Kamen Rider Lux: Sins of the Parent

by Rixizu

Rating: teen
Tags: Violence, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Drama, Trixie, Science Fiction, Gilda, Dinky Hooves, Adventure, Kamen Rider, Derpy Hooves, Crossover, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 81164

After the fall of the Great Leader of Shocker, Kamen Rider and newly positioned Princess Twilight Sparkle tries to rebuild Equestria after Shocker's cruel reign. But a new threat emerges to threaten everything she's worked towards.

Updated twice a week on Mondays and Saturdays.

Freedom! The Great Leader of Shocker has fallen, his evil organization crumbled to pieces. Twilight Sparkle has adopted the mantle of Princess to restore a free, democratic government to Equestria. But Shocker is eternal. Shocker never dies. In the shadows, its remnants have broken away to rejuvenate the former Shocker into a new sinister organization called Destron, led by the military genius and former Shocker General, Colonel Zol. New alliances are forged, and former enemies become allies as Equestria and the world fights for survival.

A Lunaverse story. A crossover with Kamen Rider. This is a sequel to Galaxy Rangers: The Movie - Shocker Crisis! You don't need to read any Lunaverse stories to understand this, but you need to read Shocker Crisis to understand the great context of the story.

Thank you Talon and Thorn and for prereading this story.

Published 2023-05-09 03:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-08-07 05:44:33 UTC

Chapter 2

“Wow, they’ve really spruced up the place!” Gilda’s charge, Princess Gabby said, peering over the rim of a nearby decorative vase. “Shocker’s never been known for their decorative charms!”

Gilda only snorted, tapping an impatient metal claw against the richly carpeted floor. “I’d prefer the former, actually. Ponies and their pastel fashions hurt my eyes.” The sickening colorful land of Equestria was a far cry from the Griffon lands. Her people were of the clouds, fierce hunters and warriors. They were as rock-hard and unmovable as the cliffs they lived among. Ponies liked pretty parties and rainbows.

Still, Gilda could respect Equestria’s newest ruler, Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was a valiant warrior and a hero. Rumor told that she’d killed the Great Leader of Shocker by herself. The griffon lands wouldn’t have regained their freedom without her courage.

While the griffons had secretly siphoned away weapons and technology from their Shocker overlords, fighting against the organization was another matter. Despite the deaths of its greatest leaders striking it a crippling blow, the organization refused to die. And, like any hunter, the griffons were eager to deliver the killing blow!

Which brought them to this upcoming meeting. Last night, the griffon embassy had learned that Colonel Zol had seized power in Pferdreich, declaring himself king. The General had become a beacon for his ilk. Shocker remnants were already regrouping within the country’s borders. Shocker might be dead, but Gilda feared an even worse enemy might have replaced it.

Hey, what are you worried about? We have Kamen Rider Lux on our side. Zol wouldn’t stand a chance. It made Gilda even more interested in meeting this pony warrior. They’d need to have a sparring match after the diplomatic crap had ended, eager to test the pony princess’s metal.

“Princess Sparkle will see you now!” A pink pony with a wild poofy mane said. “Right this way.” Instead of walking like any normal person, she bounced down the halls, leading them toward a far door.

“Ponies.” Gilda sighed and rolled her eyes, but followed as instructed.

The pink pony opened the door, revealing an office. Official documents covered a deck, the papers rising almost to the ceiling. Despite the mess, everything seemed well organized, each sorted alphabetically. A purple pony pushed herself from her seat, extending a hoof to greet them.

“Oh my gosh, you must be Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Gabby said, shaking the pony’s hoof with vigor and a wide smile. She threw herself into a tight embrace with the pony princess. “It’s such an honor to meet you!”

“Just Twilight, please. We’re still getting our new governmental system in order. Princess is mostly just an honorary title until we elect a proper ruler. I doubt I’ll keep it for long.” With some effort, Twilight disentangled herself from the Princess’s hug. “Sorry we couldn’t meet in the diplomatic rooms, Princess Gabby, but they’re under repair after a Shocker agent terrorist attack.”

“I don’t mind. Still, Twi slew the Great Leader!” Princess Gabby continued, breaking protocol with such a familial nickname. “I can hardly believe it!”

“I had help.” The pony gave a self-deprecating laugh.

I can’t believe it. This twerp beat the Great Leader? You could just smell the nerd wafting from her. This pony seemed fitter to paint figurines for some lame nerdy war game than fight in an actual war.

By the gods, we’re all doomed! If this is Equestria’s best, we’re royally screwed.

“Oh right, this is my bodyguard, Captain Gilda.” Princess Gabby said, after almost forgetting herself in her enthusiasm. “She’s our royal captain and best expert in the art of war.”

“Glad to meet you, Captain.” Twilight winced as Gilda’s steel talons clamped around her hoof.

“Same.” With impressive courage, the pony remained firm. Surprising, considering the force of her mechanical grip. Maybe the pony would prove more interesting than Gilda had expected.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the news about Pferdreich, Princess?” Twilight asked, shaking her hoof in relief as Gilda released her grip.

“It’s terrible business, Twi!” Princess Gabby shook her head in dismay, saddened they needed to disperse the pleasantries. “My father, Emperor Gruber Var Kraus, has ordered us to help Equestria however we can in order to combat this threat. He won’t tolerate another tyrant in Pferdreich.”

The griffon lands were a collection of nations with a proud history of unity under a single royal banner. The empire strived for stability, especially in such chaotic times. A power-hungry leader on their borders would disrupt that desired peace. What happened to Pferdreich after Zol lost power was uncertain, but one problem at a time.

Twilight sighed in relief. “I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength about this issue.”

“We don’t care how it’s done. But we’re tearing that ugly flank of his off the throne.” Gilda scratched at the carpet with her metallic talons, ripping holes into it. Rage bubbled to the surface, which she didn’t fight against. Hatred of Shocker had kept her alive these many years, and her greatest wish was almost within her grasp.

Twilight glanced down towards her shredded carpet and forced a nervous smile. “Glad to hear it, Captain. We’ll be happy to work together with you.”

Gilda returned the smile, her pony host finding no comfort within it. “I’m ready to discuss battle strategies whenever you are, Princess.”

“Sweet! Let’s kick their butts!” Gabby jumped from talon to talon, not noticing the sudden tension in the room. “Can we get some cupcakes? I’ve always wanted to try one!”

“Sure thing!”

Gilda jerked back in surprise, almost leaping from her feathers. Where had that pink pony come from? She was a deadly warrior, with decades of experience. Yet, somehow, the pony had snuck up upon her. “We aren’t here for pleasantries.”

“Nonsense! It’s always time for cupcakes!” Unlike her princess, the pink pony seemed immune to Gilda’s intimidating glares. From nowhere, she pulled out a tray of colorfully decorated cupcakes.

“These are great!” Gabby took one without hesitation, plopping it into her mouth. Her eyes widened, fluttering in the air in delight.

“Thanks, Pinkie.” Princess Sparkle said, taking one and nodding in thanks.

“You should take one too, Gild!” Her princess said, and the bodyguard suddenly found every eye in the room directed toward her. Sighing, Gilda surrendered to peer pressure, plunking a cupcake from the tray.

She gave the confectionery a tentative bite and flavor and sweetness assaulted her senses. It was good! But Gilda hated showing weakness and only gave a noncommittal shrug. “It’s fine.”

The conversion began in earnest as Princess Sparkle divulged some intelligence she’d gathered since Coronal Zol had taken power. They had less time than Gilda had hoped. The new king was already consolidating Pferdreich’s considerable military might. Turns out, they had stockpiled arms into the country for years. Pferdreich had been a backup seat of power if Shocker ever lost control of Equestria. Zol must have known about the Great Leader’s secret contingency plan.

While requiring months to train and organize his forces, Zol would quickly become a serious military threat to its neighboring countries. Worse, only Equestria and the Griffon Kingdoms stood any chance of standing against them. Internal struggles still occupied the other nations’ attention. With a slippery talon, Gilda stole another cupcake and popped it into her mouth.

“You say some top-secret plans have gone missing?” Gilda asked. “For what?”

“A sophisticated, bipedal tank with possible nuclear capabilities,” Twilight replied, her tone grim. “While the computer files were scrubbed, we’ve found bits and pieces of its blueprints. My experts tell me it could level entire nations!”

“Fantastic.” Still, it didn’t matter. It still couldn’t match her talons. Tanks weren’t a bother to her. She absentmindedly played with the release on her right arm, which would open her secret laser cannon capable of slagging a tank.

“That sounds pretty bad!” Unlike Gilda, her princess had little understanding of battle and military matters. Regardless, worry crept into her usually cheerful face. “I will inform my father about this!”

“Any other nasty surprises?” Gilda asked.

“I’ve heard rumors Doctor Shinigami has been active, but we haven’t located him yet.”

“Hey, with luck, maybe the two Shocker Generals will fight against each other!” Gabby said, her tone hopeful. “Zol is a traitor, after all.

Doctor Shinigami. Gilda’s talons tore deeper into the carpet. Rage bubbled to the surface, unbidden. The bastard better pray he never resurfaces. She had some choice words for him.

“You’re right!” Twilight’s eyes sparkled with hope. “Shocker doesn’t tolerate deserters! I’ll see what I can learn!”

“In the meantime, I’ll open up applications for recruits for Equestria’s own army.” The pony princess’s expression turned somber. “I don’t want an army, but we’ll need one to counter this threat.”

Gilda snorted, her tone superior. “We were already on it. But yes, I look forward to fighting alongside you, Kamen Rider Lux.”

