Rumors, as they were oft to do, were quick to head up the grapevine and soon word of this ‘Kamen Rider’ was fairly well known. Nobody spoke of him in public, fearing ridicule. The idea itself was admittedly laughable. After all, someone who changed with watches into various suits of powered armor and was seemingly named the Guardian of Harmony? It was indeed a good solid joke if anything else. While Equestria had indeed seen some rather weird things in its long life, the idea of somepony aside from the Princesses embodying harmony itself was beyond comprehension. Six ponies, or six creatures maybe, but a singular pony? And then there was the idea of a warrior wielding harmony. Warriors were creatures of chaos and conflict by their very nature. Someone fighting for harmony and justice was just hardly a concept, let alone an idea.

Still, rumors would continue to spread all across Equestria of a new champion taking up the cause of love and justice. Yes, there was some who didn’t believe this pony or whatever he was truly had Equestria’s best interests in mind and that power in the hands of a singular being was dangerous. Fantastic power corrupted, fantastically. But there were the idealists. Those who believed that there was a champion coming to save them from monsters that anypony barely knew a thing about.

“...An interesting thing, isn’t it?” Skywind commented over lunch one day in Canterlot. “...Funny thing actually. Nobody should know about your existence, and yet already they’re starting to talk...” she murmured suspiciously looking out into the crowd. Whispers could be heard, of this Kamen Rider. It honestly befuddled Skywind at first, how they knew of the warrior. But then she realized. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who leaked the news she mused turning back to her date of sorts.

“...Ah well, you know how gossipy ponies are. Honestly, I have a feeling Trixie just leaked the news for the hell of it. She does adore me after all…” Neutron commented leaning back in his chair and placing his hooves up on the table. A few ponies shot him some glares for his behavior. Hardly befitting of a Prince, really this sort of behavior.

“...Right, Trixie leaked the news.” Skywind muttered looking directly at him. “Oh, don’t bullshit me. You know perfectly well who did it. It was you and you alone,” she stated poking him in the chest with a claw.

“Well, it was going to break sooner or later, you know that,” Neutron remarked. “Figured I should beat everyone to it, and just I don’t know… leak the information that someone out there is taking care of monsters.”

Sky sighed to herself. Fair enough, she supposed.

“...That’s the thing though, they’re not monsters. Just ponies or other creatures who’ve been turned into those… things by that boy and his odd watches,” Sky replied tossing the Rogue watch up in the air and then catching it. “How he’s choosing these unfortunates and why is another matter. We need to figure that out.”

“Quite, and then we deal with the kid. If he’s even a kid at all.” Neutron mused to himself rubbing a hand on his chin in thought. Sky choked on her drink.

“...Deal with. I hope you don’t mean…” Sky swallowed to herself.

“Quite. Now, I’m going to postulate you a hypothetical question. Although this would probably never happen in any school especially here in Equestria conserved as we are, let's say that students were asked to discuss whether bad people deserve to die. Well, I can answer that with utmost certainty. you can bet that everyone will give the politically correct or shall we say the harmonious answer. Namely, that it would be wrong. But here’s the thing,” Neutron stated. “What happens when someone commits so many atrocities, such as say… turning ponies and other creatures against their will into monsters time and time again. What then? What would you answer?”

“...I… I don’t know honestly,” Sky replied. “It’s a hard question really. Yes, that kid’s causing a lot of hell for a lot of creatures but he’s still just a kid.”

“Is he? How do we know that’s just not a form he chooses to hide in and go unnoticed?” Neutron asked in reply and Sky fell silent at that. “Exactly, we don’t. There’s a lot of unknowns. Normal ponies don’t exactly stop time you know. I’ve never heard of a creature, not even Discord, who could do that. How do we know this Heure kid is actually a pony at all? He could be some eldritch horror for all we know.”

“Still doesn’t make me feel comfortable, going after a kid…” Sky muttered. “Powerful or not, it just doesn’t feel right.”

“Believe me, makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it as well Sky, but as a Prince, you’re forced to make choices you don’t have to like…” Neutron muttered before he heard Sky’s chair grind up against the cobblestone pavement and looked up to see the hen looking directly at him. Neutron swallowed nervously, there was a sort of fire in her eyes that he didn’t know she could quite possess.

Actually, now that he thought about it he did know she possessed that sort of fire inside her. It was whenever Twilight was brought up. She honestly hated his mother, and truth be told Neutron couldn’t entirely blame her. Yes, some of her actions were influenced by that thing living in her brain but he didn’t know how many. For all he knew, they could have already been there lurking in the back of his mum’s mind and Nightmare just brought them to the forefront. That, after all, was just how ponies were. Some may never wanted to admit it in fear of shame but they possessed the same base instincts as every other creature and there was always that possibility of fantastic power corrupting, fantastically. And even his mother possessed that particular possibility. Especially his mother, who unlike the Sisters hadn’t had centuries to resist temptation.

“You know who you sound like right?” Sky whispered her voice almost coming out as a hiss. “Exactly. Like. your. Mother.” she stated poking him in the chest several more times.

“How dare…” Neutron snarled still sore over recent revelations regarding his mother. “You don’t even have the right to-”

And Sky, of course, was having none of her friend’s nonsense or bitching.

