, and suspenders. His dark brown hair was slicked back and had a pair of round glasses over his blue eyes. His face ad acne and facial hair on his upper lip.

This was Micro’s older brother, Gizmo Poindexter.

The three teens moved to the table, where Micro got a pair of scissors and cut the tape that sealed the flaps shut.

After opening the box and going through several layers of bubble wrap (which, admittedly, the three took time in popping), Micro’s eyes widened upon seeing its contents.

It was a black laptop with a sticker decal of a blue robot. A symbol that was associated with his older brother.

“This….this is my brother’s laptop!” Micro exclaimed as he held it carefully in his hands.

“Whoa, you’re serious?” Flash and Sandalwood were equally surprised. After six months of inactivity, Gizmo Chip’s laptop turns up?

“I am.” Micro nodded. He opened the device and booted it up. “I recognize that logo anywhere. Plus, he always had this laptop with him, even when he visited home. It’s definitely his.”

“But…why was it delivered to your house?”

“I don’t know….but maybe this has some answers.” As the laptop finished booting up, a certain screen pops up.

“Man, its password protected.” Flash groaned. “How are we going to crack this?”

“I can do it.” Micro said confidently. “If I know my brother, and I hope I do well, then I know what it is.” He typed in a quick string of keys and hit enter. Immediately, the homepage opened up. “Got it!”

“That was fast.” Sandalwood remarked. “What did you type in?”

“Sorry. But it’s a personal matter for only my brother and I.” The intellectual said as he immediately went through the files stored. As he went through them, all Micro saw were the same old apps and programs his brother used without anything out of the ordinary. That is, until he found a new file located at the end of the list. Based on the date, it was saved recently. About one week ago.

He clicked on it, and a satellite image map appeared, as well as an address; an address that Micro knew well.

“That’s….that’s my brother’s Tech store! But….it’s been closed down since the incident.”

“Why would someone put a file of a place you knew about?” Flash asked.

“I…I don’t think it’s just anyone who put this file in.” Micro said, confusing the two. “Didn’t you see? The password I used worked. It was the password my brother used. No one else would’ve been able to access it without setting off the firewalls and securities on this thing. So it must be him!”

“So you think he’s trying to tell you something? Like a clue?”

“Maybe. And look here, there was a note inside the box.” The three leaned toward the unfolded piece of paper and saw a single line of typed text:

“Come to the place where it all begins. All will be revealed.”

“…Huh. That was kind of…cryptic.” Flash mused.

“Yeah, but it looks like we got a lead to what happened” Sandal nodded, before suggesting “….wanna check it out?”

“Heck yes! This is the first news I have of my brother in months! Let’s go!” Micro closed the computer, stored it in his backpack, and left for Sandal’s car.

“So much for working on Calculus.”

“But at least he’s smiling again.” With that, the two followed their friend and drove over to the technology shop of Gizmo Chips….completely unaware of what would transpire within the next two hours.

While the three friends investigated this mystery, in another part of town, a particular group of seven girls hung out at the Canterlot Mall.

They known throughout town as the Rainbooms, a rock band that was taking the town by storm, one gig at a time. They were seated at the food court, having their favorite drinks as they conversed.

The first girl lightly sipped her smoothie. She had pale, yellow skin, and bluish-green colored eyes with pale pink eye shadow. She also had long, elegant-looking pink hair with a butterfly-shaped barrette worn off to the side. Her sleeveless dress was white on the top, while the skirt portion was colored a light green, with pink and white frills on the bottom of it, and a picture of three butterflies printed towards the front. Her boots were also colored green, with white soles on the bottom, and white frills at the top. She also had on a pair of pink socks with white polka-dots. Her name was Fluttershy: A kind animal caretaker and friend and the tambourine player of the Rainbooms.

The girl next to her was a cyan-skinned girl with magenta-colored eyes, and scruffy, rainbow-colored hair. She wore a white shirt with a rainbow-colored lightning bolt printed on it, with a cobalt blue shirt overtop of it. She had on a pink skirt with white stripes (with black shorts worn underneath), two rainbow-colored wristbands on her wrists, and large blue shoes that seemed to be a cross between boots and sneakers, based on their appearance. She was Rainbow Dash: A loyal friend, awesome athlete, and the Rainboom’s lead guitarist and vocalist.

Following her was a girl that had yellow skin, swirly red and yellow hair, and aqua green-colored eyes. She wore a leather jacket with a red and yellow sun on the back over a light blue blouse, a pair of jeans, and a pair of long, black boots, each with a purple flame pattern on them. Her name was Sunset Shimmer, the Rainbooms’ rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist.

On the next table was a girl with orange-colored skin and yellow freckles under her bright green eyes. She had long blond hair, tied up into a ponytail, underneath her brown cowgirl hat. She wore a white shirt with green towards the top of it, a blue jean skirt held up with a brown belt with an apple-shaped buckle, and a pair of brown cowgirl boots that each had a picture of three apples on them, arranged together in a triangle pattern. Her name was Applejack: an honest, hardworking farmer and the Rainbooms’ bass guitarist.

Sitting next to her, slurping on two different milkshakes at once, was a pink-skinned girl with poofy hair that was colored in a darker pink color, and had bright, baby-blue eyes. She wore a dress that was white on the top and magenta on the bottom; the top of the dress had a pink heart shape printed upon it, while the skirt portion had a picture of three balloons (two blue and one yellow). The dress was held together with a purple band around the waist, and overtop of it, the girl wore a small blue shirt. The rest of the ensemble consisted of two blue bracelets and a pair of blue boots, the latter of which were tied with a pink ribbon on each. She was Pinkie Pie: Party planner, a bundle of smiles and laughter, and the Rainbooms’ drummer.

Next to her, sipping her chai latte in a more dignified manner, was a girl with pure white skin and dark blue eyes, topped with blue eye shadow and large eyelashes. She had long, swirly hair that was violet in color, with a jeweled barrette worn on top. Her dress was light blue on top, and the skirt was of a similar violet color to her hair, with a picture of three, four-sided diamonds printed upon it. The dress was held together with a purple belt with a blue buckle, she wore a pair of gold bracelets on her wrists, and she wore a pair of purple boots, each one emblazoned with a shiny, blue gem on the top. Her name was Rarity: the generous, fashionista extraordinaire and keytar player.

And the last, but certainly not least, girl of the group wore thick rimmed glasses that hid her purple eyes. Her back length hair was tied in a ponytail and was a dark, indigo-blue color with a mulberry stripe and a pink stripe running through it. She was dressed in a simple blue and white short sleeved blouse with a pink ribbon at the collar, and a purple skirt with pink, six pointed stars that seemed to sparkle. Her name was Twilight Sparkle. Like Sunset Shimmer, she was also a back up vocalist for the Rainbooms.

A common accessory that they all shared was a geode necklace that they wore around their necks.

They usually hung out at the mall after school when they weren’t at work….which was somewhat ironic since they had part time jobs right here in the mall. Right now, their conversation pertained to recent events.

“Y’kno, Ah still can’t believe tha’ music video we made is still popular like this.” Applejack commented, gesturing to said video playing on the televisions of a nearby electronics store.

“Well, what did you expect? We did awesome!” Rainbow Dash smiled as she slurped her smoothie.

“Yeah! It was sooo much fun!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she slurped on a different flavored milkshake.

“I still can’t believe we actually pulled it off.” Fluttershy commented.

“Come now, darling.” Rarity assured her. “It was obvious that we would win that contest.”

“Says the one who had panic attacks of the music video not working out, and then had us team up with students from our rival school.” Rainbow Dash reminded with a half-lidded stare.

“…Can we please just forget about that?” The fashionista kindly begged to move past that moment. It honestly was not her best.

“Considering what we went through….not happening.” The athlete replied, much to her chagrin.

“Well, I say all’s well that ends well. Because we won, we were able to raise the money to save Camp Everfree.” Twilight smiled. Despite their rocky start, the music video turned out pretty well, allowing them to win first place and the cash prize. All their hard work paid off in the end, even if it ended up becoming an all or nothing gamble with the contest.

As they conversed, only Sunset remained quiet. She kept sipping her smoothie idly as she stared at the ground, her mind lost in thought. She was broken out of her reverie as Rainbow Dash nudged her.

“Hello? Earth to Sunset Shimmer? You doing okay?”

“H-huh? What? What were we talking about?”

“We’re talkin’ ‘bout the music video, sugarcube.” Applejack replied. “You doin’ okay? You haven’t said a word since we got here.”

“Y-yeah…I’m fine…” Sunset said, but Applejack immediately saw through her lie.

“Uh-uh. Try again, Sunset. You’re obviously not alright…”

“Is there something the matter?” Flutterhy asked in concern.

“No, no….it’s just…I don’t know. I’ve just been having this….weird feeling lately.”

“Weird? In what way, darling?” Rarity set down her drink.

“It’s just that…it seems too quiet lately.” Sunset admitted.

“What do you mean? Isn’t that a good thing?” Twilight asked.

“Usually, yeah. But I can’t help but shake this feeling that something….anything…could happen at anytime…and I don’t exactly have good feelings about it.”

“Oh come on, Sunset! You’re just worrying too much! I mean, sure the last incident we had involved a Camp Director who went loco in the coco from Equestrian magic and turned her into an evil Mother Nature bent on making everyone stay at a campsite forever until we all ponied up and shot a Rainbow laser of friendship at her and turned everything to normal.

But it’s been weeks since Camp Everfree, and there hasn’t been any sort of magical incidents since then! Well, aside from us learning to use our geodes. But it’s just a simple Tuesday afternoon. So what could possibly go wrong?” Pinkie questioned all in a single breath with a smile.

As if to respond, cries of terror broke the quiet air.

“GYAAAAAAGH!!!!”

“…What the hay was THAT?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Her question was answered as a mob of people that ran past the group, fleeing something from around the corner. More people came through, but immediately spasmed and collapsed as if they were electrocuted by something.

The cause was revealed soon enough. Appearing from the intersection was a group of what appeared to be soldiers of some sort. They were covered in black, futuristic-looking body armor and helmets that hid their faces. But what were most alarming were the guns in their hands.

“What the?! Are those supposed ta be soldiers?!” Said troops then took notice of the girls and aimed their rifles at them.

“Forget that! Duck!” Rainbow Dash quickly kicked over the table, acting as a makeshift shield. She pulled Fluttershy and Sunset down with her behind the barricade. Applejack did the same with her own table and pulled Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight to safety.

And not a moment too soon, as the girls felt projectiles ricochet off the table surface.

“Why are they shooting at us?! Rarity exclaimed in shock.

“And why are they dragging those unconscious people with them?!” Pinkie shouted. The girls looked at her in confusion before the party planner pointed to what she was referring to. Surprisingly, the people that the soldiers shot weren’t actually killed, but seemed to be paralyzed by whatever they were shot with. They dragged the incapacitated people away while the others kept shooting others down to drag back later.

“Are they….kidnapping people?!” Fluttershy gasped in shock. It was a terrifying concept. These troops were stunning people just to cart them off to who knows where.

“Seems that way! But why the hay is this even happening in broad daylight?!” Sunset questioned. On that note, why were they marching in a group, being loud and obvious as possible and even use guns of all things?! It’s like they want to bring attention to themselves! But it just made no logical sense!

“I don’t know….But….but we can’t let this happen!” Rainbow Dash cried.

“What?! You can’t seriously be thinkin’…”

“I am! Look! We’re not defenseless; we have magic and our geodes! We have powers, so why are we just sitting here and twiddling our thumbs?!”

The girls looked at one another in reluctance, unsure if they absolutely had to get involved instead of calling the police and let them handle it. However, any and all hesitation soon shattered when a familiar cry rang out. Rarity whipped her head around so fast that one could’ve gotten whiplash.

It was a trio of young girls that seemed to be younger than the Rainbooms based on their body size. One was on the ground while the other two tried to help her up. The one on the left had orange skin, short, magenta hair, and purple eyes. She wore a dark-grey hoodie with a blue shirt underneath. She had on a pair of green shorts and a pair of dark-grey boots with blue socks.

The one on the right had yellow skin and long, red hair tied up in a big bow. She was dressed in a pair of jeans rolled up above her knees, a pair of light boots, and a green blouse. Like the girl next to her, her expression was one of fear.

The girl on the ground with a scrapped knee was a girl with the same skin tone as Rarity, with long, curly hair colored pink and lavender with a red hair band in it. She had bright green eyes that were currently wide with panic. She wore a dress with the skirt portion being yellow while the top was pink and white striped. She had a short sleeved, magenta jacket with a belt over it and a pair of knee high boots of the same color.

These three girls were known as the CMC(Canterlot Movie Club). They were also the little sisters of Rainbow Dash(unofficially), Applejack, and Rarity, respectively.

And standing above them was one of the troopers, aiming their weapon at them. Suffice to say, protective sister instincts kicked in when they saw the girls in danger.

“SWEETIE BELLE!”

“APPLEBLOOM!”

“SCOOTALOO!”

The three girls immediately went into action. Rarity conjured a shield that protected the girls from the bullets while Rainbow Dash sped up and carried them to safety. While they were in the clear, Applejack, fueled with rage at the thing for trying to hurt her family and friends, punched it. The metal caved in beneath her strike as sparks flew. The body flew before it crashed in a crumpled heap, motionless. It sparked before exploding.

“What the….they were robots?!” Twilight questioned in awe.

“Worry about that later! Come on!” Sunset went after their friends while Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Twilight followed her.

“Are you girls alright?!” Applejack fretted over her sister, checking for any injuries.

“We-we’re fine…but Sweetie Belle tripped while we were running!” Scootaloo answered as she was checked out by Rainbow Dash.

“Let me see!” Rarity said as she looked over her sister. As they said, Sweetie Belle’s knees were scrapped up from a nasty fall. They were still bleeding, but the girl did her best to remain strong, despite the stinging sensation. Without hesitation, she tore off the sleeve of her shirt and used the material to make a makeshift bandage for her sister’s injury.

“R-Rarity! You’re shirt!”

“Clothes can be replaced. You can’t. I just want you and your friends to get to safety.” She turned to Sunset and Fluttershy. “Can you two do that?”

“As long as you guys can cover us, then of course.” The two nodded as they proceeded to lead the CMC away from the food court. During this time, Pinkie entered the fray and threw whatever discarded desert or sweet treat that was scattered amongst the chaos at the robots.

The sweets immediately blew them up as if they were grenades. During this ordeal, Pinkie did not smile. “Take that you kidnappers!”

Twilight helped by telekinetically removing the robots’ firearms and removed as many captured individuals from their grasp as she could before levitating them off to Sunset and Fluttershy.

For the three older sisters though? They did not show any mercy. Rainbow, who picked up a discarded pipe, zoomed all around the area and whacked whatever robot was in her path. Applejack used her enhanced strength to smash them to bits or throw them into the air and let gravity do the rest. Rarity was a bit more versatile in using her powers. She would use her shields to box the robots in for her friends to take down. But she also used the edge of her shields as makeshift blades to bisect the robots.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or in this case, three protective sisters.

“…So….this is the place?” Sandalwood questioned as the trio stepped out of the truck. What stood before them was an abandoned, single story building with boarded up windows and closed doors. It was also surprisingly located in a clearing without any other buildings nearby for at least a couple blocks. Yet the sign above the door read:

Gizmo’s Revolutionary Tech: Home to all electronics and technology.

“Looks like….and is it just me, but do you guys get the feeling that we’re missing something pretty awesome yet terrifying at the same time right now?” Flash inquired.

“How could we be missing something ‘awesome yet terrifying’ if we’re tracking a lead on what happened to Gizmo right now?” Micro questioned back as he double checked the image. “And this is definitely the place.”

“I’m surprised it’s still standing, especially after the incident.” Flash noted. “Either your brother has the rent paid in advance, or he has the worse landowner of all time. Would’ve thought the place would be condemned after so long...”

“Ordinarily, that would definitely be the case. But the fact that it’s still standing without a condemned sign is strange.” Micro adjusted his glasses.

“Well, how do you suppose we get in? If your brother’s been gone for so long, I doubt we can just walk in the front door.” Sandalwood commented and even pulled on the handle of the supposed-to-be locked door to prove his point.

But to their shock, the door opened without resistance. It wasn’t even locked.

“…okay, this is definitely freaky.” Flash said. Nevertheless, he and Micro joined Sandal inside the building. Despite the poor lighting, there didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary with the store. It looked just like an everyday electronics shop. Despite the thick layer of dust on just about every surface, nothing seemed disturbed or untouched.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone’s been here for a while.” Sandal ran a finger on the counter and scooped up a large amount of dust. “Everything seems untouched.”

“But if that’s the case, then why was the door unlocked?” Flash inquired.

“Maybe he forgot to lock it before he went missing?”

“If he did, then it’s gotta be some miracle that the place hasn’t been ransacked. Either that or it was visited by the worst thieves in the world.”

“Good point.” Sandal nodded as he inspected an old game console on the shelf. “Then I guess the only explanation is that this door has been unlocked recently.”

“But why though?”

“That’s what we need to learn.” Micro spoke. “Let’s search around. Maybe we can find something.” The three then broke off and inspected different parts of the store. Flash was in the music section, perusing through the different music players and devices that were in stock. But there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Micro searched through the media device section of the store. The selection ranged from smartphones, to computers, to tablets. But like Flash, nothing unusual was found.

Sandalwood remained by the counter area. He just moved behind the counter, and immediately stopped. Despite the A/C being off in the store…he felt a draft by the wall. Searched for anything out of the ordinary with the wall, and noticed a section where the layer of dust seemed to have been disturbed. He called over Flash and Micro to see what he found.

“So you think there may be some sort of hidden door?” Flash questioned Sandalwood’s hypothesis.

“I do.” He explained his reasoning with the slight draft despite the stagnant air in the room, and the disturbed dust layer.

“If that’s the case, then the door must be here.” Micro stood in front of the blank section of the wall. “But how do we access it?”

“Not sure. For all we know, it could be a secret panel that we can press to type in a code, like in the movies.” Flash joked as he leaned on the wall. He felt something cave beneath his weight. Almost immediately, a keypad panel slid out from the wood work. Sandalwood and Micro gaped in awe before turning to Flash, who was equally amazed. “...okay, don’t look at me. That was purely coincidental. I was actually kidding!”

“Either way, we can finally see what’s being kept secret.” Micro examined the keypad. Based on the input screen, it seemed to require a six digit code. Knowing his brother, the intellectual punched in the numbers.

The screen lit green as the password was accepted. The wall slid away to reveal a staircase that led to an underground floor.

“Whoa! How did you figure the code on the first try?” Flash questioned as he looked at his friend in amazement.

“It was easy. The code was my birthday.” As he finished speaking, Micro advanced down the steps, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. His friends followed suit.

“Okay, I think that’s the last of them…” Rainbow announced as she tossed the pipe aside. She and the other girls panted heavily. It took quite a bit of time, but they managed to take out all of the kidnapping robots. They managed to evacuate the civilians and rescued as many people as they could. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to save some of them as they were taken before they fought back.

“Is everyone okay?” Sunset asked as she and Fluttershy returned.

“We’re fine! A little tired and sore, but fine!” Pinkie assured them. Despite her words, she still looked like she had energy to spare.

“Just…what the hay were those things?” Applejack questioned.

“I don’t know…” Twlight answered as she examined the remains of their foes. “But they’re definitely robots. More advanced than anything I’ve ever seen.”

“But why were they abducting innocent people?” Rarity questioned as she did her best to fix her disheveled appearance from the fight.

“Ooh! Maybe they’re the robot grunts of some super secret organization that wants to kidnap people to perform experiments on them to turn them into some sort of super soldiers for world domination!” Pinkie suggested.

“That….was oddly specific…” Sunset commented, wondering how her friend came to THAT conclusion.

“What? I’m just guessing.” Before the girls could speculate further, something interrupts with a loud roar.

“GRAAAGH!!!”

“…Oh what now?!” Rainbow yelled in frustration.

She was answered with pieces of the mall fountain being thrown into their line of sight. Following the debris was a large, hulking, monstrous figure.

It seemed humanoid in appearance and stood a good head taller than the robot soldiers from before. Its legs were plated in gray armor. Its upper body seemed to be a fusion of a head and torso. The upper half was mainly orange save for the three blue plates that seemed to be where the head was supposed to be, and bulky, muscular, blue arms.

“…What on Earth IS that monstrosity?!” Rarity exclaimed as she and the girls regrouped away from the rampaging creature.

“I have no idea!” Sunset exclaimed as they ducked beneath and airborne trash can. The creature didn’t even seem to notice them. It was just going berserk, tossing or breaking anything it got its hands on.

“Well, whatever it is…” Rainbow Dash picked up her discarded pipe. “It’s going down like the others! Back me up Applejack!” The farm girl nodded as she athlete charged in first. She swung the pipe with all her strength and added force from her accelerated movement. However, her body jerked back from the solid hit. She stopped and saw that her attack had actually bent the pipe out of shape! The creature stopped its movements and turned to the one who just struck it.

“…Uh…hehe…whoops?” The girl said sheepishly.

The monster roared and swung a fist at her. Fortunately, Rainbow reacted quickly enough to dodge it and set some space between them. However, that did not last long as it gave chase.

“Hold it right there, partner!” It then turned to whoever spoke and was greeted with a firm fist to the face.

Unfortunately for Applejack, while her attack did land directly, it didn’t have much effect. In fact, she felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm.

“Gah!” She retracted her limb and held her throbbing hand. “Just what is this guy made out of?” The monster used this opening to knock her away. Applejack was airborne until she was enveloped in a familiar lavender aura courtesy of Twilight.

“Are you okay?” Her friends gathered to see if she was alright.

“Ah’m fine…arm’s a bit sore, but in one piece.”

“Take a rest, darling.” Rarity told her as she and Pinkie stepped up, the latter holding a fistful of gumdrops. “We’ll handle it from here.”

“Whatever you guys are doing, do it fast!” Rainbow Dash cried as she continued to zoom away from the rampaging monster. Realizing she couldn’t beat it in a fight, she decided to use hit and run tactics. While they didn’t seem to faze it, it was enough to keep its attention off the rest of her friends.

“Don’t worry, Dashie! We’re on it!” Pinkie wound up her arm several times before she chucked the pieces of squishy sugar and artificial flavor at the juggernaut. The gooey confections stuck on its armor before they glowed and exploded. The kinetic energy was enough to make it stumble. However, it failed to deal significant damage. In fact, it only made it angrier.

Rarity followed up by tossing one of her shields at it to force it back. The creature raised its fist and punched the floating crystalline structure away. She tried again by launching it like a discus.

The beast merely raised its arms to block it. While the edge of the diamond shield had proven to be sharp, added with the force it was thrown at, it failed to indent, let alone cut, the armor plating on the creature’s arms. It threw its arms up and forced the disc away.

The fashionista tried one more time and used her shields to box the creature in. “Now Pinkie!”

The party planner nodded and tossed a large jawbreaker that she pulled out of her hair into the opening between the shields, which Rarity then closed with another crystalline structure. A bright light glowed from the gaps before an explosion, much larger than the ones previously went off and kicked up a large mass of dirt and dust into the air.

Rarity made another shield to protect them all from the billowing dust as it gradually settled down.

“Did we get it?” Twilight asked. But to their dismay, the creature stood its ground, looking no worse for wear.

“Nothing’s working!” Rainbow cried out in frustration.

“Now what do we do?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“There’s no other option! We need pony up and stop that thing!” Sunset declared.

“Then what are we waiting for?!” The girls’ geodes glowed in unison before they were each enveloped in their radiance. Their hair grew longer as they all gained a set of pony ears on their heads. In the cases of Rainbow, Twilight, and Fluttershy, they sprouted crystal wings from their backs.

Their attire changed as well, each one sporting what seemed to be a series of combat dresses and leggings, each one modeled to fit their respective wearer.

Applejack’s was turquoise with gold buttons and plating around her waist and hemline. She wore brown leggings and golden boots adorned with green gemstones. She also wore a pair of brown, leather gloves with similar gemstones on the back of the hand. Her hair was tied up in a braid and had a hair band of what seemed to be green, jeweled apples on it.

Fluttershy’s had a lime green outer layer with a light blue under layer and pink edging. She wore white leggings with pink, heeled boots. Her wrists were covered by purple, metallic bands and her shoulders had ornaments that resembled butterfly wings. Her hair was tied in a low pony tail and adorned with a purple, crystalline butterfly pin.

Rarity’s was a multi-layer suit of various shades of blue with glittering sequences. She wore dark indigo leggings with purple boots adorned with light blue diamonds and purple, metal wristbands. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail with what appeared to be a crystal, crown-like ornament.

Sunset’s was a fiery red and yellow dress with an orange and yellow sun ornament on her midriff and gold shoulder pads adorned in diamonds. She wore black leggingsand gold and orange boots. Her hair was also tied in a pony tail with a sun ornament in her hair.

Pinkie’s was a long sleeved, magenta and light yellow dress with frills on the skirt portion and dark magenta shoulder pads adorned with diamonds. She wore magenta gloves also decorated with diamonds, purple leggings that stopped below the knee, and pink shoes with diamonds in the shape of balloons. Her hair was tied in two, poofy pig tails and a purple hair band.

Rainbow’s outfit consisted of a red, sleeveless top with a blue diagonal stripe, gold shoulder pads, a metallic orange sash with lightning bolt attachments, and blue leggings with orange stripes on the side. She wore orange and blue sneakers with wing ornaments on the side. Her hair was tied up in a spiky ponytail.

Finally, Twilight’s outfit consisted of a sparkling blue dress with a purple skirt and collar, and a white V design on the front. She wore purple gloves with blue wristbands that covered her arms from fingertip to elbow. She wore dark blue leggings with light blue boots with pink, six pointed stars on the knees. Her glasses were replaced with a pink, tinted visor. Her hair was in a ponytail as it had been previously, with a pink band at the lower part of her hair. In her hair was a tiara composed of five, star-like patterns.

Their bodies shone brightly into a spectrum of color, bright enough to temporarily blind the creature.

The girls floated in the air, energy radiating off their forms.

“Let’s light ‘em up, ladies!” Pinkie Pie cheered as the girls gathered their energy and fired a massive, spectral beam of friendship and magic. The creature was swallowed by the blast and the area around it exploded. Dust and debris was kicked up everywhere. Believing that the monster was defeated, the girls floated back to the ground.

“We got it!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she jumped up and down. The Rainbooms breathed a sigh of relief. Their attack was a direct hit and everything should calm down now…

However, when the dust cleared, to their shock and horror, the monster remained standing. It didn’t even have a single scratch! In fact…it only seemed even angrier than before, evident by it striking the air around it in a frenzy before setting its sights on the girls.

“….uh…wasn’t this supposed to be the part when we win?” Pinkie Pie questioned as she paused her jump mid air. “Because I’m still seeing the smashy monster all monster-like.

The monster simply snarled and rushed at the group. Quickly, Rarity erected another diamond shield to block it. But to their surprise, the creature grabbed the shield by the edges and tossed it away, continuing its advance. Rarity tried to create another one, but the monster slammed its fist into her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her. It then followed up with a heavy swing that launched her into the air until she smacked against a nearby wall.

“Rarity!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack tried to blindside it, but the creature flailed both of its arms and struck both of them. Rainbow failed to see the fist coming as it sent her flying and crashed through a table.

The farmer was still disoriented. The monster took this chance to rain down a flurry of fast, heavy blows that left her no reprieve.

In a final move, it smashed Applejack into the ground and knocked her unconscious. It then slowly turned to Pinkie Pie and the others.

“….oh Sugar Honey Iced Tea…” Pinkie Pie lamented.

“Whoa….” The three boys said in amazement as they entered a new room. The room was extremely spacious. It was probably even larger than the store above them.

At the far end of the room stood a large device the size of a refrigerator. It stood on an elevated platform. The left side had a steel door of some sort, large enough to fit a person. The right side of the system was the same height, yet had a small windowed door that resembled one from a microwave.

To the right of it was a series of desks littered with all sorts of miscellaneous gadgets and devices. It also bore a large black board filled with mathematical formulas and equations.

On the other side of the room was a large, advanced computer.

“Is this really your brother’s workshop? It looks like a Sci-Fi film laboratory…”

“He even has a microwave oven in here.” The eco-teen pointed out. “At least I think it’s one…”

“What was your brother even doing in here?” The musician scratched his head as his eyes locked onto the formulas on the board, his brain already hurting from trying to process them. “It looks like rocket science…I think…”

“I don’t know, but just look at all of this…!” Micro stated in awe. On the desk were several workshop tools. Such as spools of wire, soldering irons, circuit boards, programming software, there were simply too many to list. Next to them were strange devices of unknown origin.

One of them was definitely something he never saw before. It was black with silver tubes running across the front and had two slots on the front next to a large gear-like piece. It also had a big, red crank coming off on the side. He picked it up and examined it. “I knew my brother is an avid scientist and inventor, but I have no clue what this even is…” He then took note of the five, small bottles of various colors.

“Hey guys!” Sandalwood called out as he stood at a different desk and held up what he found. “I think I found something. Your brother must’ve left his phone here!” While the device in the eco-club member’s hand was definitely a smartphone, it seemed different than the standard store models. While it had the touchscreen, the casing was rather bulky and oddly designed. There was even a wheel on the top of it.

“That’s…not my brother’s phone, Sandalwood.” Micro shook his head. “He actually just uses a standard flip phone. I have no idea what that is.”

“Oh…” Sandalwood took another look at the phone in hand, now wondering what it was. Then he noticed a small, circular slot in the side of it. He also took note of the small bottle that was next to it on the table. It was a translucent yellow with black rims. The design of the case resembled a lion’s head. The top had an oddly designed twist cap with the letters LS printed on them.

He looked back and both between the phone and the bottle, slowly realizing how they might be connected.

“So aside from all of this, have we found anything that might explain his disappearance?” Flash asked as he turned away from the board. If he stared at it any longer, he might go crazy.

“Nothing on the tables so far…aside from these odd devices…” Micro set the items down. He then turned to the computer on the other side of the room. “…Maybe he has something in there.”

“Worth a try.” Micro got to work and booted up the system. However, when it booted up, a panel slid open to reveal a rectangular slot that required a device to be hooked up. He examined the slot and the attachment pieces, finding them to be familiar. He gasped in realization as he pulled out his brother’s laptop. He hooked it up to the computer and the device flared to life.

The screen was littered with various programs of known origin. But one of them stood out: Project Build.

“Project…Build?”

“Maybe it was something your brother worked on? Like a government secret project?”

“I don’t know. But let’s find out.” Before he could click on it, however, Sandalwood got their attention.

“Hey guys! I think I figured something out.” They turned to their friend, who was fiddling with the smartphone and the yellow bottle in hand. “I noticed how this phone had a hole in the back, just about the size of this bottle. Maybe it’s some sort of custom hard drive that has secret files.”

“I don’t know, Sandalwood. Maybe we should hold off on that until we know for sure what it is. And I think my brother would have said files on this computer.”