After sneaking another cupcake, she left with Princess Gabby to make arrangements. Like it or not, both their nations were at war with Pferdreich. Ponies had proven more capable than Gilda had expected, but could they bear the difficulties of war? Or would the strain make the entire kingdom of Equestria crumble? Only time could tell.

“No, she’s not!” Dinky pressed against the other filly’s face, teeth bared in a snarl. “Take it back!”

“I ain’t!” The other yellow filly said, a stubborn frown creasing her lips. “She’s a villain! My sis says so and everything, and she’s the smartest pony in the world!”

“Don’t talk about my mama that way!” Dinky’s temper flared hotter, ready to pop the farmer filly in the nose for such lies. “She’s a hero!”

“Bloom, why are you even bothering to reason with her?” Apple Bloom’s lackey, Scootaloo asked. “She’s got Shocker on the head. She isn’t right up there!”

“Yeah, I bet her mom gives her brainwashing juice every morning with her toast!” Lackey two, Sweetie Belle, said.

“Why you!” Flame practically shot from Dinky’s mouth. Her momma had sacrificed everything to protect these foals! Why couldn’t they see the obvious? Her momma told her to never start a fight, but her temper was beyond frayed.

“Think Dinks! Everything’s great with the Great Leader gone!” Pipsqueak said, the traitor. They were supposed to be friends!

“Yeah! AJ’s done nothing but sing Princess Sparkle’s praises!” Apple Bloom said. The other schoolyard foals nodded their agreement.

“Under the new Princess, daddy’s been super happy!” Diamond Tiara said. “They barely tax his business anymore! No dumb Shocker military tax!”

“Like totally!” Silver Spoon added.

“Princess Twilight is best princess!” Pipsqueak said, practically chirping with delight. “A bona fide hero!”

“Lies! Lies! Lies!” Dinky’s temper had struck its breaking point. She refused to accept the hero-worship of that evil murderer!

Sorry momma, but it’s about time my hooves do the talking! Before Dinky could throw the first punch, a tall figure stepped between them.

“Hold on now. Enough of that.” Their teacher, Ms. Moondancer, said. Her long silky mane swayed behind her in an almost mesmerizing pattern as she spoke. She was the prettiest mare Dinky had ever met. “I won’t allow any fighting on my playground. Period.”

“But she started it!” Dinky pointed towards the offending filly, Apple Bloom.

“I started it?” Apple Bloom replied, indignant. “You’re the one spouting Shocker nonsense!”

“Why you!”

“Enough!” Literal fire shot from their teacher’s mouth as her body lost its form, her Discordian nature sneaking through. While lasting only a brief moment, Dinky had seen mismatched horns over an asymmetrical head with sickly yellow eyes with uneven pupils.

After reconstituting her body, Ms. Moondancer gave each foal a scathing glare that splashed ice water over any remaining tempers. She nodded in satisfaction that she’d cowed her hot-headed students.

“Good. As punishment for this little quarrel, I expect a thousand-word essay on the history of pre-Shocker Equestria by Monday.” Ms. Moondancer said, announcing her cruel punishment.

Since arguing was pointless, the foals slunk away toward their home classroom. Dinky moved to join them, but her teacher stopped her.

Much to Dinky’s surprise, Ms. Moondancer smiled with compassion. “Look, Dinky, I know it’s hard with your current family situation. If you ever need to talk, I’m here, alright?”

“I’m fine,” Dinky replied, fighting back her whirling emotions. After the failed invasion, everything had gone wrong. Her mother was a fugitive, forcing Dinky to live with her stupid half-sister, Amethyst Star.

“Okay.” Her teacher said, unhappy, but she didn’t push the issue. “Just remember what I said, okay?”

Ditzy wanted to scream at the top of her lungs at the utter unfairness of her situation. Her momma was a hero! Why did everypony believe Princess Sparkle’s lies?! She sniffed but didn’t cry, not wanting to show weakness. Without another word, she returned to her classroom to begin math with Ms. Wallflower.

After a day that stretched into a seeming eternity, the school bell rang. Dinky ran out into the schoolyard with her fellow students. She avoided her so-called friends and Apple Bloom’s posse, hiding amongst the other students.

Ponyville South Elementary was a large school, boosting almost a thousand students. It wasn’t hard to hide amongst those numbers. Still, foals recognized her and pointed at her, whispering terrible things about her. They threw around the word traitor and Shocker flunky numerous times. Yet Dinky stayed strong, refusing to cry. It wasn’t until she reached an empty park that the tears finally shed. She hid in a nearby tree so nopony could see her.

“I want my momma!” Dinky sobbed into her hooves, knowing she was alone in the world. Her momma was a wanted criminal, her half-sister was cold toward her, and everypony couldn’t stop telling lies about them. She despised Princess Sparkle, the murderer, with her entire being. She’d ruined everypony’s life!

When the tears finally dried out, Dinky scrambled back to the ground. Miserable, her body sagged as it trotted back home. She froze, her heart almost exploding with hope as a gray figure with a blond mane flew above her. Had her momma finally returned home after all this time? Disappointment crushed Dinky’s heart when she realized the pegasus was only Cloudkicker. The weather pony waved, and the filly returned it. Dejected, Dinky resumed her trot home.

“Good, I finally found you.” A voice said. Dinky turned to discover a unicorn cloaked in a tattered brown cloak standing behind her. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“What do you want?” Dinky asked, annoyed.

“To reunite you with your mother, obviously.” The mare replied, stunning Dinky into silence. Had she heard that right?

“Sorry, what?” Dinky didn’t allow her heart to hope.

“Look, kid.” The blue unicorn crept in close, her tone conspiratorial. “I work for Shocker. Doctor Shinigami has asked me to retrieve you for your mother. She’s worried sick about you! We can talk more, but not here. Princess Sparkle’s spies are everywhere.”

It rendered Dinky speechless. Finally! Did this mean Shocker was gathering allies to overthrow the wicked fake princess? Her good fortune was almost too much to believe! She gave the older mare a nod and a wink. Best to avoid the attention of watching ponies. Shocker was back baby!

“Follow me. Our secret headquarters is this way. Make sure nopony sees you.” The mare pointed towards an alley behind an old VHS store. Grime covered the place, and the streetlamp overlooking it blinked, making the shadows flicker and dance. Dinky nodded in approval. It appeared the perfect place for a clandestine meeting!

The other mare entered first, and Dinky remained patient, waiting for the perfect chance to slip into the dark alley. Ponies were milling about, and she wanted to avoid unwanted attention when she rendezvoused with the Shocker agent. When Dinky figured no eyes were upon her, she slipped behind a nearby trash can before entering the alley proper.

“I’m here!” Dinky squinted in the dark, her eyes hurting as the light flickered above her. “Momma, are you here too?”

Much to her disappointment, only the Shocker agent was in the dark alley. Her expression turned stone-faced, unreadable. Her cloak had slipped to the side, revealing a hint of blue feathers.

Feathers? Dinky squinted, wondering if it’d been a trick of the light. She gasped, a wing extending from the cloak. This unicorn had wings too?

“Don’t worry. I fully intend to reunite you with your mother.” The mare said, a cruel smile twisting her feature. Too late, Dinky realized that she’d made a grave mistake. This mare wanted to hurt her momma through her!

Desperate, Dinky opened her mouth to scream. But before she could even blink, the mare was upon her. She howled into a cloth as it covered her mouth, blocking any cry for help. Her head went dizzy, and Dinky had trouble keeping her eyes open. She tried struggling against her captor, but the older mare’s grip was like a steel bar.

“No.” Dinky’s eyes got heavier, and her struggling lessened. Before she lost consciousness, she gazed up toward the wrathful eyes of her captor.

“Yes, I will reunite you with your mother. But I’ll tell you this: it will be her last day alive. She will die for her sins.”

Chapter 4

“Ugh.” Dinky groaned, her head throbbing something fierce. The bright light bulb flickering above her didn’t help, either. After blinking past her confusion, she took stock of her situation.

Mildew predominated the air mixing with other scents she didn’t want to consider. The walls were brick, old and chipped, moss growing between their cracks. The floor was hard cement, freezing cold against her fur. A bland-looking table and a single chair stood in the bare room’s center. A metal cage stood around her, its bars thin but strong. Try as she might, the cage door proved impossible to budge. A heavy-duty lock guarded it.

How the hay did I get here? She vaguely recalled speaking to somepony, but otherwise was drawing a blank. Something fuzzy rubbed against a hoof. Dinky screamed as a rat fled past, heading towards a hole in a far wall.

“Gross, so gross!” A shudder of revulsion reverberated throughout her body. Dinky sat on the cold floor, trying to make sense of her circumstances. Memories returned in fragments, remembering the acrid smell of the cloth pressed against her mouth. By Shocker, she’d been foalnapped!

Panic filled her, realizing what deep trouble she was in. Her momma had often told her to avoid strangers, and Dinky was paying the consequences of ignoring that advice. What would happen now? Would they hurt her? Worse? Her stomach rumbled, adding to her distress. What if they just left her here, letting her die of starvation?

I need to get out of here! Dinky screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping to draw somepony’s attention. She howled until her voice went raw, yet nopony came. Defeated, Dinky curled into a ball and cried herself to sleep.

“Hey.”

“Wha?” Dinky blinked, blurry-eyed. She fought against sleep as somepony pushed her awake. All tiredness left her, recognizing the pony standing before her cage. She fled towards the cage’s edge, heart thumping so hard she feared it would break out of her chest.

“Good, you’re finally awake.” The cyan-colored mare said, the unicorn’s bizarre wings on full display.