“No, as your friend I have every right to call you out on your stupidity or bullshit whenever I see fit!” she snapped. “And that especially includes now of all times, you moron!”

Truth be told, if this wasn’t Canterlot she would probably use several much stronger terms to describe the stallion in front of her.

“You are your mother’s son, like it or not. And that means you have to accept that!” Sky snarled eyes narrowed slapping him over the head. A few ponies gasped at bodily harm being dealt to their prince but Sky didn’t particularly care. Right now, she was on a roll. And her friend needed to hear this. He needed this dose of reality, and yes it might cost her a friend or two but she wouldn’t cry about it in the end. If it meant helping Neutron, then it was completely worth it. “You may want to deny it, but you did get your mother’s personality traits and that includes her failings!”

For his part, Neutron was rendered speechless. Good, Sky thought.

“Make no mistake, I’m not someone you can just push your ideology and theories on and not expect me just nodding my head and going along with that sort of crap,” she stated with a small roll of her eyes. “Oh Tirek, no. Now you’re going to listen to me, and listen well and listen hard. Got it?”

Neutron had slid back into his seat whimpering in fear slightly. In hindsight, he supposed this was the moment Sky was definitely being possibly considered for being more than just a ‘friend’. He liked this side of her, and truth be told he actually enjoyed it when someone didn’t just bow down and kowtow to him. He hated being treated like somepony special. Yes, he was somepony special but that was beside the point. He wanted someone to keep him in line. Everypony had someone holding them down. Even his mother, even if she consistently disobeyed certain ponies more often than she should.

“Look, I’m not going to be your echo chamber Mister Stuck Up Unicorn Prince. No, not in the slightest!” Sky continued. “You want to keep me as a friend, you treat me like one. Not just your little bitch you can come to complain about your problems.”

Sky had known Neutron long enough to know that quite a few ponies just listened to him like he was this next big thing, her included at times as much as it shamed her to admit it. That needed to stop here and now. Fizzlepop and Sunset had specifically asked her, as soon as they knew she was becoming friends with Neutron to not let him walk all over her. Harem girls they might have been, but they certainly hadn’t lost any of their dignity. No, if anything she probably would have called them a lot stronger than Twilight.

Sky’s breath caught in her throat in horror as she realized where her thoughts were heading. “Did I just… No, I couldn’t have... “

But she knew it. She was blaming the victim, in this case, Twilight, for something beyond their control. And it made her furious to think about it. What next, would she blame Princess Luna for being too weak to fight off the Nightmare?

Both were victims, of their own insecurities and here she was lecturing Neutron on his own insecurities while tossing shit at Luna and Twilight for their own issues.

“By Boreas… what’s wrong with me?” Sky thought before shaking her head to clear these thoughts as her voice softened. “...Look, I realize you’re angry at your mother, but that’s no reason to take it out on those around you. ...Honestly, your mother is as much of a mortal as anyone else. Ponies, they have their own thoughts and fears and don’t you think otherwise. They worry if they’ll make it through the day, and worry if they’ll provide for their families. Your mother, she’s just like all of us…” she whispered. “Her own worries got the better of her and her own anger. Just like us. Everyone in the world, they’ve all got their own worries. Look at this city around us,” she continued. “Massive, giant city. The ponies here… All of them. They’re all scared of something, some kind of worry. Bearing some kind of fear. Your mother is no different.”

Right now, she honestly didn’t care what the ponies nearby were thinking or saying, calling Princess Twilight and her son imperfect. To her, Twilight was just another pony. She wasn’t her ruler. Yes, she lived in Equestria, but her ruler was still Queen Gilda. That was the end of it. She was a griffon, and her heart would always be partially in Griffonstone no matter what.

“I… I see. And I understand…” Neutron whispered finally regaining the power of speech. “Thank you…” he whispered feeling rather ashamed with himself.

“Don’t thank me. I was just giving you a long awaited wake up call, that’s all. You should really thank Sunset and Fizzle They asked me to stick to you like glue, and give you a boot up the ass if needed. And trust me, you sorely needed it right just then.”

“...You’re quite right,” Neutron admitted. “...Killing as a first solution? It makes me no better than the monsters I’m fighting now…” he whispered as he balled up one of his hands into a fist. “There has to be another way. There’s always another way. Shameful as I am to admit it, I would make a good Nightmare host as I am now. Time to change that.”

Sky smiled, even as the two walked towards the Canterlot Library. Thinking back, she remembered when she first met the young Prince.

It was frankly rather embarrassing for her, really. She’d actually just bumped into him walking home from classes at the local high school. Like, literally bumped into him sending him toppling to the ground and some of his books flying up into the air. One beaned him on the head.

It was sorta her fault really, she admitted. She wasn’t exactly paying attention and she had been more absorbed in her music than anything else.

A few gasps echoed, and a few breaths were sucked in. Whispers came from all around her.

“...Oh, now she’s done it.”

“Yep, right to the dungeons with her…”

“And she was so young too…”

“...Should we send flowers?”