“Well, maybe we can still get answers from it.” He twisted the cap open and plugged it into the phone. However, instead of booting up, the Phone shot out his hands.

"BUILD CHANGE!"

To their shock, the devices defied the laws of conservation of mass and unfolded and enlarged into a motorcycle, specifically, a Red Honda XR 230 model.

The trio stared gobsmacked at what just happened. Flash and Micro slowly turned to Sandalwood, who fell on his butt and stunned. He then gathered his senses and pulled himself up. “….okay, I was wrong. So…you were saying about a secret file?”

The three stood at the computer as Micro opened the file up. Like the laptop, it was password protected. Just he cracked it easily. It opened up to reveal a long series of videos.

“What do you think these are?”

“If I know my brother, I assume that they are science logs. They’re kinda like journals scientists use to document their findings.”

“Why would they do that instead of writing stuff down?”

“They do it in order to get video evidence of their findings to legitimize their experiments. It also helps with added documentation.”

“So you think we may find something worthwhile here?”

“It’s the only place left that we can find. It’s got to be here.” Without further discussion, Micro clicked on the first video.

The screened panned out to reveal a video recording of the very room they were in. Next came a voice that the bespectacled teen hasn’t heard in six months.

“Testing, testing…Okay, audio is good. So are visuals. Let’s get started.” From outside the frame entered Gizmo Poindexter. “Hello all you members of the scientific community! My name is Gizmo Poindexter. This is is the first video entry log for my latest project: Project Build. And I will explain more about it further on, but let me just say….that what you shall learn here…will change the world…!”

“You’re brother seems to like adding a bit of dramatic flair.”Flash commented.

“Yeah…he always does that to build hype.”

“But first, let me explain. Project Build is a system like you have never seen before. You see, it utilizes a substance known as Nebula Gas.”

“Nebula Gas? What’s that?” Sandalwood questioned.

“No clue. This the first time I’m hearing of it…”

“Now, you may be questioning yourself, what is Nebula Gas? You see, believe it or not, this particular substance originates from outer space!

“Are you serious?! He’s not kidding, is he?”

“I kid you not!” Gizmo coincidentally answered Flash’s question. “And don’t worry, I was skeptical at first as well. Until I had seen and studied the source sample of this mysterious substance. You see, 18 years ago, a meteorite had fallen out in the countryside just outside Canterlot City. The City Research Center spent years trying to study its peculiarity, to no avail. That is…until they recruited me to study it!” He proudly pointed a thumb at himself.

“Heh. You’re brother’s definitely humble…”

“He usually is. Unless it involves some big discovery or accomplishment that involves him. Then he tends to brag a bit.”

“After studying the gas generated from this celestial object, I have come to conclude that it can only be found in space or other celestial bodies, as it contains substances that cannot be found on Earth. But I think that’s enough rambling on exposition for now. In short, Nebula Gas is a substance found in outer space,” His expression then grew somber. “…and I have also learned that it has drastic side effects on people…”

“THAT doesn’t sound ominous at all…” Flash commented. In the video, Gizmo pulled down a diagram revealing said, malformed creature, much to the surprise of the three.

“You see, exposure to the gas can cause…transformations. Believe it or not, the gas seems to cause mutations in the human body, drastically changing their forms and mental states, as well as bolstering their physical capabilities. This is likely due to the rapid cell division the gas causes upon direct exposure. The subject’s mental state becomes reduced to that of a simple beast while their strength skyrockets to superhuman levels. When we first learned of this, we had no way of turning them back to normal. In fact, when we tried to suppress them from going out of control, we learned that conventional weapons have little to no effect. It took a while, but we finally managed a way to remove the gas from their bodies. However, the subjects who returned to normal suffered short term memory loss, having no recollection of the incident. Unfortunately…not everyone had enough of a resistance against the gas...”

Gizmo shook his head and removed his glasses, sliding a hand down his face. The implications were not lost on the boys.

“Those who had a weak constitution…could not withstand the rapid cell division caused by the gas. As a result…their bodies gradually broke down until…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“….this just got dark really quickly.” Flash stated with wide eyes. His friends nodded in agreement.

“You see, during these experiments and research, I discovered how each person varies in resistance against the Nebula gas. I have classified the term to be Hazard Levels with different tiers, which is red through this scanner,” He brandished said handheld device before the camera. It was the same device that Micro saw next to the driver earlier. “For instance, a Hazard Level of 0 means that a person would have a lesser chance of withstanding the gas’ effects and have a greater chance of dying. A Hazard Level of 1 would immediately be converted into a Smash upon exposure. Fortunately, people with a hazard level of 2 are able to resist the transformation and retain human form. And finally, despite being rare cases, there are people with a Hazard level of 3, which goes a step further.”

“Well, at least there’s some good news…”

“Yeah, but what does he mean by 3 being more special than 2? Isn’t that just added resistance?”

“Let’s just wait and watch more. There’s still some time on the video left.”

The scientist then glared at the camera in determination. “And that is precisely why I have devised Project Build. You see…” He stepped out of the frame and gestured to the large, white machine the guys saw when walking in. “I have devised a machine that is capable of purifying Nebula Gas. It taps into the human brain to initiate the purification procedure. It is a mentally exhausting process, but safe as it prevents direct exposure to the gas. And you may be asking yourselves, “Why would I want to purify the gas if it’s so dangerous?””

“That’s what we want to know…”

“It is all so I can initiate the true purpose of Project Build…This!” He held up the crank handle machine that Micro had examined before. “You see, my colleagues, this is no ordinary machine. It allows a person with the minimum Hazard Level of 3.0 to tap into the power housed within the purified gas, which is contained within these Fullbottles, which the previous machine produces. I give you….the Build Driver!” He then held up the five differently colored bottles in hand.

“THAT’s what those were for?” Micro questioned.

“I guess. But what are they supposed to do?”

“Allow me to demonstrate.” He set all but two bottles, one red with the image of a rabbit, and one blue with the image of a tank, on the table and placed the machine on his waist. To their surprise, a belt shot out and wrapped itself around his midsection. Gizmo then shook both of the bottles. “Please note, that when utilizing the driver, you can only use two Fullbottles at a time. You can also only pair up an Organic Bottle, like Rabbit, with an Inorganic bottle, like Tank. What you shall witness next is a revolutionary moment in scientific history. I present to you, the Build System!” He twisted the caps on the bottles and plugged the red one into the slot closest to the crank.

“RABBIT”

The machine said with clarity. Then he plugged the blue bottle into the remaining slot.

“TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

Gizmo then turned the crank on the newly formed belt as two constructs manifested in front of and behind the man.

“…they look like plastic sprues from a model kit.” Flash commented. The constructs appeared as he said, with pieces of armor in red and blue.

“ARE YOU READY?”

Gizmo stood proudly in the center. “Now, to complete the process, the activation code is needed. It is the neighponese translation for the word transform. Allow me to demonstrate…”

He took a pose and shouted, “Henshin!”

The constructs slammed into him, donning him in a suit of armor.

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT,RABBIT-TANK!!!”

“YEAH!”

The armor Gizmo now wore was made up of segments of red and blue with black in between. On his left leg was a large spring and his right foot had tank treads. His helmet had two eye plates, one shaped like a rabbit and the other like a tank.

The man put one hand on his hip, and the other one moved along the barrel of the tank eye plate before performing a flick. "The jumping ability of a rabbit, the power of a tank. This is a winning combo," he said as he posed.

“…” The three boys stared at what they had just seen with stupefied expressions. Flash was the one who broke it. “

“…why would your brother make the activation code in Neighponese?”

“…Would you believe me if I said that he is a huge fan of Neighpon culture?”

Before they could speak further, Gizmo continued.

“Now…before we move on, let me give you a fair warning on another device of mine that is meant to work with the Build System.” He pulled out the smart phone device that Sandal fiddled with earlier. “This here, is the Build Phone.” Gizmo then went into an explanation of how it functioned as a smart phone and more. For instance, the screen can repair itself if dropped or cracked and extremely durable, something Flash said they needed for every smart phone. Then he explained how it used the Fullbottles to transform into a bike.

“And friendly reminder, please don’t use the Machine Builder indoors. Wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“A little late for that…” Flash stared at the motorcycle in the middle of the room.

Well then, that’s all the time I have for now. See you all again in the next log.” The video ended. The three simply stood there, trying to process what they had just seen. In the past few minutes, they learned that the celestial object housed within the Canterlot Research Center from 18 years ago produced a gas that turned people into monsters, and Gizmo had created a device to not only purify the gas, but use its power to combat those turned into Smash’s?

“…this is just like the plot of some sci-fi, live action TV show…” The musician said as he plopped down into one of the chairs.

“Yeah…but this is definitely real.” Micro said as he now examined the Build driver with more rapt detail. He was curious how his brother even made such a thing.

“Still…I can’t believe it. All this time, there was some weird, dangerous space gas that can turn people into Monsters?” Sandalwood wondered as he finally figured out how to turn the Machine Builder back into a phone. “That’s definitely unsettling.”

“I know. I mean, if this all existed for months, why haven’t we heard anything about them until now?”

As if to answer Flash’s question, alarms blared throughout the room as the computer monitor displayed the words of SMASH DETECTED alongside a pin-pointed map of its supposed location.

“What the heck is that?!” Flash jumped to his feet while Micro rushed over to the computer.

“I think it’s some Smash detection program my brother made! I think he did it to alert him where a Smash was so he could use the system to stop it!”

“Well, where is it now?!”

Micro tapped a few keys. “It seems to be in the Canterlot Mall….give me a sec.” he typed a few more keys and accessed the Mall’s security system, giving them access to their video feed.

“Dude, did you just hack into Mall security?!” Sandalwood questioned.

“This is an emergency! If a Smash is involved, we need to know what we’re dealing with!”

“Wait, what?! What do you mean, “We”?! Why aren’t we leaving this to the police?!” Flash questioned.

“You saw the video log! Normal humans and weapons can’t hurt a Smash! Only the Build System can fight them!” Micro countered.

“Uh, guys…”

“But we’re not heroes! We’re not like Sunset and the others! We’re just normal, high school students that have no magic whatsoever!”

“But if we do nothing, lots of innocent people are going to get hurt! Are we really going to let this happen, while we have the means to stop them?!”

“Guys….”

“Why are you so persistent in this Micro?! We were just trying to find out what happened to Gizmo! None of us signed up to be super heroes!”

“It’s because this is the only lead we have to finding my brother!”

“GUYS!”

“WHAT?!” The two whirled around to face their friend. Sandalwood just pointed on screen. Micro and Flash followed where he pointed and blanched in shock.

A large Smash with a bulky torso and arms was fighting the Rainbooms. And based on what they saw, they were losing. Badly.

Seeing their friends in danger, some sort of instinct spurred Flash into grabbing the Build Driver. “So this thing can fight them, right?” he then grabbed five scattered Fullbottles. “Then let’s do this!”

“WAIT!” Micro stopped him from using it, silently happy that his friend changed his mind. “What if we don’t have the needed Hazard Level?! We could end up turning into a Smash if we used it…or worst!”

“Then what do you suppose we do? The girls are getting creamed out there!” Flash rebutted. Micro answered by holding up the scanner.

“We need to see what our Hazard Levels are, to make sure we’re not in danger from the gas.” He activated it and scanned himself first. The read out was a 2.1.

“But…what will we do if none of us has the required level?” Micro scanned Sandalwood, and read his level was a 2.2.

“…We’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.” Micro scanned Flash. The three waited with held breaths as the scanner read his bio signature.

It beeped and showed that his level was 3.0. The minimum requirement to use the Build system.

“Well, that settles it.” Flash said as he pocketed the Driver and bottles. “I need to get over there….wait…HOW am I going to get over there as soon as possible?! Sandal’s car isn’t fast enough and there’s traffic at this time!”

“Ahem…” Sandalwood coughed, dangling the Build Phone in his face.

“….But I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle…”

“HOW AM I RIDING A MOTORCYCLE?!” Flash screamed as he held onto the handlebars of the Machine Builder tight. He wasn’t even doing anything as the bike zoomed through the streets on its own, as if it were on auto pilot.

“Apparently, in the other video logs, my brother said the Machine Builder has installed auto-pilot for new riders, as well as a tutorial program for them to learn later.” Micro’s voice crackled through the radio system in his motorcycle helmet. They had discovered this interesting feature a few moments after Flash took off on the Machine Builder. It was definitely needed as the musician had no idea what he was doing.

Fortunately, Micro gave him instructions after learning from the additional video logs. And he was making great time. In mere moments, he was a few blocks away from the mall. As soon as it came into sight, he saw that a crowd of people and the police have blocked the entrance, no doubt because of what happened in the food court. They saw him coming and tried to stop him.

He tried to stop as well, but the bike refused to obey. Instead, it took him to a new direction: up.

The Machine Builder managed to defy gravity by manifesting gripping spikes on the wheels and drove up the walls and crashed through the window. Flash felt his stomach drop, literally and figuratively. Good thing he was wearing a helmet. If anyone found out it was him driving this crazy machine, forget being grounded for life, he’d be arrested for reckless driving without a license and property damage!

…wait, did he even need a license to drive a smart phone?

He was jerked out of his musings as the motorcycle slowed to a stop in the food court, allowing him to see the state of damage and felt the dread set in.

The food court was in ruins: smashed tables and chairs, remains of what appeared to be robots, and the Rainbooms, all beaten and unconscious. At the center of it all was the Smash, a fist raised to deliver the final blow to one unconscious Twilight Sparkle.

“NO!” Flash charged forward without hesitation and tackled the Smash, forcing it away from his friend. The two tumbled on the floor before they scrambled up to stand. Still feeling incensed about what the monster tried to do, Flash, momentarily forgetting about the Driver and Fullbottles in his pocket, rushed in and punched the Smash….only to feel a sharp pain.

“Ow!’ Flash grunted in pain as he nursed his hand. “Just what are you made out of? Rocks?!”

The monster answered by punching him away. He crashed on the ground and the Driver clattered next to him. Flash grabbed the device before he scrambled away to put distance between them. He slammed the device on his waist and formed the belt. He then took out the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles from his jacket pocket.

Steeling himself, he shook them. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, math equations fly into existence around him. “What the…what is this?!” Flash had no idea what was going on! This never happened in Gizmo’s demonstration. However, he refused to let this strange occurrence overwhelm him. He stopped shaking the bottles and stared at them. With a determined expression, he stared at the approaching Smash.

“Well…let’s begin the experiment!” He inserted the Fullbottles into the Build Driver.

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

He turned the crank and the same set up from Gizmo’s video manifest around him. He was hesitant about doing this. But he was determined to act in spite of his fear.

“ARE YOU READY?”

“H-Henshin?” He hoped he pronounced that right.

Like in the video, the constructs slammed into him and donned him in the Build armor.

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT, RABBIT-TANK!!!”

“YEAH!”

Flash gazed at his hands in amazement.

“Whoa! I-I really did transform! And it smells like a new car in here! And wait, did my voice change? I sound so different and awesome-!”

He was interrupted by the Smash swinging its arm at his head. He ducked below it and side stepped another swing. As the third came for his head, he raised an arm to block it instinctively. He was surprised, however, that the attack felt much weaker than it should’ve been. Granted, it still carried some force, but not enough to the point his arm would break. In fact, it didn’t even hurt that much.

Flash saw an opening and threw a quick punch with its free arm. A burst of energy exploded from contact and caused the Smash to stumble, freeing his left arm. Realizing that the Build System now gave him the strength to fight this thing, he punched it again with more force.

The strike sent it tumbling as Flash stared at his hands in amazement. “This…this is awesome! I can fight it!” Then from inside his helmet, he just noticed a string of words that spelled out a sentence. “Huh? ‘The law of victory is set’? What is that? A catchphrase?...Sounds pretty cool.”

Then the then the teen heard a crackling sound in his helmet like before. “Flash? Flash, can you hear me?”

“Micro? Is that you? Does this suit have a radio too?”

“It does, and I have some news for you! Sandalwood and I have been skimming through my brother’s logs, and I think we know how the Build System can deal with the Smashes.”

“That’s great! Because I had no idea how I would beat this thing aside from kicking and punching. So tell me what to do!” Flash requested as he ducked below another swing and delivered an uppercut to its massive torso.

As Micro Chips relayed the information to the new warrior, Flash failed to notice Twilight stirring from unconsciousness.

It hurt.

Everything hurt.

Her head felt like someone stuffed it with cotton. Her limbs felt heavy. Her mind buzzed and her ears rung.

But amidst the dulled sensations, Twilight was able to briefly pick up strange sounds. She couldn’t properly discern them, but just hearing them was enough. She had to know what was going on. The last thing she remembered was their Rainbow Laser failing, the monster advancing, and then blackness.

She needed to know. She had to make sure her friends were alright…

Struggling, she pulled herself out of her semi-conscious state and pried her eyelids open. She stared at the sky above her and noticed how blurry everything was. Then she realized that her transformation must’ve come undone when she passed out. Fortunately, with a turn of her head, she found her glasses. She reached out and put them on, her world becoming much clearer.

Twilight then immediately noticed a new figure fighting the monster she and her friends failed to beat… and seemed to be winning!

The attire was rather strange though. It was a suit of armor that covered the male figure from head to toe. The armor itself was made up of segments of red and blue with black in between. On the left leg was a large spring and the right foot had tank treads. The helmet had two eye plates, one shaped like a rabbit and the other like a tank.

She was intrigued by its design how well it let the user fight. Each hit was enough to send the monster staggering, something even her friends failed to do.

Then Twilight finally remembered. Her friends! Panic fueled her as she tried to look for where her friends were. They were scattered around the court, but fortunately did not seem to be fatally injured. She pushed herself off the ground, despite her protesting limbs, and limped over to where Pinkie Pie was face planted on the ground.

The monster noticed that she had gotten up and tried to rush her. But the armored figure refused to let it as it kicked it in the face. Twilight used this opportunity to reach her pink friend and gently roused her awake.

“Pinkie, are you alright? If you can hear me, please wake up!” The party planner’s eyes fluttered open.

“S-Sci-Twi…?” Pinkie Pie uncharacteristically groaned as she pulled herself up. “Owie…it feels like someone had a crazy party in my head and turned up the music too loud…”

“I’m just glad you’re alright…We need to wake up the others if we can and get out of here…”

“But…what about the monster? The one who flattened us into pancakes?” Pinkie inquired.

“He’s…occupied right now.” Twilight gestured to the colorfully armored man who was fighting the creature…and winning! Each strike delivered more damage than anything they tried before.

“Wowza…Who is that guy?! Is he superhero who just recently learned about this monster and went to fight it to protect people?”

“I don’t know for sure…but it seems like he’s on our side, and that’s good enough for me. But it’s too dangerous to stick around! We need to grab the others and get out of here!”

“Righty-o!” Pinkie Pie saluted as she stood at attention before she zipped off and went to wake up her friends, or move them away if they were too out of it.

Twilight turned and went over to where Sunset and Fluttershy were knocked out, another thought running through her head.

Who was that man?

“So that’s what I need to do?”

“That’s right! And when you defeat it, be sure to grab an empty bottle that’s stored in the Machine Builder. It should be used to siphon off the Nebula Gas and return the Smash to normal.”

“Got it!” Flash answered as he delivered another punch to the mutated creature. Throughout the fight, it tried to escape and attack his friends. But he refused to let it happen and kept it off their backs. TO his relief, one by one, the girls regained consciousness as they were roused by their friends, starting with Twilight, then Pinkie, then the two, and so forth. They were alive. Bruised, but alive. And that set him at ease.

He was even more surprised as the fight went on. While he did take martial arts classes when he was younger he fell out of practice as he focused on his band and music career. But as he fought, it felt as if he knew what to do: when to punch or kick, when and how to block a certain strike, it was like his body was on autopilot.

Could this be another feature of the suit? If so, then Gizmo definitely went all out in designing it.

The Smash definitely had powerful strikes, evident by the craters in the ground, but it was slower than Flash with the suit. He blocked each hit with ease before countering with one of his own. Each attack set off a burst of energy that injured the mutated human, but he made sure to pull his punches a bit. Despite their berserk behavior and inhuman appearance, these Smashes were still human.

He heard the radio crackle to life once more. Instead of Micro, it was Sandalwood instead.

“Hey Flash! We found something else in the video logs! Apparently, you can also use bottles outside of Best Matches! Like, you can make different combos for different effects!”

“What do you mean?”

"Dude, that thing’s super slow so using rabbit's kinda pointless. Up your power, instead!"

"Power?" Flash pulled out the only organic bottle he had left, since Lion was being used with the Machine Builder. "Alright," he took out his rabbit bottle, "here goes." He inserted the white bottle.

“HEDGEHOG!”

He turned the crank again, the energy of the white bottle mixing inside the Driver.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Flash nodded as he saw another string of words inside the helmet. He then repeated them. “Build up!”

Once he finished cranking, the rabbit side of the suit was replaced with something else. The colors of the armor segments were white, now having a spiked shoulder pad and spiked ball glove. The rabbit motif on his visor was also replaced by a spiky hedgehog one.

“Whoa! I transformed again! Well, let’s see how powerful this combo is!” He charged in and threw another punch at the Smash. Unlike before, it flew into the air before crashing on the ground. Excited by this discovery, he rushed in again and punched it again and again with the spiked glove.

He never felt so much power. It was rather invigorating. After several more hits, he decided it was time to end this fight.

He just needed to beat the Smash and turn them to normal. Which was a good thing Micro had told him how to do so. He needed to perform one final hit to take it down. He wasn’t able to do so before out of fear of hitting his friends accidentally. But now, they were out of the battle zone and he had free reign.

The Smash struggled to remain standing, signifying it was on its last legs.

“…Time to end this!” He replaced the Hedgehog bottle with Rabbit once more, returning to his Best Match form. As informed by Micro, as far as they knew, the finisher can only be used with a Best match combination. He then followed the intellectual’s prior instructions and cranked the handle on the Build Driver again.

“READY?! GO!”

“VOLTECHFINISH!”

“YEAH!”

Red and blue energy covered Flash's body as the spring on his leg compressed. He jumped up high into the air before flying forward. He extended his right leg and got into position for a kick. The attack connected as the treads on his shoe spun and grinded against the Smash’s body. It then blasted across the food court until it crashed into the far wall.

Flash landed on his feet and quickly went to the Machine Builder. He pulled out an empty, clear bottle from the storage compartment and twisted the top. He pointed it at the Smash’s unmoving body and watched as particles flew off the monster and into the bottle, returning the Smash into a human form. Once the process was completed, he closed the bottle and stored it away. He needed to get it back to Micro and Sandalwood so they could try and purify it.

He got back onto the motor bike and started it up. But before he could leave….

“WAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIT!!!!” Pinkie Pie’s scream stopped him in his tracks. The constantly cheerful girl, followed by her friends, rushed up to the suited Flash with varying expressions: Gratitude, curiosity, excitement, suspicion, questioning, etc.

Several questions flew from their mouths at once. Who was he? What was that monster? What did he just do? Why did it turn into a human? How did he learn to fight like that? What was his equipment? Etc.

Flash was unable to answer and couldn’t keep up with the questions. So he decided to end it

“I’m sorry, but I can’t stay for much longer. I really need to get going!” His tone left no room for argument.

“Can you at least tell us your name?!” Rainbow Dash questioned. After all they went through; they should at least learn the name of the person who saved him.

Flash hesitated for a second. He thought about giving his name, but immediately decided against it. If they knew it was Flash Sentry under this armor, then he would end up dragging them into their own matters, putting them in danger. It was already determined that these Smashes were unaffected by Equestrian Magic. They wouldn’t be able to last in a fight against them.

Ultimately, he gave his response.

“….Build.”

“Huh? Build? What kind of a name is that?” He didn’t answer. He revved up his bike and drove away before they could ask more.

“Hey, wait!” Rainbow hollered out. She was tempted to chase after him, but her twisted ankle strongly disagreed with that attempt.

“Well, that was a bit rude. He could at least stay and answer our questions instead of leaving us in the dark.” Rarity huffed.

“Ah don’t know. He seemed to be in a mighty hurry…” Applejack shrugged, but winced as she held her shoulder.

“Do you think we’ll see him again?” Fluttershy wondered aloud.

“I don’t know Flutters. Maybe. But if not, I already took some pictures and recorded the fight!” Pinkie Pie said, holding up her smart phone.

“What? How did you…?” Sunset started before shaking her head. When something unbelievable concerns Pinkie Pie…it was best not to question.

Twilight simply stared at the retreating fighter in silence, curiosity plaguing her mind.

Elsewhere…

On the monitors that illuminated the dark room was footage of the armored Flash Sentry fighting the Strong Smash.

The sole occupant of the room sat in the chair that faced the screens. The figure was clad in black armor, with a silver chest plate and shoulder pads. Curved pipes protruded from the silver armor pieces, two on each shoulder and one on either side of the collar. On said chest plate was a bright yellow bat symbol. The helmet also bore a bright yellow bat motif that seemed to glow in the darkness. On its forehead was a flat horn.

The figure lounged in the chair as it observed Flash defeat the Smash with a Voltech Finish before driving away. From beneath his visor, the figure smirked.

“….and so it begins…”

To be Continued…

Author's Note

Hello everyone. Welcome to the first chapter of my first My Little Pony story, collaborated with Banshee531, the author of many MLP fics featuring Flash Sentry. Please be sure to check him out.

I sincerely hope I did the characterizations justice. If I didn't, then I apologize and appreciate constructive criticism how to improve. And as you may now be aware, this story is a crossover between Kamen Rider Build and Equestria Girls, but there will be differences in plot due to the world elements intermingling, as seen earlier.

Hope you all enjoyed it, and see you all next time!

Chapter 3: The Guy with the Dragon Fullbottle

It had only been a day since the rescue of Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo. Due to prior events, the once quiet town of Canterlot is in even more of an uproar than before.

In fact, the students at school seemed to hound on the Rainbooms more than ever since one of their backup singers was attacked by another monster. The story of the incident had played across the major news channels. It had been during the aftermath of the fight with the Compactor Smash and Build’s departure. While Twilight and Scootaloo were taken care of by the police and medics, they were also interviewed by reporters about what had happened to them.

They responded that if Build hadn’t arrived when he had, then they would not have survived the attack.

The public has proclaimed the Masked Rider Build to be a hero, despite his brief appearances. Of course, there were a few skeptics questioning the validity of his actions and his motives. But most of the populace agreed that Build was a heroic figure.

However, as Build’s popularity steadily grew, so did the attention focused on those he saved.

At school, Twilight and Scootaloo were practically hounded by other students asking questions about the Masked Rider. Thankfully, their friends had been there to pull them out of the mob.

Flash, Micro, and Sandalwood had remained out of the spotlight, fortunately, as their actions remained hidden from others.

The three had assembled themselves in Gizmo’s underground lab after school that day, discussing what Flash had learned of the night prior.

“Pandora’s Box?” Micro questioned him as they sat around the panel on the desk.

“That was what my Mom called it. I asked her more about it afterward, and she said that it was the mysterious object that fell from space nearly 20 years ago. She had been assigned to study it by the R&D Center ever since it came in.”

“So Pandora’s Box is the same thing that Gizmo used to make all this tech?” Sandalwood questioned.

“I suppose so. If this object truly does generate Nebula Gas, then my brother eventually learned to harness its properties for the Build System after learning of its side effects.”

“But he also said that the Smash are made from exposure to the gas. If that thing has been kept under watch for the past 18 years, then why are they starting to show up and attacking people now?” Flash wondered.

“I don’t know. Maybe someone took samples of the gas and they leaked out somewhere?”

“Maybe….but sitting here and speculating like this isn’t going to lead to progress.” Micro declared.

“Then what do you have in mind?”

“Simple!” The intellectual of the group held up two of the Fullbottles. One colored gunmetal gray fashioned after a gatling gun. The other colored light blue and modeled after a vacuum cleaner. “We test out the possible combinations these Fullbottles can make.”

“Why are we doing that?”

“Because it will help us better understand our equipment. For the past two days, we’ve just been learning on the fly and improvising.” Micro tapped a few keys on the computer and pulled up a series of images. One of them was Build’s RabbitTank form, another was the GorillaMond form. Off to the side was the Hedgehog and Tank combination.

“So far, the Best Matches we are able to find were with the Rabbit and Tank bottles, and again with the Gorilla and Diamond bottles. And so far, we’ve only used five of the eight bottles we currently have. If we can try and figure out other possible Best Matches, we would have a better understanding of our arsenal and be prepared for when another Smash attack occurs.”

Micro then took the Rabbit, Tank, Gorilla, and Diamond Fullbottles and slotted them in the Panel. He then handed Flash the Build Driver with the Hedgehog and Gatling bottles. “Since we know what we already have, let’s just try and experiment with the remaining bottles.”

“So we’ll just be testing combinations today?” Sandalwood asked.

“That and understand the functionality of each bottle. We still don’t know what each one is truly capable of. Better to find out now than later.”

“Well, answers won’t just come to us by standing around and talking.” Flash equipped the Belt and shook the two bottles. “Let’s start off this experiment…”

“HEDGEHOG!”

“GATLING!”

“Hm…guess it wasn’t a Best Match.”

“Maybe not. But let’s still see what it can do, for now.”

“Got it.” Flash repeated the transformation sequence from yesterday.

“Henshin!”

The musician was donned in a new combination of armor. Like his first transformation, his right fist was covered in a white, spiky ball while his left eye piece resembled a hedgehog. As for the inorganic pieces, his left arm was now covered in dark gray plating, resembling parts of a gun while the right eye piece resembled a gatling gun turret.

Aside from that though, the Gatling side had no other distinguishable features that alluded to abilities like the Tank bottle. Flash felt power while in this form. But it felt….incomplete. He couldn’t quite feel as much power from the Inorganic side of his suit this time. In contrast, he felt power from the hedgehog side.

As to demonstrate, he raised the white, spiky fist and activated it. The spikes immediately grew into elongated skewers of death…..the tips just inches away from his friends’ faces.

“Whoa! Watch it, bro!” Sandalwood backpedaled. “Was that payback from the Drill Crusher yesterday?! I said I was sorry!”

“Sorry about that! I was just testing what this form can do…I can’t really feel anything from Gatling, but now we know what hedgehog can do aside from being a spiked boxing glove.”

“Fascinating…” Micro said as he wrote down the findings. “It seems like the Build Armor can truly tap into the characteristics of each Fullbottle equipped to bring out the most of its arsenal…”

“….uh…in English, please?”

“It means that individually, each Fullbottle gives Flash access to a certain trait depending on the bottle. For instance, Rabbit gave him extraordinary jumping ability. And with Hedgehog, he can use spikes to attack and immobilize the enemy.”

“Ohhh…” Sandalwood nodded in understanding.

“So now that Hedgehog is tested, what can Gatling do, Flash?”