“Who are you?! Why are you here?! I want my momma!” A million questions demanded attention, Dinky’s rasping voice asking each one that came to mind.

Instead of answering, the older mare crossed her front legs. “Noisy one, aren’t you? Thank goodness this is only a temporary arrangement.”

“Who are you?!” Dinky asked, glaring. The older mare seemed familiar somehow, but Dinky couldn’t place why.

“Me?” With a flourish, the mare spun around and smirked. “You can call me Trixie Lulamoon, the greatest hero Equestria has ever known!”

“What?” Dinky blinked. Was her captor making dramatic poses? She shook her head, getting her wits back. Her captor’s identity returned in a flash. “You’re the Ursa Ranger! The evilest, vile villain in Equestria’s history!”

“No, that’s an imposter!” The winged Trixie said, scowling. “I’m the real Trixie! She just stole my name!”

“Wha?” Dinky said, lost for words. Another Trixie? Then it clicked. The Ranger Trixie must be from another world. Hadn’t Shocker tried to invade another universe?

This must be the native Trixie. And unsurprisingly, she’s still a villain! “Heroes don’t foalnap ponies,” Dinky said, voice even.

Her captor could only shrug. “It’s necessary. I need you to lure out some Shocker bigwigs.”

“You’re after my momma!” Puzzle pieces were coming into place. After Shocker’s fall, her momma would have undoubtedly gone to the Shocker General Doctor Shinigami for sanctuary. This mare must be after both! “You monster!”

Much to Dinky’s surprise, her capture had flinched under her scathing glare. While only a slight twitch of the eye, Dinky had noticed it.

Trixie hid her discomfort with a haughty expression. “It’s necessary. They’ll pay for what they did to me!”

The pure vitriol in the older mare’s voice made Dinky retreat even further against the cage. This mare truly hated Shocker with her entire being. How could that make sense? Shocker were the good guys!

She’s probably just crazy or something. Ponies always wrongly talked smack about Shocker, lying to make themselves feel better. Still, it made Dinky curious to hear the mare’s story. She’s probably just overreacting.

Before she could inquire further, her stomach rumbled. Dinky hid her face, blushing.

“Here.” Much to Dinky’s surprise, Trixie dropped a plastic-wrapped sandwich and a water bottle into her cage. Her capture smirked as Dinky gave the older mare a questioning glance.

“You’re my guest. I’d be amiss if I let you starve to death.” Trixie studied the inside of Dinky’s prison. “And something to sleep on. Your mother is well hidden. It’ll take some time to lure her out.”

While grateful for the grub, Dinky only responded with an icy glare. She didn’t want this villain to know her true feelings.

“And some games, too. Nothing is worse than being trapped with nothing to do.” Unexpected pain crossed Trixie’s features. She left, promising she’d return soon. According to her, a promising lead had presented itself. Then she’d returned with the promised item.

Alone, Dinky stewed over her current predicament. She played with the lock again, but it proved too tough to pick or break.

“Darn it.” Dinky curled up on the cold pavement, listening to the drip of distant water and the scurrying of rats. Despite her best efforts, tears flowed freely. She only wanted her momma.

“The gull of the stallion!” Fuchsia Blush slurred, leaning against her longtime friend. Her breath stank of cheap booze.

Ditzy nodded in understanding, sipping at her own drink. “Doctor Shinigami is just as peeved. Who does Zol think he is, carving out his own fiefdom? His loyalty should only be to Shocker alone!” The only advantage was that Zol’s quest for glory provided a helpful distraction for Equestria’s pathetic provisional government. Princess Twilight Sparkle? What a joke!

Though, Shocker’s condition was little better. Days of drudgery had dampened her excitement at being reunited with Doctor Shinigami. Despite his bold promises, his newest project is stalling. Worse, a majority of the Shocker remnant had abandoned them for Zol. The traitor had gathered an impressive amount of power in such a short period. Rumor said he was planning a campaign against Equestria in the upcoming months, poised to become the planet’s new ruler.

And I’m stuck here, twiddling my hooves and doing errands. Doctor Shinigami had argued against reprisals against the traitor. He’d made a convincing argument of using the former General to weaken Equestria. Their remnant would destroy both after each force had exhausted itself. Then they could deal with Coronal Zol at their leisure.

In the meantime, Ditzy’s job was to build, train, and maintain their remaining forces. The discouraged Fuchsia Blush was one such example. While below Ditzy’s pay grade, it was a necessary duty. Somepony was picking off former Shocker members one by one. They’d assumed it was Lux’s chief spy, Rarity’s, doing. But they’d found little evidence to support that theory. With an unknown killer around, Shocker needed to protect their own.

“It’s messed up, Ditz, messed up!” Fuchsia Blush drooled. “We were kings! Now we’re jokes, fugitives!”

“Not too loud,” Ditzy said, chastising. Not that anyone in the bar would betray them. Everypony here was a Shocker to their bones. Still, some caution never hurt.

“Kings!” Fuchsia Blush bellowed some half-remembered tune, Shocker propaganda, from her foalhood. After singing about a quarter of the song, she passed out. Amused, Ditzy patted her friend’s head.

“Sleep well, Fuchsia Blush. Hopefully, your dreams are better than the nightmare reality we face.” Not that she didn’t believe that Shocker would eventually emerge triumphantly, but it required tireless work and sacrifice. Every day separated from her daughter tormented her like a festering wound, refusing to heal.

Don’t worry, muffin. We’ll be together soon enough. Momma’s gone to make sure your future is bright. That promise made her current situation somewhat tolerable.

“Passed out already?” Blue Skies said, amused. The Shocker Weather Service pony’s expression stiffened a moment later. “Not that I blame her. Her entire family has completely disowned her, even her parents. The poor thing. Shocker’s her only family left now.”

“And we know who’s to blame for that!” Ditzy didn’t hide her bitterness. Trixie would pay for her sins, and the inquisitor imagined the fun things she’d inflict on the hateful mare once they emerged victorious. It still astounded her how a single pony could cause such damage.

If Doctor Shinigami’s experiment goes as planned, even Trixie and her Ranger buddies wouldn’t stand a chance. She smiled in amusement as Fuchsia Blush’s snoring overtook even the din of the bar’s conversation.

“Better get to the hideout.” Blue Skies said, leveling the unconscious mare on her back. “Can’t stay much longer, either. I need to transport some supplies in the morning.”

“We’ll need those weapons if we’re to return the government to its proper place.” Since starting their resistance moment, they’d stockpiled considerable supplies of weaponry. Of course, the black market prices were exorbitant. Those weapons dealers had them over a barrel, squeezing Shocker for everything they were worth. Unwise, considering that Shocker wouldn’t be very forgiving once this mess concluded in their favor.

After waving Blue Skies goodbye, Ditzy nursed her drink and talked with other Shocker members. She smiled and nodded, listening to various gossips and rumors. It was general nonsense, but one kernel caught her interest.

“I’m telling you, I saw a Kamen Rider!” The drunken Combatpony said. “Not Lux nor Cupido!”

“Sober, were you?” Another Combatpony said, dubious. “I haven’t seen you without a drink in over two weeks!”

“Don’t matter!” The first argued. “My eyes didn’t lie! She killed Lavender Lace right as day! Haven’t seen a thing like it! She had a horn and wings!”

“So it was Commander Cadance?” While the entire story sounded like utter nonsense, Lavender Lace had died a couple of days ago. They needed information, even from a useless drunkard. It might contain a kernel of truth.

“No! It was Trixie! Her pale moonlight mane gave her away! Her power was terrible. Poor Lavender didn’t stand a chance!” The drunk Combatpony wailed, and Ditzy winced. She wandered away to save her poor ears.

“Moonlight mane?” At first, Ditzy scoffed at the drunk’s story. But then she paused, an unwelcome thought striking her. They’d never found Ursa Red’s counterpart in their universe. Despite being the head inquisitor of Shocker, her search for their Trixie had arrived at nothing. Ditzy had a nasty suspicion who was to blame.

Only Twilight Velvet would have the skills to erase a pony’s existence from their computer banks. There’d been clues she’d been part of an old project, but those files had also disappeared. Doctor Shinigami had some involvement, but only in an administrative role. It’d been an experiment to infuse a pony with the magic of the other tribes, but it’d ended in a terrible failure. The late scientists involved had some recollection, but years had faded their memories. It’d only been one experiment among hundreds. She’d gotten several conflicting accounts of the test subject’s identity.

Is it possible that Trixie Lulamoon has returned for revenge? Would Shocker’s luck be bad enough to fight against three Trixies?

Nevertheless, this matter required investigation. It was Ditzy’s sacred job to protect her precious comrades, and she refused to be derelict in her duty. With the situation as delicate as it was, Shocker couldn’t afford interference from any Trixie Lulamoon, the troublesome cur. An idea struck her, heading toward a nearby payphone.

“Yes?” A voice slurred from sleep said.

“Fuchsia Blush? Did you make it home safely?” Ditzy asked. “We need to talk.”

While still somewhat drunk, reason prevailed when the mare realized the speaker’s identity. Despite Shocker’s reduced condition, Ditzy was still an inquisitor. Only a fool crossed her lightly. Her serious tone sobered the other caller quickly.

“Yes, sir,” Fuchsia Blush said, voice losing any lingering drunkenness. “No problems. I’m over at Blue Skies’s place. Is there something you want, ma’am?”

“I do. Do you remember a project about five years ago that involved magical infusement?”

After a moment’s thought, Fuchsia Blush responded. “One for enhancing a natural pony’s magic through another tribe’s magic?”

Perfect. I thought Fuchsia’s name sounded familiar. While little documentation remained, Ditzy had uncovered some pay stubs.