Sky immediately upon realizing what had happened did the first… well, I wouldn’t call it the first natural thing but possibly the most sensible. At least to her. She set about apologizing in the most ludicrous and suck-up way possible by kissing his hooves and the like. Neutron, for his part, looked a mix of being flattered and just outright embarrassed.

Nearby, a pure black unicorn -Great Game as Sky would later learn- was struggling not to burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Whether it be his friend’s plight or Sky’s over the top reaction.

Then again, at least for Sky, it was a perfectly normal and reasonable reaction. She’d heard the rumors about what had happened to those who had wronged the Prince. Usually, they ended up sent to the Castle dungeons or banished. Usually via the powers of his mother, the so-called Princess of Friendship.

Sky huffed. Such an ironic title really, given in the past ten years or so quite a few nations including her own wanted nothing to do with Equestria. Fine job Twilight was doing.

Yes, she’d heard the stories of how 20 some odd years ago, Twilight had set up this School of Friendship and in some ways, it was still succeeding. Whenever nations wanted to send their kids to the place that was. The griffons and the dragons along with the Changeling empire still sent their kids there, but places like the Zebra Nations and Saddle Arabia wanted nothing to do with the place.

Hell, she’d heard that even the Changeling Empire was considering withdrawing their alliance with the Equestrian nation, and had been for the past few years ever since Twilight had taken Chrysalis into her fold. Not that she could blame them, given what Chrysalis was actually like. She was half -or maybe it was more than half?- certain Chrysalis was into every violent crime. Like all of them.

Yes, she knew the stories. 20 years ago, after the Father of all Monsters, Grogar himself had been defeated for lack of a better term, Twilight had found Chrysalis huddled away in the mountains half-crazed and practically dead for being deprived of love for so long. Now, Sky could only guess what went through Twilight’s mind back then, she supposed the alicorn only felt pity for her former arch nemesis. She could also guess that because of who Chrysalis exactly was and how she had stagnated the Changeling Empire’s growth for a good hundred years at least that King Thorax would be none too keen on helping her.

So what Twilight did had astounded everyone. Yes, this was her worst enemy and she had every right to leave her to die but she didn’t. No, she took her in and after years of therapy -at least that’s how the story went whenever Twilight was asked- had fully re-integrated Chrysalis into society. Now, Sky wasn’t sure how the two had fallen for each other. She suspected Stockhoof Syndrome was involved though.

In any case, by this point Sky had actually stopped kissing Neutron’s hooves after a good solid minute or two -Neutron still looking a mix of flattered and outright weirded out- and actually started helping him pick up his school textbooks off the ground.

“Again, sorry, so sorry!” Sky whispered nervously. “I didn’t look where I was going and look what happened. Oh, Boreas… I’m such a clutz! Been… been this way since I was born sadly. Clutz of Griffonstone, that’s me!” she rambled. “...Do you need an ice pack or something, cause I can totally get you one! Just a quick dash down the nurse’s office or something. ...Oh, and now I’m rambling like a fool in front of a Prince. Just kill me now…”

“No, no,” Neutron freely admitted looking rather unsure how to placate the nervous griffon hen for his part. “...I might have had something to do with that as well. Wasn’t exactly looking where I was going either. I blame the books, yep totally blame the books. So you needn’t blame yourself. At least not entirely…”

Sky gave him a flat look and muttered: “Real helpful there…”

Mistake number 1 for Neutron.

“Way to stick your hoof in it Neutron…” the Prince muttered to himself. “Well, guess mother was right. They would be falling all over me as I got older!” he commented looking rather proud of himself. That would have been mistake number 2 for him.

Sky didn’t look particularly amused and now she just grabbed a textbook and beat him over the head with it.

“...OW! What’d I say?” Neutron asked now really confused and rubbing his head.

Sky harrumphed, crossed her arms and muttered: “Never been so insulted in all my life… Being treated like one of your mother’s harem girls…”

She honestly didn’t care that she was probably digging her hole deeper. She was being treated like some girl who’d throw themselves at the Prince just because she bumped into him. She would not let her wounded pride and dignity go unavenged. Some Prince Charming, she thought to herself. He could definitely use a few lessons in manners. One would think growing up around quite a few mares would beat that particular aspect of life into him.

“Sorry…” Neutron muttered although Sky figured he was probably only apologizing just to save face or something like that. “Must have been some really good music if you lost any sort of situational awareness as you did just then…”

“It… It wasn’t really…” Sky murmured. “Not really…”

“Oh?” Neutron asked raising an eyebrow. “It can’t be all that bad. Not if you were so absorbed into it and missed yours truly…”

“Alright… fine. It was… Yeah, no. I’m not saying.” Sky muttered.

“Oh, but I’m curious!” Neutron pleaded.

“Alright, fine!” Sky snapped. “It’s… Okay, it’s ‘A Hazy Shade of Winter’. There, you happy?” she replied in a small sheepish tone.

“...I couldn’t hear you,” Neutron replied. “What was that?”

“A-A H-Hazy Shade of Winter, alright? You happy?” Sky stammered out.

Neutron just burst out laughing and that was mistake number 3 for as Sky just huffed and stormed off grumbling to herself. Neutron didn’t quite catch it all, but some of it was about idiotic princes who needed a few lessons in social cues and manners.