“I’m not sure. I’m trying but I can’t figure it out.” He shook his head. His eyes were focused on the readout inside his helmet. The Inorganic side of his armor was grayed out for some reason while the belt and organic side glowed.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m not quite sure what it means, but it looks like Gatling is inactive. Could we be missing something?”

“Hm…well, since it’s called Gatling, and Flash’s armor isn’t mechashifting into a gun turret….maybe the bottle needs a weapon? I mean, doesn’t the Drill Crusher’s gun form resemble a gatling gun anyway?”

“It’s worth a try. But I would advise against it for now. At least, not until we figured out the Best Match for Gatling.” Micro then turned to the Rider again. “Okay Flash. Next, try out the new Cleaner bottle. Let’s see what it can do.”

“Right.” Flash removed the Gatling bottle and replaced it with the new addition.

“CLEANER!”

“No match again…” The intellectual of the team crossed off another potential combination.

“Build up!” The Rider turned the crank and the Driver replaced the Gatling components with those of the Cleaner. Build’s Inorganic side turned the same shade as the Bottle used. As per its namesake, the right eyepiece now resembled a vacuum cleaner while the left arm had been replaced by a vacuum cleaner device. He even had a trash compactor on his shoulder.

“…is this supposed to be some sort of housekeeping bottle?” Flash asked no one in particular. He turned his new arm around. No matter how he saw it…it was a vacuum cleaner. “What am I supposed to do with this in a fight? Suck the Smash’s face in?”

“Well, I’m sure it’s bound to have some degree of combat ability…” Micro encouraged. “I mean, you had trouble with that Compact Smash yesterday, right? And its right arm was the same as your left.”

“Yeah, but it made whatever it sucked up into ammo for its cannon arm. Do I look like I have one of those right now?”

“Look, I know it looks strange. But according to my brother’s notes, all Fullbottles made by the Bottle Fabricator are meant for combat. So…you know, just try something.”

“Like what?” Flash spread his arm out to the side. “I’m supposed to just suck things up with this thing?” As if responding to his words, the Cleaner arm activated and started to suck in nearby, random objects with extreme velocity.

The musician scrambled in surprise by how much suction power the Cleaner bottle has. Unfortunately, it also sucked up whatever his arm pointed to, practically inhaling most of the objects in the lab. As he did, the trash compactor appendage on his shoulder enlarged as it became filled with objects.

“Quick! Shut it off before it sucks up everything else!” Micro shouted as he and Sandal scooped the Panel and remaining bottles and devices out of the way.

“I got it!” Flash commanded the Cleaner arm to shut down and sighed in relief. “Okay…I stand corrected…”

“Okay, now that we saw how powerful the Cleaner is…think you can have it spit out our stuff? We kinda need those…”

“Let me see…oh hey, there’s actually a reverse setting. Hold on…” Flash said as he read the information in his helmet’s HUD. He activated the Cleaner again, but rather than inhale things, it spat them back out in a neat little pile of random junk.

“Huh…I guess it really did get the suck and shoot skills from that Smash…” Sandalwood idly commented.

“Yeah…maybe if the next guy has a gun, I can just suck up the bullets and shoot them back at it…” Flash joked.

“As entertaining as that thought would be…let’s get back to the matter at hand…” Micro then looked at the list. “It seems the only bottle we haven’t tried is the Lion Fullbottle. Hopefully this is the Best Match we’re looking for.”

“Only one way to find out.” Build grabbed the bottle from Sandalwood. But before he could make the switch, the Smash Detector blared loudly. “Oh come on! Another attack?! It’s like they’re popping up every day now!”

“Where is this one now?” Sandalwood asked as he prepped the Build phone.

“I’m checking right now…got it!” Micro turned to face the two. “It’s over by the supermarket!”

“That’s not too far away. I’m on it!” Flash turned to leave before he came to a realization. “…right after I change. Doubt I can ride a bike with this thing on my arm…”

After changing back to RabbitTank, Flash had arrived at the scene. The people panicked and fled the area as the Smash rampaged. At first, Flash thought it was a bird-type given its wing-like arms. But looking closer, it resembled more like a jet plane.

Either way, it was a menace that had to be stopped.

“Hey Flyboy!” Flash yelled at the Smash, grabbing its attention. The creature turned and was greeted with a volley of laser blasts from the Drill Crusher. It backed away from the random civilian, giving Flash the opportunity to get him out of the way.

Once the victim was saved as the area was clear, the Flying Smash and Build squared off against one another. The Smash growled as it flapped its wings. “…Let’s dance!”

Build fired the Drill Crusher’s gun mode again. However, the Smash, now knowing what to expect, ascended into the air and evaded the blasts. The Rider continued to aim the gun at the Smash, but it moved too quickly, remaining out of reach from his line of fire. He tried again and again to shoot it down, but it easily evaded his attacks.

He even tried jumping with Rabbit to reach it in the air, but it simply flew higher than him and out of the way. It even managed to deal a few good strikes by swooping in from all directions.

Build growled in frustration. He continued to aim and shoot, but the Smash ascended further into the sky. He raised his head to fire again, but flinched as the sun shone directly on his face. The mutant capitalized on this opening and dove down as fast as a Falcon, slammed into the Rider and knocked him off his feet.

Flash tumbled onto his back as the Drill Crusher fell out of his hands. He groaned from the impact. If he had to compare, it was the equivalent of getting hit by another Junk Ball from the Compact Smash. But before he could get up, the Flying Smash dropped down and drove its feet into his stomach.

The Rider choked as the attack struck him directly in the solar plexus. While the armor did its best to mitigate the damage, it still hurt like hell as air was forced from his lungs. The damage read out from his helmet blared at him. He was about halfway from a forced shutdown if he took more hits like that.

He tried to get up, but the Smash kept him pinned. It kept stomping on him every time he tried to get him.

“Flash! You need to get that thing off you!” Micro declared.

“What do you think I’m trying to do?!” Flash continued to struggle.

“Try overpowering it! Go GorillaMond!” Sandalwood suggested.

Flash tried to reach to his side where the Fullbottles were, but the Smash pinned his other arm with its free leg. “No good! I’m stuck!”

The Flying Smash then raised its arm, brandishing its talon-like fingers. Flash gulped, not liking the picture one bit. The Rider continued to struggle, but despite the Smash’s agility and flight abilities, it was pretty heavy.

Before it could deal the final blow, however, a hooded figure charged right at the Smash and punched it in the face. An explosion of blue fire knocked it off of Build, breaking him free. “Wh-what?!” Flash questioned as he stared at the new arrival.

It appeared to have been a young man based on his physique: lithe yet muscular. He was clad in a dark blue hoodie, black jeans, and sneakers. His face however, was shadowed by his hood. Said figure turned to face Build, holding out a hand. “You okay? Saw that thing kicking your ass.”

“I…I’m fine…But listen, you need to get out of here.” He then gestured to the recovering Smash. “I don’t know what you did, but that thing’s dangerous.”

"Not as dangerous as me," the teen said before holding something up in his hand. Flash looked at it and gasped seeing it was a blue Fullbottle with a design of a dragon on it. The teen shook it, causing the mist to fly out and surround his hand, before rushing towards the Smash. Before it or Flash could react, the teen drove his fist into the creature and caused a small explosion that sent it flying.

The Rider and his companions were shocked by this revelation. He just used a Fullbottle…without a Driver?!

“How is that possible?!” Micro questioned. “My brother didn’t have any logs about this!”

“I don’t know…but…I think this guy knows more about the Bottles than we do…” Flash looked on as he recovered from the attacks.

Meanwhile, the hooded teen continued to combat the Smash. It tried to swing at the hooded fighter, but he bobbed and weaved through the attacks like a professional. Once he found an opening, the teen struck fast and hard. Each attack had minimal wasted movements and packed a literal punch from the Fullbottle’s power.

“Is this guy some sort of pro fighter? Look at him go!” Sandalwood commented.

“Now’s not the time to speculate! We still need to figure out how to deal with the Smash!”

“But how? It’s too fast and it can just fly out of my weapon’s range!” Flash said as he retrieved the fallen Drill Crusher. “It’s not like I have a way to keep it grounded…..wait…that’s it!” he took out the Cleaner Bottle. “I have an idea!”

On the other side of the clearing, the Flying Smash was knocked back once again by the hooded teen. “C’mon….I thought you monsters were better than this…” The teen cracked his knuckles. The Smash roared as it rose again and took to the skies. “Round two it is then…!” He got into another stance. But he was stopped.

“Quick! Get out of the way!” Build yelled out. The teen turned and was surprised that his armor changed. Now it was red and light blue….was that a vacuum cleaner on his arm?

“What why? I can still fight!” He then ducked as the Smash swooped down.

“I’m going to end this!” The Rider declared, prepping the Drill Crusher and taking out the new Inorganic Bottle he tried out earlier.

“GATLING!”

“Alright!” The teen rolled out of the way as the Smash flew after him. But his flight was stopped as Build activated the Cleaner Bottle. It sucked in the air in front of it at an alarming rate, which also included the Smash. It tried to fly away and escape its hold, but the suction proved to be too powerful.

“Time to crash and burn, Flyboy!” Build aimed the Drill Crusher at the creature and pulled the trigger.

“VOLTECH BREAK!”

A volley of energy bullets shot out and struck the Flying Smash. Due to the Gatling the Bottle, the firing rate was even greater than before and its ammunition much more powerful. The projectiles tore through its wings, crippling its flight ability as well as damaging its body. It crashed on the ground in a heap, struggling. The Rider then replaced the Cleaner Bottle with the Tank Bottle.

“TANK!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!” He changed to RabbitTank.

“FULLMETAL MOONSAULT!

"RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

“With this…the Law of Victory is set.” He turned the crank on the Driver.

“READY GO!”

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

Flash jumped into the air and delivered a flying side kick to the Smash’s body, engulfing it in an explosion. He landed on his feet and pulled out an Empty Bottle to absorb the Smash Essence. The Smash reverted back into a human. Seeing his work was done, Flash turned to the hooded teen that saved him. But to his surprise, he was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did he go? Did he leave already?” He wondered as he walked around for any sign of him. But the sound of sirens stopped him from continuing. Knowing he overstayed his welcome, he mounted the Machine Builder and drove off. But as he did, he failed to notice the pair of eyes watching him.

The figure stepped out from behind the building. “So that was the Masked Rider…huh….” The hooded teen frowned as he walked away to a nearby motorcycle.

Meanwhile…

Night Rogue stood before the monitors, observing Masked Rider Build’s latest victory. Off to the side, Blood Stalk leaned against the wall, acting nonchalant in regards to the battle.

The bat-themed figure’s attention was focused on the hooded boy who came to Build’s aid. What disturbed him the most was his ability to fight off the Smash without the aid of a Driver or their own devices.

“…I don’t like this. That boy is too powerful for his own good.” Night Rogue spoke. “I was aware he possessed the Dragon Bottle, but to think he was capabvle of using it to this extent.”

“Oh, no need to worry about that lad, Rogue.” Stalk waved him off. He walked up and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “So what if the boy can fight off a few Smashes? Those subjects weren’t even in their final state. Besides…he still pales in comparison to the likes of Build and us.”

“Maybe. But I do not like unknown variables.” Rogue pried the arm off before leaving. “The previous Smashes have been subdued by Build with ease. I believe it’s time to experience the capabilities of this Rider?”

“Oho? You plan on confronting him? How unlike you.”

“It is necessary. I wish to see his power first hand. But first….another attack dog is needed.”

Night Rogue looked over the railing, seeing another subject undergoing the transformation process. This subject was one of their fresh acquisitions from the Canterlot Mall.

The Masked Rider has demonstrated his speed, strength, and durability with his arsenal. But can he fight off a Mirage?

“So there wasn’t anything about using the Bottle’s powers without the Driver?” Flash asked Micro. He had returned from the fight and Sandalwood took the opportunity to purify the new Smash Bottle. The Musician and intellectual then discussed what they had just learned today.

“There wasn’t. I checked the logs multiple times, but surprisingly, haven’t found anything about them.”

“That’s weird. I’m surprised Gizmo hadn’t discovered this first before he made the Driver.”

“Well, maybe he did. But he chose not to publicize that. So that way, it wouldn’t be revealed that practically anyone can use the Fullbottles.” Micro said.

“Good point….but it looks like someone figured it out anyway. Speaking of which, how did he get his hands on a Fullbottle? I thought all of the ones Gizmo made were in this lab.”

“I don’t know…but it’s definitely a cause for concern.”

*DING!*

“Oh, it’s already done.” Micro walked over to the Bottle Fabricator and removed the new product. It was a small, orange bottle that was themed after a Hawk.

Once again, out stumbled Sandalwood in exhaustion. “And another one….down…” He slumped over and collapsed on the newly moved mattress. After the first few spills the green haired teen had after the purification process, they moved the bed out in the lab so he wouldn’t collapse on the floor anymore.

“So…what’s the next plan of action? There’s someone else fighting the Smash, and he doesn’t even have a Driver. Are we just going to leave him be?” Flash questioned.

“We’re not. But until we find out more, it’s best to focus on the current task at hand. And who knows? Maybe we’ll eventually seek him out and get answers from him once we know his motives.”

“Or, you can give me the answers I want right now…” A new voice cut into the conversation. Heads whipped over to the lab entrance in shock. Standing at the base of the stairs was the same hooded teen from earlier.

“H-How did you get in here?!”

“The door was open. So I let myself in.” He jerked a thumb behind him. Sure enough, the panel that concealed the stairs was open.

“….shoot! Knew I forgot something…” Flash cursed. Micro glared at his friend for his negligence.

“So…care to tell me what the hell was going on back there?”

“Okay, first off, who are you?!” Flash narrowed his eyes as he inched towards the Driver. “And what do you want?”

For a moment, the figure remained still. Then he pulled down his hood, giving the two a good look at his face. He was a teenage boy around their age. His skin was a pale, ashen gray. His hair was a mess of dark blue with orange tips. His eyes were a light shade of orange. They seemed to glow like magma.

“The name’s Sol Burner.” He answered. “And all I want is information. Specifically, what happened at Gizmo Poindexter’s apartment six months ago.”

“Wh-what?!” Both CHS students gaped while Sandalwood continued to snore. Why…why did he want to know about THAT particular incident? Did…did he know something…?

“According to the news, Gizmo was a scientist that killed a man in his own apartment before disappearing. But we both know that’s not the whole story. Right, Build?” Sol scoffed.

“Gizmo wouldn’t kill anyone! He didn’t kill anyone!” Micro defended hotly. “I know what the news said, but there’s simply not enough evidence to prove it! My brother is no murderer!” Sol’s eyes snapped over to the intellectual, who suddenly paled by the teen’s now fierce demeanor.

“Brother? So you DO know something!” Sol walked up and grabbed Micro by the collar. “Tell me where he is! That murderer has to pay!”

“Hey! Put him down!” Flash tried to pry the teen’s arm from his friend, but Sol wasn’t budging. He was much stronger than he initially thought.

“I…I don’t know!” Micro spat out, trying to loosen the grip on his shirt. “But you’re wrong! Gizmo….Gizmo didn’t kill anyone…!”

“The discovered corpse buried six feet under begs to differ.” Sol snapped. “So stop stalling and answer me!”

“Wh-why…? Why do you want to know?! What does it matter to you?!”

“Why?! I have a right to know! Because I was there that night! I SAW him leave! And the man that Gizmo Poindexter killed was my Father!” Sol yelled at Micro in the face.

Both conscious teens were stunned speechless by the revelation while Sandal turned over on his side in his sleep, mumbling something. Flash and Micro stared as Sol panted from the scream, his hands trembling. This guy….he….he was the corpse’s son?

“Tell me now, before I call the cops on this place!” The musician stared at the distraught teen. For a brief moment, he saw a younger version of himself….back when his own dad perished.

Flash gently grabbed the hoodie wearing teen by the arm. “…I think we got off on the wrong foot.” He told him. “Why don’t we just sit down and talk. I promise…we’ll explain what we know. But in exchange…please tell us what you know as well.”

Sol looked him in the eye. For all he knew, he could be lying to him to get him to back off. But he thought otherwise. The look in the musician’s eye resembled his. After a few breaths, he calmed down and started to think coherently.

“…alright…” Sol let go of Micro, taking a nearby seat. Micro turned to Flash who looked him in the eye and nodded. Both students sat down before the fighter.

“So….what do you guys know?”

Over the course of an hour, the two explained how it all began three days ago. How they received Gizmo’s laptop from an anonymous sender, discovering the secret lab, learning about Project Build, Nebula Gas, and the Smashes, and becoming Build….everything.

“….geez…you guys seriously had a crazy 72 hours.” Sol commented as he processed the information.

“Pretty much.” Flash nodded. “So…now that we told our side of things…tell us your side of the story. Like how you even got that Fullbottle.”

“You mean this?” Sol held out the Dragon Bottle.

“Yeah. I thought all of the Bottles my brother made were in this lab. I mean, the only way to purify Smash essence is in here.”

“Well, guess he didn’t keep everything stored away. Because I found this in the hands of my dad’s corpse….”

Six Months Ago…

A single car pulled up in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Sitting in the passenger seat was Sol Burner, dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans. Next to him in the driver’s side was a middle aged yet very fit man with red skin and fiery red and orange hair in a buzz cut. He wore a white t-shirt with a flaming fist insignia on the chest and a pair of shorts and sneakers.

This was Sol Burner’s father, Knuckle Blaze.

“Hey Dad….I know I probably should’ve asked this earlier, but why are we here?” They had been on their way home from eating out, but Knuckle made a slight detour which brought them here.

“Well, an old friend of mine wanted to talk to me about something. It shouldn’t take too long. Just hang out for a bit here.” Sol replied with a nod as Knuckle stepped out.

He waited in the car for five minutes. Then ten. Then twenty. Soon it became over half an hour. All the while, Sol remained seated, bored out of his mind. He tried to turn on the car radio earlier, but it didn’t work. All he got was static and jumbled words. Then again, he probably should’ve expected it. Barely any of his dad’s electronic devices worked properly for some reason. “…jeez…just how long are they gonna talk for?”

Soon after, the door to the complex opened up and a figure stepped out. At first Sol thought it was his dad….until he got a good look at the person.

It wasn’t his dad at all. It was a man that he recognized from the news. It was the scientist Gizmo Poindexter. The man had a neutral expression as he walked across the parking lot, a tote bag in hand.

Sol ducked down as he passed by the car, not wanting to be seen. As soon as he passed, the teen peeked out the door, and saw that the apartment was still opened. His dad never walked out. Concern and trepidation fueled his actions as he made his way into the building. He then stood before what he thought was the scientist’s apartment, the door slightly ajar. All was silent.

Sol gulped as he pushed the door open. What he saw next made his heart stop.

His father, Knuckle Blaze, face down on the floor….unmoving. Sol rushed to his father’s body and checked his breathing.

Nothing.

He checked his pulse.

Nothing.

He remained there for several moments as the realization kicked in.

A scream of fear, anguish, and despair tore from his throat.

An hour later, police were at the scene of the crime. They asked Sol many questions, as he was the one who called them. He answered as much as he could, still numb from the shock of seeing his father dead.

As the officers were satisfied with his responses, they moved on to investigate the murder scene. Sol grit his teeth as he stared at the small item he hid in his hand.

An item that he found in the hands of his father’s corpse.

A small blue bottle, modeled after a Dragon. Despite not knowing what it was, Sol took it for himself. It was the only thing that he had from his father that gave him a clue to what happened, and he’d be damned if he let the police take it away from him as evidence.

It was that night he vowed to uncover what happened…and make the one responsible pay…

“…After that, I’ve been trying to find any leads as to where Gizmo might’ve gone. It was only a few weeks ago when I came across these robots that tried to kidnap me. Surprisingly, they didn’t put up much of a fight. And it became even easier was then I learned how to use this…” He held up the Dragon Bottle. “If I shook it while the cap was opened, my punches would get much stronger. And I learned last night that I could punch a Smash’s lights out when that Flyboy attacked me. Sent it flying over the treetops. And now, here we are…” Sol finished his tale.

Neither Micro nor Flash could speak at what they just learned. While they knew that a dead body was found in Gizmo’s apartment. The media assumed that it was murder, but none of them believed that the scientist would do such a thing. For one, the body did not have any notable stab wounds or injuries that implied a bloody conflict. There didn’t seem to be signs of a struggle either.

Even with Sol’s testimony, it just wasn’t enough to make them think otherwise.

“….I’m…I’m sorry about your father…” Micro finally spoke. “But you gotta understand. Just because a dead body was found in his apartment, doesn’t make my brother a killer. I mean…there weren’t any visible wounds or lethal injuries on your dad’s body, right?”

“No…but they did find foreign substances in my dad’s body from the autopsy. Even if he didn’t stab him, Gizmo definitely had access to chemicals that could’ve been used to poison him.”

“But it’s not necessarily poison!” Micro refuted. Flash could only watch the exchange go back and forth. “While the practitioners did find something, they weren’t able to identify it. It couldn’t be matched to any of the associated poisons and lethal chemicals. The evidence doesn’t add up to my brother being a killer. Based on this, your father must’ve died of natural causes…”

“You saying my dad died from a heart attack or something? He’s the healthiest guy I knew! And your brother was a scientist! He probably could’ve made a new or different poison instead!”

“But there is no way to prove it given all the information there was!”

“Why are you defending that murderer?!” Sol jumped out of his seat.

“My brother is no killer!” Micro followed his action.

“The News and experts beg to differ!”

“They just came to that conclusion based on circumstantial evidence that fails to add up!”

The two teens were now butting heads. Flash chose to step in before violence broke out.

“GUYS!”

“WHAT?!” Both snapped their heads to the musician.

“Let’s just take a moment to breath and calm down, alright?! Arguing like this is getting us nowhere!” He looked at Sol. “Sol! I’m sorry for your dad, really, I am! I don’t know exactly what you went through, but I know how painful it is to lose a dad! But you can’t just throw accusations around without evidence! Like Micro said, the evidence is circumstantial at best right now! That’s why we’re trying to find the truth for ourselves! And think about it from Micro’s point of view! His brother, a person he greatly admired and respected, was accused of murder from this circumstantial evidence, and you’re making this worse by insisting he’s the one responsible!”

He then turned to Micro. “And Micro! I know what Sol said upsets you, and you’re justified at getting angry, but look at it from his perspective! He lost his father and is still grieving for it! He’s just looking for someone to blame and the only person he feels directly responsible is your brother! I’m not saying he did it, but at least try to understand why he’s so insistent!”

He then looked at both of them. “You both lost something that night. You both lost family and had to deal with the painful aftermath. So instead of going at each other’s throats about it…at least try to understand each other’s perspective before going off on a triad…okay…?”

Micro Chip and Sol Burner stared at Flash before looking at one another. Both still looked like they had something to say on the matter….but Flash’s words sunk in their heads. He wasn’t wrong. They both lost someone they cared about that night. They both were looking for answers about what happened.

It just…it just hurt when their lost family was brought up in an antagonistic manner like this.

Both teens separated and sat on their own chairs, deep in thought.

Surprisingly, Sandalwood had remained sound asleep throughout the triad.

Flash sighed as he slumped down. He never knew being a mediator was so exhausting.

He just hoped he got through to them…he wasn’t sure what to do if he didn’t.

Silence loomed over the group for several tense moments. Flash anxiously looked at one conscious teen to the other, hoping the conflict has been resolved….or at least alleviated.

Sol had been the one to break the silence. “…so what happens now?”

“…what do you mean?”

“How do we go from here…?”

“Wait, we…? What do you mean ‘we’?” Micro asked skeptically.

“I mean we. I’m pretty much in this, too….aren’t I?” Sol questioned as he dangled the Dragon bottle in air.

“No. You’re not.” Micro said firmly. “Just leave that bottle here and forget you ever saw us, any of this….everything.”

“You can’t be serious!” Sol raised his voice again. “I just found a lead of what to do next! I can’t just back out of this!”

“You found nothing.” Micro dismissed his argument. “All we did was argue back and forth about what happened six months ago. We’re nowhere closer to finding the truth. But I do know that my brother is not a murderer like you so insistently claim.” He turned away from him and grabbed the Build Driver. "Besides, we've got more important things to worry about. Like the Smash."

Sol frowned before spotting the driver and getting an idea, quickly rushing over to Micro and snatching the driver away.

"Hey!" Micro yelled.

"I'll show you!" Sol said as he slapped the driver on his waist. "This is how you transform right?" He slotted the Dragon bottle into the driver.

"DRAGON!"

He looked over at the table and saw the Gatling bottle sitting on it, grabbing it to place in the driver. But before he could do so, something grabbed his wrist. Looking around, he saw it was Flash. "Are you nuts?!" He asked, "If you don't have the right Hazard Level, that thing could kill you."

"Hazard Level?"

They quickly explained what a Hazard Level was, while Micro pulled out the scanner and scanned him. "Two point zero," he said before turning to Sol. "You'd barely avoid becoming a Smash. But it does explain how you could use the Dragon Bottle without turning into one."

Sol groaned as he took the driver off. "I'm still not leaving. Don't forget, I can still get the cops involved." This threat made the two sweat, knowing he had them by the throats.

Flash sighed, "Fine. You can stay. Just don't get in the way."

Sol laughed, "If anything I'll help. Just you watch." He looked at the driver in his hand and then at the bottles. He went to put the Gatling bottle in with the Dragon, but then a feeling came over him. For some reason, he didn't think Dragon and Gatling would work well together. Instead, he took it out and placed it on the table before looking over the rest of the bottle. Finally picking one, he slotted it and Gatling into the driver.

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BESTMATCH!”

Both Flash and Micro were stunned. They spent so much time trying to discover the Best Match for Gatling….and this new guy comes along and gets it on his first try?!

“There. Problem solved. See? I’m helping you guys out already!” Sol grinned triumphantly.

“Wh-what…? B-b-b-but….but….H-HOW?!” Micro sputtered, unable to comprehend what just happened.

“Well…I guess that solves the Best Match issue…” Flash scratched his head. “Now…all we need is a weapon to bring out Gatling’s full potential.”

"I've got it!" Sandalwood cried as he sudden sat up, surprising the lot of them.

"That was fast," Flash said as he watched his friend get up off the mattress and grab a nearby pen and paper. He had expected Sandal to be unconscious for a few more hours, but it seems he was getting use to the effects. The three just watched as Sandalwood sketched something on the paper, switching between black and orange pens.

Finally, he stopped and looked over watched he'd created before turning it around to show them. "What do you think?" The three looked closely at the drawing and saw it was a bunch of squares and rectangles that were either black or orange, though it looked like a five year old had drawn it.

"What are we suppose to be looking at?" Micro asked while adjusting his glasses.

"The weapon you can use in that form," Sandalwood replied. "It came to me...in a dream."

Sol just looked up at him, "You're insane, aren't you?"

Sandal just frowned at Sol, but turned away when Flash took his picture. "What do you think?"

Flash hummed while looking it over, turning his from left to right as he did. "I think I get what you were trying to imagine."

"You do?" Micro and Sol asked in unison. Then the two glared at one another.

Flash just nodded his head before putting the paper down and grabbing a fresh sheet and the pens. Using Sandalwood's sketch as reference, he drew a new image and eventually turned it towards his friends. They looked at the new sketch, Sandalwood smiling while Micro and Sol's eyes went wide. "What do you think?"

"It's no Mona Lisa," Micro said while taking the paper in hand. "But at least I know what I'm meant to be looking at." He stepped over to the lab computer. "If I scan this, the computer should be able to use it to make blueprint for the weapon."

"Awesome," Sandalwood said, "now it just needs a cool name." He hummed while staring at the bottles, "Hawk...Gatling. Hawk...Gatling...er. Hawk Gatlinger!" Flash and Micro both smiled at this, liking the sound of it.

Sol just raised an eyebrow, completely clueless how they went from a terrible drawing to designing and naming an admittedly bad-ass looking weapon. "….I know I probably should’ve asked this first but…just who are you guys?"

Sandalwood just smirked at him, "We're Team Build." And with that, the eco-teen just fell backwards and landed on his mattress before letting out a bunch of snores.

"Huh," Flash said, "Guess he's not getting used to it."

“I’m more surprised how he managed to sleep through all the yelling…” Then Sol turned to the two. “Still, if I’m going to be working with you guys, I’ll need to know your names. You already know mine.”

“Well, I’m Flash Sentry, a.k.a. Masked Rider Build.” He then gestured to his intelligent friend. “He’s Micro Chips, the brains of our group.” He then gestured to the unconscious member of the team. “And he’s Sandalwood Forests. He purifies the Smash Bottles we obtain into Fullbottles to use.”

“I see. Well…it’s all good to meet you…”

“Yeah, you say that after we were at each other’s throats just a few minutes ago and all but blackmailed us…” Micro scoffed.

“What was that?!”

As the two got into another argument, Flash sighed heavily. ‘Here we go again…’ It was at that point, Flash realized something. This had been the first time any of them had seen Sol around. He seemed to be the same age they were, but they never saw him at CHS, or even from Crystal Prep for that matter. “Out of curiosity, are you new to the city, Sol?”

“Huh?” The fighter turned from the intellectual. “Oh, yeah. I moved in a few days ago. I’m actually starting school tomorrow.”

“Really? What school?”

“Sol Burner, this is Sunset Shimmer.” A woman introduced the red and yellow haired girl. She was a tall woman with pink skin and had long hair that seemed to shimmer in a multitude of colors. She wore a yellow suit jacket over a pair of purple slacks. This was Celestia, principal of Canterlot High School. “She will be the one to give you the tour around our school.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Sol greeted cordially with an extended hand. Unlike yesterday, he was dressed in a black t-shirt with a design of a fist made of blue flames on the chest. A red and black flannel shirt was worn over it.

“Likewise.” Sunset replied with a polite smile and shook it. She had been taken out of class to act as the tour guide for the new transfer student. She honestly got a sense of déjà vu from the experience as she hosted a tour for three disguised sirens months ago. She had been chosen because Principal Celestia through she would be the best choice to introduce a new student. That and she was the least injured among her peers to actually conduct the tour.

None of them actually got off unscathed from the Smash attack. Rainbow had a sprained ankle and multiple scrapes and bruises from where she crashed. Rarity got several bruises along her back from being tossed aside, and a massive bruise on her front from being hit in the solar plexus. Even now, breathing remained uncomfortable for her.

Applejack had a few cuts and bruises on her face, and a mild concussion from the Smash’s assault. She also got a sprained wrist from trying to block one of the swings.

In contrast, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Twilight, and herself got off easy with less bruises and mild injuries. They were still bandaged up from the ordeal, but it could’ve been worse. Surprisingly, their ponied up forms actually mitigated the damage, saving them from fatal blows. It was because of that none of them were in the hospital right now. Granted, they still had to take it easy while they recovered. Unfortunately, Twilight got additional injuries from the Smash attack yesterday. Thankfully, though, they were only superficial.

“I’ll leave you two be. Please don’t be late for lunch.” With that, Celestia went back to her office, leaving the two alone.

“So you ready to go?”