“It was a pet project of Doctor Shinigami, I believe. I worked as a minor technician. It ended in failure. The main test subject died.”

If that’s the case, how could Trixie return for vengeance? It was a sticking point. Every story she’d heard about the tests said the subject had died, making it an almost indisputable fact.

“I remember Doctor Twilight Velvet being particularly discouraged by the results. She refused to touch the project after the initial failure, refusing to explain why.”

“Sounds like her.” Lux’s mother was notorious for flittering from project to project, regardless of how much trouble it caused. She was a verifiable genius, but her mind operated on logic only she understood.

“Why do you ask? Is this some project Doctor Shinigami wants to resurrect?”

“No. Lavender Lace was just killed a couple of days ago. Besides the General and Twilight Velvet, you are the only pony still alive involved with the project.”

“Someone’s really after the ponies involved with this project?” Fear struck a chord in Fuchsia Blush’s voice.

“Since I don’t dare risk Doctor Shinigami, you’re required as bait to lure them out.” A smile crept onto Ditzy’s face. “Do you understand?”

Despite Fuschia’s growing terror, she remained firm and absolute. She understood the cost of defying her Shocker superiors. “Understood.”

If you’d said no, I would have killed you myself. This wouldn’t be the first time she’d dealt with a disloyal subordinate. Besides, too much was at stake. “Here’s the plan.”

“You’re back already? That’s quick.” Dinky said, watching as her captor returned through the only doorway. In her hooves were bags filled to the brim. Some contained food, while others contained games as promised.

Truthfully, Dinky had wished for more time for herself. Despite her dire predicament, she still hadn’t given up on escape. Careful examinations revealed a loose brick in the wall. It’d taken some effort, but she’d gotten it to wobble. She’d seen a corridor through the crack. Thanks to Dinky’s small frame, she figured it might be possible to push herself through. Then, getting help should be easy.

“Yeah, I got you some things,” Trixie said, rooting through the bags. She smiled as she fished out a dog bed, its cushions concrete gray like her mother’s. “Here, I got you some blankets, too.”

“Trixie, I’m a pony, not an animal,” Dinky said, voice level.

Just because I’m small, it doesn’t make me a pet!

“It fits, right?” Trixie said, shrugging.

“I’m not an animal!” Dinky’s temper flared, beyond indignant.

“Hey, it’s that or the floor,” Trixie replied, unabashed by Dinky’s fury.

Inwardly, Dinky uttered several words that would make her momma wash her mouth with soap if she’d heard them. She remained silent, however, sending a deadly glare toward her captor.

“And here.” Trixie slid across the floor several rectangular boxes of various sizes. Their game pieces rattled as their boxes pushed across the floor. “This should keep you entertained.”

“These are two-player games!” Ditzy said after reading the labels.

“You can still play by yourself. Just play both players.”

“How do you play Chain Four as both players?!”

“You’ll figure out something.”

Ditzy wanted to howl in fury. No, calm down. Remember, you’re only a hair’s breadth away from escaping. You only need to stand this annoying mare a little longer!

“Fine.” Dinky drew out the word, forcing a smile.

“Tell you what. We’ll play a few games later,” Trixie said.

“Okay,” Dinky said, unsure why an adult would suggest such an action.

“It’ll be some time until I can release you. Your mother is difficult to find.”

Ditzy stood straighter, beaming with pride. “My momma’s an Inquisitor. She’ll find you first!”

Trixie only snorted and flipped herself into the chair. She closed her eyes and sighed as she relaxed. “It wouldn’t be long now. Once I finish Shocker, the fake princess is next!”

“Fake princess? You mean Lux?”

Trixie’s eyes darted open. “That’s right. The Great Leader should have been mine. Besides, she’s the daughter of a monster. The monster that made me like this.”

Unexpected venom crept into Ditzy’s captor’s voice, reminding Dinky how dangerous this mare was. Hadn’t Trixie said she’d killed Shocker operatives? No mere weakling could accomplish this.

“Your wings?” Dinky asked, trying to remain calm. Wasn’t the other Trixie a unicorn? “Why should that bother you? I’d kill for the ability to fly!”

“You understand nothing,” Trixie said in a huff, closing her eyes. Without any windows, it was difficult to tell the hour. From how tired her captor looked, Dinky figured it was late. After a moment, gentle snoring came from Trixie’s lips.

“Am I meant to sleep now, too?” And why hadn’t Trixie used a bed? Why didn’t she sleep in her own home?

Unless she doesn’t have a home. What had happened to Trixie to reduce her to this pathetic state? With little else to occupy her time, she arranged her new bed and blanket so they would be comfortable. While it was humiliating to use a pet bed, it proved snugger than expected, but she still preferred her bed at her momma’s townhouse.

Have they started looking for me yet? Does momma know I’m in trouble? She closed her eyes, but sleep refused to come. Dinky groaned and paced her prison. She’d dared not work on her escape project while her captor was present, sleeping or not.

She imagined in delight Trixie’s expression upon realizing her prisoner had vanished. When he glanced in Trixie’s direction, Dinky screamed.

“What? Impossible!” Trixie was melting!

More screams echoed through the small room as Trixie’s body lost all cohesion, seeping through the chair. Blue ooze sloshed against the stone floor, pooling out in every direction.

“What’s happening?! What’s going on?!” Ditzy said, her voice hysterical. Ponies didn’t melt! Trixie’s body had taken on the texture of melted ice cream or honey, more solid than liquid.

“Okay. Okay. Okay.” Had Dinky’s imprisonment dulled her grasp on reality? Had she lost her mind?

“Shut the racket! Somepony’s trying to sleep!”

“Dear Shocker, the puddles taking?!” Dinky had gone insane, watching the puddle bubble as it spoke.

“I said, shut up!” Much to Dinky’s astonishment, the puddle started moving. Her bafflement doubled as the blue ooze gained form, shifting into a more familiar shape.

“Trixie?!”

“Yes, obviously.”

Ditzy’s mind raced, trying to understand what she’d seen. How was she alive? How was this possible?

“Surprised you, eh?” Trixie said, raising an eyebrow. “I’d forgotten I lose shape when I sleep.”

“What are you?!”

“A pony. No thanks to people like your mother. You’re bright. You figure it out.”

“Shocker did this to you?” Ditzy said, eyes wide in astonishment.

“Yes, and that’s why I’ll destroy them all! Now get some sleep.” Trixie got comfortable in her chair again.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean to do this to you,” Dinky said, voice barely rising above a whisper.

“No, they never cared. Shocker destroys lives with a thought.” Trixie refused to say anything more.

Shocker destroys lives? That can’t be true! They’re the heroes! Still, Trixie’s words unnerved her. No wonder Trixie hated Shocker. Their sheer conviction caught Dinky’s breath, and sleep proved difficult to find. But she had to be wrong about Shocker and her momma. They fought for peace and justice, right?

Chapter 5

Sweat trickled down Trixie’s forehead, hooves twitching with tension. This was it. One wrong move and she was finished. Logic dictated that she should surrender to the enviable. But she was the Grand and Marvelous Trixie, Kamen Rider, and Equestria’s greatest hero. Through second hoof accounts, she’d heard about how Lux had faced the Great Leader alone. And she’d prevailed and shattered Shocker forever, winning despite all odds being against her. Like her, Trixie wasn’t about to surrender, either.

Okay, here goes nothing! She prayed to Luna and any other higher power that might hear her grant her victory.

“Do you have any fours?” Trixie asked.

“Go fish!” Dinky replied.

“Darn it!” In frustration, Trixie tossed her remaining three cards onto the table. Despondently, she drew a card from the pile. It was a nine, nothing close to what she’d needed.

“My turn!” The filly said, hiding a smug smile. “Do you have any nines?”

“Here you go,” Trixie said, levitating over the card with little enthusiasm. Dinky had been seeking that number almost the entire game. Just as the Kamen Rider feared, the filly laid down a complete array of nines, emptying her hand. The filly had seven sets to Trixie’s five, grinning after picking the last remaining card in the pile.

“Do you have any fours?” Dinky asked sweetly, resulting in a glum nod from her opponent.

“I win!” Dinky threw her hooves into the air in a victory celebration after getting Trixie’s remaining cards.

“Yeah, yeah,” Trixie said, grumbling to herself. Already, she’d lost three games to the filly in a row. This foal was a devil at playing card games. She felt sorry for any casino Dinky walked into when she was older.

“Another game?” Dinky asked sweetly.

“Can we play something else?” Trixie replied, not keen on playing another game she’d only lose. Darn, this filly was ruthless. She was the most frightening Monopony player the Kamen Rider had ever seen, chipping away at Trixie’s money without pity or mercy.

“Link 4?” Dinky asked.

Trixie hide her smile, pleased with herself. Her adult brain was far too clever to lose at this game! She’d take great satisfaction in crushing Dinky under her hooves!

“How’d you become so good with cards, anyway?” Trixie asked, pulling out the Link 4 board from its box and assembling its pieces.

“My momma taught me! Just like Grandma had. Losing has never been our family’s forte!”

“Really? Do you play games with your mother often?” Trixie asked, a twinge of curiosity striking her.

Dinky was her prisoner, but she knew nothing about her or her mother. Trixie couldn’t help but her curiosity about the daily life of a Shocker Inquisitor. Did Inquisitor Doo boil puppies for fun? Trixie wondered? Dinky was a surprisingly well-adjusted little filly, considering who her mom was.

“We have game night every Sunday. Momma lets me play whatever I want!”

“Isn’t she usually too busy? Inquisitors can’t have much free time.” Shocker had no end of enemies.