“...Okay, now what did I do?” Neutron asked honest to Celestia confused with his actions and Sky’s reaction. Great Game was only happy to oblige.

“Never insult a girl and their choice of pop music,” the unicorn said with a sagely nod. “Trust me, I should know. You’re sticking your hoof in it again Neutron…”

“Gee, thanks for telling me, Captain Obvious. Writer’s Quill, I’m such a bloody putz…”

Great Game, as Neutron would later recall to Sky looked rather smug at the Prince admitting this.

Eventually, Neutron caught up with Sky and sat down next to her.

“Look, sorry about my… earlier comments,” Neutron sighed rubbing his temples. “It’s just… well, outside of my immediate family I’ve never actually talked to an honest to Celestia mare before. Usually, it’s a total sausage fest with me.”

“Not much of an excuse.” Sky huffed.

“...Okay, yeah. I’ll give you that one really,” Neutron admitted. “Guess there’s only one thing for it then. Grandmother said this! Soon as you’re a complete and total arsewipe to a mare, you must make it up to them!”

Sky to this day honestly suspected two things. One, half of his grandmother’s sayings were more than likely made up, and secondly, his accent probably was as well. She knew none of his parents possessed a Trottingham accent, and this was certainly not Trottingham. So more than likely he just took on the accent as a way to sound more refined and superior. Personally, Sky thought it made him look like a dork but she’d never tell him that. He was too cute to listen to at times, even when he was being a complete ass.

But right now, he wasn’t being an ass. No, he was just being… well, to be frank, he was being outright weird.

Now he was the one bowing at Sky’s feet and kissing them. “I swear, I’ll be your servant just to make up for me putzing about like some kind of numpty towards you!” he declared.

Sky’s jaw dropped before she seemed to consider it and then burst out laughing.

“...You’re such a dork, you know that right?” she asked before helping him off the ground. “Seriously, you are. Come on, I’ll help you get to the nurse’s office. We need to get that head of yours checked…” she stated kindly with more than a hint of shame.

“No, no. I’ll be fine, seriously. I will,” Neutron said though his winces and occasional groans of pain said otherwise. “Say, you’re new around here aren’t you?”

Sky gave him a flat look.

“...Right, stupid question. I heard we were getting a transfer student from Griffonstone. That you?”

“Yeah, that’s me. Name’s Sky. Sky Tailwind,” she said. “Your mother may have taught my uncle, Gallus?”

“Yeah! Yeah, she did! Professor Ocellus’s mate,” Neutron exclaimed as he snapped his fingers in recognition. “Yeah, sorry if I can’t remember your uncle for anything beyond that. We’ve never talked much. Him being in the Wonderbolts and all, well suffice it to say it doesn’t lend much time for a friendly chat.”

Sky just threw back her head and laughed. “And I suppose this is the part you show the new and oh so innocent student around the school, and somehow charm your way into a broom cupboard with them?” she teased. Neutron looked speechless for a moment, before finally answering.

“Writer’s Quill no!” Neutron said with a look of fear. “My mother would kill me if I got somepony knocked up outside of the mating season or before marriage! And besides, my head hurts way too much for me to even think about turning on the charm…”

“See, you knucklehead?” Sky asked. “Told you I should probably walk you to the nurse’s office. ...Oh Boreas, your mother’s going to kill me isn’t she?”

“No, more likely me for being such a numpty and disrespecting another creature as I did and getting beaten up for it. Suppose I had it coming really…”

“Suppose?” Sky asked as she raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, more than suppose…” Neutron admitted before he winced again. “Now can we see the nurse to do something about that icepack, please? Writer’s Quill!”

Sky smiled to herself. Yeah, Neutron was a bit of a dick and needed a few lessons in manners but he was at least trying so that was one point in his favor. And to be honest, she supposed she could learn to become friends with him. When he really tried, he was… well, as much as she hated to admit it, sorta cute. Not that she would ever consider dating the idiot by a long shot. He still had quite a bit of growing up to do in so many places before she would even begin to consider that. But for the time being, she’d be his friend and teacher of sorts when needed.

“...So, remind me,” Sky said back in the present time. “Canterlot Library. Why are we here again? Look, I love books as much as the next person, but there’s always a purpose with you.”

“Well, nothing wrong with being a stallion on a mission, right?” Neutron shrugged. “But yeah, decided to stop by and comb through the archives just to see if I could help mum somehow.”

“Well, now that we know she’s being controlled by you-know-who can’t you just get a certain group of someones to just friendship laser her?” Sky asked with a shrug of her shoulders. “Makes enough sense to me.”

“Yeah, I’d like to believe that’s the case, but since when are problems like this ever easy?” Neutron remarked. “Question, after being defeated twice by the same method, you’d get smart would you not? You’d start to build up an immunity am I not correct?”

“...Good point,” Sky admitted with a small shudder. “And when you add in the fact that Twilight was a former Element Bearer herself…”

“So was Luna, and yet she still got Nightmare lasered out of her,” Neutron pointed out. “Grandmother said this. ‘If a problem’s solution doesn’t present itself at once, look for workarounds.’ She was an author, so she’d know things like that.”