“Yep.” The two proceeded to trek through the halls. Sunset informed him of the various facilities and amenities they had as they passed them while Sol asked an idle question every once in a while. They also made some small talk on the side. He even brought up that he recognized her from the music video he saw on TV. She also told him that he seemed familiar as well, but he denied it as it was their first meeting. Eventually, their tour came to a close.

“So, that covers everything. Any other questions?”

“I have one.” Sol raised a hand as his stomach growled. “…what’s on the menu for lunch today?”

Sunset giggled. “Lucky for you, its spaghetti and meatballs and I gotta warn you…the food here is delicious.”

“Awesome! Gotta have my protein.” The fighter clapped his hands.

“You know, you sound like my friend Rainbow Dash. She enjoys her protein as well, mainly because she’s an athlete. Are you one as well?”

“You can say that. I’m a martial artist, so I gotta keep my protein intake up.”

“Well, hope you don’t skimp out on the veggies.” she joked.

“Wh-what? N-no, of course not…haha…” They entered the cafeteria, seeing a variety of students seated with one another, exchanging small talk and idle chatter. The two teens got their lunches and went to find a seat.

“Well, I’m going to head over to sit with my friends. You can join us if you’d like.” Sunset offered.

“Thanks, but I think I see some of my guys over there.” Sol gestured to a table where Flash, Sandalwood, and Micro sat to Sunset’s surprise. “Thanks for the tour Sunset. See ya around.” Before she could question him, he made his way to the Build table.

Confused and contemplating, Sunset went over to the Rainbooms table.

“So…how did the tour go, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she adjusted the cast on her arm, wincing.

“Pretty good….but I can’t help but think something’s off about Sol.”

“You mean the new guy?” Rainbow Dash asked, finding the name slightly familiar. “Why? He’s not another Siren, is he?”

“No, no….nothing like that.”

“Then what’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked.

“It’s just…I don’t know. But don’t you think all of this is just too….coincidental?”

“Whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity asked, slightly wincing from moving her bruise diaphragm.

“I mean all of this. The monsters, or the Smash as Twilight called them, the robots, and Build all appeared a few days ago. And now this new student appears? It just seems a bit fishy to me.”

“Do you think…that he’s Build?” Fluttershy asked.

“Maybe, maybe not. I mean, for all we know, he could be the reason why the Smash started to attack.”

“But I don’t think that’s fair, Sunset.” Twilight interjected. “Sure, his appearance now of all times is strange, but that doesn’t mean that he’s the cause of it. Maybe we should give him a chance at first. I mean, did he seem suspicious at all when you gave him the tour earlier?”

Sunset opened her mouth but paused. Looking back, Sol did nothing to warrant her suspicion earlier. He acted…normal. Well, as normal as every other teenage boy. He didn’t act weird or strange like the Dazzlings had when they enrolled. Maybe she was being paranoid. “No…I guess not. I guess I’m a bit on the edge lately.”

But…it still didn’t explain how he seemed to know Flash and the others.

“Well, given how things have been lately, Ah don’t blame ya.” Applejack replied. “What say you, Pinkie Pie?”

She was greeted with silence.

“Pinkie Pie?” She turned to find the pink haired girl who sat next to her missing. “…now where did she go?”

“Hey guys.” Sol greeted as he sat down.

“You know, I’m still surprised when you told us you were enrolling here.” Flash commented as he took a bite out of his spaghetti.

“Well, it seemed like a good choice. My parents went here before, so I thought I would continue the trend…plus its way cheaper than Crystal Prep.”

“Can’t argue with that. But I didn’t think you were born here in the first place.”

“Yeah. Things got crazy after the incident. Had to move outta town for a bit. But now, since everything’s settled down, I’m back.”

“Well good to see you’ve gotten comfortable here, dude.” Sandalwood smiled. After regaining consciousness, he was introduced to Sol. He was a bit miffed that he kept accusing Gizmo to be a murderer, but he got over it once he learned the full circumstances of why he thought so. Losing a family member was never easy. The two got along better after that.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Micro. “Aren’t you being too comfortable here?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, why are you acting so familiar with us? You’re supposed to be a transfer and here you are treating us like friends. Are you trying to sway suspicion towards us?”

“Dude, chill out. I think you’re being paranoid. Look, if anyone asks, I’ll just say I know you guys because you helped me out the other day. Sound good?” He was greeted with blank expressions. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?” Sandalwood just pointed behind him. Curious, Sol turned around and came nose to nose with Pinkie Pie.

“Hello!”

“Gah!” Sol fell out of his seat in shock. “Wh-who the heck are you?!”

“I’m Pinkie Pie! I just wanted to come over and say hello and welcome to Canterlot High! Go Wondercolts!” She pulled out the Wondercolts’ signature pony ears, tail, and Pom poms out of her hair and put them on. “I just couldn’t wait to meet you when Sunset told me about you! It’s just so superiffic meeting someone new! And it looks like you already have friends yourself! That’s good. Everyone needs friends! Will you allow me the honor of being one of yours?” She said in rapid fire succession as she drew her face closer to his.

“....I think I need an adult?”

“I think you’re coming on a bit too strong, Pinkie Pie.” Flash advised his friend. “Maybe you should tone it down a bit…”

“Okay!” Pinkie pulled back, maintaining her grin.

“Who….who is she?” Sol asked.

“This is Pinkie Pie. Canterlot High’s resident party planner.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. transfer student whose name I don’t know!”

“I-it’s Sol…Sol Burner…”

“Got it! Nice to meet you Sol Burner! Here!” She gave him a slice of cake she seemingly pulled from thin air. “Welcome to Canterlot High! Hope you enjoy this happy greeting cake!” With her job done, she skipped back to her table happily.

“So…yeah…that was Pinkie Pie.” Flash said to Sol’s gobsmacked expression.

“…is that girl just crazy sugar and joy incarnate?”

“I know she can be a bit….well…Pinkie, but she means well. You’ll get used to her in no time.”

“Maybe…” Sol said as he sampled the cake Pinkie gave him. “Wait, how did she know my favorite flavor?!” He quickly finished off the sweet treat along with the rest of his lunch and was about to get up, when a voice called out.

"Seriously!?" Everyone in the cafeteria turned to the Rainbooms' table, where Rainbow was now standing while looking at Pinkie with a shocked look on her face. She then turned to the boy's table and stared at Sol, as if inspecting him, before going wide eyed and then began to limp over to them.

"Uh...who is she? And what is she doing?"

"That's Rainbow Dash. She's a friend of ours, but I have no idea why she's limping over here..." Flash replied.

"I...I can't believe it...!" The athletic girl said as she made it over, stars in her eyes. "It really is you! Omigosh! I can't believe it!"

"Uh...yeah....do I know you?"

"No...but I know you! You're Sol Burner! You’re a fighter that took up boxing AND kickboxing! You were set to win a tournament that would set you up for the pro leagues before you dropped out! What are you doing here?!" Her exclamation drew the attention of several students, surprised to learn that a professional fighter, a teenage one at that, is a member of their school.

"You...you're a fighter?!" Flash gawked. "Why didn't you tell us?!"

"...Because no one asked..." Sol sighed. He hoped that people wouldn't make a deal out of his presence at the school. Especially not due to the incident. He really didn’t want to be reminded of his dad, as his death was the main reason why he dropped out. . Thankfully, Rainbow Dash actually had the decency to not bring it up. "So...what can I help you with?"

“Heck yes you can! You and me! We gotta have a match!...you know, when my ankle gets better.”

“But, why do you wanna fight me?”

“Because I wanna see your skills for myself! You are set up to win the tournament before you dropped out at the final match! I want to see how good you really are! There’s no better opportunity!”

“Well….okay then. Just let me know when and where….only after your ankle gets better.”

“Deal! I’ll hold you onto that!” Rainbow Dash cheered and she and Sol shook hands to seal the deal. She then proceeded to limp back to her table, leaving the four boys.

“….is everyone as …unique as those girls?” Sol questioned.

“…I didn’t even know Rainbow Dash knew how to box.” Flash commented.

“Dude, this is Rainbow Dash we’re talking about.” Sandalwood replied. “She probably knows how to play every sport that ever existed….even ones from forgotten cultures…”

Following lunch, the day passed by without much issue. Sol was discovered to share the same class schedule as Sunset Shimmer, and share some classes with the rest of the Rainbooms and Team Build. One example is sharing gym with Rainbow Dash. Another is art with Pinkie Pie.

However, Sol remained the center of attention since the revelation in the cafeteria. It hadn’t been easy as many students, particularly the athletes, had wanted to ask Sol questions about his training, his career, and what he planned to do next.

After a long day, school came to a close. Many of the students had left campus as their respective clubs ended practice.

A group of three girls made their way through the school parking lot late in the afternoon. Sunset Shimmer and Applejack had just finished helping clean up after the Fencing Club’s practice. Both were part of the club, but were unable to practice due to their injuries. So they settled for helping non-strenuous clean up. Applejack’s sister, Applebloom came home with them. The girl had taken the opportunity to watch the club members in action, as she was thinking about joining the club as well.

Looking back on it, the youngest Apple couldn’t help but laugh when she remembered how her sister joined the club.

She knew her sister and Rainbow Dash were competitive….they took it to a new level during Club Picture Day.

As her sister and Sunset made small talk, Applebloom hung back and was lost in thought. It had already been a few days, but the incident at the Mall still gave her nightmares. If it weren’t for her sister and her friends, she wasn’t sure what would’ve happened to her, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

Not to mention what happened to the latter just the other day. She was relieved that she was safe thanks to Build, but she still worried. There was even another monster attack yesterday at the Supermarket. The trend seems to indicate that it may become a daily occurrence, and that prospect scared her.

Unbeknownst to her, Sunset and Applejack shared the same worries. Yesterday, Twilight told them about the attack and what she learned. When she had tried to defend herself and Scootlaoo from the Smash’s attacks, her magic barely had any effect on them. She couldn’t use her telekinesis to change their trajectory or stop them at all. She theorized it might have something to do with the gas they emitted, but it all instilled a sense of dread in the Rainbooms.

Their magic was absolutely useless against these Smash monsters.

Never have they felt so helpless. These monsters roamed around their city, and they were powerless to stop them. The only person who could defeat them was this Build character. While they were relieved that there was at least someone who could fight them, they were still uneasy about it.

Especially Sunset Shimmer. She couldn’t help but feel suspicious about Build. The same day these monsters show up, Build makes his debut and defeats them? It just seemed too coincidental. She brought up her suspicions to her friends, and they all had mixed feelings.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash though otherwise and believed Build to be doing the right thing.

Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight were neutral on the matter. They had no reason to believe Build being responsible until shown otherwise, but they still appreciated his help.

Only Applejack and her retained suspicions on the Masked Rider. It didn’t mean they condemned what he was doing. If he hadn’t shown up, they probably wouldn’t even be having these conversations. But some things still didn’t sit right with her.

Just what were his motives?

There was also the new transfer student, Sol Burner, to consider. Apparently, he is a rising star on the fighter scene, just short of moving up to the pro leagues. She did a little research into him during study hall and learned a few things about him. He was the son of the retired heavyweight boxing champion, Knuckle Blaze and grew up right here in Canterlot City.

Sol became known through his countless victories in boxing and kickboxing competitions. He demonstrated exceptional athletic and physical ability never-before-seen when he was a child. He had been the fan favorite to win the tournament that would’ve secured a contract with the pro leagues. However, six months ago, everything fell apart for him. His father had been found dead in Gizmo Poindexter’s apartment. The event forced him to withdraw from the tournament and move out of the city until the attention died down.

But now he was back….and his appearance coincided when the Smash and Build first appeared. As much as she didn’t want to, she couldn’t help but think that they were connected in a way.

Just a few days after the Smash attack and Build’s debut, a new student arrives? Too much to be simple coincidence. Was it possible that he was the cause of it…? Was it possible that he was Build…?

Her musings were cut short when she picked up a strange sound in the distance. She wasn’t quite sure what it was but it sounded like…whistling wind.

“Uh…do y’all hear something?” Applebloom questioned. Apparently, Sunset wasn’t the only one who heard it.

“Hm? What do ya mean, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

She was then knocked aside by a bluish purple blur.

“Applejack!” Sunset and Applebloom cried as the farm girl fell on the ground.

“Ah’m okay!” She hollered back as she readjusted her setson hat. At times like this, she was grateful for her magic power giving her added durability, as well as landing on her uninjured hand. But who just slammed into her?

Her silent question was answered when the blur skidded to a stop before the three. It greatly reminded them of the Strong Smash the girls had fought at the Mall. Only this one’s body resembled more like a knight and was mostly blue with bits of purple. In its hands were two swords with blue circular guards. On its shoulders were bell-like protrusions that resembled its head.

“A monster!” the youngest Apple shrieked.

“Another Smash?!” Sunset exclaimed. This was the fourth day in the row! Where were they all coming from?!”

The Mirage Smash ground both of its swords together as he approached Sunset and Applebloom. Applejack would have none of it.

“Get away from them ya nasty varmint!” She got up to punch the creature with her good hand, but it sped out of the way. The farmer stumbled as the Smash reappeared behind her, blade raised. Applejack saw it and stepped out of the in the nick of time, tripping over her feet and landing on her rear. The blade sliced into the concrete, narrowly missing her.

“You alright?” Sunset helped her up.

“Ah think so…just where did this thing come from?”

“I don’t know, but we gotta get out of here!” As much as Sunset hated to admit it, they were helpless against this Smash. Their magic had no effect. The best chance they had was to retreat and hide.

But as they turned to run away, the Smash appeared before them in a blur of speed. They tried to flee in a different direction, but it cut off that path as well.

“This thing here’s as fast as Rainbow Dash…” Applejack grunted. “How can this get any worse?”

After images appeared around the Mirage Smash before encircling the girls. They were now surrounded by solid copies of the Mirage Smash.

“….me and mah big mouth…”

Meanwhile, at the hidden laboratory, Team Build had assembled as Micro performed the finishing touches on their latest project.

“Annnnd finished!” Micro cheered as he held the completed device in hand. It was a handheld gun with a black grip and n orange magazine that resembled a spin wheel. The gun’s muzzle had six barrels on a spin wheel, just like a gatling. On the side was an orange sensor in the shape of a Hawk’s eye. “Gentlemen, let me present to you…the Hawk Gatlinger!”

“…how did you make something like that so fast?” Sol questioned. It had only been a day since Flash made the design plans.

“Hmph. Don’t underestimate my intelligence and the resources and tools of my brother’s lab…”

“Whatever you say…egghead.” Sol murmured the last par under his breath. But Micro still heard it.

“Why you-!”

“So anyway!” Flash decided to step in before things got dicey….especially since Micro was holding a gun. “This is the weapon for the Gatling Bottle?”

“Yes indeed.” Micro said, doing his best to ignore Sol. “This should be able to unlock Gatling’s full capabilities in its Best Match state. Be aware that like the Drill Crusher, it doesn’t need to reload. And to increase its firepower, just simply spin the magazine. If you spin it ten times while in Hawk-Gatling form, it will use its Finisher move.”

“Awesome. Then let’s test it out!” Flash strapped on the Driver. But before he could insert the bottles, the Smash Detector went off. “Oh c’mon! Seriously?! Four in a row?!”

“What’s going on?! Is that a fire alarm?!” Sol questioned.

“Smash Detector.” Sandalwood answered. “It means a Smash has been detected in the city.”

Micro pulled up the location and paled. “Flash! Th-that’s the school parking lot!” he tapped a few commands again and hacked into the school cameras. They all paled as Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, and Applebloom appeared on screen. “Oh no! They’re in danger!”

“I’m on it!”

“And I’m coming too!” Sol joined him.

“No! Sol, you’re staying here!”

“What?! Why?! !” Sol replied, holding the Dragon Bottle. “I can fight these things to, you know! I can help!”

“Dude, you can’t!” Flash refused. “If anyone at school sees you using a Bottle, it might reveal who Build is!”

“So you’re just gonna leave me behind?!” Sol argued.

“We can’t risk our identities being exposed!” Micro jumped into the argument. “If everyone learns who Build is, our entire operation will be uncovered! It may get as extreme as the government stepping in and shut us down! Or worst! Even accuse us of being the cause of everything and imprison us!” He grabbed Sol by his jacket. “Is that what you want?!”

“Okay, okay!” Sol stated in defeat. “You made your point! So fine! I’ll just stay here….but don’t say I told you so when you need me!” He then plopped into one of the chairs and rolled away.

“Don’t worry!” Flash shook the Rabbit and Tank bottles. “It’s just another day in the office for us!”

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

He turned the crank and the driver created the constructs that held both halves of the Build armor. Sol whistled in amazement. “Huh…so that’s how it works.”

“Henshin!”

The constructs slammed into him and donned the Build armor in a cloud of steam and gas.

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!"

"RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!”

As soon as he finished changing, Flash rushed out of the store.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

He got onto the Machine Builder shot off to the school. He desperately hoped he wasn’t too late. But as he drove, he couldn’t help but ponder the real reason why he had Sol stay behind. While he told Sol that he didn’t want him to be recognized, he simply didn’t want the fighter to get involved.

Flash knew what it was like to lose a parent. But he’s had years to heal from such a traumatic experience. Sol only had a few months. And from what he witnessed yesterday, the wounds hadn’t healed completely. He was quick to anger and lash out whenever it concerned his late father. Fighting off the Smash was dangerous enough. But he feared what could happen if Sol fought in such an emotionally unstable state.

The Rider could only hope that Sol realized that it was too dangerous to fight like this and stop.

Sometimes Sunset Shimmer wondered if she was cursed. Or if a divine being held a grudge against her.

Sure she did some terrible things back when she was a bully, but she changed for the better thanks to her friends. But time after time again a magical incident takes place that threatens the world, and it’s usually involved with Equestrian magic.

But now? They were dealing with unknown entities that were immune to said magic.

And one of said entities had made clones of itself and surrounded her and her friends. They slowly approached with raised blades. Sunset and Applejack shielded Applebloom as best they could, but they also trembled with the prospect of death looming over them.

She tried to think of a way out, but the existing facts set the situation out of their favor. The enemy was too fast, armed, and can make copies of itself. They couldn’t outrun or overpower it.

They were trapped.

Each clone tensed itself as if to rush in and skewer them.

However, their actions ceased when the familiar roar of a motorcycle grew closer.

Then a volley of lasers slammed into the clones, breaking the encirclement and distracting them. Taking this chance, Sunset and the Apple sisters escaped the ring of monsters and hid behind a nearby car. They watched as the Masked Rider had arrived on the scene, holding some sort of conical handgun.

“Don’t you guys know that girls dislike overbearing guys?...assuming you are guys.” Build said as he got off the bike. Somehow, it folded itself up and shrunk until it became a smart phone that he pocketed. Sunset couldn’t help but wonder why he would make quips like that in a perilous situation…or what he did to his motorcycle. They also felt….familiar for some reason. “Now then…whose ass am I kicking first?”

The Mirage Smash clones swarmed him all at once. Reacting quickly, Build ducked and evaded each swing, thankful for the Rabbit’s speed. He fired at the foes that came within range. While some impacted them due to the rapid fire, others managed to evade them with blinding speed. They were even faster than Rabbit.

Flash also learned this first hand when said clones struck him from multiple angles, throwing him back. He took this time to regroup and change the Drill Crusher into its melee form.

“Uh guys? You know where in videogames where you fight a mob of enemies and they disappear if you hit them enough times? It’s not working!”

“We know! It doesn’t seem like these are ordinary clones, Flash.” Micro advised upon seeing the feed. “I’m guessing you need to find the original and take it out. The clones should disappear accordingly….I think.”

“You think?!”

“Well, it’s better than nothing! And on your right!” Flash ducked below an overhead swing and drove the Drill Crusher’s blade into the Mirage clone. He forced it back, but he was countered by two more clones. He tumbled on the ground before he stood back up.

“I’m open to suggestions! I can’t keep this up forever! There are too many of them!”

“If they’re gonna swarm you, you need to tank those hits until you can find the real one! Try using GorillaMond!”

“Got it!” Flash regrouped and switched to the Gorilla and Diamond Fullbottles.

“GORILLA!”

“DIAMOND!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!”

“DAZZLINGDESTROYER!”

“GORILLAMOND!”

“YEAH!”

The clones struck at him once more, but the durable armor of the Dazzling Destroyer mitigated the damage significantly. He punched the clones away and got to thinking. It would be difficult to discern the original Smash from the copies, as they all looked alike. If he attacked one, they would just end up shuffling around quickly to confuse him. He needed a way to keep them in place. Glancing down at his diamond fist, he had an idea.

From what he understood, the Diamond bottle let him create diamond constructs. He could create something to keep the copies in place.

He activated the power of Diamond and created crystalline constructs that crept up the legs of each individual Smash body, pinning them to the ground. They struggled and struck at the crystals to free themselves, but it was no use.

It just wasn’t easy to break a diamond.

Once all the bodies were trapped, Build sighed in relief, feeling a bit of a reprieve. All he had to do now was to figure out which one was the original. He supposed he would just attack one at a time and see what would work.

But before he could even use a Voltech Break, a blast of energy struck him in the chest. He tumbled and rolled onto his front. He pushed himself up to see a new figure standing between him and the Smashes.

The figure was a male clad in black armor, with a silver chest plate and shoulder pads. Curved pipes protruded from the silver armor pieces, two on each shoulder and one on either side of the collar. On said chest plate was a bright yellow bat symbol. The helmet also bore a bright yellow bat motif that seemed to glow in the darkness. On his forehead was a flat horn.

In his hand was a red gun of a steam-punk design with a modified Fullbottle stuck in the underside.

“Who…who are you?!”

Wordlessly, the figure fired another shot at Build, this time in the face.

“Who…who is that?” Applebloom whispered from her hiding spot. She, like the other girls were surprised by the person’s appearance. They were even more surprised when they saw his attack knock the Masked Rider off his feet with ease.

“Ah don’t know…but…” Before Applejack could finish, the bat figure ruthlessly shot Build in the face, forcing him to stumble. “…He’s definitely bad news…”

“We can’t stay here.” Sunset hissed out. “We need to get out of here and call for help!”

“Right, let’s…” The sound of cracking stopped them cold. They peered over the car. To their horror, the Mirage Smash clones repeatedly beat on their Diamond prisons and yielded some results. Their strikes gradually cracked the structures. Bit by bit they inched towards freedom.

“….well shoot…”

Flash scrambled away as he deflected another blast with his Diamond fist. He returned fire with the Drill Crusher, but the bat figure just shrugged off the shots and continued his advance.

“Just who are you?!” Flash demanded as he ducked below another blast.

“…I am Night Rogue…your demise, Masked Rider.” He aimed another blast and fired. It struck Flash in the chest dead on. The Damage readout continued to alarm.

“Guys?! Any suggestions would be nice right now!”

“We’re trying!” Micro said as he did his best to analyze Night Rogue. Micro made a note to equip some scanners on the drone for situations like this. At best, all he could discern of Night Rogue’s armor is that it was similar to Build’s in a way. He didn’t think such a thing was possible. All this time they all believed the Build Driver to be the only one of its kind.

Just who was this guy? And why was he trying to kill Flash?! They couldn’t ponder for long as they had to save their friend. But this foe was no slouch. His attacks actually left considerable damage on GorillaMond, the form that had the toughness of a Diamond!

“Well, try faster!” On screen, Flash deflected another blast, but left himself open to a swift liver punch.

“That’s it…!” Sol said as he headed up the stairs. “I can’t take this anymore! I’m heading over there!”

“What?! “ Micro and Sandal snapped to him. “Sol! You can’t!”

“And why not?!” He rounded on them. “Unless Flash gets some help, he’s going to get creamed! In fact, he’s already getting his ass kicked!” He pointed to the screen, showing off Flash on the ground as Night Rogue repeatedly stomped on him.

“But it’s dangerous! You’ll get hurt!”

“Newsflash! I don’t care!” Sol snapped at Micro. “Face it, I’m pretty much the only other fighter on this team, and our vanguard is getting whooped by a new enemy while the first ones are trying to escape! So unless you have an idea to corral them from here, I need to go to help out!”

Micro bit his lip. As much as he hated to admit it, Sol was right. They couldn’t help out Flash from here aside from logistical support. Neither he nor Sandalwood are much help in a fight. Sol on the other hand, knew martial arts and had experience in using Fullbottles. If they were going to get Flash out of this alive…he had to make the call.

“…Alright, fine! You can go! But we’re not letting you off without some kind of disguise!” He opened a nearby drawer and pulled something out. He tossed the item to Sol, who caught it and stared at it. It looked like some sort of respirator.

“What…is this?”

“A mask I whipped up. It was designed to filter out any Nebula Gas for safety, but it should be enough to hide your face at least. It even makes you sound different.”

“And here!” Sandalwood came back and gave him a gray, hooded trenchcoat.

“...where did you even get that?”

“Tell you later, just go!” Sol quickly put on the gear and hurried off on his motorcycle.

Later…

“Guys?! GUYS?!” Flash tried to radio in, but no one was answering. He just got away from being pinned by Night Rogue and tried to fight back, but he was a better fighter than he initially thought. In close combat, he blocked his strikes with ease and deflected them before he countered with swift punches and kicks. Despite the defensive properties of Diamond, Flash felt each one strike home.

This was the disparity between a novice and an experienced fighter.

Since Night Rogue moved quicker than Flash, he decided to change back to RabbitTank to match him in speed. He learned that when he changed forms, the damage readout resets, as if he got an instant-heal.

However, despite matching Rogue in speed, he was still stuck trying to dodge his hits or getting smacked around by him.

As he got up from his fourth knockdown, the sound of breaking diamonds filled his ears. He blanched as the Mirage Smash clones finally freed themselves. To make things worse, they found the girls running away and advanced toward them.

“NO!” He tried to intercept the Smash horde, but Night Rogue shot him in the back and knocked him down.

“If this is the extent of your abilities…then you truly are pathetic.” He yanked up Build by the collar and tossed him to the side. He rolled until he stopped at the wall of a nearby building. He pulled himself up using the wall as support as Night Rogue approached. “Now watch as the innocents you tried so hard to protect become exterminated…”

Applejack, Sunset, and Applebloom tried to keep running, but the clones quickly surrounded them once more. Flash growled in frustration. Night Rogue pointed his gun and fired at the wall. Each blast compromised the structure. He had intended to bury the Rider alive. However, before he could deliver the final blow, something came up from behind.

“Hey bat man!” Rogue turned around and was greeted with a flaming punch to the face. The force behind the attack sent him flying towards the wall. Flash rolled out of the way in time.

Rogue’s body hit the crumbling wall, sending it toppling on top of him.

Build pushed himself up to see who his savior was. To his surprise, it was a figure garbed in a gray, hooded trenchcoat with a respirator mask to hide his face. But what stood out to him was the blue bottle in his hands.

“Looks like I arrived on time.” Sol greeted as he helped Flash up.

“What…what are you doing here?! I thought I told you to stay put!”

“Well, things changed when the fight became too much for you. And don’t you have girls to save instead of arguing with me?!” He pointed to the still surrounded girls.

“Crap! You’re right! But how am I supposed to find the original at this rate?!” Sol smacked him in the arm.

“Dude, you got your Best Match and new gun, now’s the time to try them out!”

Flash then felt like an idiot. He honestly forgot about them until now. He took out the Hawk and Gatling Bottles and shook them. A new series of equations floated around him, confusing the heck out of Sol.

“What the-?! Where did all this math come from?!”

“Doesn’t matter!” He inserted the Hawk and Gatling Bottles into the Driver.

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BEST MATCH!”

Flash turned the crank as orange and gray armor pieces filled the constructs.

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Build up!”

The constructs slammed into him and donned him in a new form. The Gatling side of the armor remained the same, but the Hawk part of the armor gave him a new form. The organic sections of the armor were orange and the eyepiece was modeled after a swooping hawk. But the most unique thing about the armor was now he had wings.

“SKY HIGHVANDAL!”

“HAWK-GATLING!”

“YEAH!”

“Wh-whoa! Where did these things come from?!” Flash was amazed by his new set of wings.

“Question later! Save now!” Sol went ahead to try and save the girls. Flash nodded as he ran forward, but the wings on his armor activated, sending him flying into the air. He yelled in surprise as he took to the skies. He soon found a way to steady himself and flew over to the encirclement.

One of the Mirage Smash raised its swords with the intent to cleave the girls apart. Sunset and Applejack shielded Applebloom with their bodies.

The girls closed their eyes at the inevitable impact.

Just before the Smash could bring the blade down, a hooded figure intervened. Moving quickly, he wound up his fist and drove it hard into the Smash’s body. A burst of blue fire erupted and forced the mutant away, forcing it to crash on the ground. The mysterious individual then turned to the girls.

“Hey! Are you girls alright?!” The three opened their eyes, and were immediately surprised by the figure’s appearance. He was male based on his physique, lithe yet muscular. He was clad in a heavy, gray, hooded coat with a respirator mask on his face, concealing his identity. His voice sounded strange, as if it were filtered.

“Y-y-yeah…we’re fine…” Applebloom stuttered out. She then noticed the Smash rising before rushing at their savior from behind. “Look out!”

At first, the man didn’t seem to react. But just as one of the clones swung at his head, he ducked underneath it and grabbed the outstretched limb. He twisted the arm away. He kneed it in the stomach and used his free hand to deliver a vicious uppercut to its face.

“Hah…these things don’t seem so tough…” He was proven otherwise as two of the clones tackled him at high speeds, sending him crashing to the ground. He rolled back onto his feet and glared at the clones. “…okay, I was wrong.”

One of the clones tried to attack the girls from behind while he was distracted. Sol tried to rush over and stop it, but his path was blocked by another set of copies.

Thankfully, help came in the form of the Sky High Vandal swooping in and kicking the Smash in the face. Build landed on his feet, his back turned to the girls. “Sorry I was late, air traffic was killer.” He then turned to the disguised Sol. “Get these three out of here. Things are about to get messy.”

“Right!” Sol then escorted the three girls away, leaving Build alone with the horde of Mirage Smash.

He then held his arm out and called. “Hawk Gatlinger!” The gun-like weapon manifested into his hands from the Driver.

“With this…” Build slid one hand across the orange eyepiece. “…I now have the winning formula!”

He remembered Micro’s instructions and spun the Hawk Gatlinger’s magazine.

“TEN!”

He pulled the trigger and a volley of energy bullets shot out. They impacted the horde of clones with greater effectiveness.

The remaining clones tried to rush at him, but he took to the skies. He spun the magazine again to reload and continued to fire at them from above. The clones tried to move about rapidly to evade the blasts, but the Hawk Gatlinger has locked onto all of their signatures due to the Third Eye Hawk sensor. It relayed that data to Flash’s Helmet and showed him where to properly aim and let the energy bullets do the rest. Once fired, the bullets would alter their flight paths until they hit the target, as if they were homing missiles.

To think a weapon like wouldn’t have been possible without Sandalwood and Micro.