Dinky snorted, rising to her full height. Her head almost touched the cage’s ceiling. “My momma always makes time for me.”

“Oh.” Trixie couldn’t find any other words.

Her relationship with her parents hadn’t been as familial. Like Dinky, both her parents had been Shocker to their bones. Trixie came in a distant second in her parent’s eyes. She’d always resented Shocker for that. How they’d convinced Trixie to join the Shocker Youth Program remained a mystery.

Trixie coughed, eager to change the awkward subject. She placed a plastic coin into an opening. It clicked against the column slots until it landed on the bottom. “Your turn.”

Dinky responded by placing a piece next to Trixie’s. They played in silence, the only sound of their plastic coins clicking. The further the game progressed, the more desperate each turn became. They responded to each move with a counter move, often blocking a four in a row of the player’s color. Neither one gave an inch, refusing to surrender. Five minutes passed, and the board was almost full of pieces. Dinky proved an adept Link 4 player, but Trixie hadn’t lost yet.

They continued to play for another few minutes until Dinky paused, her plastic coin hovering over the game board’s multiple slots. “Does it hurt?” Trixie winced as Dinky put her into an awkward position, getting into a position that provided three opportunities for a link of 4.

“What does?” Trixie asked, studying the board to salvage the situation.

“Turning.” Dinky paused, trying to consider the best word. “Liquidy?”

Trixie didn’t answer at first, pretending to consider the board. Then she surrendered and sighed. “It’s hard to explain. It’s a feeling beyond pain.”

“Beyond pain?”

“Like I can sense every cell.” Trixie wished it was pain. Then she’d feel more like a pony. Her lips extended into a smile, one that made her guest uncomfortable. “Three ponies died to create me like this. It’s funny. They’re dead, but I still feel their souls within me.”

Sometimes when Trixie slept, they spoke to her. They told her about their hopes and dreams and everything they’d lost. Not to egg Trixie further on to fight against Shocker, but to be remembered. Nothing was worse than being forgotten.

“Right.” Dinky gave a weak smile, profoundly unsettled by her captor’s stories. It led to distraction, which Trixie ruthlessly exploited.

“Four in a row!” Trixie said, sliding a piece down a far-right slot. Finally, she’d received a decisive victory. “Diagonal!”

“Darn it!” Dinky said, realizing her opponent had led her to distraction.

But Dinky didn’t protest as Trixie put away the plastic board and its pieces. Neither one seemed in the mood for games. Besides, Trixie had another lead that needed following up on. She had spotted Fuchsia Blush at a local bar, guided there by a rumor. After giving her goodbye, Trixie left. Dinky appeared on the verge of saying something, but decided against it. She curled into her bed instead, her expression miserable.

What’s her deal? Did the filly feel sorry for her? Trixie shook her head, deciding it didn’t matter. She was only a step away from her ultimate revenge.

“Fuchsia Blush?” Twilight asked. She sat behind her desk, levitating papers as she listened to a more organized position.

“She’s an old Shocker tech, very loyal.” Rarity replied. “My informants say she’s joined the Shocker remnant led by Doctor Shinigami.”

Twilight nodded in understanding. “And you hope to find him through her. You have my full authority to do whatever it takes to capture her. A Shocker General lurking around Equestria makes me nervous. I’d rather not fight on two fronts. Zol is bad enough.”

“Actually, darling, I didn’t ask because I was worried you might not approve of this mission.” Rarity said. “I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in assisting with it.”

“Huh?”

“We’ll likely need your Kamen Rider abilities to capture her. Besides, you’ve completely lost your social life, dear.”

“Well, I have been busy,” Twilight said wryly.

“Yes, and it’s taken its toll.” Rarity poked Twilight’s stomach with a hoof. “You’ve gotten pale, princess. You need to get out more.”

“I try!” Between her duties and creating Lux a new weapon, Twilight’s hooves were full.

Can I afford to leave the castle for even a couple of hours? She was due to speak with Applejack again about the crop situation at nine. That was only one of the multiple ponies demanding her attention. But she couldn’t deny the allure of going out to fight Shocker. It was simple. Good vs. evil. It didn’t require her to appease anypony or win their favor, just her and her hooves.

“Okay,” Twilight said, unable to escape the allure of leaving her office for a couple of hours. “Pinkie, push back my appointments for the day.”

“Okey Dokey Lokey, princess!” Pinkie said, saluting.

“Excellent. This smells like a trap.” Rarity said, watching Pinkie Pie scribble with vigor on her clipboard.

“Hold on. If it’s a trap, why are you endangering the princess?” Window Pane, who’d overheard the conversation, said.

“Because they won’t expect us to turn their trap against them! Besides, our resident basket case princess hasn’t left the castle grounds for several weeks.”

Twilight winced. Had it been that long?

“If that’s true, count me in!” Twilight said, unable to bear the thought of her chief spy getting hurt.

“Crazy!” Windowpane said, throwing up his hooves in surrender. “They could kill you, princess!”

“Oh, don’t fret, Windy. I’m not asking her to fight Doctor Shinigami,” Rarity said, playfully chastising the stallion. “The worst we’ll face is a Shocker monster and a few Combatponies. Nothing our Princess Kamen Rider can’t handle.”

“Right.” Twilight rolled her eyes at the address, but smiled. After her week, she’d enjoy roughing up some Shocker goons.

“Just point me where I need to go.” Twilight punched her hooves together. Compared to running an entire country, this would be easy!

“Distance from the target?” Twilight asked in her COM unit. While bulky around her glasses, the device fitted well enough.

Her stomach bubbled with eager anticipation, glad to be on a spy mission with Rarity. By Shocker, it was nice leaving her cramped office. The bush’s leaves ruffled as she swung her binoculars around the square.

“Found her.” Rarity said a moment later. “A half a klick to your right.”

“Uh.” Twilight mentally converted the unfamiliar slang term to hooves and spotted their target. Not that the direction was necessary. Fuchsia Blush stuck out like a flashing beacon. It was like she wanted to be seen, constantly sending nervous glances over her shoulder.

“I’ll follow her.” Twilight slipped behind a car, careful not to be seen. The darkness of the growing night helped, but she remained cautious. Ponyville citizens were going about their day, mostly going home, though. “If we’re lucky, she’ll guide us towards a Shocker hive.”

“Understood. I’ve got your back.” Rarity clicked off.

Unsurprisingly, Fuchsia Blush guided them to a more derelict section of Ponyville. Graffiti covered worn-down buildings that needed serious repair. Unfriendly eyes watched her through the boarded-up windows. Rough-looking ponies hung around on street corners. Their coarse language caused Twilight’s cheeks to flush.

I’ll need to speak to the Council about doing something about these slums. Ponyville should mirror the lost Canterlot, a dreamland city of wonder. But these matters could concern her later.

Some graffiti caught her eye, and Twilight recognized it. It boldly pronounced Shocker’s villainy. Some just said, “Shocker oppresses all!!”, in black spray paint. Others were elaborate murals, depicting the later Great Leader as a devilish figure who tormented his pony subjects beneath him. It was the art of the infamous graffiti artist Flanksy.

For a moment, Twilight stared, memorized. Its boldness captivated her, unabashed to speak the truth against Shocker. It brought Twilight momentary shame that she hadn’t rebelled sooner, too chastened by the potential consequences. Only Trixie’s bold courage had spurned her into action.

Still, the graffiti brought a slight smile to her lips. Shocker had never captured Flanksy, despite their best efforts. It heartened her that Equestria had such heroes, small or large. Returning to her mission, she slipped into a dark alleyway. Rats scurried away as she approached, but Twilight ignored them. With her friend Fluttershy around, you got used to seeing such creatures. She briefly wondered if they were friends of the animal-loving pony. From the other side of the alley, she spotted Fuchsia Blush entering an abandoned warehouse.

“She’s entered an old warehouse,” Twilight said into her COM unit. In its happier days, it had stored mattresses.

“Stay alert.” Rarity replied. “It might be a trap. I’m right behind you.”

“Understood.” Twilight was a Kamen Rider, danger second nature to her. If she was walking into a trap, she’d deal with it. “I’m going in.”

After studying its rusted walls and broken windows, Twilight decided on her best plan of attack. With nimble hooves, she climbed up some abandoned crates near a window. The gloom was difficult to penetrate, but she saw the remains of an office. Nopony appeared in sight, Fuchsia Blush’s hooffalls a distant sound. Broken glass slid past her fur as she slipped inside. With silent hooves, Twilight struck the cold pavement.

Bright lights blinded her when she touched the floor, a sword slashing towards her from behind. But Twilight’s nimbleness surprised her attacker, then she instinctually ducked and bashed her head into the pony’s skull. They cried out in pain and staggered back. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden light, the details of her surroundings became clear.

A bright red light emerged from the shadows, her face very familiar. “Hello, princess,” Inquisitor Ditzy Doo said, saying the last word with a tone of mockery. “We were expecting another fish in our net, but you’ll do.” Dozens of Combatponies gathered around the Kamen Rider, various weapons in their hooves.

“Our trap worked better than we expected!” Fuchsia Blush said, emerging from an office’s door. “With Lux dead, Equestria is ours!”

“Other fish?” A myriad of questions spun around in her head, wondering why Shocker would bother trying to trap somepony else? Wasn’t Lux their number-one enemy?

“Prepare to die, Lux!” Fuchsia Blush’s body transformed. Green fluff grew around her head, forming a misshapen helmet. The pungent, musky smell struck Twilight’s nose, and she realized it wasn’t green fluff, but mold. It spread past her shoulder to cover her right hoof. A red line streaked across her head, running around her new mouth. “Call me, Kabibinga!”