“Yes, but Twilight is the Element of Magic or former Element. And so I would thereby theorize that we have a massive problem on our hands. She is or was the Element of Magic, and as such her existence is so intertwined with the Elements that she still commands them to some extent.”

“We?” Neutron said turning to look back at her even as he took this information in. “Who said anything about a... uh, we?”

“You know, for the Prince of Friendship, you’re hardly very receptive to your friends at times, you know that right?” Sky deadpanned. “Seriously, trust your friends. You dragged me into this. The Cutie Map summoned me as well as you to help fix the problems so we’re in this together. To the end if need be.”

Neutron ignored her and kept on searching through the archives muttering how the library had always been good to him, so it must offer up a solution. “Okay… so if the Tree's still taking mother’s shape, then she still must be connected in some fashion. Gah, there’s got to be something I’m missing here!” Neutron exclaimed, the prince’s head slamming up against the desk making some ponies glare at him and hush him for interrupting their own readings.

Sky meanwhile simply just groaned to herself. Sometimes she didn’t even know why she bothered. Neutron could be so bullheaded at times he just simply didn’t listen to common sense and advice when it was offered. Suppose that was the Trixie in him. Or maybe it was the Fizzlepop. She honestly couldn’t tell who was the second mother really, and Neutron himself probably didn’t know.

“...Er, listen, I know this is probably an awkward question to ask but uh… your father. What was he like?”

Neutron sighed. “I barely remember him. Just a few faint memories, but they’re nice enough ones. Warm ones, really. Always had a smile about him. He loves to travel, and there’s nothing wrong with that I suppose. He’s there when I need him, and that’s enough for me. Hell, he’s with me even now, in my heart,” he smiled warmly fingering something in his pocket. “Always had this gesture. Simple thumbs up. Nothing more, nothing less. Probably the reason I haven’t turned out worse.”

Then, time stopped.

“Awww… so nice to hear the Demon King has such a sweet daddy,” Heure commented as he skipped towards the two. Ora was by his side. “He’d be so disappointed in his son if he knew what he was going to become…”

“...Hello, brat. And hello brat’s mother. What, you two come to just bug me, or do you have something else in mind?” Neutron asked. “What, another Another Rider you want to test my meddle with? Because right now, frankly rather pissed off and frustrated so I wouldn’t recommend it. You want to go?” he asked holding up his Driver.

“ZIKU DRIVER!”

“Then, let’s go,” he stated eyes narrowed.

“My my, so bloodthirsty,” Ora commented. “Afraid I have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is, yes you will get a chance to battle. The bad news is, it’s just not with us!” she continued teleporting the foursome away to a garden outside the Castle where a man dressed as an astronaut stood, although his suit seemed to be rather… organic in some aspects reading Fourze on the chest.

“Dare… dare I ask why you transported Sky here as well?” Neutron asked as he blocked punches and kicks from the Another Rider before leaping backwards as a frail of energy swung around nearly clocking him in the face.

“GUARDIAN!” the ridewatch proclaimed as it was slotted into the driver.

“Why, the Demon King would be nothing without his herald of course!” Ora laughed from her place atop a nearby fountain. “The way I see it, this can kill off two birds with one stone!”

Neutron’s eyes narrowed even as he let a kick connect and spin the driver around. “Congratulations, you’ve just signed your own death warrant. HENSHIN!”

“RIDER TIME! KAMEN RIDER: GUARDIAN!” the Driver proclaimed even as Neutron whirled around to roundhouse kick Another Fourze in the face.

“Sky, get out of here!” Neutron shouted as he brought out another Ridewatch and activated it. He knew he needed his father’s gift here and now. The power to fight to protect everyone’s smiles. He would not see Sky losing her smile, not today. Not ever. She was his rock. And even if the world went to shit around him, he would make sure she kept on smiling.

“ARMOR TIME! KUUGA!” the belt shouted even as Sky wasted no time in flying for the exit before Heure’s horn glowed and the various bushes and hedges moved to block her way.

“Sorry,” Heure smiled. “But you’re not going anywhere. The power to protect everyone’s smiles, is it? Well, I’d like to watch and see what happens when Guardian fails to protect you.”

A hoard of magical missiles fired at Guardian, who dove out of the way before grabbing a nearby pillar and ripped it out of the ground. Swinging it, he sent Another Fourze flying with a powerful swing and then leaped skywards.

“Mighty Time Break!” his driver shouted even as Guardian’s hoof crackled with yellow electricity and he slammed it into Another Fourze, a familiar mare falling limp from the destroyed armor. A ridewatch was sent flying out of sight even as Neutron caught Sunset in his arms. Landing on the ground with a distinct thud cracking the ground he glared at the two Time Jackers.

“I’d advise you to leave, now.” Neutron snarled.

Heure, for his part, looked rather nervous while Ora smirked.

“Trust me, we are. We have what we need to defeat you, anyways…” she said with a dark chuckle before she and Heure vanished.

“Sun… Sunset?” Neutron whispered as he canceled out his transformation and rushed over to her. “Mum, please tell me you’re alright. Oh, Writer’s Quill…”

“I’m… I’m fine. Felt like I just got hit by a freight train though…” Sunset murmured as she rubbed her head in pain. Neutron looked rather ashamed of himself.