He spun the magainze twice, increasing the weapon’s fire power.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

He flew around the clones in a circle, corralling them into a single space while damaging them simultaneously. Soon, all of the existing clones were grouped together.

“…Time to end this!” Flash ascended into the skies, spinning the magazine multiple times. However, the Smash below him were persistent and jumped after him. They surprisingly had extraordinary jumping abilities as they followed him into the air. But Flash avoided their attacks as he flew higher and higher.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

“THIRTY!”

“FORTY!”

“FIFTY!”

With each spin, the Six Gun Muzzle glowed brighter with gathered power.

“SIXTY!”

“SEVENTY!”

“EIGHTY!”

“Let’s go!” Build spread his wings, and a series of energy rings expanded around him. They grew and rotated until they formed a spherical graph made of white energy, trapping the horde inside.

“NINETY!”

“ONE HUNDRED!”

“FULL BARREL!”

“Open fire!” Flash pulled the trigger and an endless barrage of energy hawks shout out of the gun. He aimed and flew all over within the sphere, hitting every target within. Once every Mirage individual Mirage Smash was struck directly, they exploded into a green burst of flames. It set off a chain reaction that caused the spherical graph to explode in a green burst of energy.

Flash flew out of the cloud and landed on the parking lot below. He had flown high enough to ensure the attack didn’t damage anything on the ground level. The girls and Sol stared in amazement at what they just witnessed.

The original Mirage Smash crashed soon after, unmoving.

Meanwhile, back at the collapsed wall, the pile of rubble remained still.

Out of nowhere, an armored arm shot out of the mass of debris. Night Rogue pulled himself out of the mess of broken brick and mortar. He crawled out of the mess and panted. He pushed himself onto a knee and looked up to where the others were. He clicked his tongue when he saw the Mirage Smash in a defeated heap. It seemed that the Dragon Fullbottle user and Build had joined forces after all. He grew frustrated when he realized that he couldn’t stop them at this point.

“Yo, leader…” Stalk walked out from the corner. “You look like you’re having fun~”

“Why are you here, Stalk?” Rogue asked as he stood to his full height. “Why didn’t you step in earlier?”

“Didn’t see much reason to. Thought you had it all handled.” The Cobra-themed warrior shrugged. “As for me, I’m just here to pick up out little asset before the Rider could pry anything from it.”

Stalk’s chestplate glowed eerily.

Flash had sucked up the remainder of the Smash essence from the Mirage Smash, returning the host to a normal human.

The girls and Sol stepped up to the Rider once the danger had passed. The girls were amazed at what they had witnessed first hand. Build seemed to have much more power than they initially thought. Sunset’s eyes were focused on Build before they shifted to the unconscious person.

Her eyes widened in recognition. It was a woman garbed in what seemed to be white hospital scrubs. She had seen her before. It was back at the mall when the Robots were kidnapping people. She was one of the personnel taken.

Sunset tried to approach the unconscious body. She hoped she could learn what happened after capture. Unfortunately, she didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings.

Fortunately, Sol did. He acted quickly and shoved Sunset aside. “Look out!” Build had pulled the Apple sisters out of the way as well. As they moved, a large blur sped passed them and picked up the body in its maws and swallowed it. It soon slithered to a halt, revealing itself to be a giant, teal cobra comprised of what seemed to be energy. It hissed at the group before it slithered out of sight.

“What the?! What was that thing?!” Applejack questioned as Build set her and her sister down.

“I have no idea…but we lost our lead…” Sunset picked herself up. She was frustrated she couldn’t find anything about the Mall attack. But at least the Rider and his compatriot were here to question. She turned to the two males only to discover they were gone.

“Hey! Where did they go?” Applebloom questioned.

“Man…flying is such an awesome power…” Flash said as he used his newfound flight capabilities to get him and Sol away from the suspicious Sunset Shimmer. Said disguised fighter had his arms held by his own, leaving the rest of him dangling. “I can see why Rainbow loved it back at the Games.”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but can we get back to my bike now? Kinda need it to go home.” Sol questioned. Flash complied and they landed where he parked his motorcycle, which was thankfully out of sight from prying eyes.

“So…still think it’s too dangerous for me to fight?” The fighter asked with his back turned.

“…why did you come here? I thought I told you to stay at the lab.”

And what? Leave you be while you’re getting your ass kicked?” Sol turned to look him in the eye. “I get it. Fighting monsters and bad guys, it’s dangerous. Heck, I know it's a lot more dangerous without the armor. But that doesn’t mean you get to push people away while you shoulder it all alone! I’m part of Team Build too, you know. I’m here to help, and I can fight!”

"Without the armor, you could get seriously injured! You saw what happened to me today!"

"Yeah, but I got here on time to stop it! I know it's dangerous! I'm not an idiot! But if you're just going to tackle these Smash things alone, you could end up getting yourself killed! That Bat guy completed curb stomped you, remember?! I don’t care if you think you’re some hero or whatever! A person can't handle things like this alone! You need help!"

Flash stared at him through his visor. He sighed. It seemed like Sol wasn’t backing down. He was determined to see this through. He realized that he did make a stupid decision. Because of him wanting to keep Sol out of it, he nearly got himself killed. He almost got the girls killed on top of that. If Sol hadn’t been there to save him…they would all likely be dead.

“Sol…I’m sorry…”

“What?”

“I’m sorry…for keeping you out of the fight. I was just…worried. I know what it was like to lose a father…it took me years to cope with that fact. Even now, I’m not sure if I’m fully recovered. But you? You only had a few months. I didn’t think that was enough…”

“So….you thought I was unstable and would’ve screwed up somehow?” Sol asked with a raised brow.

“Well…yes…but I now know that you can keep a cool head in a fight…if you hadn’t arrived, I probably would be dead. So thank you….and I’m sorry…”

Sol kept silent as the words sunk in. He then rested a hand on Flash’s shoulder. “It’s alright. Thanks for being honest with me. I get where you were coming from but…I just want to help out. I’m part of this team too, and I gotta do my part. So whenever there’s a fight going on, I got your back…partner.”

The fighter held out a hand. Flash smiled underneath his helmet and grasped it.

“You got it…partner.”

Later that night…

Applebloom sat on her bed, smart phone in hand. She had been group-texting her friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo about what happened earlier today. She still couldn’t believe that Masked Rider Build had come to save her, her sister, and Sunset!

Scootaloo had been ecstatic when she learned of this. She was even more ecstatic when Applebloom told her about a new form Build used. How he could fly like a hawk and use a cool gun that did some awesome auto-targeting on the Smash clones.

Sweetie Belle had also been amazed upon learning this. Although, she expressed her worry for her friends as they were both caught up in Smash attacks. Scootaloo assured her that they were fine, as Build would come to save the day if they ever got attacked again.

Before Applebloom could continue the conversation, her grandmother hollered out to her.

“Applebloom? Can you come down here? We got something to talk to ya about!”

“Sure, Granny!” The youngest Apple sibling hollered back. She texted her friends goodnight before she hopped off her bed. She climbed down the stairs and entered the kitchen, where the rest of her family sat down at the table. On the left side of the table was Applejack.

On the right was a tall, muscular man in his early twenties. He had a peach complexion was freckles across his face. He had green eyes and a mess of straw-yellow hair. He was dressed in a white shirt, jeans, and a red flannel shirt with a large, green apple logo. This was her brother Big Mac.

Seated on the other end of the table was an elderly, plump woman with light green skin and white hair tied up in a bun. She wore a yellow dress with an apron over it. This was her grandmother, Granny Smith.

To the young girl’s surprise, they all had solemn expressions.

“What…what’s going on y’all?” She couldn’t help but ask when the silence became too much to bear.

“….sugarcube?” Applejack spoke. “The three of us talked and…well….we came to a decision…”

To Be Continued:

Author's Note

Hello Everyone. Thank you so much for your support and criticisms. This chapter marks the debut of the Dragon Fullbottle Owner! He is an OC Banshee531 and I devised to fill the role of Cross-Z. His story will be expanded more in the future and will help explain why we chose him to be Cross-Z instead of someone else.

And here is a status of the Fullbottles in Team Build's possession as of now:

Bottles Possessed:

Rabbit

Tank

Hedgehog

Gorilla

Diamond

Lion

Cleaner

Gatling

Bottles Obtained:

Hawk

Dragon

Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Part 1

Undisclosed Location...

Within a closed space, two figures fought viciously. Due to the lighting, it was difficult to discern any specific features about them. But both appeared to be wearing armor suits of contrasting design. One was sleek while the other was jagged and asymmetrical. The sleek-armored figure punched the other guy twice before kicking him away. The jagged armored-figure stumbled next to a control panel of some sort.

The first figure calmly approached the fallen one, fully intent on ending this. But as he reached for the driver strapped around his waist, the second figure started to snicker. Soon it exploded into full blown, manic laughter. With a swift swing of his arm, he slammed a hand onto a large button on the panel.

The room rumbled as something activated.

“You...what did you just do?!” The first fighter demanded, his voice sounding young.

He did not get a response as a red light shined before a portal swirled into existence directly behind him. He turned back at the strange phenomenon, but this moment of distraction proved to be his undoing. The fallen figure whipped out a strange-looking gun and fired. The energy projectile struck his foe dead on and pushed him into the dimensional hole.

Once he crossed, the pathway closed.

The shooter pulled himself back up and flicked another switch. The darkened room suddenly illuminated, revealing his form. His body was encased in metal armor. The right side of his body was covered in silver metal plates. The left side was a series of blue metal gears.

“...Soon…” The figure spoke. “Soon….my perfect world will be born.”

Meanwhile...

Within the new laboratory of Team Build, three figures busied themselves with work. Micro was at a table soldering a wire in a half-built Sclash Driver. Off to the side, Twilight and Sunset worked on their own respective projects. Twilight was fiddling with a small, Fullbottle-like device while Sunset tinkered with what seemed to be a copy of the Build Phone.

While the three were hard at work, Sol Burner paced around the table with Crozz on his shoulder.

"Come on," Sol moaned as he sat down in front of Micro. "You've been working on that thing for a week now. Isn't it done yet?"

Micro looked up at him, a frown on his face. "Of course not. I can't just rush this. It's a slow, arduous process that requires delicate precision."

"You threw my Build Driver together overnight. Same thing with Crozz!" The dragon chirped in agreement.

"Yes and when I did that, I had a complete working driver to check my work against. This is entirely new territory. Every time I add a piece, I have to do tests to make sure it's properly synced with the rest of the tech."

“And yet you somehow manage to construct weapons for Build despite them being ideas from Sandalwood’s dreams and finish them within a day or so.” Sol argued.

“That’s because the computer analyzed them and made blueprints so I knew what to make beforehand!”

As the two males argued, the two females simply sighed. After working with Team Build, the Rainbooms got used to Sol and Micro arguing like this. Speaking of which, the rest of the group, minus Flash, walked through the door.

“Heya guys!” Rainbow called out as she and the others arrived. “You girls ready to practice our new song?”

“Give us a minute. We just need to add a couple more touches.” Sunset replied as she and Twilight proceeded with their work.

“Ooh! Whatcha making?” Pinkie peered over their shoulder in curiosity.

“Something that will help Sol’s lack of portable transportation.”

The rest of the girls nodded before turning to see Sol and Micro still arguing.

“Oh dear. Those two are at it again I see…” Rarity hummed.

“You can’t rush cautious construction!” Micro snapped.

“Aren’t you overdoing it though?! It’s been a week and you’re not even halfway done!” Sol yelled.

“Might as well try and stop them before it comes to blows.” Sandalwood said as he walked over.

“By the way. Where’s Flash? Shouldn’t he be here?” Applejack questioned.

The four ceased what they were doing and looked at one another. Micro was the one who spoke first. “He and his family had...plans today…”

Canterlot Cemetery...

Scootaloo set down a bundle of flowers in front of Trail Blazer’s gravestone. She, Flash, and Misty had taken the time to visit once all the chaos caused by Faust had died down. A lot has happened this past year. Not just because of Equestrian Magic, but also with Pandora's Box, Faust, and the Rider System.

Flash sighed. Everything used to be so simple. Granted, with magic things were still a tad crazy, but at least they were manageable. But now he’s on the front lines fighting an evil organization with unknown plans.

Before, he wanted to be part of the action. He wanted to be part of the magic, even if it was just helping the girls with their problems. But now...he wished he could experience that normalcy even for one day.

As he stared at his father’s gravestone, his mind drifted back to the times when he was alive. How he used to play all sorts of games with him. Whether they were board games, video games, or fictional role play, they would do them together. A smile flickered on his face when he recalled one instance when he remembered one such game.

“Take this!” A five year old Flash Sentry cried out as he punched his father in the leg. The blue haired youth wore his dad’s old air force gear, complete with his trademark goggles.

“No! I have been defeated…!” Trail Blazer yelled dramatically. He had a blanket around his shoulders to resemble an evil cape and cardboard horns atop his head. He clutched his chest and fell backward. He lied still with his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

Off to the side, Misty Veil shook her head in amusement with an infant Scootaloo in her arms. The baby babbled happily and reached out to the two playing hero and villain.

“Yah! The Hero wins!” Flash cheered with raised arms, not noticing the villain rise up again.

“Or….does he?!” Trail exclaimed as he picked up his son from behind and held him up high.

“Aw...no fair!” The boy pouted as his father chuckled.

“Never turn your back unless you're sure the villain’s defeated, son.”

“But you played dead! That’s cheating!”

“Don’t expect bad guys to play fair. They’re bad for a reason.” He advised as he carried his son through the air. “But what’s not fair is that you can fly!”

“Hey! Put me down!” Flash pouted, trying to contain his giggles.

“See Scootaloo? This is the males of our household being ridiculous.” Misty giggled.

“Bah!” Scootaloo just clapped her hands.

“So what are those, really?” Sandalwood asked as he pointed to the devices Twilight and Sunset tinkered with.

“Well, you know that Flash has the Build Phone, right?”

“You mean the smartphone that transforms into a motorcycle? Yeah, we kinda noticed.” Rainbow snarked.

“It acts as his means of transportation. Granted, Sol has his motorcycle, but it seems impractical for him to use it during a fight, as there is a chance a stray attack can destroy it. That’s where this comes in.” Sunset held up a half-constructed Build Phone. It was colored to be black and blue. “Now Sol won’t have to worry about a lack of transport if he has this on hand. Still, I gotta give props to Gizmo. These things are complicated as heck. I had no idea it was possible to defy the laws of conservation of mass like this. Good thing he left blueprints.”

“Nice. But dontcha need one of them Fullbottles to use it? Like dat Lion bottle? What if Flash happens to be using it?”

“That’s where I come in.” Twilight said as she held up her own creation. They were a pair of Fullbottle-like items. “After analyzing the blueprints for the Build Phone, I learned that the reason why the Fullbottles are needed is because the transformation and vehicles rely on Nebula Gas to activate. While it can use electricity, it only activates the phone settings.”

“But why don’t they just use Fullbottles instead of whatever you’re making?” Fluttershy questioned.

“Well, given how Faust is determined to get all of our bottles, it’s a good idea to prepare for contingencies. I call these proto-bottles.”

“Proto-bottles?”

“They’re designed to house Nebula Gas, but they are incapable of causing a transformation when used by a Driver. I made these by slowly extracting the Nebula Gas from the pre-existing Fullbottles and using them to fill the Proto-bottles. I had to do this bit by bit to allow the Fullbottles to regenerate their lost gas. Once I had enough to fill them completely, I had Micro and Sandalwood’s help to properly design the container to only enable their use for the Build Phones.”

“Oh! So they’re like Build Phone batteries!” Pinkie summed up the description.

Before they could proceed with the discussion, the Smash detector blared loudly. Micro dropped what he was doing and rushed over to the computer. After tapping a few keys, he locked onto the designated location; the local power plant.

“Another Faust attack?”

“How many are we dealing with this time?”

“Give me a sec…”

The number made his jaw drop. There were two...no three...seven, twelve….he kept counting the amount of red dots on the screen. He soon lost count over fifty.

They were equally shocked by the rising amount.

“Why are there so many?!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Just what is Faust planning with this?”

“Maybe he wants to use us to take more Smash essence.” Sandalwood thought aloud.

“But why make so many? If they set all of them loose, they could level the city and they would end up getting caught in it!”

“We can worry about that later! Sol! You need to-!” His sentence trailed off upon noticing the fighter had already left. “...go ahead while I call Flash to help. Great listening by the way.” The genius deadpanned as he dialed the number.

Flash smiled sadly as he felt the tears well up. That time had been one of the last memories he had of his dad. He wondered what he would think of him, now. What would he say to him being Build?

His musings were cut short as his cell phone went off. He stepped back and answered it. “What is it Micro?”

“There are multiple Smash sightings at the local power plant! Sol is already on his way!”

“I got it. Be right there!” He hung up and turned to his mom and sister. “Sorry to cut this short, but I need to get going.”

“It’s alright, just be safe.” Misty advised. “We’ll catch up with the others.”

“Kick some butt bro!” Scootaloo cheered.

“You got it!” Flash rushed out of the cemetery. Once he was out on the streets, he activated the Build Phone.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

He hopped onto the bike and sped off. Misty and Scootaloo said their final prayers before rushing back to the lab. As a family they decided to help Flash out however they could. One of these ways was to provide technical support alongside Micro.

Once they were gone, another figure stepped out of the shadows. They approached the gravestone of Trail Blazer and stared down at it.

“...”

By the time the two Riders arrived at the power plant, they were stunned by the chaos taking place. Buildings were destroyed as the mass of creatures rampaged.

Each of the creatures in front of them were all exactly the same. They stood at around six foot and were completely green, each covered in green armour around the chest and arms. Their heads were round with several horns on the top and a single eye in the centre. The armour on the end of their arms were scissor-like, being large metal jaws.

“What kind of Smash are these?!” Sol demanded as he hopped off of his bike.

“No idea. But we gotta stop them before it's too late!” Both teens equipped their Drivers.

“RABBIT!”

“WAKE UP!”

“TANK!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“ARE YOU READY?!”

“Henshin!” Both Riders were donned in their armor. While Sol was clad as Cross-Z, Flash was covered in a familiar combo.

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“YEAH!!!”

They charged at the closest monsters and struck hard. Flash jumped up on his rabbit leg and snapped his tank leg across the head of one, knocking it back. Sol just charged and blasted one away with a flame infused punch.

However, instead of being sent flying back like its companion, it was merely pushed back. “What the?” Sol’s confusion ceased as another foe ambushed him from behind while he was distracted.

He rolled on the ground before crouching back up. three more of them surrounding the dragonic Rider, cutting him off from Flash.

One of them tried to snap at him with its jaw arm, but Cross-Z dodged it before wrapping its arms around it, snapping them shut. He then pulled the monster over as a human shield to block another bite attack. He then kicked the two away before ducking a swinging arm aimed for his head and countered with an uppercut.

Meanwhile, Flash went to deal with the monsters that were situated on the higher levels of the building. As he ascended, he got a better view of the situation. It was worse than he thought. There was a whole army of these strange creatures and they were everywhere. Two of them rushed at him once he climbed on the topmost platform. He quickly kicked one with his Tank foot, using the moving treads to deal more damage before pushing it back to its incoming brethren.

When he saw the numbers coming at him, he couldn’t stay cornered like this. He quickly jumped off the guard rail onto a lower-level platform. While said platform was covered in monsters, there were fewer in number. He kicked the closest one in the face when he landed and followed up by punching another in the jugular.

Sol followed his friend up the building, fighting off any enemy he came across. He forced quite a few back with a flurry of flaming punches and kicks. But as he made his way up, he started to get overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and diminishing space. As soon as he struck one, another one struck him across the back and into the guard rail. He quickly recovered and grabbed them by the arms when they tried to attack him.

“Just how many of these things are there?!” He threw their arms back before dashing through the opening to avoid getting crowded. The others drew closer. Sol pushed them back with a flaming roundhouse kick.

Build slashed at one with the Drill Crusher before using it to pin another one by the pipeline system. He got a better look, and definitely didn’t recognize the design. “Guys, are you getting all this?!” Flash contacted the lab.

“We are, and we can’t believe it either!” Micro responded as he controlled the drone to get a better look at the field. Misty and Scootaloo made it back to the lab. The two were equally shocked by the amount of enemies Flash and Sol had to deal with.

“Are these things really Smash?!” Sol questioned as he punched two in the face before turning to kick another in the chest.

“The scanners indicate that they definitely have Nebula gas infused in them, but there’s something wrong. It’s also detecting something else. Something foreign.”

“Well how do we stop them? There are too many!” The Dragonic Rider yelled.

“Try going Hawk Gatling and snipe them from the air!” Rainbow suggested.

“That’s a terrible idea! He could end up hitting those pipelines and cause a gas explosion!” Twilight pointed out.

“Maybe even the odds with Ninja Comic?” Sunset suggested.

“Or he could go Sparkling!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Or maybe Turtle Watch!”

“Uh...guys?” Scootaloo said, garnering their attention. “What are those things doing now?”

On the screen, the creatures stopped as one before they faced their respective Rider. All of their eyes glowed with an eerie light that seemed to grow brighter.

“What are they doing now?!” Sol yelled as he and Flash backed away from the enemies, confused by their strange behavior.

“Nothing good…” Then the glow became blindingly intense, setting off warning bells in his head. “Run for it!”

But they were too late. As one, the creatures shot laser beams from their eyes and blasted the Riders. As the beams were fired in parallel, the power was magnified. They were forced off of the building and sent crashing to the ground below. The impact and blast overloaded their respective armors, undoing their transformations.

The two teenagers groaned as they pulled themselves back up. To their dismay, they were surrounded by the remaining monsters.

"These Smash...they're like nothing we've ever faced before."

"That's because they're not Smash!" Flash and Sol both spun around, their eyes widening. Walking towards them was a young man around nineteen or twenty years of age. He had spiky black hair and pale cream coloured skin. He was wearing a white sleeveless jacket over a light blue short sleeve t-shirt. His pants were light blue with a white line running down the seams. He smirked, "They're called Gigabyters. And they fall under my jurisdiction."

"Jurisdiction?" Flash asked, Sol almost growling.

"This isn't a time to play hero! Get out of here before you get hurt!" As if to emphasise this point, three of the Gigabyters rushed forward with their hand mouths ready to chomp down on him.

The man just smiled and placed his hands behind his back before easily outmanoeuvring the first and roundhousing the second into the third. He then moved his head to the side as the first tried to attack him from behind, the man spinning around to sweep its leg out from under it.

All those watching were impressed; the man having knocked three down without much issue. He then turned to them. "Don't worry," the man said. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a thick smartphone. "I got this."

Flash finally asked the question, "Who...are you?"

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider." With that, he held the device out and let the others see it. It looked similar to a silver smartphone, though it was larger and thinner with only one button in the top right corner.

The man used his index finger to press the button, causing the screen to come to life as a silver light flashed out the back. That light flew onto the man's hand and flew down his arm, shoulder, chest and finally stopped at his waist. There, the light spread into a ring around him and took shape before fading as a voice cried out.

"CYBER DRIVER!"

Around his waist was a metal belt with an oval-shaped buckle. The buckle also had a rectangular section removed from the middle, while a square box could be seen on the right side below his arm. The top of the buckle had five blue lights that were around five thin rectangular holes. The left side of the buckle had what appeared to be a leaver near the top.

The right side of the buckle detached from the rest and came down with a hinge as the man spun his arms around. "HENSHIN!" He cried as he slotted the device into the buckle before it closed back up. The voice spoke again.

"DOWNLOAD!"

Before anyone could ask what was going on, the driver unleashed a powerful dark blue light that wrapped around the man's whole body until he looked like a blue silhouette. It didn't last long as white shapes began appearing on the figure, Flash and Sol realising they were hundreds if not thousands of ones and zeros.

The figure then began to shift, growing taller, bulkier and even rounder in the head department.

Finally, the cocoon started to rip apart and reveal what was underneath. And it was something they hadn't been expecting.

Standing before them was a figure standing in a blue bodysuit. His chest was covered in white armour that had a stylised C on it that appeared to be a company logo, while around his forearms were white guards. He was also wearing white armoured boots that went up to his knees; the knees had blue metal guards. Each piece of armour had blue lines running around the edges and on his upper arms and legs were white patterns that seemed to resemble circuitry. The suit area around his neck was white and had a blue muffler around it. Finally, his head was encased in a white helmet with two round blue eye pieces and what appeared to be a pair of white antenna styled eyebrows.

Flash and Sol were both stunned by what they'd just seen. "Who...who are you?" Flash asked again.

The armoured figure suddenly began moving like he was fighting someone invisible, crying a single word with each movement. "Kamen Rider...CYBURST!"

No one was able to believe what they were seeing. Another rider...but this one wasn't using the Build System. "Wait?" Sol asked, "Kamen?" He didn't get to ask any more as several Gigabyters decided to take the moment to attack, charging the two Fullbottle riders.

The new rider reached for the leaver on the left side of his driver and pushed it down.

"FULL POWER!"

He rushed forward and jumped up and over Build and Cross-Z. As he did, he flipped forwards before extending his right foot forward. "RIDER KICK!" He suddenly shot forward as his foot exploded with energy, turning him into a meteor that came crashing down towards the Gigabyters.

"VIRUS BUSTER!"

Cyburst struck one of the Gigabyters and caused an explosion, the others were caught in it and were destroyed. When the light faded, Cyburst stood there looking none the worse for wear. And as some more Gigabyters charged at him, he reached into the box on the side of his belt and pulled out what looked like a memory card. It was black with the image of a sword on it. Cyburst placed it in the far-right slot on his driver.

"DOWNLOAD!"

"Blade Buster!" He cried as his right arm guard exploded with the same energy that he'd used to transform. When the light faded, it revealed Cyburst was holding what appeared to be a white saw handle with blue trim connected to his arm guard. From out of the handle was a three-foot-long blade that was white with a blue line running down the centre.

Cyburst smirked as he rushed forward, slashing at the Gigabyter closest to him and with a single slash it was vaporised.

"Seriously?" Sol asked, watching as Cyburst continued to cut the Gigabyters down. But the more he destroyed, the more that kept showing up.

It was then that he pulled out another memory card, this one having a fireball image on it. He placed it into the far-left slot on his buckle.

"DOWNLOAD!"

"Blast Burner!" He cried as his left arm guard transformed. When the light faded, his arm was now covered with bulky red armor with two yellow shotgun barrels coming out the front. There was a handle extending out to the side that Cyburst was holding. On it was a trigger. Cyburst pointed this weapon at the nearest Gigabyter and pulled the trigger, one of the barrels shot a fireball that landed a direct hit. Cyburst then held the trigger down, the two barrels firing one after the other in quick succession.

This took out a good portion of them, but he stopped as the crowd thinned out. "Why'd he stop?" Sol asked.

"Likely to prevent collateral damage." Flash looked around and saw several parts of the ground the Blast Burner had hit. They were shown to be either broken or scorched.

Cyburst removed the two memory cards, his weapons disappearing, as one of the Gigabyters stepped forward. Its large eye began to glow, Cyburst pulled out new memory cards. One of them had the image of a diamond on it while the other showed a hammer. He slotted them in the same holes as before.

"DOUBLE DOWNLOAD!"

"Diamond Guard and Ram Slammer!" In a flash of light, his gauntlets transformed once again. His left became a large round shield which looked like the top of a gem while his right turned into a large double-headed hammer.

He rushed forward as the Gigabyte's eye unleashed a green beam of energy. Cyburst raised the shield to block as he got close. Once he was, he swung the hammer around and slammed it into its stomach. That sent it flying, fading away midair as Cyburst did the same to several others until they were all gone.

He smirked, turning to the other two Riders. "Now, where-"

"LOOK OUT!" Flash yelled, pointing behind Cyburst and making him spin around to see several more Gigabytes jump down from the plant's rigging. They landed as their eyes glowed, ready to fire.

"WOW!" Cyburst held up his shield, just in time to block the beams. But the force was slowly pushing him back. "Not good." He pulled out another memory guard, which had a speaker on it, and slotted it into the hole between the centre and far-right. "Boom Boxer!"

"DOWNLOAD!"

In a flash of light, his right boot transformed. The foot was still the same but the leg had a black speaker attached to the front.

Cyburst raised his foot before slamming it onto the ground. Upon doing so, he unleashed a powerful sound blast that flew at the Gigabytes and exploded into a shockwave. Cyburst chuckled as he removed his current cards, looking up and seeing several more Gigabyters on the plants’ rigging.

He took out two new cards, one showing an electric fan while the other just had the word 'copy’ on it. He placed the fan one in the slot he had the speaker card in while placing the other in the slot between the centre and far-left. "Gyro Boot and Copy!"

"DOUBLE DOWNLOAD!"

In a flash, both his feet were transformed into the same thing. It was a large contraption with a cage under the foot that had a large fan in it, the fans quickly beginning to spin and blast air out at such a rate that Cyburst was propelled into the air and flew towards the rigging.

The Gigabyters saw this and fired at him, Cyburst using the fans to manoeuvre around to avoid them before pointing the fans at the Gigabyters. This caused a tornado that slammed into the monsters and pushed them back, letting Cyburst safely fall onto the rigging as he took out two new cards. One had the image of a plant on it and the other a drill. He slotted them, "Vine Whipper and Drill Driver!"

"DOUBLE DOWNLOAD!"

His left arm turned green with a long green cord sticking out that he gripped, while his right arm became encased in a yellow box with a drill on the end of it. He started whipping the vine around, lashing at several Gigabyters or wrapping them up to throw away. And those that got too close suddenly found the spinning drill lodged into their guts.

"He's good," Flash whistled.

"Yeah," Sol said, "but does he have to make it seem so easy. He's making us look bad.”

Cyburst removed all of his cards and put all but the copy card away, taking out his sword card instead and slotting it in the far right slot while putting Copy in the far left. "Blade Buster and Copy!"

"DOUBLE DOWNLOAD!"

Both arms morphed into an image of his sword, which he started swinging around to take out the remaining Gigabyters.

Flash and Sol both continued to watch, not liking that that was all they could do. Flash was completely focused on the fight, but Sol suddenly noticed something in the corner of his eye. He looked around and saw...someone, hidden in the shadows of an alley between two buildings.

Whoever they were, they appeared to be wearing some kind of armour. Another Rider?

Seeing they were noticed, the figure retreated down the alley and Sol gave chase. He probably should have told Flash, but he'd want to come and they needed to have eyes on this Cyburst guy. So, Sol rushed down the alleyway alone.

“Hey! Stop!” He yelled to the shadowed figure. But they ignored him as they exited the other side of the alley and turned the corner.

Sol rushed to the opening and whipped around to try and find the mysterious figure.

“Yah!” Cyburst yelled as he delivered the finishing blow to the last Gigabyter. The monster blew up in a fiery explosion. “Welp. That takes care of them.” He then turned around to the blue haired musician. “You doing alright?”

“I’ll live.” He answered before walking over. “But just who the heck are you? You said you’re a Kamen Rider?”