Her foes soon surrounded her, the nearest Combatpony slicing a sickle toward her backside. The blade passed inches from her flesh, just missing her. Her attacker cried out in pain and sudden surprise as Twilight delivered a back kick to their face. Seeing this as a signal, all the Combatponies attacked her at once.

Crap! They weren’t giving her a chance to transform. Twilight barely kept a step ahead of her attackers. The office’s small parameters offered little room to maneuver, trapping her between dozens of bodies. While scoring numerous victories, Twilight hadn’t emerged unscathed. Blood trickled down from a slash across her right eye, blinding it. Her bruises had bruises from blows she hadn’t been quick enough to avoid.

“Rarity, I need your help!” Twilight said in her comm.

“Sorry, darling, but I’m entangled at the moment.” Rarity replied. Her voice puffed from exertion, out of breath. “Some Combatponies were waiting for me. I’ll get there when I can!”

A staff’s tip slipped past Twilight’s face, and her eyes widened as a sword whipped toward her exposed stomach. Twilight hissed in pain as the blade almost bisected her belly, blood dripping from the shallow cut. A second blade slashed toward her head, but Twilight used the Combatpony’s staff to block it.

“You’re finished, Kamen Rider,” Kabibinga said, holding her twin blades in a fighting stance. “You’re useless if we don’t allow you to transform.”

Her bones rattled as a kick from Kabibinga threw her across the room, but Twilight recovered with a roll. She winced from a bruised rib as she struggled to rise.

“Die!” The mold monster slashed her twin blade down toward her prone opponent. But Twilight refused to surrender. With lightning-fast reflexes, she grabbed the fallen sword of a Combatpony and blocked the blow. The monster’s strength was incredible, both blades driving Twilight’s weapon back.

If I can’t transform, I’m doomed! A flash of red caught her attention. Twilight yelped in surprise as a red beam shot past her chin, missing by seconds.

“Did you forget about me?” Ditzy Doo said, her mechanical eyes burning with red energy.

Twilight cursed and kicked Kabibinga in the stomach. While it didn’t cause any damage, it staggered the monster long enough so she could slip by and return to her hooves. Another energy beam lanced by, Twilight just ducking aside in time. Combatponies assaulted her from every side, and the Kamen Rider fought to keep herself from getting pinned down. She couldn’t afford to get hit by the inquisitor’s energy beams. The burning holes in the warehouse wall displayed their deadly power.

“You’re making this too easy, Lux.” Kabibinga scooped mold from her chest and hurled it toward Twilight. Seeing the danger, she elbowed the nearest Combatpony into its path.

The mold’s victim howled in pain and fear as it consumed her, growing around her with astonishing speed. The Combatpony collapsed dead before her body even touched the ground, nothing left behind but bubbling flesh.

“Hey, be careful!” Ditzy Doo said, scowling. “Our forces are diminished as it is! One more unnecessary loss and I’ll have your damn hide!”

“Right, sorry!” Kabibinga said, tone bordering on panic. She knew the consequences of upsetting a Shocker Inquisitor.

“It doesn’t matter.” Kabibinga’s sword whistled past Twilight’s head, blood trickling from where the near-miss had struck. “She’s dead either way.”

Their swords clashed as Twilight fought the monster back, her opponent proving an excellent swordspony. But the power difference proved too great to match. Twilight’s skeleton rattled as she blocked too strong a blow. Kabibinga’s other blade knocked Twilight’s sword aside, leaving her defenseless.

“You’re finished!” Confident she’d finished Shocker’s greatest enemy, she bellowed an inequine laugh and slashed both blades towards her opponent’s throat. Only Twilight’s quick reflexes saved her from the fatal blow. But Kabibinga had driven her into a corner, leaving her trapped and weaponless. Combatponies moved to help pin her further, leaving her no room to escape.

If I leap off the wall, I might jump over them. But it seemed like a long shot with Twilight’s enemies everywhere to interpose her. With no better plan, Twilight steeled herself for the coming danger.

Here goes nothing. Twilight crouched, getting ready to leapfrog against the wall. But before she could enact her crazy gambit, a barrel collided with Kabibinga. It knocked her off balance, toppling over several near Combatponies caught unaware.

“Is this all Lux can do? I’m not impressed!” A newcomer said. It sounded familiar, but Twilight couldn’t place where.

A figure dressed in a dust-colored cloak jumped into the middle of the room, landing between the group of gathering Combatponies. A hood hid their face, but their exposed muzzle had a smug, triumphant grin.

With lightning-fast hooves, the stranger punched the head of the nearest Combatpony. They crumbled into a heap, and their nearby fellows suffered the same fate. Momentary indecision made the goons pause, unsure which target they should go after. This gap provided Twilight with just the opening she needed. She joined the newcomer, grabbing a fallen sword and slashing the nearest Combatpony across the chest.

“Thanks, I was in a bad situation there.” Twilight blocked a sickle armed towards her exposed backside.

“I didn’t do it for you.” The newcomer said, speaking with surprising vitriol. Had she offended her in the past? This unicorn’s voice sounded so familiar, but Twilight couldn’t place where.

“Who the hell are you?” Kabibinga said, knocking aside the barrel with a casual swing of a hoof.

“Yes, show yourself,” Inquisitor Doo said, her mouth tight in a firm line. For some reason, the stranger’s appearance had upset the inquisitor’s usual aura of absolute stoicism.

“Gladly. You saved me a great deal of trouble finding you, Inquisitor Doo!” Twilight gasped as the newcomer threw aside their cloak. The entire room froze still, shocked by the pony’s identity.

“Trixie?” Emotions whirled with Twilight, certain she’d never see her friend again. While the unexpected appearance of wings surprised her, Trixie’s sudden appearance was too welcome a relief to care for the moment.

“Trixie?!” The Combatponies backed away, descending into complete disarray.

“So, it is you.” Inquisitor Doo’s firm expression became harder.

“Trixie, thank Shocker! How did you get back?” Twilight asked. Tears pricked her eyes, but she wiped them away. They were still engaged in battle. She extended a comforting hoof, glad to have her friend back. Much to Twilight’s shock, Trixie knocked the offered hoof aside.

“I’m not that phony,” Trixie said, her tone filled with contempt. “I’m the real Trixie!”

Real Trixie? Twilight’s mind whirled with questions and possibilities. Was this their world’s Trixie? But how could that be? Didn’t she die?

The hateful glare Trixie gave her made Twilight’s heart shrink. “I’ll deal with you later. I need to kill everypony who screwed up my life first! Starting with you!” Kabibinga flinched when Trixie pointed a hoof toward her.

With a flick of a hoof, Trixie entered a battle pose. Light shone from her waist, and a belt appeared when the glare vanished.

A belt? Trixie’s a Kamen Rider?!

“I hope you’ll enjoy the pit of hell because that’s where I’m sending all of you! Henshin!”

Chapter 6

“Another Kamen Rider?” Kabibinga said, stepping back with trepidation. A wave of unease rippled through the still-standing Combatponies. Only Inquisitor Doo remained resolute, a frown creasing her mouth.

“Call me Kamen Rider Protean!” Trixie said, entering a battle stance. The Kamen Rider’s armor was nothing like Twilight had ever seen, more organic than metal. Was it her imagination, or did Trixie’s suit ripple as she breathed? What had Shocker’s enhancement experiment done to her? But those questions needed to wait, and Twilight took advantage of her opponent’s momentary distraction.

With a click, her belt wrapped around her waist, Twilight entering a dramatic pose. “Henshin!”

“And I’m Kamen Rider Lux.” It was a somewhat unnecessary introduction, but Twilight enjoyed the ripple of fear it sent through her enemies.

“Inquisitor?” Kabibinga looked towards her leader for guidance, knowing how badly their well-laid trap had gone pear-shaped. Not that Trixie gave them much chance to consider their situation. With a primal howl of fury, she charged toward the nearest Combatpony.

While not adhering to any fighting style Twilight had ever seen before, Trixie fought with ferocity and pure instinct. Whenever a Combatpony attacked her with a blade or hoof, Protean seemed elsewhere. With deft blows, her enemies crumpled under her hooves. Twilight joined her, mopping up anypony her fellow Kamen Rider had missed.

“Screw this. I’m not dying here!” With both hooves, Kabibinga scooped mold from her chest. The creature hurled it at her hated enemies when she thought them distracted.

“Woah!” Twilight’s heart almost beat out of her chest as the deadly substance flew inches from her helmet. It splattered against a nearby wall and spread across its length. It spewed a toxic stench that made Twilight retch. Trixie proved luckier, missing by a mile. Was it her imagination, or had the Rider’s body unnaturally bent out of the way?

“Careful! That stuff can kill with a touch!” Twilight flipped away as more fungus flew toward her. Kabibinga kept her attacks coming, heedless of whom it might hurt. Combatponies died in droves, consumed by the deadly fungus. Twilight picked her steps, careful to avoid the substance even grazing her.

“You!” But the Shocker Inquisitor watched with an intent expression, willing to sacrifice anything to achieve her goals.

“Enough of this!” Photon energy gathered around Twilight’s hooves. A pile of mold flew towards her, too close to avoid. Twilight remained calm, however, confident in her abilities. An acrid smell filled the small room as photon energy burned the mold to a crisp.

“What?” Kabibinga said, panic filling her voice.

“Lux has the power of the sun! And what has greater cleansing power than sunlight?” Kabibinga howled in pain and staggered back as the photon-powered slashes drove her back.

“Nice trick, but let me show you what true power is!” Protean delivered her own attack, thrusting a powerful punch into the monster’s chest.