“...Yeah, that might have been me…” Neutron whispered. “I’m sorry. If I had known then…”

Sunset just pulled him into a hug running her fingers through his mane as he sobbed. “It’s okay. It’s okay dear.”

“Wait, can someone explain to me what the flying FUCK is going on around here?” Sky shouted. “How can… I mean… what the…?” the hen asked. “I nearly died because those two turned one of Twilight’s Harem mates into Another Fritz or whatever the flying feather it’s called? Just… WHAT!?!”

It was then she saw Neutron and looked ashamed of herself for her outburst and let out a whisper of: “Oh, Sweet King Boreas… How did this happen?”

And so Sunset explained.

Sunset for her part was combing through the Canterlot Libraries restricted section knowing that getting the Nightmare out of her wife’s body was not going to be an easy task to say the least. She smiled to herself, thinking back to her first visit here, and Twilight’s reaction to even learning such a thing even existed.

“There's a... a reh... a reh... a reh…”

“Breathe Twilight.” Sunset had told her future wife. She chuckled to herself. Ah, memories. Sunset frowned to herself. Now if only all her memories were so pleasant.

Still, she had to wonder, did she really just overthink things and go into a panic back then? Maybe her friends weren’t going to say anything against her sexuality. Guess she’d never know now, the mare mused to herself.

“Gods above, I’m such an idiot…” Sunset muttered before she looked through the scrolls before she smiled as she came across something relating to the Tree and chuckled. Starswirl, you came through again, the mare thought to herself with a smile. The Elements wouldn't work on Twilight as she could override them, so doing something to amplify the effects, like maybe running them through the Tree directly would overpower her. Now, Starswirl had never known Twilight would ever get possessed directly -how could he- but he theorized it was entirely possible dark forces could overtake an Element bearer or a Pillar after he returned from Limbo.

The question was, why was this in the restricted section? Sunset then smacked herself in the face. Of course, Twilight or rather her Nightmare half. She would have put this here just so nobody could ever figure out how to defeat her.

Sunset pocketed the scroll, before beginning to rush out of the room before time stopped all around her and a woman clad in a light greyish-blue outfit stepped in.

“How do you feel?” She asked, looking into Sunset’s eyes. “Are you regretful for what you’ve done?”

“What do you think?” Sunset whispered, looking away. “Get enough crap from the ponies even 20 years on, don’t need someone else -because trust me, I can tell you’re definitely not a pony- piling on the guilt.”

“Oh, I’m not here to pile on the guilt. Rather, I’m here to sympathise with you, Sunset Shimmer.” The lady walked up to Sunset, wrapped an arm around her neck, and petted her mane. “I too have been trying to atone, hunted down by people who’ve been chasing me endlessly for my evil actions. But no matter how much I try to make amends, nobody wants to give me the time of day. I’ve been exiled from everything, in a sense.” She sighed and reached into her pocket pulling out a black watch. “Now, all that I can really do is hand people these watches. Nothing really special, in a way.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “I know who you are. Twilight warned me about you. Informed me about Another Blade, and Another Rogue for that matter. She told me somebody was going handing out twisted watches right and left. Twilight nearly killed someone because of these watches, and not learning what they were in time. Yeah. So you can take your bull and shove it.”

“Oh? She told you? The very pony who has single-handedly executed subjects in front of other ponies’ eyes? The very pony whose son has denounced her as a parent? The very pony who chooses freely to commit atrocities underneath everyone else’s noses? How credible are her sources, miss Shimmer? How credible are the sources of a tyrant queen masquerading as a sheep?” Ora asked stroking her prey’s chin.

“A sheep, really funny. You ever seen Zootopia?” Sunset laughed bitterly. “But here’s something you may have missed on the memo. Twilight very well knows Nightmare’s influencing her actions and she’s horrified. Trust me, you think I don’t know my own wife?”

“I know everyone, Sunset Shimmer. I have seen everyone in a thousand lifetimes. None of their endings are happy. Even Twilight, who will fight over and over to subdue this Nightmare will succumb. She will lose her mind in due time. Regardless of what you think of me, her, or anyone else, she will not have a happy ending. And everyone knows this,” Ora turned away. “Still, I offer another way out. Another chance to change fate. To stop any kind of bad endings from happening to you or to anyone else who seeks repentance. But if you choose to deny me, then I guess it can’t be helped. Everything does end, after all.”

“If you’re talking about accepting one of those watches, then go take a hike,” Sunset stated before throwing a punch at Ora, who simply caught it and twisted Sunset’s wrist making her scream in pain. “Go take a damn hike…”

“Do you forget, Sunset Shimmer? I control time. I can stop you dead in your tracks here, or I can go back into the past when you were younger and give you a watch then, or kill you or do whatever I choose” Ora looked deep into Sunset’s fiery eyes. “You cannot kill anyone who commands time. My offer still stands. Either fight me and fail or accept the watch and make everyone happy. Or, crazy thought. Here's a third option, we can choose to forget each other, and none of this ever has to be remembered. But, I’m sure that someone else will look to change fate for the better…”

“No, what you’re asking…” Sunset whispered shaking her head. “I can’t let anyone take up that offer. And I know I can be defeated even after you turn me into an Another Rider. I have faith in Neutron. And I know my wife can be defeated and saved.”