“That’s right. I’m….wait, weren’t there two of you?” Flash grew confused by his words before noticing someone missing.

“Hey guys?” He contacted his friends. “Where’s Sol?”

The fighter in question finally picked up the figure’s trail and stopped at the city dam.

The figure stood before a massive machine. He wasn’t sure how to describe the various pieces, but it looked like some sort of giant metal hand folding onto a horizontal bar.

Now that he was up close, Sol was able to get a better look at him. His body was covered in gray armor, similar in design to what Blood Stalk and Night Rogue wore. The right side of his body was covered in silver metal plates. The right side was a series of red metal gears.

“What the heck...is this…? And who are you?!” He yelled as he climbed down the concrete slope to where the man stood.

The figure slowly turned around to regard Sol. “...It doesn’t matter who I am. But I cannot have you interfering.” He quickly whipped out a gun-like weapon and pulled the trigger. Sol moved quickly to avoid the line of fire and placed the Driver onto his waist. Crozz flew into his hand before equipping him.

“Henshin!” He weaved through gunfire as his transformation finished, batting the gun away before punching the man in the face. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but you’re not getting away with this!” The man countered and the two traded blows.

As the two were locked in a fight, Flash and Cyburst appeared and saw the two. The drone had locked onto Crozz’s signature, allowing them to locate him.

“I’ve climbed a mountain of corpses to get this far...you won’t stand in my way!” With a defiant yell, the man rammed his right shoulder into Sol. A red energy gear manifested before grinding harshly against Sol’s armor. With a final shove, the gear exploded and sent Sol flying through the air at the Hand Machine.

“Open the gate!” The red geared man commanded as he opened his hand.

The machine followed suit as the metal fingers opened up and the eye on the palm came to life. A purple gateway formed before the eye, catching Sol as he tumbled through the void before closing. The entire machine then vanished.

“SOL!!!” Flash yelled in horror as his friend disappeared. The others back at the lab were equally horrified by the scene. His head then snapped over to the culprit. “Who are you?! And what did you do to Sol?!”

The man said nothing. He stood stock still as his gaze focused on Flash. The lack of response only aggravated the musician. “...Answer me!” He was about to equip his Driver before something surprising happened.

The man cried out in pain as his form started to glitch. His armor broke apart, revealing his true form to the world. The man seemed to be middle aged with a dark suit covering his muscular frame.

Those who got a proper look at the man were stunned. The Build Driver clattered to the ground.

Flash's heart was beating a mile a minute as he stared at the man in front of him, unable to believe what he was seeing. "...Dad?"

“Is...is that…?” Scootaloo questioned in confusion.

“It...can’t be….” Misty stammered, unable to believe what she was seeing.

The others were simply speechless. They recognized that figure. They knew him through Flash and saw him in photos in the Research Center.

The man’s skin was a familiar shade of orange with scars present. His hair was blue and spiky. On his face was a beard that was recently trimmed.

The most eye catching features though were the scars on his face. One was a cut starting from his right cheek across the bridge of his nose while the other ran straight over his right eye. The cut was shallow enough to avoid damaging the ocular organ. On his left cheek were a series of burn scars.

Despite these differences, it was indeed Flash Sentry’s deceased father, Trail Blazer. The man continued to scream and glitch before he pulled out a syringe. But before he could use it, Cyburst shot it out of his hand with the Blast Burner.

Trail growled at Cyburst, but his expression softened when he locked eyes with Flash. “...Don’t worry, son.” He spoke. Flash froze at the voice, finally hearing it again after so many years. “...We’ll be together soon…” As if on cue, a portal swirled into existence behind Trail. He walked through it without looking back.

“W-wait!” The musician called out after finally returning to his senses. He ran down the slope, but it was too late. The portal had closed and Trail Blazer vanished from sight.

Meanwhile, Cyburst walked over and picked up the syringe. Surprisingly, it was still intact. “...Hey…” He turned around to see Flash march up to him. “I have no idea who you are, but I want answers! Who are you? What were those things? And explain to me why the hell is my deceased Dad alive and somehow an enemy?!”

The Kamen Rider thought for a moment before nodding. He removed the smartphone from his Driver, breaking apart his transformation and leaving him in civilian attire. “I’m Jet. Full name, Jet Storm. And I’ll explain everything I can.”

“ Uh, guys? I think we have bigger issues to worry about.” Sunset radioed in, being one of the first to come to their senses. “What happened to Sol?”

“Sol? You mean the Dragon armor guy?” Flash nodded his head. “Uh...I think I might know where he is…”

An untransformed Sol Burner groaned as he stirred back to consciousness. His eyes flickered open and his vision refocused. What he saw greatly confused him. All around him was what he assumed to be a futuristic city one would find in a sci-fi anime. The buildings were tall and advanced. Above his head were roads and streets made of hard light. Hovering around him were what he assumed to be drones. There were even hovercrafts for cars!

“...What the? Where the heck am I?!”

To Be Continued...

Author's Note

Hey Everyone! Welcome to the first part of the first To build the Winning Formula Movie Special: Riders of Two Worlds!

Originally, this was going to be its own separate story. But given how a lack of followers can may not be able to provide notice to a new story, I figured it'd be easier for all of you to find and enjoy if it were all in one place. The material of the movie also builds up the plot down the line anyway.

How? Well, no spoilers for those unfamiliar with Build.

We hope you continue to enjoy and thank you for all of your support.

Movie: Riders of Two Worlds Final Part

It had been hours since Flash and Jet returned to the lab. Night Light and Twilight Velvet had been frantic when they saw their daughter and puppy all battered and bloodied in the boys’ arms and rushed them to the infirmary. Misty, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo joined them, having arrived earlier at the latter’s insistence when the two girls heard that Rarity and Rainbow Dash had been kidnapped.

Sandalwood and Micro were quickly updated on the situation. The previous Gigabyters had been a diversion to keep the Riders away from the girls so Trail Blazer could capture them. Even when they arrived, they could only save Twilight before Trail got away with the others. Once they were given the okay by Night, they joined the others in the infirmary.

Flash stared at his friend’s unconscious form. Her injuries had been treated, but they don’t know when she would wake up. Spike was resting in a cot next to her. While a couple of his leg bones had been broken from being thrown against the wall, the breaks were clean and needed proper splints and casts. The two girls were at his side, gently petting his sleeping form.

The musician’s teeth gritted, feeling useless. “I should’ve been there…” Flash hung his head. “I should’ve left it up to Jet and helped out as soon as I could. Now our friends are missing and Twilight and Spike are hurt!”

“Flash, it’s not your fault.” Misty insisted. “We had no idea what...Trail could have been planning. The attack he initiated caught us all off guard.”

“Even so…!”

“Now’s not the time for self-pity, Flash.” Night said as he stood up and walked over. “Yes, you had been caught off guard by Trail’s actions. Yes, you weren’t able to stop him in time. But you still did the best you could. I know you weren’t able to save everyone, but you saved our daughter and Spike. My wife and I could never thank you enough for that.”

“But he still got away. And there’s what he said that still bothers me.”

“What did he say?” Micro asked.

“...he said that by 3:15 tomorrow, everything will be fine.”

“...well that doesn’t sound ominous at all.” Scootaloo quipped in worry. Her eyes trailed over to the wall clock. It read 9:52 PM.

“If anything, it sounds like he and Doom will finish their plans by the allotted time tomorrow.” Jet added. “The question is how though?”

No one had the answer. Twilight would have a good idea, but until she wakes up, she wouldn’t be able to contribute. It was only after a few moments of contemplation did Micro’s phone ring with an alert.

“...It’s from the computer. It seems like NewGear’s sending us a new transmission.” He explained.

“Hopefully they’re having better luck than us.” Sandalwood said.

“Either way, it would be best if we all listened to what they had to say. Maybe we can deduce their plans before it’s too late.” Night stated. Velvet nodded after reluctantly releasing her daughter’s hand.

One by one, the group filed out of the room, leaving the two sleeping forms alone. Once the door had closed, the bracelet wrapped around Twilight’s wrist released a soft glow. The light intensified before it spread across her body.

“Wait, Sunset, Rainbow, and Applejack were taken by Doom?!” Flash exclaimed.

“Unfortunately. We were naive.” Code scowled. “The Gigabyters Doom unleashed on the City was a diversion for us. We left the lab, and the girls, defenseless. We should’ve at least left Sol behind. At the very least, he would’ve bought us enough time to rush back and deal with him.”

“But what are we gonna do now?” Jet questioned. “The girls are kidnapped and Doom and Trail are off the radar. They can be anywhere while using the girls as batteries and we’re less than seventeen hours away from them fusing both our worlds and killing billions!”

“We gotta stop them before the worlds fuse, otherwise a lot of us are gonna die...and I’m pretty much one of them! I don’t want to be cancelled or overwritten!” Sol exclaimed. Earlier, when he asked Code about the retinal payment he made with a hotdog, he verified that Sol Burner in fact did have a double on their Earth. The retinal scan wouldn’t work if his double didn’t exist, as the scan would indicate the person did not exist in the system or they were deceased.

“We will. We just need a way to locate them or their stronghold and get them back.”

“...Let me handle that.” A new voice interjected. All heads snapped over to the door to see Twilight Sparkle on her own two feet.

“Twilight!” Her parents rushed over to envelop her in a hug. “What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting!”

“Wait, what happened to your injuries?” Velvet took note of their daughter’s uninjured flesh.

“I honestly have no clue.” Twilight shook her head. “I woke up a couple minutes ago, and all my injuries are gone. But that’s not important right now.” She gently pushed her parents aside before moving over to the computer. “If what you all said is true, then Doom and Trail are no doubt using our friends as batteries to power their abominations.”

“Batteries?” Sweetie and Scootaloo squeaked, both worried for their sister/sister-figure.

“I’m afraid so. Even though magic is...well, beyond proper analysis and comprehension, it’s still a form of energy. It’s likely they found a way to extract and convert that energy into power. How? I have no idea. Not even my previous research went that far.”

“So what will we do about it?” Micro asked.

“Fortunately, as I’ve made attempts to study magic before, I have an idea where to start.” She quickly made her way over to the work bench. “I can make a tracker to help us locate the precise signatures Sunset and the others give off with their geodes. We should be able to locate them and stop Trail and Doom.”

“Mind sending those plans over to us? We’ll get started on our end.” Heart requested.

“How long will it take though?” Flash had to ask. They needed to find their friends and save them as soon as possible while stopping Doom Raizer and Trail Blazer.

“Shouldn’t take more than a few hours. I’ll take care of this. But you and Jet should rest up.” Flash wanted to argue, but the bespectacled girl cut him off. “You two have been fighting all day. If we’re going to stop those two maniacs, we need you at your best. Please, Flash.”

The blue haired teen wanted to argue, but it wasn’t until she mentioned it that he noticed his own fatigue. She wasn’t wrong. He and Jet had been fighting battle after battle the past few days. If they fought Doom and Trail right now, they would be torn apart.

“...Fine. But once we’re all charged up, let us handle the heavy lifting again.” He nodded before his eyes shone with determination. “I won’t let them destroy our home.”

Meanwhile...

Within a sealed room, three pods were hooked up to the Enigma, lined up neatly. The girls inside were unconscious. Eventually, one of them stirred awake. The others soon followed.

“...Guh...huh…?” Sunset said groggily.

“Whadda...what’s goin’ on?” Applejack moaned in a daze.

“Ow...my head…” Rainbow groaned. She tried to put a hand to her head, but found herself unable to. Lucidity soon returned to them after realizing none of them could move their limbs. “H-hey! What gives?!”

“What in da blazes is goin’ on?!” The farm girl snapped, trying to move her arms.

“Where are we?!” Sunset looked around frantically, but stopped after noticing the massive, mechanical hand looming above them. She also noticed the glowing lines of energy that are connected to the machine itself. “...oh that is so not good.”

“Don’t tell me we’ve been captured.” The athlete dropped her head to the back of the pod.

“Hang on, girls. Ah’ll git us outta here faster than emptying barrels durin’ Cider Season.” Applejack tried to channel power from her geode to rip off her restraints. Unfortunately, nothing had happened. Panicking, she tried again and again only to be met with the same result. “...Ah might’ve spoken too soon.”

Sunset and Rainbow noticed that despite their geodes glowing, they did not feel their magic activate. They tried it themselves, only to be met with nothing.

“Ah, I see you’re wide awake now, ladies.” Doom greeted mockingly as he and Trail stepped in the room. All three glared at him. “Good to see you’re all so energetic. But I wouldn’t bother. We made precautions to ensure those pods negate your abilities by emitting an opposing frequency.”

“...In English?!” Rainbow snapped.

“It means your powers won’t help you, you simpleton.” The mad scientist explained with a smug grin. The sight of it aggravated Rainbow even further.

“I’m guessing that by the way you have us hooked up to your machine that we’re the new batteries?” Sunset deduced.

“Correct~! You six girls just helped us push up our time table. Now we can complete our project much sooner and usher in a new world order!”

“Wait, six? What have you done to the others?!”

“Oh, no need to worry. The other three are safe and sound on the other Earth...going through the same procedures you are. I have no idea how you came across such mysterious abilities, but they’re proving to be wonderful power sources to exploit.” Doom chuckled.

“They were never meant to be batteries for your insane plan, Doom.” Sunset glared. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with!”

“But as a matter of fact, I do!” He turned to her, pulling up a series of charts. “I’m not so foolish as to venture into the unknown or use something new without studying it first. After analyzing your energy signatures, I learned that the powers you possess are optimal to charge the Enigmas.”

“You're never getting away with this you psycho!” Rainbow roared as she struggled against her binds.

“Bah. What a cliche, worthless line. Can’t you see I already have?” Doom turned on his heel before departing the room. “In under 17 hours, my perfect world will be born.”

He exited first. Trail was about to follow until Applejack’s voice stopped him.

“Ya know, for a man that says he’s doin’ this for family, yer nothin’ more than a monster now fer what y’all done. What would yer family say if they saw ya now?”

“...You think you're an expert on family?” Trail peered at her from the corner of his eye. His voice was soft, yet seething. “You think they know how mine would feel when you don’t even know them?”

“Ah can’t understand how any family would appreciate anyone doin’ this. Yer destroyin’ two homes to make a new one ta get what ya want.

“Then you probably can’t understand why my world’s Big Mac threw away his life just to avenge your deaths.” Trail said coldly before leaving the room and shutting the door.

The girls were silenced by the proclamation. She wasn’t sure if it was a lie or not, but for some reason, Applejack felt a sense of dread.

Later...

After the few hours Flash and Jet had to rest and recover, they were in for a rude awakening. Jet’s body had glitched again due to the multiversal backlash. Fortunately, the lab had been able to synthesize the antidote in time.

Misty Veil had finished the injection and just placed a band aid on Jet’s arm. “There. That should hold off the side effects for a while.”

“But how much longer? It’s only been a few days since I was last shot.” Jet replied. “I must be building an immunity to it or something.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. It was a miracle in itself we were able to replicate the serum. But even now we don’t understand its complete properties.” She apologized. She then handed him a series of syringes for emergency use.

“Still, thanks. Hopefully we’ll destroy the Enigmas so I won’t have to use them.”

“I just hope the guys can find the girls soon.” Flash spoke up after yawning. “The longer they’re captive, the more uneasy I get.”

“....Flash.” Misty spoke to her son. “...are you sure about this upcoming fight?”

“What do you mean?”

“...I realize he’s not our Trail Blazer, and that he’s done horrible things. But will you be able to fight him when the time comes?” Flash stared at her after she asked that question. He thought it was a fair assumption, given his previous behavior. But his resolve was steeled now.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll do what needs to be done.” He answered honestly. His mother was about to inquire what he meant, but a fierce rumbling silenced them. The shaking knocked over several items from the shelves as the three had to grab onto something to remain steady.

After moments, the shaking settled down, leaving the room a horrible mess. The two Riders immediately grew worried and rushed out the door. They rushed out of the building to take in a horrific sight.

The roofs on top of buildings were being pulled apart as if some unseen force ripped them off piece by piece. They floated higher up in the air before they crashed into pieces of descending debris from the other Earth. The broken debris fragments fell back to earth in the form of high speed projectiles that struck the ground like meteorites.

The people of Canterlot screamed as they ran, desperately trying to avoid the falling debris.

“We gotta save them!” Jet exclaimed as he pulled out his Driver.
“Way ahead of you!” Flash already donned his Driver and shook the needed Best Match.

“CYBER DRIVER!”

“HAWK!”

“GATLING!”

“BEST MATCH!”

“Henshin!”

“DOWNLOAD!”

“SKY HIGH VANDAL!”

“HAWKGATLING!”

“YEAH!”

Cyburst immediately summoned his vehicle while Flash took to the skies, summoning the Hawk Gatlinger. He zoomed through the air, shooting down the falling debris fragments to dust.

Meanwhile, Cyburst sped along the ground, picking up any terrified stragglers and whisking them off to safety. The two continued this process all around the town to minimize collateral damage and casualties.

“TEN!”

“TWENTY!”

After spinning the barrel twice, Flash unleashed a stronger salvo of energy bullets that pulverized larger pieces of rubble. Jet whisked off a crying child on the ground. “It’s okay, I gotcha!” He dropped him off at the safe location where he gathered all the fleeing civilians.

After what seemed like several minutes of rescue and defense, the bizarre sight of falling debris and floating roofs had ended. Build landed next to the parked Cyburst. With a nod of agreement, the two rushed back into the lab.

“You guys saw what happened outside, right?!”

“Of course we did. Same thing happened on our end!” Sol shouted through the screen.

“This must be because the worlds are drawing closer than before.” Night said gravely. “Due to the girls, the Enigma’s are getting closer to a full charge.”

"If we’re going to stop this madness once and for all, we need to destroy the Enigmas," Jet pointed out.

"But the girls are most likely inside that thing," Micro pointed out. "We have to find a way to get them out before destroying it."

"How?" Sandalwood asked, while Twilight hummed.

"If it's draining them, then that means they can't use their powers. If they had them, they could probably bust themselves out. So we need to find a way to stop the machine from draining them, just long enough for them to break free."

"But how?" Scootaloo asked, only for her brother to think of something.

"Well it'll probably stop once it's on full charge, right?" The others turned to him. "I've seen something similar happen. If a device is fully charged and it keeps absorbing power, it can overload and go boom. I'm guessing Doom would want to stop that from happening."

"You're right," Twilight realised before thinking carefully. "The issue is that the Enigma will likely activate the second it's fully charged, meaning it'll be too late to stop it if we let that happen." Then, an idea flowed into her head. "Wait, if it thinks it needs to turn on when it's fully charged, maybe the opposite is true."

Micro quickly caught on. "It'll think it's fully charged if it switches on."

"Exactly," Twilight nodded, "and that'll be our opening." The others were completely lost.

Later…

Inside their pods, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy grew visibly weaker. Not even the party planner was able to find a reason to smile due to their current states. Meanwhile, Doom sat in his chair, eagerly watching the timer slowly tick down. Only eight hours remained. The prospect was enough to make him break out into dance and song. But before he had the luxury to do so, his building’s motion trackers detected activity.

He turned his attention to the screen and noted the pair of motorcycles closing on his location, along with the car trailing behind them. “How did they find me?! No matter...I know how to deal with pests like these!” Doom pressed a button, unleashing the Gigabyters he kept around for security.

Zooming through the torn streets of Canterlot were Build and Cyburst on their respective motorcycles. Following them was a car driven by Misty Veil. Twilight sat in the passenger’s seat with a new device in hand while her parents sat in the back.

After hours of work, the bespectacled girl created a tracking device that locates the exact frequency emitted by the geodes using her own as reference. With it, they were able to obtain her friends’ location in Canterlot. They were housed on the outskirts of the city in an underground bunker.

Naturally, she shared the schematics with Code Breaker and Heart Beats to make one of their own to find Sunset and the others. Minutes later, they closed in on their target location. But they soon encountered obstacles in the form of an army of Gigabyters. They marched toward the vehicles in rows, their eyes glowing violently.

“Everyone brace yourselves!” Jet yelled out before they were blasted with a volley of lasers.

Build and Cyburst weaved around on their bikes, avoiding the many explosions that were being sent their way.

“Hold on!” Misty shouted as she took evasive action. Twilight yelped before clinging to the dashboard as the woman swerved wildly to avoid the blasts.

“How’d you learn to drive like this?!” Velvet yelped while holding onto her equally frazzled husband.

“My husband taught me a few things!” Misty replied before quickly spinning the wheel to dodge another blast.

“Mom! Get out of here! Jet and I will distract them! You go on ahead!” Flash pulled out his Drill Crusher in blaster form while Jet materialized his Blast Burner. The Riders fired at the centerline of the horde. Build’s lasers caused them to pause while Jet’s tore through them. The shots caused their formation to break apart, allowing them enough room for the car to speed through them. Misty did her best to avoid the viruses, only grazing a few of them before speeding along towards their target.

Jet and Flash were relieved that they got through safely. They would join back up once they dealt with the horde. Unfortunately, this moment of reprieve left them wide open for a collective attack. The two riders yelled out as they were blasted off their bikes, crashing into the ground and rolling across it.

“Darn it!” Jet pounded a fist on the ground.

“Hope the other guys are having better luck than us right now.” Flash quipped.

Meanwhile…

“I! HATE! THESE! THINGS!” Sol Burner yelled angrily as he continued to bash a Gigabyter’s face into a wall. He had gotten sick and tired of his attacks failing to work on these monsters.

After they received the plan and schematics from Twilight, Code and Heart immediately went to work on constructing their own tracker. It was a short process thanks to Code’s technological expertise and the resources Heart has on demand. Once they finished it, they got to work tracking the Enigma and Sol’s friends.

That's how they found that the Enigma was hidden beneath an abandoned laboratory in the Industrial sector. Unfortunately, they had encountered a massive army of Gigabyters, which they were currently fighting to reach the girls.

“Hang on!” Code yelled before he skewered another Gigabyter with his Debugger Blade. He then pulled out a metallic wristband and threw it to Sol, who had just thrown away another foe. “Put that on and press the button!”

“What is this?” Cross-Z asked, doing as told. Immediately, an energy field surrounded Sol before sinking into his body. “Whoa...tingly.” He was then tackled by another Gigabyter. “Oi! Get off!” He spun around and slammed the enemy into the ground before elbowing its face. Unlike before, his attack did damage as it caved in the head. He got up and backed away from the exploding virus. “What...what was that?!”

“A little something Code and I developed!” Heart replied as she shot another Gigabyter through the head. “It emits an energy field similar to our Rider forms and Drivers, allowing your attacks to affect Viruses.”

“That’s kickass!” Sol exclaimed before piledriving another Virus. The trio continued their raid on the facility to turn on the Enigma and save the girls.

Flash replaced the Rabbit and Tank Fullbottles with the ones Gizmo gave him.

“CROCODILE!”

“CHAINSAW!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“Build up!” He became donned with the effective Best Match against the viruses.

“CUTTINGCAIMAN!”

“SAWDILE!”

“YEAH!”

The dual-toned Rider ducked below a swing from a Gigabyter and countered by swinging his rotating chainsaw arm and carved it in half. He grabbed the top half and threw it into another to distract it. Cyburst took this opportunity and ran it through with his Blade Buster. He then spun around and shot another virus with the Blast Burner.

Flash continued to rush toward the bunker, using a mix of his chainsaw and Drill Crusher to cut down any Gigabyters that impeded him. Three tried to shoot him down with lasers, but Flash raised his Crocodile arm and used it as a shield. The tough, scale-like hide deflected the blasts, allowing him to charge forth and bash the trio of foes before cutting them to pieces.

Jet followed up and delivered a jump kick to stun a Gigabyter before summoning the Ram Slammer to bash it into the approaching group behind it.

“Oryah!” Code yelled as he slammed his spear into another Gigabyter. It was sent flying in Sol’s direction, and was then destroyed by a flaming punch to the chest.

“FREEZE BOLT!” Vaccine shot a flurry of blue bolts of energy that froze the Gigabyters to the ground.

“CEMENT GUN!”

Hacker summoned his Cement Gun and did the same. Once all of the Gigabyters were trapped, Cross-Z chose to end this. He turned the crank of his Driver.

“READY? GO!”

“DRAGONIC FINISH!” In a fiery blue blaze, Sol smashed through the horde of trapped viruses and sent them off in a massive explosion.

“That takes care of the cannon fodder! Let’s go!” Code ordered as the three delved deeper into the facility. They followed the tracker to the lower levels and came across a heavily locked door. Sol simply punched it down. They were soon greeted by the looming structure of the Enigma. At its base were three pods hooked up to it. Inside said pods were Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.

“There they are!” Cross-Z was about to rush over to them but was stopped by a laser blast to the chest. He stumbled back and fell into Vaccine’s arms.

“This is as far as you nuisances go.” Trail Blazer glared from his spot near the console.

Once Flash and Jet had distracted the Gigabyters, it was substantially easier for Misty, Twilight, and her parents to infiltrate the bunker. Surprisingly, the facility itself was unguarded save for the occasional Guardian. She had no idea how Doom managed to acquire them, but they had a suspicion that he stole them or the schematics for his plans.

However, it also made their job easier as they were more predictable than the Gigabyters in terms of behavior. Eventually, they stood before the door that separated them from the Enigma. “So this is it…” Twilight said. She then went to work hacking the door’s controls.

“They’re behind this?” Night asked his daughter.

“Yes. All we need to do now is shut down the device.” As she finished, the door unlocked itself and slid open. “Now we’re in.”

The group of four entered the room, and were astounded to see the Enigma up close. They also noted how brightly the power lines connected to the machine. Connected to those lines were the pods that housed the forms of Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.

“Girls!” Twilight tried to rush over in a panic, but she was restrained by her parents.
“Easy, sweetie. We need to shut down the Enigma before we can break them free.”

“You must be mad if you assume I’ll just let you.” Doom Raizer snapped as he stepped out from the shadows.

“Doom!” Misty scowled.

“Well, well, well...I didn’t expect my old coworkers and Boss to show up out of the blue like this. You must be proud of yourselves making it this far. Sadly it’s all futile.”

“Are you mad, Doom?! You’re placing billions in danger!” Night yelled.

“And I should be concerned about the billions of people I don’t know...why?” The mad scientist shrugged before glancing at Misty. “Besides, I don’t know why you’re against this. Once everything is complete, you’ll have your husband alive and well again.”

“That man...is not my husband!” The mother of two snapped.

“Oof. He’ll be hurt if he heard you say that. But it doesn’t matter.” Doom shrugged. “Everything will come to an end soon enough.”

“Not if we stop you!” Twilight yelled, which only earned a scoff from the man.

“Truly? Well let me ask you this…” He inserted his Fullbottle into the Nebulasteam Gun.

“GEAR REMOCON!”

“Kaiser!”

“FUNKY!”

“REMOTE CONTROL GEAR!”

From a cloud of steam, Doom stepped out, clad in armor. “Just how will you stop me before I kill you all?”

“So...you’re this world’s version of Flash’s dad. Aren’t you?” Sol asked rhetorically upon getting back up.

“Indeed. And you must be his friend from his world. Never quite imagined he’d befriend a brute like you.” Trail scoffed.

“It’s funny. Flash told me alot about his dad. How he’d been a great pilot and made him the man he is now. He sounded amazing. His ideology about responsibility certainly helped me.”

“And you don’t think of me the same?” He scowled upon him mentioning those cursed ideals.

“Course not. You and him are two different people. I know for sure he’d never even attempt this crazy plan of yours!”

“Then you know nothing of loss, boy!” Trail snapped and pulled out his weapon and Fullbottle.

“GEAR ENGINE!”

“You don’t know what it’s like to have your most precious people slip through your fingers! KAISER!”

“FUNKY!”

“ENGINE GEAR!”

“Gragh!” With a roar Trail charged at Cross-Z, but Hacker whacked him in the head with his De-Bugger Blade. A Fire Bolt was shot at him, but he blasted it out of the air with a shot from his gun.

“Let’s go!” Hacker and Vaccine made their way to the control panel, but Trail pressed a button and a group of seven Gigabyters appeared. “Stop them!” He ordered before Sol punched him again.

“You guys take care of them! This scrub’s mine!”

“As the neighponese say...sayonara!” Doom cackled as he charged an energy blast to vaporize the four intruders. But before he could even pull the trigger, an energy blast struck the gathering mass of energy, causing it to explode in Doom’s face. “Gah! What?!”

“You guys okay?!” Build asked as he and Cyburst arrived in the room.

“Thanks to you.” Misty spoke gratefully.

“We’ll handle Doom! You just get to safety.” Jet said.

“But, the others-!” Twilight said before Flash reassured her.

“They’ll be fine. We’ll get them out once we deal with this jerkwad.”

“Let’s go, sweetie.” Velvet ushered her daughter away from the impending conflict. The two Riders now stood off against the one Kaiser.

“Why is it you brats always get in our way. It’s rather annoying.” Doom scowled.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re essentially committing genocide.” Flash quipped.

“Tch. You’re just like all of those short-sighted fools. Clearly you don't see the big picture. Once the worlds combine, we will have access to technology we could only dream of in our lifetimes!”

“They’re not short-sighted. You’re just a nutjob.” Jet added. “You’re breaking the dimensional boundaries and fusing worlds just to satisfy your technophilia!”

“And helping a poor man reunite with his lost family.” The Blue Kaiser replied. “Surely you wish to see your father again, don’t you boy?”

“...He’s just a broken man as mad as you. Never a good combination. But that’s why we’re here to stop you!” The chainsaw on Flash’s arm whirred to life.

“...Then by all means…” With a snap of his fingers, an army of Gigabyters appeared. “Just try it!”

The two opposing forces charged at one another and clashed with Build’s chainsaw grinding against Doom’s gun.

While Kamen Riders Hacker and Vaccine handled the Gigabyters, Cross-Z engaged in combat with the Red Kaiser.

The two matched each other blow for blow. Each punch was blocked before being countered.

The two broke apart before Cross-Z leaped over his head. The moment he landed, he spun in a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Trail caught it before slamming him into the ground. Sol bounced off once before kneeling back up. The former pilot aimed his gun to finish off the Rider, but Cross-Z was just getting started.

“BEAT CROZZER!”

His sword appeared in hand. The moment the energy blast flew, he swung his blade and knocked it right back. Trail fired a second blast to cancel it out, then a third to blast through the resulting smoke cloud. Sol dove out of the way to avoid the blast before charging and flanked Trail Blazer. He swung his sword and struck his side. Sparks flew as the Kaiser was pushed back.

The two were so caught up in their fight they haven’t noticed how three Gigabyters were already destroyed. Another was impaled by Hacker’s spear while a fifth was frozen and broken to pieces by Vaccine’s Freeze Bolt.

“You blasted neophytes!” Doom yelled as he aimed his Nebulasteam Gun at the charging Flash. An energy blast shot out of the barrel, but it was blocked by his crocodile hide arm. He kept charging until he tackled the man to the ground.