“What power!” Twilight watched in amazement as the fungal monster’s backside collided with the street, thrown clear through the warehouse’s metal walls. A chill went down her spine as Trixie directed her baleful gaze toward her. It promised she’d be next. It only lasted a tense moment before Protean leaped through the hole she’d created.

Twilight hesitated. She didn’t want to fight the other Kamen Rider. Shouldn’t they be automatic friends, like the other alternate Trixies? Where had this intense animosity come from? Tense, she joined the fray. They still needed to defeat Kabibinga. She looked back and saw the Shocker Inquisitor had already vanished, no doubt reporting the situation to Doctor Shinigami.

“I’m not finished yet!” Kabibinga said, summoning her twin blades and slashing both toward Trixie’s midsection.

Sparks flew from the impact, but Trixie remained resolute. She dodged around the follow-up strike and blocked the next with the flat of her arm. The sword’s blade sliced deep into Protean’s armor, but something peculiar happened. The metal of Kabibinga’s sword started smoldering, her face illuminated in blue as Trixie’s body glowed. Kabibinga yelped back in surprise as her weapon dissolved before her eyes.

“Ability acquired,” Trixie said, her tone satisfied. Her body convulsed, wracked with pain. She extended an arm, and its flesh pulsed and vibrated. After a final howl of pain, a slimy shaft shot from her hoof. As the slime and blood dripped away from the object, its identity became clearer. It was a sword similar to Kabibinga’s weapon but made from bone, its edges serrated teeth. With another grimace of pain, Protean summoned another sword from her other hoof.

“What the?” Kabibinga said equal parts fear and revulsion.

Twilight realized her previous assessment of Protean was correct. Unlike Lux or Cupido, this Kamen Rider was 100 percent organic. She took power from some strange biotechnology Twilight couldn’t begin to fathom. How fascinating! Inwardly, her heart fluttered with excitement. She smelled a research paper coming! Or better yet, two or three!

Kabibinga yelped in surprise as twin Protean’s bone blades slashed toward her face, blocking the blow with her own weapon. Metal clashed against bone. Kabibinga’s sword sizzled and blackened before its structure broke apart, snapping in two.

“No.” The remaining half of Kabibinga’s blade clattered to the ground, and sparks flew as Trixie slashed both swords across her chest. Not to be outdone, Twilight joined the fray. She leaped towards the monster, focusing photon energy into her punch. The shockwave flung Kabibinga back, pavement cracking from the impact.

“You’re finished.” Trixie threw aside her bone blades and leaped into the air.

“It’s over.” Twilight joined the other Kamen Rider, gathering photon energy for a devastating kick.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

“Photonic Burning Rider Kick!”

Both leaping kicks struck Kabibinga, the creature’s body sparking with unleashed energy. She collapsed to the ground moments later, exploding in a luminous fireball.

“Phew, that was a close one.” Twilight undid her transformation. Trixie, however, wasn’t listening, head scanning her surroundings. After some fruitless searching, Protean grunted in frustration and reverted into her pony form.

“She escaped,” Trixie said, grunting in frustration. “No matter. I have her precious thing. She’ll be back.”

Precious thing? Twilight registered that odd remark for later. Twilight got into Trixie’s face, beaming like a foal on Hearth’s Warming Eve.

“Oh my gosh, that was incredible! Your body is nothing like I’ve ever seen before! It’s like your entire cellular structure is malleable!” Her words came out in a rush, and she tapped her chin in thought. “The failed experiment must have changed the very fundamental nature of your magic! Overcharged it, maybe? Two unicorns were used to enhance your magic. Who knows what effect that might have! And you have wings like a pegasus! Can you fly? Do you have other pegasi abilities like cloudwalking? I have so many questions! I can barely contain myself!”

Twilight paced, trying to organize her jumble of whirling thoughts. There was just too much to consider! “Can I get a tissue sample?”

“Uh.” Trixie faltered under the rush of questions, unsure how to respond. Trixie quickly replaced it with her usual haughtiness as she regained her bearings. “No, you may not.”

The other Rider’s glare could remove paint, but Twilight was too excited to care. Besides the other Trixie breaking the dimension barrier between their two timelines, this was of the greatest scientific discoveries in Equestria history! Why wasn’t Trixie excited about this?

“You’re just like your mother,” Trixie said, scowling. Twilight faltered as the significance of these words sink in.

Mother. Right, she… “Trixie, I…”

“Save it!” Trixie said, her voice venomous. “Your mother did this to me, made me a freak! The heartless wretch!”

Twilight yelped in surprise as a sudden push thrust her back. “And I see you’re no different. We’re all just playthings to you, aren’t we? To be used and discarded when we’re no longer useful.”

“Trixie, I…” Twilight faltered, unsure how to respond.

She didn’t mean to be insensitive, and the horror of the other mare’s situation sunk in. Trixie was a failed experiment, twisted by unnatural magic. Who knew what she’d suffered in the interim? And Trixie was like her, wasn’t she? Her mother had also subjected her to that heartless experiment and almost lost several of Twilight’s dear friends.

Before Twilight could explain this, Trixie turned her back away from her. “Stay out of my way. You’re next once I’m finished with Doctor Shinigami.” With that, her wings extended wide, and she flew away.

“Trixie.” Twilight’s ears drooped. How had it come to this? She just wanted to be Trixie’s friend.

“Twilight, darling! Thank Shocker you’re safe!” Rarity said, running up to her. Other than some scuff marks on her usually pristine white coat, she seemed unharmed otherwise.

“Are you alright, princess?” Rarity asked when she noticed Twilight’s glum expression. “Who was that who flew off? She looked familiar, but I can’t quite place her.”

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain on our way back to the castle.” Twilight tried and failed to hide the pain behind her voice. A moment later, a car pulled up next to them. Rainbow Dash poked her head out the window.

“Hurry, get in!” The mare said. “This place still might be crawling with Shocker creeps!”

“I’ll be right behind you.” Twilight pulled her motorcycle from behind a nearby trash bin and followed behind her friends.

Twilight allowed her cycle’s purring engines to ease her tensions. Vehicles always had that effect on her, helping her think. Cars zipped by, and her mind returned to Trixie. Her mother’s sins stained her deeply, and Twilight couldn’t fault the other Kamen Rider’s hatred. Her feelings about Twilight Velvet weren’t much better, the experiment returning in painful clarity.

Regardless, Twilight refused to be Trixie’s enemy. Somehow, she’d patch things between the two of them. With Zol and Shinigami still out there, Equestria would need the combined unity of two Kamen Riders.

“Damn, damn, damn.” Ditzy paced in her chamber, trying to think. Unlike her townhome bedroom, it was barren with stone walls, a bed, and little else. She didn’t dare make her temporary lodgings homey, fearing it might make it a permanent home. Her proper place was with her muffin in their house.

She replayed the battle with the two Kamen Riders against Kabibinga in her head. Ditzy had hidden in the shadows, allowing the fight to play out to learn of Protean’s capabilities. They were more frightening than Ditzy had anticipated. Heck, she might have greater ability than Lux. The last thing they needed was two Kamen Riders against their Shocker remnant.

“Um, sir.” A Combatpony said after a crisp Shocker salute. “Doctor Shinigami will see you now.”

“Good. We have much to discuss.” The reports of the good doctor’s newest creation were positive, but this new threat might jeopardize everything.

“And, uh.” The Combatpony hesitated, obviously reluctant to give an inquisitor unwelcome news.

“What?” Ditzy said, not hiding her impatience.

“Ivory Scrolls has given his report about your daughter’s status.”

“Yes, and? Have the other foals been bullying her?” If so, she’d need to send some Combatponies to them to set them straight. “Have her grades been suffering?”

The Combatpony paused again, lost for words. Ditzy’s throat tightened, her motherly instincts screaming something was wrong.

“Your daughter has been foalnapped.”

“What?” The Combatpony stepped back, fear evident in his suit’s eyeholes. The venom in the inquisitor’s voice could have melted steel. “For your sorry hide’s sake, you better explain.”

“Three days ago, Dinky Doo disappeared after school without a trace.” The Combatpony said, his words jumbling together in a rush. “Your stepdaughter has searched everywhere to no avail. Our contact said the last pony to see your daughter was a weatherpony named Cloud Kicker. She says she saw your daughter speaking to an odd-cloaked mare with a blue coat.”

“Blue coat!” No, it can’t be? Trixie?!

The shock and fear for her daughter’s safety turned icy, and the Combatpony trembled against a nearby wall in sheer terror. “How could you allow this to happen?!” Her muffin, her baby, was in grave danger, and these idiots allowed it to happen? Somepony’s head would roll for this.

“Ivory Scrolls is still searching. He says he wouldn’t leave a single stone unturned.” The Combatpony said, not giving the answer she’d asked for.

“Useless foals!” Ditzy stomped out of her room, the smoldering remains of the Combatpony filling her nostrils behind her. She wouldn’t be the first pony to die from this snafu. Combatponies trembled as she passed, too frightened to even salute. She ignored them. Once she finished her conversation with Doctor Shinigami, she’d give Ivory Scrolls a nice, friendly visit.

“Doctor!” Ditzy said, without preamble. It was rude and a breach of protocol, but she was beyond caring.

“Ah, Inquisitor.” Doctor Shinigami replied, unbothered by his underling’s terse greeting. “I’m glad you made it. I read your report about our newest pest. It seems Twilight Velvet has returned to haunt us again.”