With that, she took the watch. “Understand I’m only doing this so nobody else will have to suffer. Nobody else.”

Ora smiled, just as she’d planned.

“Fourze!”

Back in the present, Sky and Neutron stood trembling as Sunset explained her story. Suddenly, a fist flew out and cracked a nearby statue, before Neutron with a growl turned and teleported off.

“I’ll… I’ll go after him…” Sky whispered before the griffon took to the skies and flew over Canterlot eventually finding her friend sitting atop a rooftop of some manor home. Sky smiled sadly to herself, she knew that her friend whenever he wanted to be alone just found the closest spot to the stars and just looked up at them.

Landing next to him, draping her wings to her sides, Sky sat down next to her friend.

“You know why she did it, didn’t you?” the griffon asked.

“N-no. I still don’t know why she did it.” Neutron meekly glanced over towards Sky, still filled with many thoughts about the execution. “Who cares whether or not he was one of the Sun Cult, or a drug trafficker or whatever? He was my FRIEND, GODDAMMIT!”

“I… I wasn’t talking about Nightingale, although rest assured we will help you take down Nightmare and avenge him. All of us,” Sky replied resting a hand on his shoulder. “As I said, I’m with you to the end of the line.”

“...Just, why though? Why are you so intent on helping me,” Neutron asked. “I was an absolute ponce to you, a complete numpty when we first met, and yet you still decided to stick by me.”

“Because… well, there’s just something about you, Neutron. You’re not like the other ponies of this world cheesy as that sounds.” Sky scooted over to his side, held his hand with her own and looked him in the eyes. “Usually, ponies would take one look at me and think I was bad news, given I come from a rather… bad part of the world. Even with the School of Friendship, and Queen Gilda, and Uncle Gallus perceptions are slow to change. You… you just didn’t give a damn about any of that.”

“Hey, might be a dick, but I’m not prejudiced. ...Probably one of the few good things about me really…” Neutron muttered. “But why… why did Sunset choose to let Ora turn her into Another Fourze?”

“Hard to tell, really. Sunset’s always been a headstrong pony, always thinking for herself and benefiting others whenever she can. It’s not like her to cave into the Time Jackers like that…” Sky’s eyelids fluttered. “But I think I have a working theory. I think… I think she knew you could defeat her. I think she knew that if somebody else was turned into Another Fourze they’d be even more devastating. They wouldn’t hold themselves back against someone they consider their son.”

“You really think that’s the case?” Neutron asked taking out his Guardian Ridewatch and looking at it. “You really think she knows who I am? Or she just choose to fight me because I’m like a son to her, and she just knew she could hold herself back.”

“Hard to say. In your family… gossip travels fast. Especially with Trixie around. Boreas knows that pony loves to talk up a storm,” Sky muttered and Neutron chuckled at that.

“Yeah, that she does. But… But I’m not sure I can fight her again. I mean, she practically raised me since I was a babe, so… I just don’t think I can fight one of my own mums.”

“Then what are you going to do? Just sit there while she just continues to cause sadness and intimidation? You didn’t destroy her watch. Another Fourze will be back, and who knows what she’ll do then. The Neutron that I knew wouldn’t just give up like that because of someone else causing Equestria all sorts of grief. So why are you not the Neutron that I once knew, huh? What happened to your sense of heroism?” She unfurled her wings again. “Or is that also aligned with Tyrant Queen Twilight?”

That did it. Neutron looked stunned silent before he looked furious. “You dare… How many times…” he whispered trying to collect himself. “How many times have I told you not to compare me with the Nightmare? I’m not that creature which took over my mother!”

A solid right hook connected with Neutron’s jaw, knocking out a couple of teeth in the process. “So prove it.”

“You hit me,” Neutron whispered wiping away some of the blood. “Not even my own mother punished me like that…”

“Well, I’m not your mummy am I?” Sky asked having enough of this nonsense. “Now get your lazy arse off of the ground, go up to Another Fourze, and deal with her. You’re the Guardian of Harmony now are you not? So, get to protecting it and save Sunset.”

“You’re quite right,” Neutron stated picking himself up off the ground. “I’ve got a job to do. This time, I’m going to rip that watch out of Sunset, and purify it. I never go back on my friends or my family. That’s just who I am. I just needed to be reminded of that. First I’ll save Sunset, then I’ll go save mom. I’ll tell the Nightmare to piss off, and then as soon as I… No, we figure out a way we’ll stop her as well.”

Sky smiled. That was the Neutron she knew.

Suddenly, an explosion erupted from the other side of the city.

“Speaking of which…” Sky muttered extending her wings.

“So, Ora wants to dance then? Let’s dance.”

Neutron found Sunset/Another Fourze destroying Restaurant Row with her ‘borrowed’ powers. For just a brief moment, the unicorn allowed himself to sigh in relief. Least it seemed when she transformed into Another Fourze, Sunset lost her own magical abilities. So that was a relief. Goddess knew he didn’t want to fight Sunset’s full power on top of her Another Rider abilities.