Meanwhile, Cyburst pushed back the Gigabyters by using his Blast Burner and Ram Slammer. He shot at the ones further back while knocking the ones up close away. He dodged another laser blast before flipping in the air and shooting the attacker mid-jump. He immediately switched to the Blade Buster and stabbed it through another virus before bisecting it. He deflected another laser blast before shooting back.

Both Doom and Flash rolled across the floor before the former kicked the latter off. “Dumb brat! Stay out of my way!” He pointed his gun and pulled the trigger. A salvo of energy blasts closed in on the Rider before he quickly dashed to the side to evade them. He kept running as Doom moved his gun along to shoot him down.

Now panicking, Flash ducked behind a machine for cover. Doom kept shooting to whittle away his shelter, kicking up even more dust in the process. The Rider weighed his options for his next move before noticing a piece of broken piping and tarp within arm’s reach. With a plan in mind, he grinned.
“You can’t hide forever!” Doom snapped as he stopped firing. With all the dust he kicked up it was getting harder to aim. He then noticed a shift in the dust cloud as it seemed to move in one direction. “There!” He fired once at the cloud, thinking he got the teen.

But to his surprise, it was just a piece of pipe with tarp pieces wrapped around one end. It was thrown to simulate a shape moving through the cloud as a distraction. Just as Doom realized this, he failed to notice Build appearing from behind and striking him with his chainsaw arm. He yelled from the cut and dropped down, allowing Flash to kick him in the face.

The Blue Kaiser reoriented himself and raised his arm to block a punch. He struck back, only to be blocked by Flash’s own arm. The two traded blows punch for punch and block for block. Soon, Doom grew tired of this and decided to end it. The Gear on his shoulder started to glow.

“FUNKY DRIVE!” The energy gear flew forward, but Flash fell backward to avoid it. Before he reached the ground, he used his arms to support his body while throwing his leg upward, kicking the mad scientist in the chin.

“This is not over yet!” He then snapped back up and swung his crocodile arm. The scales on the hide scraped against Doom’s armor and forced him back.

“Insolent worm!”

While Jet did his best to take down as many Gigabyters as he could, he couldn’t help but notice that their numbers haven’t decreased. It was as if for every one he destroyed, another took its place. Where were they spawning from?!

“Enough of this!” Trail yelled before his gear shoulder glowed red.

“FUNKY DRIVE!”

The energy gear flew and slammed into Sol. The attack ground against his armor and sparks flew. It then exploded.

"Augh!" Cross-Z cried as he was knocked back into the wall behind him. He then fell forward in a heap.

Once the source of his irritation had fallen, Trail gradually calmed down. “It’s over kid. You can’t stop us.”

“I...I can still try…” Sol growled as he pushed himself up. His HUD informed him of his armor’s status. He can’t take another direct hit from that attack.

“If you value your life, I suggest you give up.” The Red Kaiser walked up to the downed Rider casually. “Or you can go charge in and die. It makes no difference to me. You’ll just be another casualty.”

“What about the billions of lives on both Earths?!”

“You speak as if they matter to me.” The Red Kaiser scoffed as he kicked Cross-Z away. “They can all burn in hell for all I care. The only people of importance to me are my family.”

The fighter gasped from the hit, but steeled himself to stand back up. “Gugh! But they’re not even yours! You’re just trying to replace them with alternate versions!”

“It doesn’t matter. They’re still my family.”

“You think they’ll just accept you? After everything you’ve done?!”

“They won’t have a choice. Once the world’s fuse, all four of us will be alive and exist. Besides, I already shattered my son’s resolve. What’s to say I can’t break my wife and daughter’s resistance either?”

At those words, the fighter’s rage reached its tipping point. This man...he didn’t know what he went through. But nothing excused him for what he did or what he was talking about! He’s not even viewing Flash and his family as people anymore. Just mere possessions...replacements of what he lost! “You…..MONSTEEEEEEER!!!!” Sol roared furiously. Beneath his helmet, his eyes glowed an ominous red. Around his body flared a raging blue flame.

“What’s th-?” Was all Trail could say before Cross-Z appeared in front of him and rammed his fist into his face. The force of the impact sent the man flying into the wall next to the Enigma. As he fell back down, he was kicked into the wall by the dragonic Rider just before he hit the ground.

“Gah!” Trail sputtered before Cross-Z slammed his face into the wall and started dragging him across the room in a furious dash. His helmet made sparks as it drove into the metal plating. His body was used to smash any device in his path as he was dragged along. With a roar, Sol threw him across the room once more.

After crashing to the ground, Trail pulled himself together to counter attack. “You’ll pay for that!” The Kaiser tried to activate his Funky Drive attack, but Sol refused to let it happen. With a blazing punch, he struck the shoulder gear, forcing the attack to sputter out due to the energy imbalance.

“What?!” Cross-Z grabbed the man by the shoulders and slammed his head into his. He then drove his knee into his solar plexus multiple times before pile driving him to the floor. As the adult tried to get back up, Sol delivered an axe kick to his back, knocking him back down. He gasped from the hit before he was pinned to the ground.

The dragonic Rider was on his back, slamming his fists into the back of his head over and over in a mad onslaught. Trail felt his brain shake within his cranium form each hit. He couldn’t speak. All he could wonder was where the boy got this power from. Sol brought both of his hands up before swinging them down in a hammer smash.

He got up while Trail Blazer was dazed on the floor. “...This is for my friend and his family.” He turned his Driver’s crank.

“READY? GO!”

The energy dragon manifested and charged Cross-Z’s body. He jumped into the air as it flew behind him. A blast of flame erupted the dragon’s maw and propelled him downward for a vicious, final ax kick to the Red kaiser.

“DRAGONIC FINISH!”

Trail screamed in agony as he was swallowed by the explosion. Once the dust settled, Cross-Z walked out, dragging an untransformed Trail Blazer by the collar. Without mercy, he tossed him in front of him. “...It’s over, Trail Blazer.”

“...No…” He gasped out as he forced himself up. “It’s...not over yet. The Enigma’s still...still charging…”

“Sorry.” Vaccine called out. The man’s eyes snapped over to the console. Both Riders were there without any form of resistance. “But it’s time to cut this charge short.”

“But...the Gigabyters!”

“Are all gone.” Code said before the Enigma activated.

“You brats think you can stop me?!” Doom yelled as he spun into a roundhouse kick that Flash ducked, but followed up with a hook kick that struck him in the helmet. The teen stumbled backward, allowing Doom to rush up with a punch to the solar plexus.

Flash gasped from the air forced from his lungs. The scientist capitalized on this and delivered punch after punch, blow after blow on the Rider...laughing all the while.

“Hahahaha! Is that really all you got! Your strength cannot hope to match my power! You brats will fall, the Engimas will fully charge and my perfect world will be born!” He threw his arm for one final punch.

But before it could impact Build’s face, it was caught by a purple glove. “Yeah...I seriously can’t stand egotistical maniacs like you.” The musician glowered. He twisted the extended wrist, eliciting a cry of discomfort from the man before kicking him away. Doom stumbled and looked up to see Build bearing down on him, chainsaw blade descending.

Acting quickly, he used both arms to support his gun as a makeshift shield. The two weapons clashed. But Flash continued his assault by lifting his leg for a kick. The Blue Kaiser raised his leg up, anticipating a kick to his stomach but misjudged horribly. Flash swiftly swung his leg up to ram his armored boot right into where the sun doesn’t shine.

“KYAGH…!!!!” Doom squeaked before crumbling down nursing his crotch. “Cheap...shot…”

“For scumbags like you…” Flash said while turning the crank on his Driver. “...no mercy.”

“READY? GO!”

An aura of purple and orange energy flared off his body before shooting into the air, merging to form the image of an energy crocodile with a chainsaw tail.

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

Build punched the air, the crocodile charging forward until it reached Doom. It scooped him up in its mouth and chomped down on him before throwing him into the air. And as he fell back to earth, it spun around and slashed through his body with its tail.

His body sparked before exploding in a fiery blast.

The untransformed body of Doom Raizer tumbled on the floor. His Nebulasteam gun clattered next to him.

“It’s over, Doom.” Flash declared with finality.

“You...you really think you’ve won…” The madman seethed as he used a nearby console to support himself. “You merely delayed the inevitable. One way or another...I will make my vision a reality…!”

Once he said this, he saw that the machine was starting to glow. Light could be seen from the gaps through the plating. It could only mean one thing.

“Haha! See?! The Enigma is fully charged and activating! Now my dreams are about to become reality!” He cackled as he pulled the activation switch.

“Sorry to say, but dreams like yours are meant to be broken!” Twilight called out. Doom snapped over to the other side of the room. Standing by the main activation switch was Twilight, her parents, and Misty.

“But...but how?! I thought you left!”

“Please. Did you think we’d leave my son behind and do nothing?” Misty asked rhetorically.

Earlier…

“Let’s go, sweetie.” Velvet ushered her daughter away from the impending conflict. The two Riders now stood off against the one Kaiser.

“We may have left the battle to Flash and Jet, but instead of running, we put our own part of the plan into action.”

While Doom and the Gigabyters were distracted, the four intellectuals moved over to another console to create a new access point to the Enigma’s activation controls. Twilight and her parents hacked into the system and bypassed its security. They had to break through several firewalls, but they were able to crack the codes. Once the access point was established, she initiated the machine’s power up sequence.

Build and Doom kept on fighting, the latter none the wiser to the tampering.

“Once you were preoccupied fighting, we worked on accessing the Engima’s systems to forcefully activate it. Even though it wasn’t fully charged, we bypassed its operational requirements for a forced start up. Once we were done, all that we had left was to turn it on.”

“Which you just did for us!” The bespectacled girl declared.

“No...NOOOO!!!!” Doom yelled angrily.

Once the levers have been pulled, the Engimas turned on. The hands opened up, revealing the eyes on the palms glowing brightly.

In Newgear City, the light grew so intense it encompassed the entire room, swallowing the pods and the other inhabitants.

When the light died down, everyone was confused on their current locations. They were in a giant metal room similar to their previous location, but the Enigmas were gone.

But the room they were in was shaking erratically. “The heck is going on?!” Sol yelled in confusion.

“Worry about that later, get the girls out!” Vaccine ordered as she and Hacker opened up Rainbow’s and Applejack’s pods. Cross-Z followed and opened up Sunset’s pod. The girls fell into their arms but the Riders supported them.

“H-huh?” Sunset’s eyes flickered open. The first thing she saw was a family helmet. “S-Sol? Is that you?”

“Yep. Welcome back.” He nodded.

“Ugh...what happened to us…?” Rainbow wondered as she held her head.

“We’ll explain later.” Heart answered. “But for now, you’re all safe. It’s over.”

“No…” Trail shook his head. “I won’t let this be over.” He activated his Transteam Gun and vanished in a cloud of mist.

“...that doesn’t sound ominous at all.” Code murmured sarcastically. The shaking grew even more intense than before. “And what’s happening?!”

Meanwhile, Twilight and the others helped her friends out of their own pods. They were noticeably fatigued from having their magic drained. But aside from that, they appeared to be unharmed.

Although they couldn’t quite explain what happened to the Enigma. Like the machine, the Gigabyters also seemed to have vanished.

“Alright Doom.” Flash glowered as he and Jet stood above the mad scientist. “Give us answers. What happened to the machine? And what’s with all the shaking?!”

Doom growled before vanishing into a cloud of mist.

“...my Pinkie Sense is telling me something bad’s gonna happen.” Pinkie slurred out once she woke up.

“...ash...FLASH!” Micro radioed in.

“Micro?”

“I finally got through! Do you even know what’s happening right now?”

“No...wait, why? What’s going on?!”

“Head outside! It’s the Enigma...both of them! They’re reaching out to each other from both worlds!”

“What?!” Fully alarmed by the notification, He and the others rushed outside. What they saw absolutely shocked them.

Once everyone went outside, they noticed something was horribly wrong.

For one thing, they weren’t on the ground level anymore. They were steadily rising higher and higher into the air. Flash would’ve plummeted the moment he stepped out if Jet hadn’t pulled him back just in time.

“What is going on here?!”

“Are we flying?!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Now, I think the building’s just elevating, but how?!” Twilight wondered.

“Uh, guys? I think that’s why.” Jet pointed upward. Everyone else stuck their heads outside the opening and gawked.

Above them, on the second Earth, was the hand of the Enigma from Jet’s world descending down to meet its counterpart. It was absolutely massive, easily tripled or quadrupled in size. Said counterpart also sat on the structure they were in, rising to meet it.

Once the two hands were close enough, a shock wave encompassed both worlds, followed by a flash of light. The Riders and their companions were swallowed by both and all they saw next was white.

“Grgh...huh?” Flash murmured as his vision refocused. He sat back up and saw that the others were positioned around him, equally confused as he was. “What’s going on? What happened?”

“Flash? Hey! Flash!” Sol called out waving wildly. The musician turned to the voice to see the fighter along with Sunset, Applejack, Rainbow, Heart, and Code. They were all in their civilian attire like he was. That bizarre light must’ve broken their transformations.

“Sol? You’re back!” Flash got up and ran over to his friend. “How and when did you get here?”

“Dunno. Last I remember were the Enigma’s holding hands. Next thing I knew, we were here in Canterlot. Just what’s going on?”

Before Flash could answer, a Pink blur zoomed past the boys and wrapped her arms around the three Rainbooms from NewGear City. “You’re all okay!” Pinkie cried tears of joy.

“P-Pinkie? Glad to see you too but…” Sunset gasped out.

“You’re...crushing...us…” Rainbow wheezed through the tight hug.

“Sunset! Girls!” Twilight cried as she and the others wrapped up their friends in a group hug. “You’re all okay!”

The others looked on at the touching reunion. But Code was the one to break the mood. “Hate to ruin this happy reunion, but does anyone know what happened to us? I thought we stopped the Enigmas. Yet why are they here? The issue hasn;t been resolved at all.”

“I don’t know.” Jet shook his head as Heart tended to him. “Did we fail? Did we do something wrong?”

“I have no clue. But for now, we should...wait, what’s that noise?” Code turned to face a certain direction.

“Ha….ha….” Trail Blazer panted from where he knelt. He pulled himself up, using the metal wall as support. He winced from his injuries. The attacks from Cross-Z were strong that he felt them through his armor.

Even so, he refused to let that deter him. He stood tall, feeling the wind rush against his body. He looked up and became immediately delighted to see the world above him. The Engima from Canterlot drew ever closer towards the one from his world. However, he frowned when he saw the specks in the distance. He ignored the scrambling civilians fleeing from the Enigma site and instead focused on the site itself. It seemed that the Riders and their companions were unharmed. Meaning they would get in the way again.

Refusing to allow them to interfere, Trail pulled out his handheld device; the ones that summons Gigabyters. He flipped open a secret panel and pressed the button. The eye of the Enigma he stood on glowed. Following this, thousands of readings manifested from data fields in rapid succession.

“...You brought this on yourselves.”

“Is...is that an army of Gigabyters?!” Sunset pointed out.

“Pouring out from the Enigma?!” Twilight added.

True to their horror, a massive horde of viruses spilled out from the Enigma’s opened eye. Once they gathered, they marched towards the Riders, Rainbooms, and company in the form of an endless horde.

“If those viruses attack now, they could wipe out the entire city!” Night yelled in alarm.

“Can we really win this?”

“Of all the worst possible scenarios...this is absolutely the worst.”

Morale was dipping drastically, evident on their faces. Even so, Flash refused to let things end here.

"We can't just give up!" Flash told them, "Not like this. We have to fight, until the very end!"

His passionate words slowly sparked a fire in them. He was right. None of them ever gave up when the situation turned terrible. So why start now? When their home was in danger?

“Night’s right about one thing though. The viruses won’t stop until those machines are destroyed.” Heart added. “As soon as we take them down, they should stop spawning them like crazy.”

“Then that’s what we’re gonna do.” Flash declared as he stepped forward. “...I’ll deal with Trail.”

“Flash...are you sure about this?” Misty asked her son.

“I am mom. I won’t let that man spit against everything dad stood for.” He looked her in the eye. She immediately saw his raw determination and will. “I won’t let him insult his memory. I’ll deal with him and stop this madness.”

“Not alone you won’t.” Jet said as he stepped up next to him. “That Trail is from my world. So I should take responsibility for his actions affecting yours.”

“While you two do that, we’ll handle the rest down here.” Heart replied and joined them. “We’ll fend off the Gigabyters and make sure they won’t attack innocent people.” Code and Sol nodded in agreement and stepped forward as well.

“While we’re at it, we’ll see how to take these rust buckets down.” The fighter added.

“Then this is it.” The musician took a deep breath before he donned his Driver. The others pulled out their own respective Drivers and donned them. Flash lifted his head and glared at the Enigma. “Everyone...let’s do this!”

“Right!”

(For your musical pleasure, play this.)

"CYBER DRIVER!"

"HACKING DRIVER!"

"VACCINE DRIVER!"

“RABBIT!”

“TANK!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“WAKE UP!”

“CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“ARE YOU READY?”

“HENSHIN!” The five yelled out in unison.

"DOWNLOAD!"

“JACK IN!”

“FULLMETALMOONSAULT!”

“WAKE UP BURNING!”

“RABBIT-TANK!”

“GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!”

“YEAH!”

Now donned in their respective armors, the Riders, save Sol, brought out their respective vehicles. Flash made sure to use the Crocodile bottle for his bike.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

“CYBER CYCLE!”

“TRANSPORT!”

“DOWNLOAD!”

One by one, their modes of transport appeared before they hopped on and took off to their positions.

“...Guess I’m running.” Cross-Z sighed, completely left out.

“Sol, wait!” Sunset yelled out. The fighter turned around before catching a phone and Fullbottle. “Just finished them! They’re yours! They’re like Flash’s Build Phone. Take them down!” She gave him a thumbs up.

Surprised by her surprise, Sol nodded earnestly. He inserted the Protobottle into the Phone.

“BUILD CHANGE!”

It unfolded into a replica of the machine Builder, only colored blue with orange flames to match his motif. He hopped on and zoomed down the street, whooping in excitement.

The five Riders rode down the streets to meet the marching army head on. They weaved through the laser blasts as they approached the horde. Build and Cyburst rode off of slanted debris before they slammed into the Gigabyters from above and ran over them. Thanks to his foresight to use the Crocodile bottle for his Machine Builder, he was now able to bust through and run over the viruses with ease as its properties fueled the vehicle. They continued to ride and break through the formation to reach Trail.

Hacker and Vaccine joined in by blasting the viruses with the Cement Gun and Fire Bolts respectively. It was impressive that she was able to aim on top of an auto-piloted vehicle moving at fast speeds. The cement blasts immobilized the viruses en-masse while the bolts tore through them like tissue paper. Cross-Z joined by swinging the Beat Crozzer left and right, taking out as many Gigabyters as he can.

If they weren’t attacking the monsters head on, they charged through them and ran over them. The viruses tried fighting back, but the Riders maneuvered through their attacks and countered with their own. Sol got up from his seat and held onto the bike by the handlebars. He swung his legs out and kicked a Gigabyter in the optical lens, forcing its laser to misfire before a Fire Bolt impaled it.

Eventually, the path became clear for Flash and Jet to ride on through. They rode down the road to reach their opponent while the rest continued to take care of the endless army of viruses.

It was also at that moment that Vaccine remembered something important.

“Are we going to be okay?” Fluttershy asked anxiously. She and the others were barricaded behind a wall constructed out of Rarity’s shields. While the Riders held off the majority of the viruses, they still had to deal with the remnants that resorted to attacking them. While they were now free from the Enigma stealing their magic, they were still a bit weak from the draining experience. So they instead acted defensively and holed up inside a wall while taking potshots to minimize as much magic usage as possible. Unfortunately, Rarity was experiencing the most drain due to her shields, and Pinkie Pie, much to their surprise, was out of sweets to use!

But despite these disadvantages, they had to hold out. They had to protect Misty, Night, and Velvet as well. Unsure of their next move, Vaccine jumped over the barricade and landed before the group. “Sorry I forgot!” She took out a data card and inserted it into her Driver. A data field projected between the Rider and the Rainbooms. It constructed and materialized what appeared to be futuristic rifles. There were ten in total.

“What are these?” Rainbow asked, taking one in her hand.

“They’re Anti-Virus weapons. They’re used by the local law enforcement to fight viruses on my world. They’re made to fight Gigabyters.”

“But will these work on them? They’ve been infused with Nebula Gas.” Night pointed out as he started distributing the firearms.

“Oh, don’t worry. These models are upgraded. Each blast is enough to punch through a Gigabyter easily. “If you want to recharge, just pressed the button on the side.”

“Sweet! It’s almost like a shooting game!” Rainbow took one and aimed.

“Rainbow, be serious! This is life or death!” Applejack retorted as she grabbed one herself.

“Can we please hurry this up!” Rarity snapped. “I can’t exactly hold on for much longer!”

From the outside, the wall of diamond shields broke down but were instead replaced by a salvo of lasers that took down the surrounding Gigabyters.

“Yee-haw!” The farm girl yelled as she jumped in and blasted another virus through the chest.

“Show no mercy!” Rainbow whooped as she ran around the area, shooting down monsters by the dozen.

Cross-Z and Hacker continued to cut through wave after wave of Gigabyters. They both finished off another group with their respective finishers. “How many does that make now?”

“I think forty two.” Code answered. He then found something on his motion trackers. “Look out!” He pushed Cross-Z out of the way to avoid and energy blast. When the smoke cleared, a new figure appeared.

“So you stand and fight, even now…” Doom sneered as he walked forward.

“Of course we would.” Code scoffed as he stood up. “Your insane plans stop here and now, Doom.”

“You can’t understand the genius of what I’m doing! This method is the only way for us to get a jumpstart on progress! We’ll all have the advanced technology that we can revolutionize further!”

“That ain’t progress! That’s just you being selfish!” Sol snapped. “And you have too much of an ego to realize that!”

“How dare you!” The man snapped as he plugged his bottle into his gun.

“GEAR REMOCON!”

“I’ve had enough of your insolence! Prepare to die! Kaiser!”

Once he pulled the trigger, a mass of steam exuded and covered his body before dispersing into his blue, geared form.

“FUNKY!”

“REMOTE CONTROL GEAR!”

“Bring it on psycho!” Sol yelled as he and Code charged.

Finally, Build and Cyburst made it to the looming tower that served as the connection between the Enigma and the planet. Without further hesitation, they climbed on using their vehicles.

“Yeah! Get some!” Rainbow yelled as she blasted another Gigabyter in the head. “That makes 29 for me!”

“Rainbow! This ain’t a game! Oh, and I got 31, by the way!” Applejack called out before throwing one Gigabyter into another before shooting them both down. “Make dat 33.”

“You two! Save the competition for, oh I don’t know...when we’re NOT fighting for our lives?!” Sunset snapped as she shot another virus that drew too close to Fluttershy. The animal lover was hesitant to shoot at first, but eventually swallowed her fear in order to help her friends take down these mindless monsters. Though her aim was lackluster, she still tried. She did not want any of these monsters to hurt her friends and family.

“Keep it up, girls!” Vaccine cheered before shooting another virus down. “You’re doing great!”

“But we can’t keep this up forever!” Twilight pointed out. “We need to stop those machines from producing more!”

“But how do we even do that! It’s like...humongous!” Pinkie waved her arms for emphasis. As she did so, the gumballs she had in hand slipped through her fingers and flew to the base of the Enigma’s connector. The sweets glowed before exploding, taking off the outer layer of the support.

What they saw inside surprised them. There were all Gigabyters inside the tower, all linked up like building blocks.

“....wait a minute…” Sunset started to form a plan in her mind.

While the Rainbooms and the Riders took care of the Gigabyters down below, Flash and Jet rode on the Enigma’s arm all the way to Trail Blazer. Due to the unique nature of their vehicles, they were able to scale the practically vertical incline with ease. Once they reached a stable foothold at the top, they dismissed their vehicles and Build pocketed the Crocodile Fullbottle.

Standing before them was Trail Blazer, a mix of resignation and disappointment on his face. “...so you chose to fight, Flash.”

“Of course I would.” he scoffed. “Your madness is putting my home and my family in danger.”

“This is but a means to an end. Once this is all over, we can be a family again.” He spoke, not noticing Flash’s hands balled into fists. “You won’t have to fight and worry your mother and sister. We can all remain safe and sound. Son," Trail held out his arms, "Help me make a world where we can all be happy."

“Stop that.” Flash snapped. “I’m not your son. Your son died a long time ago when your Canterlot fell. My family and I will never be a replacement for your twisted self-delusion!”

Trail remained silent before he lowered his arms. “...I suppose there’s no fixing you. It seems I’ll have to discipline you again to make you understand.”

“And that right there is why you’re not my dad.” Build added. “He’d never force his ideals on others.”

“Then he was spineless.” Trail inserted his Fullbottle into the Nebulasteam Gun.

“GEAR ENGINE!”

“No.” Flash took out and shook the Crocodile and Chainsaw bottles. He then replaced the ones in his Driver. “He was compassionate and understanding. Something you’re not.”

“CROCODILE!”

“CHAINSAW!”

“BESTMATCH!”

“...Kaiser”

“Build up!” He became donned with the effective Best Match against the viruses.

“CUTTINGCAIMAN!”

“SAWDILE!”

“YEAH!”

Both fighters transformed. Flash and Jet charged at Trail, who met them head on.

“Hah!” Code thrust his De-Bugger Blade forward, only to miss as Doom stepped to the side. However, he failed to notice Sol until he got elbowed in the throat. The Kaiser stumbled back before he aimed his gun and fired. The Riders jumped out of the line of fire. The blast shot past them and exploded the ground behind them.

“CEMENT GUN!” Hacker’s arm became replaced by the firearm before he shot a glob of cement at the blue armored man.

Doom countered with another energy blast that dispersed the cement. He then vanished from sight only to appear behind Cross-Z and kicked him in the back of the head. The dragonic Rider tumbled forward before Doom appeared in front of him and kneed him in the chest. He vanished and appeared for a third time to deliver an ax kick, but Sol reacted in time and grabbed him by the leg.

“Wh-what?!” Doom screamed as Cross-Z swung him around before throwing him towards Hacker’s direction. As he flew, he was blasted with a glob of cement that pinned him in place. The Riders charged at him, weapons at ready. Doom pointed his gun downward and fired. The energy blast hit the floor and swallowed them all in the explosion. The Riders were blown away from the epicenter, while the Kaiser appeared from a cloud of mist, free from the prison.

“Is that all you brats can do?” The mad man questioned as he brushed dust off his shoulder.

The two got up, determined to win. “Not even close.”

Cyburst jumped and slammed his Blade Buster onto the Nebulasteam Gun. While they were locked, he pulled out his Blast Burner and blasted Trail point blank. The man stumbled from the intense heat in his face before being kicked down by Build. The two-toned Rider jumped up to slam his Chainsaw arm down on him, but he rolled away at the last moment. As he rolled, the Red Kaiser fired an energy blast at him. Flash immediately pulled back to avoid the attack.

“RAM SLAMMER!”

“DOWNLOAD!”

Before Trail could get back up, Cyburst came in and smacked him with his hammer, knocking him to the side. The man tumbled before he pulled himself together. “How...why am I being overwhelmed?!” It didn’t make sense. He took care of both of them easily before. So why were they overpowering him?!

He hastily blocked the chainsaw arm from cutting his face. Sparks flew in his face as Flash barreled down on him. Even though his face was hidden, he could feel Flash’s piercing glare. Without hesitation, Flash punched him across the face with his Crocodile arm and kicked him away.

While the Riders dealt with the Kaisers, the Rainbooms and co. dealt with the Gigabyters on ground level. Rarity had barricaded them behind her shields while Vaccine, Misty Veil, Night Light, and Twilight Velvet stood guard to fend off the Gigabyters through the gaps.

Sunset called them all together for a new plan of action, one she devised after learning something about the Enigmas.

“Destroy the connections?”

“That’s right. The Enigma seems to be generating more and more Gigabyters inside the arm to elevate itself to reach its counterpart. So in order to stop the machines, we need to take out the arms. In other words, the connections between the machine and our planet.” Sunset explained.

“But how are we gonna do that? Those things are huge! We won’t be able to do squat with our blasters!”

“Not with our blasters. That’s why we gotta Pony up and use everything we got.” She explained. “Our Equestrian magic can affect these viruses. If we take out the connectors, then we’ll be able to tear down their plans to combine our worlds and make things easier for the guys.”

“But Sunset! You’re all drained. We might not be able to transform!” Twilight pointed out. She had a point. The girls were still recovering from having their magic siphoned off. Rarity was a prime example, visibly straining herself to maintain her shields.

“Maybe not. But our friends are fighting their hardest out there.” The fiery haired girl reasoned. “I know we’re tired and trying to regain our magic. But we don’t have a choice. If we don’t do something, then Trail and Doom might end up winning and fuse our worlds together. If that happens, then we risk both Earths imploding. Billions of lives are at stake. Including our friends and family.

“We might be tired and drained. But we can’t let that stop us. We have to at least try.” Sunset locked eyes with her friends. “When I first came here, I didn’t understand the value of friendship. But Princess Twilight opened my eyes, and you all helped me when I was at my lowest. Our geodes might be low on magic, but that’s okay. We still have friendship. And that’s the most powerful magic of all. Now...who’s with me?” She placed her hand out.

“...I’m in.” Rainbow paced her hand over hers.

“Same here.” Applejack followed suit.

“As am I, darling.” Rarity nodded, doing the same.

“Me too.” Fluttershy joined in.

“Let’s light ‘em up, ladies!” Pinkie cheered, slapping her hand on top of the pile.

Twilight was the only one left. She looked at her friends. Her very first friends. They were all so determined to keep going. Sunset’s words left their impact on her. So much was riding on this battle, and they had to do something. She did not notice her bracelet glow dimly. With resolved eyes, Twilight Sparkle was the last to join. “Let’s do this!”

Rarity’s shields dispersed as a rainbow pillar of light erupted from its place. All seven girls transformed into their harmony states. “Spread out and take out the Enigma’s support. Take out any Gigabyters when you can!” Sunset instructed before they all flew off.

On the ground, the three parents and Vaccine saw them off. The Sparkle family couldn’t help but feel proud of their daughter.

Sol and Doom traded blows. The fighter caught both of his fists in a vice grip. He lifted his leg and kicked the inside of his knee, which broke his footing and forced him to collapse in pain. He then kneed the man in the face before kicking him away. The Kaiser rolled before he scrambled back up.

“Enough of this farce!” With the press of a button, Doom summoned a group of Gigabyters to aid him. “Destroy them!”

“We don’t have time for this!” Cross-Z snapped, summoning the Beat Crozzer to face the incoming horde.

“You’re right...it’s time to end this!” Hacker then tapped at his belt, went into his Support Apps and pressed one of the icons.

"WHITE HAT!"

A data field appeared in front of him before fading to reveal a hat like the one he wore in civilian form, only this one was white with a black stripe.

He took the hat and looked it over. "Brother, lend me your strength." With that, he placed the hat on his head. And in doing so, the hat unleashed a wave of light that flew down Hacker's body and changed it. Soon enough, his poncho vanished as his suit changed from black to mostly white with red trim. His visor was the only thing that hadn't changed, still being a red H-like shape while the rest of his suit began less bulky and more streamlined.

"Wow," Cross-Z said while looking him over, "looking good."

"I know," Hacker announced before shooting forward at blinding speed and using a series of martial arts to take down the Gigabyters in front of them. Once they were down, he turned towards the rest of the approaching army before getting into a battle stance. "I am, Kamen Rider Hacker...WHITE HAT!"

“You think a mere powerup will stop me?!” Doom shot off a volley of energy blasts at Hacker. The Gigabyters fired lasers as well. But the attacks merely bounced off his armor. “WHAT?!”

“This ain’t a simple power up.” Hacker replied before he moved in a blur once more. He sped past the rest of the army and closed the distance between himself and Doom. The moment he stopped, the rest of the Gigabyters exploded. As he moved, he delivered devastating punches and kicks through the virus' bodies, breaking down their body structures until they were too unstable to maintain form.

“This...I won’t allow this!” The Kaiser yelled as the gear on his shoulder spun to life.

“FUNKY DRIVE!”

The energy gear flew forward. But Hacker didn’t even flinch and instead backhanded the blast away. The attack misfired and impacted the Enigma’s connector arm, revealing the viruses underneath.

“Wh-what…?!”

“Your time is up.” The white hat Rider pressed a button on his Driver.

“FIREWALL BREAK!”

Hacker threw his hand forward, shooting a red beam of energy that wrapped around Doom in a cylindrical wall of energy, trapping him in.

“What is this?! Release me!” Hacker ignored him as his body glowed bright red and seemed to turn translucent. He zoomed through Doom in the blink of an eye. He sped around and attacked the Kaiser from multiple angles for what seemed to be hundreds of times within a short time span. Cross-Z could barely keep up with his movement.

With one, final pass, Hacker struck with a final Rider Kick that broke through Doom’s trap. Once he landed, Code Breaker stood tall and flicked his wrist. Doom became engulfed in a large explosion.

“...holy crap…” Cross-Z murmured in awe. That was one powerful finisher.

“This...this can’t...koff...this can’t be…” Doom coughed on the ground. His transformation was broken. His body was covered in soot. His clothing was tattered with his face visibly wounded. Blood dripped down his face and into his eye, enhancing his maddened glare.

“You have one last chance, Doom Raizer. Surrender, or let your next move be your last.” Code gave his ultimatum. The scientist glared at him with absolute hatred.

“....You haven’t seen the last of me!” Doom vanished in a cloud of mist.

“...I hate it when they do that.” Sol grunted. Yet for some reason, he felt like Doom wouldn’t get far.

“Applejack! Take out that shell!” Twilight yelled out.

“On it!” The farmgirl flew forward and slammed her fist into the Enigma’s arm. The concrete and metal that made up the skin cracked in several places as small pieces chipped off. She ripped off the panels, revealing the interconnected Gigabyters underneath. They wiggled and squirmed as the tower steadily grew larger. The sight was enough to make Rarity gag.

“Bombs away!” Pinkie yelled, chucking brownies into the newly made gaps. The sweets glowed before they exploded. Even more pieces broke off. But it still wasn’t enough. Rainbow flew around rapidly, shooting through the holes with her blaster. The beams punched through any virus she found. Gradually, she whittled away at its support. But it was all she could do to keep up with the rising tower.

Rarity used her shields as blades to cut into the structure. She managed to hack away several Gigabyters by chunks. Twilight manipulated her friends’ blasters for multiple fire. Fluttershy and Sunset used their own magic as energy blasts to weaken the tower and destroy the Gigabyters.

“This is going too slow!” Rainbow yelled, shooting another piece of the tower off.

“She’s right. It just replaces whatever virus we destroy.” Rarity pointed out.

“We need to combine our magic and finish this in one blow.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Let’s take it down girls!” One by one, the Rainbooms unleashed their respective blast of magic. The seven beams converged and fused into one before it shot clean through the Enigma’s connections. Beams of light shot through the cracks of the structure before it ruptured apart, destroyed the viruses from within and broke its hold on the planet.

Doom Raizer appeared on his world’s Enigma. He was hidden from view on a raised platform. His body was wracked with exhaustion, but he refused to give up. “Haa...haa...I’m useless like this. I can’t fight anymore. But...Trail can…”

Pausing in thought, he noticed something was wrong. He looked down and saw that the connections to the Enigma had been destroyed. He noticed the girls he captured had been celebrating. Had...had they been the culprits? Rationality slowly left him as realization sunk in. His plans were being thwarted.

Everything was becoming ruined. He refused. He refused to let this happen. He removed his Remocon bottle from his gun. A twisted grin graced his lips. He tossed the bottle into the air and blasted it with his Nebulasteam Gun’s mist. The item vanished from view, into the hands of his intended recipient.

“There...now Trail can finish those neophytes. Kill….kill them all Trail...leave none of them alive! Let them rue the day they chose to cross us! Hehe...hahaha….HAHAHA-!”

BANG!

“...hah…?” Doom’s cackle was replaced by a confused whine when a burning pain erupted from his back and chest. He looked down and became alarmed by the smoking hole through his chest. Falling into shock, he turned his head around to see the culprit, only for his eyes to widen. “Y-you…?” He fell forward and collapsed. A pool of blood spread out from under him.

The sole standing figure was one Blood Stalk, Transteam Rifle in hand, barrel smoking.

“...You always were an arrogant piece of crap, Doom. Made you so difficult to deal with.” Blood Stalk shrugged as he picked up the Nebulasteam gun and kicked the body off the platform. The corpse fell to the ground below, where it landed with a sickening splat several seconds later. “....Welp. That’s my good deed for the day. The rest is up to you, Sentry. Do us proud. Ciao~!”

He then vanished unnoticed.

“Gragh!” Trail yelled as he swung wildly, desperately. Yet his moves failed to connect as Build and Cyburst danced around his reach before striking back. Flash’s leg connected to his side while Jet’s fist impacted his chest dead center.

The man was thrown back and crashed into the metal slab behind him.

Without another word, both activated their respective finishers.

Cyburst pulled down the lever on his driver while Build cranked the handle on his.

"FULL POWER!"

“READY? GO!”

“VIRUS BUSTER!”

“VOLTECH FINISH!”

The energy crocodile struck first. It chomped down on the Kaiser before flinging him up with its tail. Cyburst jumped and flipped forward with an extended Rider Kick. The attack was a direct hit that slammed Trail to the ground, breaking down his transformation. The scarred man gasped through the pain and clutched his chest.

“...It’s over Trail Blazer.” Flash told him. “You and Doom are beaten. The Enigmas will never combine. It’s over.” But as soon as he said those words, the ground beneath their feet shook violently.

“What the?!”

“Wh-what’s going on?!” Flash yelled. All eyes turned to the source. The opposite Enigma had just connected and combined with the one they were currently on. The structure that supported their Engima broke apart and was absorbed into the hand. The two hands combined to resemble two hands with interlaced fingers. Rocket engines then appeared at the base of the machine, allowing them to fly. “But how? I thought the girls stopped it!”

A burst of mist appeared before the Remocon bottle dropped into Trail’s hand. “...Doom?...I see. It’s time for ‘that’ then…”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Did you really think destroying the connections will stop the Enigma?” Trail asked rhetorically as he found his second wind and stood up. “By destroying the connections, you accomplished nothing. You just allowed the other world’s Enigma to connect with this one. Thus the link between both Earths remains. Now that they’re combined, only their destruction will sever the link. But I won’t let you do that.”

“You’re still going on about this?!” Jet yelled in disbelief. “Face it, Trail. This plan is asinine and insane. You can’t bring back the family you lost!”

“It doesn’t matter! As long as I draw breath, I won’t let you steal from me the only way to restore my family!” He replaced his Fullbottle into his gun.

“GEAR ENGINE!”

But he didn’t transform. Not yet. While the gun was charged with the Engine bottle’s essence, he replaced it with the new one.

“GEAR REMOCON!”

“FUNKYMATCH!”

“Kaiser!” Trail yelled with conviction after pointing the gun and pulling the trigger..

“FEVER!”

The mist gathered around him to form the black armor and bodysuit. But two sets of gears, red and blue, manifested from the mist before flying around until the red was on the left side while blue was on the right. They then attached themselves to Trail’s body. The gears spun and sparked before they locked in place. The face plate, which resembled a dual-sided gear, rotated before stopping, showing the visage of yellow slits for the eyes.

“PERFECT!”

Both Riders were surprised by this new transformation. “No way...did...did he just use both his and Doom’s bottles at once?” Flash wondered.

Trail cracked his neck as he felt the power rush through his body. “...Thank you, partner. I’ll use this strength to finish what you started.” He then clenched his fists.

“...Get ready, Flash.” Cyburst advised his comrade. “There’s no telling what he can-!” That was all he could say before the BiKaiser appeared before him and kicked him away.

“JET!” Flash yelled before Trail appeared and backhanded him away.

He bounced on the ground before smacking into the metal wall behind him. Before he could process what happened, Trail closed the distance and punched him in the solar plexus. The teen gasped as air was forced from his lungs. Trail then threw him aside.

“How...is this possible?” Cyburst questioned before BiKaiser appeared and kicked him to the side. Trail jumped after him before he kicked him back down. After he landed, Trail grabbed him by the face and dragged him across the metal platform. He then threw him right into Flash, who attempted to rise back up.

The Riders collapsed in a tangled heap before they went to untangle themselves.

“You may have gotten the edge before. But now I’m twice as powerful. You can’t stop me.”

“We won’t know until we try!” With a mighty outcry, they charged forward into battle.

“Useless.” Trail shot down the airborne Cyburst that jumped after him. He then blocked Build’s roundhouse kick before he kicked him aside. Cyburst rushed in again, but was kicked up into the air by Trail. He did the same thing to Build before he jumped up after them. Once he was above them, he kicked them back down.

The Riders impacted the metal hand in groaning heaps. They got back up and rushed at Trail again. Flash swung but missed. Jet went in for a punch, but Trail weaved out of the way. The man backed away before blasting both teens in the chest. The energy attacks were much stronger than before.

Jet flew over the gap between the hand and wrist of the machine. Flash stumbled back to try and hold his ground. But Trail shot him again in the Driver, immediately overloading it. Flash screamed as his transformation broke. He hit the ground, and the Crocodile and Chainsaw Fullbottles clattered out before they fell off the machine and to the ground far below them.

“N-no!” Flash tried desperately to grab them, but was too far away. Overcome by exhaustion and his injuries, he blacked out.

Everything was dark. Everything was cold. For a second, he thought he died. But he could still feel pain. Pain meant he was still alive. But where was he? He didn’t know.

“...?”

Gradually, the chills receded. Instead, warmth took its place. A...strangely familiar warmth.

“...h?”

A voice? How strange. Who was speaking?

“...ash?”

Why...why does it sound so familiar?

“Flash? Come on. Get up, son.”

His body twitched in realization. He pried his eyes open. His vision blurred before focusing. Standing above him was Trail Blazer. At first, he thought it was the other Trail Blazer. But upon a closer look, he noticed the lack of scars and burns. Instead of a suit, he was dressed in his father’s favorite shirt and shorts.

“Son? Please wake up. Get up.” He urged.

“...Dad…? Is that you?” The musician’s voice choked.

“You’re awake.” His father relaxed and smiled warmly. “Thank goodness.”

That same smile. He couldn’t refute it. It really was his father.

“....DAD!” Flash jumped up and wrapped his arms around his father. Trail was surprised by the contact, but allowed himself to relax and return the gesture. The blue haired teen felt his eyes water from the surge of emotion.

“How? You’re….you’re dead!”

“I am.”

“Am...am I dead?”

“No, son. You’re still alive. Frankly, I have no idea how this is possible…but I don’t care. All that matters is that you’re safe.”

“Safe...maybe. Last I remembered I was fighting…” he couldn’t bring himself to admit it.

“I know.” He said knowingly. “I’ve been watching over you, Misty, and Scootaloo. I saw everything.”

“Everything? Then you know…”

“About you as the Masked Rider Build? Yes. And let me tell you...I couldn’t be more proud.” Trail smiled happily.

“You are?” Flash was surprised. Even after all the risks his duty entailed.

“Yes. With great power comes great responsibility. And you chose to protect your home, family, and friends. How could I not be?”

“But...the other you said…”

“Forget about what he said, son.” Trail said. “All that matters is what you think. What you choose. You made the choice and stuck by it, doing everything you can to make things right. And now...you have to make things right by stopping that monster.”

“I...I can’t do it...he’s too strong…” He shook his head in dismay.

“Come on. Did you forget what I taught you? If you give up, then you truly lost.” Trail encouraged. “Besides. You’re not alone, remember?” He pointed behind him. Flash turned around and saw visions of his friends and family. Micro, Sandalwood, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Sunset, Twilight, Sol, Scootaloo, and Misty. All of them were waiting for him by the light.

“Yeah...you’re right.” With his friends anf family by his side...how could he lose to that sham? He turned back to his father, only to see wisps of light rising from his body.

“Huh...looks like that’s all the time we have.” Trail smiled sadly at his son. “I have to go now.” His form started to recede into the darkness.

“Dad? Wait! Don’t go! I still have so much to tell you!” Flash tried to chase after him, but his feet refused to move.

“It’s not your time yet. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be waiting for you when it is. Until then, I’ll be watching over you. I love you, son.” His father smiled before dispersing into particles of light.

Flash’s eyes grew misty once more. He could feel the tears well up. Gritting his teeth, he swiped them away with his sleeve, his expression shifting to one of determination. Now’s not the time for tears. He still had a battle to win.

His eyes snapped open.

“Flash?! You’re awake!” Cyburst helped him sit up.

“How, how long was I out?” The teen blinked away the bleariness.

“Almost a minute. I’ve been trying to snap you out of it. Thought I lost you!”

“Why couldn’t you just stay asleep.” The alternate Trail Blazer questioned from the other side of the gap. The scenery rushed by them as the Enigma moved.”At least them you would wake up to a brand new world.”

“...You know, after that fatigue-induced power nap I had. I realized something.”

“And what is that?”

“If your family saw you as you are now...all they’d see is a monster.” Flash glared.

“What?!”

“You heard me. Breaking dimensional boundaries, willing to kill or ruin the lives of billions, fusing two Earths together, all for what? So you could replace what you lost with another family?!”

“You know nothing, boy!” Unnoticed by all, an unseen trio stood behind the Kaiser. Sad, disappointed frowns were plastered on their faces. Trail noticed none of this.

“I know that there’s no way you could EVER be my father! You’re trapped inside your own past and refuse to move on! You say you discarded your principles, but in reality you just gave up on everything and chose to delude yourself thinking your actions are noble in any way!!”

“Shut up!” Trail roared. “It doesn’t matter what you say to me! You can’t fight the inevitable! Soon, the worlds will be destroyed and remade anew! A new world order where everything is as it should be!”

Flash groaned as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet, flinching at the pain running through his body. "I..." he took a deep breath, "I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY MY WORLD!"

“Damn right we won’t!” Cross-Z yelled in agreement as he raced after the Enigma on his bike. He rode across the walls of the buildings before he jumped up over the Enigma and threw something down to Flash. “Here! Kick his ass, buddy!”

The musician caught the item in his hands. His eyes widened as he saw it was the Sparkling Can. “Thanks, Sol!” Steeling himself, Flash shook the can and popped the tab.

POP! FIZZ!

As he did, numerous mathematical equations surrounded him. “...let’s start the experiment!” Flash inserted the can.

"RABBITTANKSPARKLING

“ARE YOU READY?!”

Flash shifted into a fighting stance once the runners appeared.

“Henshin!”

THE EFFERVESCENT BURST!

“SPARKLING!”

“YEAHHH!”

Build ran a finger along the eyepiece of his Sparkling armor. “Now...I have the Winning Formula!”

“You think a costume change will make a difference?” Trail scoffed. “I’ll just beat you two down again.

"You haven't beaten us yet!" Cyburst cried as he pulled something out that Build hadn't seen before. it was some kind of long memory guard that had a pair of hinges in the middle of it and a pair of metal dark blue wings coming out the side.

Cyburst held the memory card up as he cried out, "RECODE!" With that, he pushed the memory card into the central slot of his driver before pushing it forward so the hinges made it turn so the top was over the screen of the driver. Seconds later, the wings flipped up so you could see the driver's screen as it called out-

HYPER DOWNLOAD!

In that moment, Cyburst's driver unleashed a light that passed over his entire body. When it did, the suit began to change colour and form. The white sections of his armour changed to the same blue as his suit while the white circuitry changed to a golden colour. While his helmet turned blue, his eyes also changed to gold while similar golden circuitry began to appear around his armour. Finally, his muffler extended and widened while connecting to the blue shoulder pads that appeared on his suit to form a cape like attachment.

As the light faded, the newly transformed rider spun on the spot while his cape fluttered around with him. "Kamen Rider, Cyburst...RECODED!"

“So you have another transformation. Still, it’s all futile!” Inside Trail’s helmet, a timer was counting down. It read a few seconds away from 3:15. It indicated the connection between the two Enigmas, which in turn represent how close the worlds are to combining. “You’re too late! You brought out the big guns, but it was all for naught! Now...watch as the worlds become one!”

But as the clock shifted to 3:15, an error message popped up. It read that the process could not be completed due to insufficient power. “...what?! Insufficient power?! But how was this possible?!”

“Heh. Looks like Doom never told you.” Flash called out. “We made you think that your Enigmas were fully charged. But in reality, we hacked into their systems for a force start up, tricking you to think they were fully operational.”

“When in reality, the moment you activated meant your plan would never come true. Neither one is powered enough to see the process through. You lose, Trail Blazer.” Jet added.

“No....NO! This can’t be happening! Even after everything we did?!” Trail roared angrily. He glared at the two Riders. “You...you'll pay for thus!”

In that moment, Cyburst held out his left arm as a data field appeared around his hand that took shape before fading to reveal his new weapon. It was a large blue triangular shield that had a space between it and the handle that housed a long blue sword. In the center of the shield was a circle that had a line running down the middle of it.

"Cyber Bicker!" As he said this, Trail fired a blast at him. He quickly held up the shield to block the blast, but the force sent him staggering backwards several steps. And as he regained his footing close to the edge of the machine, he pulled out a memory card as Trail fired again. But this time, he slotted the memory card into a slot in the shield's hand. "Diamond Drive!"

"DOWNLOAD!"

In that moment, the shield's front unleashed a light that solidified and took the shape of a diamond as the blast struck it. And this time, the blast just bounced off without causing any trouble.

Cyburst smirked as he rushed forward, Trail firing several more blasts at him but each one bounced off the shield without issue. The rider then took another memory card out and slotted it into the end of the sword's handle, "Fire Drive!"

"DOWNLOAD!"

He pulled the sword out of the shield as the blade exploded into flames. He swung the sword and shot out waves of fire. Trail ducked beneath the first one, but was struck dead on by the second.

While he was dazed from the attack, Cyburst rushed in and bashed him with his shield. He countered with an energy blast, but the transformed Rider deflected it and swung his sword. Trail intercepted it with his gun. But Cyburst quickly ducked as a new figure burst through the smoke. Build rested a hand on Cyburst’s back as a foundation for him to twirl his body and snap a kick to the side of the Kaiser’s head.

Flash leapt off with a carbonized boost before he landed and punched Trail. The man blocked it and the two exchanged blows evenly. The stalemate came to an end when Cyburst joined and made it two against one.

Trail showed visible difficulty fending off attacks from both Riders at once. When he defended or parried from one, the other would exploit his opening. When he locked the sword from Cyburst, he was rewarded with a punch to the face or kick to the chest by Build. The Kaiser got clipped in the head by a shield swing. When he got back up, both Riders kicked him in the chest. Trail stumbled backward.

Then all three Riders jumped into the air. Their fight carried on around the Enigma. They all moved so fast they resembled blurs flying around the floating device. The combined machines continued its journey between the two Earths as the Riders finally landed.

Flash confronted Trail and swung his fists imbued with energy, enhancing his reach and power. He struck one left, right, uppercut, left, right, then delivered a haymaker to the right. Once the Kaiser was dazed from the blows, Build backed off and Cyburst tagged in at high speeds. “Lightning Drive!”

“DOWNLOAD!”

His sword crackled with lightning and delivered two slashes on the madman’s body before he sped away.

“Guh...gragh…” Trail gasped from the pain as his armor sparked. A small part of his chest armor ruptured from the strain. “Why...why are you denying me and my goals? I’m trying to bring about a better world!”

“Why? The answer’s simple.” Cyburst responded. “It doesn’t matter what your motives are. Your actions have placed countless people in danger.”

“And we’re here to stop the Enigma and prevent further suffering.”

Flash charged in and threw Trail into the air with an uppercut. As he fell back down, Jet bashed him up into the air again with his shield. The process repeated with Build and Cyburst knocking him into the air over and over by fist or weapon.They threw him higher and higher into the air before they jumped above him and kicked him back into the Enigma’s thrusters. The machine’s altitude started to drop from the damage.

Build and Cyburst grabbed Trail and held him by the throat. “Is this what you really want?!” Trail Blazer snapped. “To deny the world that will make us all happy?!”

“You’re like a broken record! It doesn’t matter how many times you say it!”

“The answer will always be the same!” Flash yelled. “You’re acting out of pure selfishness. A world like that...no one would be happy! That is why we’ll stop you!”

With their fists cocked, the two punched the Kaiser in the face, sending him skidding back.

“Because we’re Kamen Riders!” The two announced in unison. The engine exploded behind them. Build turned the crank of his Driver while Cyburst pressed the lever on his Driver.

“READY?GO!”

“LOADING!”

The two Riders jumped high into the air before shooting forward with their right feet extended to a downward kick, bursting with power.

“OVERLOAD BREAK!”

“SPARKLING FINISH!”

The two Rider Kicks impacted Trail Blazer, who desperately tried to resist and hold them off. But it was simply too much for him to handle. The Riders shot through him, stunning him for a brief millisecond as their kicks connected and tore through the Enigma. They both continued through the air, leaving the machine and its Rider to their final fate.

His body continued to spark as his helmet screamed danger warnings at him. In his final moments of life, Trail was unsure if what he saw was a hallucination. All he saw were his family standing in front of him. They each had disappointed faces. He reached out to them in desperation, but they were out of his grasp. He felt his cold heart shatter when he saw them turn and walk away from him. “Please...please don’t...don’t leave me alone…!”

Both he and the Enigma exploded into a massive ball of fire, and the man known as Trail Blazer was no more.

Down below, everyone saw the Enigma zoom around the air, as well as the explosions from the fight that took place on it. Once the machine itself exploded, they all realized that the battle was over. With its destruction, all of the Gigabyters were destroyed in a form of chain reaction.

However, they also noticed Jet and Flash fall along with the wreckage of the machine. Everyone rushed over to the general area where they landed, and found the spot to be a complete mess of melted/broken debris. They all got to work clearing the junk away to unearth their friends.

“Flashie?! Jet?! If you can hear us, scream!” Pinkie yelled as she tossed aside what looked to be a propulsion cone.

“Where are they?!” Rainbow yelled as she zoomed around and threw away pieces of junk.

“Keep looking, they’ve got to be around here somewhere!” Sol replied while chucking away parts of an engine. Twilight she levitated piles of debris away.

“Goodness, what if they’re hurt? Are they even alright from a fall that high?” Fluttershy wondered as she struggled to lift a large power coupling unit.

“We just gotta hope for the best, sugarcube.” Applejack said hopefully as she hefted up a large piece of armor plating.

“Please be okay, please be okay!” Misty repeated desperately as she helped the others sift through the pile.

“Guys! I think I saw something!” Sunset pointed out to a pile on the far end of the wreckage. Said pile shifted and swayed. Everyone rushed over to it, but were startled by the arm that punched through the pile. Another arm punched through, knocking away some debris over them.

The two figures then broke out of the pile, revealing themselves to be Flash and Jet still in their Rider forms. “Okay...that was just crazy.”

“Hey, at least we can scratch skydiving off our bucket lists.” Jet joked.

“FLASH!/JET!” The two Riders were tackled down by their respective friends. Flash was dogpiled by the Rainbooms and Sol while Jet was helped back up by Code and Heart. Misty was relieved beyond words. Night and Velvet caught her when her legs started to give out.

“You’re alright!” Twilight exclaimed.

“How’d you even survive that? You were like, hundreds of feet up in the air!” Rainbow yelled in awe.

“Thank goodness for superpowered body armor.” Flash rapped his chestplate. “Just can’t believe we made it out okay. Honestly, we weren’t thinking about what came after those Rider kicks.”

“We’re just glad you're safe.” Misty assured.

“Yeah...but right now...we’re exhausted.” As if on cue, their armors broke apart and the two collapsed back on the pile they emerged from. The others were surprised by the sudden action, but couldn’t help but smile and laugh at the sight of it.

But that laugher came to an end when the other Earth started to recede from view. Despite its sluggish disappearance, the three Cyber Kamen Riders remained.

“....Wait, is this supposed to happen?” Pinkie wondered.

A Few Days later…

After the fiasco with the Enigmas and Gigabyters, the city continued its cleanup of the wreckage and repairs of the damage from the attacks. The workers collected the Enigma’s remains to send to the Research Center for analysis and evidence. Meanwhile, the police force did their best to quell the public who were traumatized from this ordeal. It had been a harrowing experience, but at least it was over. And with its end, came about celebration.

It was night time at the community center. Pinkie’s party was in full swing, and she invited everyone. All of their classmates, friends, teachers, even their parents. Meanwhile, the Rainbooms and Team Build were backstage. The girls were about to go on stage for their performance, but they were waiting for one final group.

“Where are they? They said they would be here.” Rainbow wondered.

“Ah’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

“We’re here!” heart called out as the three finally joined them. “Sorry we’re late, we had to make last minute preparations.”

“So that’s the device I take it?” Sunset asked about the device in Jet’s hand/

“Yep.” Jet held up the circular device with a closed panel. It was a creation devised by Twilight, Micro, and Heart. It was made to function like the Enigma to help them return home. It took a few days, but it was finally completed. “Don’t worry. We’ll be sure to destroy it when we’re done. That way, this technology won’t fall in the wrong hands.”

“Do you all have to go right now? Don’t you want to stay for the party?” The party planner asked/begged.

“Well, our World is pretty far away. If we don’t leave now, then we might not be able to make it home.” Heart explained.

Pinkie’s lip quivered as her puppy dog eyes trembled.

“Well, we might have time for just one song.” Jet answered. His answer immediately made Pinkie brighten up, as well as the other girls.

“Well, if this is goodbye, we’ll give you three one heck of a send-off!” Rainbow fist-pumped as she and the others made their way on stage.

“Hello, everyone!” Twilight greeted. The audience cheered wildly.

"We'd like to dedicate this song to the Masked Riders!” Sunset announced. "And not just the ones that have been protecting us from Faust, but every rider in every world. Those that risk their lives to keep ours safe." The crowd cheered at this, many not getting what she meant but still cheering. “So here’s Be The One! Hit it!”

The song started off with a techno piano intro courtesy of Rarity. Sunset then started off with the lyrics and everyone enjoyed the tone.

While the celebrations commenced, a single figure stood alone on the other side of town. Gizmo Poindexter strolled through the wreckage without a worker in sight. “Hm...now where could they be?” He tossed away another piece of scrap before sifting through another pile. Soon enough, he uncovered what he was looking for. “Ah! There you are!”

He pulled out an ash-encrusted Nebulasteam Gun with what seemed to be some dried blood on the grip. Below that were the Engine and Remocon Gear Fullbottles, fortunately still intact. “Well what a great stroke of luck, only minimal damage. These will surely come in handy.” He then pulled out the Crocodile and Chainsaw Fullbottles he found a few meters away. “And so will these.”

With the final line, the song had ended. The crowd cheered from the beautiful performance from the Rainbooms.

Soon, the girls and guys were out the back of the building with the three Riders.

“Well, I guess this is it…” Heart smiled sadly.

“I wish you guys could come and visit.” Pinkie sobbed.

“Sorry. But we can’t risk any more damage to the dimensional boundaries. Besides. We’re not truly gone. As long as you remember us, we’ll be in your hearts.” Jet replied.

“Jeez, that sounded kinda corny.” Rainbow said, ignoring the mist in her eyes.

“Yeah. That’s this guy’s trait.” Code ruffled Jet’s hair before turning to Sol. “By the way. Don’t forget what I told you. When the time comes to face Blood Stalk, don’t let yourself be overwhelmed and blinded.”

“I won’t.” Sol nodded, doing his best to keep his voice even.

“Stay strong you two. You are this world’s Kamen Riders. You are its protectors.”

“About that, why do you keep saying Kamen? Isn’t it Masked Rider?” Rarity asked.

“Well, Kamen does mean Masked in Neighponese. Besides, Kamen rolls off the tongue better, don’t you think?” Jet replied with a smirk.

“...Yeah, it kinda does.” Flash nodded, liking the way Kamen Rider sounded.

“This is it then.” Jet said with a warm smile. “Goodbye everyone. Stay crash, you here?” With one final exchange of goodbyes, Heart pressed the button on the device. The panel opened up as a miniature eye was shown and glowed brightly. A portal manifested behind the trio before they walked through. After Jet gave them one final thumbs-up, the portal closed, and the dimensions were separated once more.

Later…

Within a hidden Changemaker facility, the CEO, Chrysalis stood on a raised platform, watching the ongoing test below. On the ground floor, there were four figures concealed in shadow. They brutally ripped apart her company’s upgraded Guardians. The remains of their previous victims were scattered around them.

“Yo, Chryssy.” Gizmo waved as he strolled toward her. “What’s up?”

“Have you found anything from the wreckage?” She asked, ignoring the insufferable nickname.

The bespectacled man sighed sadly and shook his head. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything of value. All the equipment must’ve been destroyed in the explosion.”

“I see.” She frowned. “A pity. We definitely could have used those weapons those men used. Oh well.”

“By that show of nonchalance, I assume that the subjects are performing splendidly?”

“Quite so.” Chrysalis grinned. “I’d say they’re just about ready.”

Down below, one of the concealed figures ripped a Guardian in half before he slammed it onto the ground and broke it to pieces. He stood back up, his red, compound eyes glowed in the darkness.

The End….for the Movie.

As for the story...

To be Continued...

Author's Note

WOOOOOOOOOOO!

It's been a long ride, but the first movie arc has finally concluded! Thank you all who stuck around, supported us, and enjoyed this.

But don't fret, now that Riders of Two Worlds has concluded, it's time to return to the main story! And please check out the links in the story for musical pleasure. The first link is Heisei Generations Final You Say Run Version. The second is Be The One English Version by Beverly.