“Don’t worry Sunset, I’m coming to save you. We’re coming to save you,” Neutron through as he calmly strode through the chaos, and even as Another Fourze used a crude copy of the Gatling Module to fire a stream of magical shots at him Neutron looked unfazed. He simply just deflected the shots with his own magic. Then, a version of the Magic Hand module was used and pulled him forwards only for Neutron to angle his legs in a kick and knock himself free of Another Fourze’s grasp.

“You hear me Ora?” Neutron asked. “This ends today. I’m taking that watch of yours. There will never be Another Fourze. Not ever. After I save Sunset, my mother, I’m coming after you. You and your brat son. Now… HENSHIN!” he stated after slotting in two Ridewatches and spinning the Ziku Driver.

“RIDER TIME! KAMEN RIDER: GUARDIAN! ARMOR TIME! CROCODILE! ROGUE!”

Armor pieces themed after crocodile jaws fitted themselves to Neutron’s shoulder pads along with black wrist and leg armor covered in white cracks. As Neutron began spinning around with powerful kicks, purple manifestations of crocodile jaws snapped and bit at Another Fourze’s legs.

“You can try… little boy,” Ora chuckled as she watched the two. Another Fourze launched herself at Neutron with a Rocket Module copy before Neutron grabbed her and tossed her into the street. “You can try.”

“Oh, I’ll do more than just try. I know this will work out. I never go back on my friends or my family. That’s just who I am. Grandmother said this! Never give up on your friends, and they’ll never give up on you!” Neutron said and he felt the distinct warmth of a Ridewatch appearing in his hands. He knew exactly which one it was. “And now, watch this transformation!”

“ARMOR TIME! 3, 2, 1! FOURZE!”

“UUUCHHHUUU-” Neutron began before he stopped himself. “Well, that’s as far as I’ll humor that notion.”

He looked over his new armor, which was seemingly covered in white rockets that each let out blasts of flame from their thrusters. Looked silly enough he supposed, but he could feel the power. “Huh, guess space really is awesome…” Neutron remarked.

“REJOICE! Behold the heir to the power of all Riders. The Lord of Riders, traveling beyond time and space to reign over… well, you idiots I suppose and return harmony to this land. And now his name is both Kamen Rider Guardian Rogue Armor and Kamen Rider Guardian Fourze Armor!” Sky proclaimed.

“Really, now of all times…?” Neutron thought. “And she left out Kuuga Armor! ...Actually, what’s with adding the Armor title to my name anyways? It sounds like nonsense!”

Delivering powerful punches to Another Fourze, he then rocketed skywards even as the gatling module copy was used again to try and take him down. The armor folding up around him like a rocket, Neutron sped forwards towards Another Fourze spinning like a drill.

“Limit Time Break!” the driver shouted before an explosion engulfed the street and the shattering of a ridewatch was heard.

“Tch!” Ora muttered before taking her leave. As the Another Fourze armor faded away, Sunset fell forwards into Neutron’s arms.

“See Sunset, told you I’d save you,” Neutron whispered. “You’re a right idiot, you know that? Taking that… taking that armor… Celestia only knows what could have happened…” he sniffled and Sunset just hugged him.

“It’s okay… shh… it’s okay…” she whispered as she let him cry. “I’m here now…”

Tomorrow, she mused. Tomorrow they’d work on defeating that monster that resided in her wife. Tonight… Tonight her son would rest. He’d had a long day, and he deserved that much at least.

Sky flapped down from a nearby balcony and looked at her friend in a concerned manner hearing him sob.

“Is he… is he going to be okay?” she asked and Sunset could only smile.

“Yeah, he’ll be okay. He’ll be okay,” Sunset replied. “I know him. When the dawn comes, he’ll be back to normal. And Sky?”

“Yes?” the griffon hen asked.

“Thank you. Thank you for being there for him.”

“So, that’s part of my story. It doesn’t end here of course. I’ve got a long way to go before you see me become that totally kickarse hero in the prologue. Mum’s still got Nightmare in her, although she’s well aware of it now. I thank Trixie for that. But things will get better, I know they will. Grandmother said this after all… The day is always darkest before the dawn. And now… a new legend begins. Now, I have to ask… Will you follow me?”

Author's Note

Okay, so yeah... Fourze. Probably the most MLP ready crossover for Kamen Rider that ever existed. Makes sense to use it in this story for an Another Rider and for Sunset in particular.

UUUUUUUUCHHHHHHAUUUUU KIIIIIIITTTTAAAA!!!!!!!

Sorry, that just slipped out. But yeah, considering unlike Zi-O proper I don't have a budget to worry about, some Ridewatches will be used as more than just powerups for weapons and actually get proper armor.

Also, this chapter was to alleviate one of my major problems with the first chapter. Sky, who was sorta just... there. Now, she has an actual character besides being a friend to Neutron. She's his mortality chain, not just being the hype hen but also having traits of Tsukuyomi as well.

Anyways, huge thanks to Shadowmane for writing Ora in this chapter, and as ever, your comments, thoughts, and critique are welcomed.