“Yes, Trixie, our Trixie. I overheard her saying she wants vengeance on everypony that wronged her in that failed experiment, including you.” Giving her a report helped calm Ditzy down. Her rage shimmered beneath the surface, ready to emerge when the time was ready.

“And I hear she has your daughter.” The Shocker General said, making Ditzy jerk back in surprise. How did he know about that? “In some foalish attempt to use you to get to me.”

Ditzy’s movements were jerky as she nodded her argument. “That was my conclusion, too. I wouldn’t let it happen, doctor. You’re too important to the Shocker cause! But…” She hesitated.

“But?”

“I’ve seen Protean’s power for myself. If Lux teams up with her, we’ll be in trouble.” She suppressed a shudder, remembering Ursa Red and their fallen Great Leader. Trixies were nothing but trouble. Damn them all!

“Fear not, our loyal inquisitor. Plans are already in place to destroy them. Once my experiment is complete, nothing will stop us!”

Doctor Shinigami gestured to the tank he was standing over. It contained some murky liquid, and Ditzy squinted to see further in. She jumped as something enormous slammed against the tank, moving so quickly that she hadn’t gotten a good look at it. Ditzy suppressed a shudder, uncertain she wished to know what monstrosity the good doctor was cooking up.

“Tell me. Why haven’t you gone through the reconstruction process?” The unexpected question made Ditzy start.

“I suppose I assumed it’s never been necessary.” No, she supposed that wasn’t true. It was because she feared losing her equity. She didn’t want her muffin to see her as a monster.

“Inquisitor Doo, in these troubled times, we can’t afford half measures. Too much is at stake.” Doctor Shinigami turned his back on her. “Besides, as you are, do you truly believe you have the power to protect your daughter?”

“No.” Ditzy’s body sagged, knowing the general was speaking the truth. “I’ll do it, for Dinky’s sake!” She would rip apart that Trixie freak limb from limb.

“Excellent.”

“Doctor Shinigami!” A Combatpony said, rushing in.

“Yes, report.” The doctor replied.

“This better be important. We’re in the middle of an important conversation,” Ditzy said, her previous venom returning. It made the messenger swallow, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

“It is. Coronal Zol has attacked Equestria!”

“What?!” How? This was too soon! Her spies had told her the attack was still months away.

“Unfortunately, we aren’t ready!” Real worry and fear crept onto Doctor Shinigami’s face, something Ditzy had always assumed was impossible.

“It gets worse, sir!” The messenger suddenly screamed and slumped to the ground, a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest

Newcomers welding weapons rushed onto the scene. The intruders wore costumes Ditzy had never seen before. Unlike the usual Combatpony fare, these grunts wore white patterns of scorpions woven into their costumes.

Zol’s Combatponies. She thought with distaste.

“Looks like we’ve found you, Doctor Shinigami.” Another figure walked into the scene. Somepony Ditzy recognized.

“Jigoku-Thunder! How dare you!” Ditzy snarled, her mechanical eye glowing a malevolent crimson.

“Betray Shocker?” The antlion monster snored in derision. “It was dead the moment the Great Leader died. We have a new, greater master now! We are Destron, the new rulers of the planet!”

Chapter 7

“Woah! Zol is attacking Equestria! No way!” A pony said, equal parts excited and terrified.

“Couldn’t he have waited?” Another recruit said, unable to hide her terror. “I haven’t even begun basic training yet!”

“They aren’t expecting us to fight yet, right?” Another said, fidgeting with nervousness.

“Pathetic,” Gilda said, letting out a derisive snort. “This is Equestria’s best and brightest?”

“Be nice, Gild!” Princess Gabby said, rebuking her captain’s blunt words. “They’re working hard to do their best!”

“Against Shocker, that wouldn’t be enough.” This was why she hated weaklings. Clearly, most ponies couldn’t match Princess Sparkle’s stock. To nogriffon’s surprise, the world needed to count on the Griffon Kingdom for protection. Her talons scraped together in eager anticipation for battle.

“Line up, recruits!” A commanding tone said. Each of the recruits gathered in an orderly line, ready for further instructions as an older pony strode past, heads held high.

“How did you do that?” Princess Gabby asked, impressed by the display.

“I was captain of the Wonderbolts for decades.” Stormy Flare, head of war, winked as she trotted towards them. “I’ve learned a few tricks to keep discipline during troubled times. We’re more than just a stunt team.”

“Neat!”

Gilda ignored her princess’s star-eyed admiration. Instead, she flew towards the middle-aged pegasus. “What’s the situation?” Gilda wanted to charge in, but common sense overrode her eagerness for battle.

“Not good,” Stormy Flare replied. “Zol’s forces are attacking en masse. We’re not sure how they entered Ponyville without being spotted. No matter, we’ll drive them back.”

“They’re in the castle!” A newcomer said, blood trickling down his forehead. “They’re so strong! And they’ve got monsters with them!”

Grim-faced, Stormy Flare nodded. “Understood. Recruits prepare for battle. Protect Princess Sparkle and her cabinet with your lives!”

“Yes, sir!” The recruits saluted. Despite herself, Gilda found herself impressed. They appeared eager to protect their pretty pony princess.

“Princess, get to the safe room. I’ll handle this.” While the announcement of monsters was troublesome, it only heightened her excitement.

“Yes, Captain Gilda,” Gabby said with remarkable seriousness, understanding the graveness of their situation. Without another word, she flew towards some waiting guards who guided her to safety.

“Now that’s dealt with. We can address the real problem.” Stormy Flare said, giving Gilda a nod of respect.

“I won’t lie,” Stormy Flare told her talonful of recruits. “This will be bloody, but we’re the only force standing between Zol and total domination. Grab a weapon and prepare to fight!”

“Yes, sir!” The recruits each grabbed a random weapon from a rack. From the haphazard way they held it, Gilda surmised they’d received little training in their use. This just got better and better.

“You’re a credit to Equestrian bravery. Do your country proud.” Stormy Flare gave an approving smile. She tapped at a piece in her ear, listening to an unheard conversation. “Prepare to back up, Princess Sparkle. She’s arriving in the east wing. Follow me.”

For her sake, let’s hope Lux has gotten stronger since our last encounter. Gilda followed the recruits to the place with the thickest fighting, already audible from this distance. Unlike the weak ponies around her, it excited her griffon blood. Her smile made her pony companions distinctly uncomfortable.

When they arrived at the main entrance chamber, their attackers weren’t what Gilda expected. The ponies fighting the royal guard weren’t the usual Combatponies. Instead, they wore scorpion patterns on their pitch-black uniform. It didn’t matter. They’ll fall like the usual Shocker trash. The scene was complete chaos, the royal guard fighting hard for their princess’s honor. But it was a pitched battle, the guards’ losses heavy.

With a bestial shriek, Gilda prepared for battle. She extended her half-mechanical wings toward her enemy. Like the predator she was, she targeted the weakest Combatpony available. The goon was already limping from a terrible blow to the leg, engaging with a guard wielding a spear. Her mechanical talons sliced across his back as she caught one unaware.

“Thanks.” The startled guard said, poking at the fallen Combatpony with the blunt end of his spear. But Gilda paid him no heed, already searching for her next opponent.

A Combatpony gulped as Gilda approached, eyes dilating as she noticed the blood dripping from the griffon’s mechanical talons. The pony’s fortune improved when a dozen friends joined to back her up. They moved to surround the bloodthirsty griffon, cutting off any escape. This only brought a smile to Gilda’s beak.

“Hold the line. The bird can’t defeat us all!” Those words were the Combatpony’s last as Gilda slashed through his torso. From behind, a sword stabbed at her exposed back. Instincts honed by years of life and death battles, Gilda ducted the blow. The pony howled when Gilda gave the pony a broken muzzle for his trouble. Even without her talons, her mechanical hand could shatter bone. With impressive coordination, the other Combatponies attacked at once. Each brandished a deadly weapon, wielding it with skillful hooves.

Two Combatponies collapsed in the first exchanges of combat. A staff and a spear lanced towards Gilda from two different directions. A talon caught the spear’s shaft, jabbing its end into its owner’s chest. Gilda leaped over the sweeping blow from the staff, smacking the spear across its wielder’s head. The spear snapped in half, and Gilda tossed the useless weapon aside.

“So strong.” A Combatpony gasped in pain when Gilda’s punch almost doubled her over. She stood, but just barely. Her fellows weren’t as fortunate, gasping and moaning on the tiled floor.

“Back!” A newcomer said, the scorpion Combatponies parting way for them.

“Impressive.” The monster was hideous, a bizarre mismatch of jaguar and machine. Two metal horns protruded from its bulbous jaguar head, red with black spots. One half had fur matching the coloration of its head. The other half had gray metallic armor, tough as steel. Instead of claws, the creature had blades attached to each arm. A dagger-like digit protruded from the larger blade.

“Help me, please!” A guardspony moaned in pain. The monster dragged her across the decorative tile floor, pulled by her armor’s collar.

“We were never told about you.” The machine-jaguar mismatch eyed Gilda, ignoring the injured pony. It clashed its two blades together. “But against the mighty Destron, you are nothing but a nuisance, griffon. I am Hasami Jaguar!”

Destron? Different name, still the same chumps. She cared little about what they called themselves. They’d still be bloody bags of flesh once Gilda finished with them.

“You will die like the rest.” The monster said. The injured mare didn’t even have time to scream as Hasami Jaguar stabbed a blade into her chest. Instead of gushing blood as Gilda expected, the poor mare’s body dissolved before her eyes. It reduced the unfortunate to a black stain on the tiled floor.

“You’re going to regret that!” Gilda played with the hatch of her arm cannon, ready for action.

“Don’t worry, Gilda! I’m coming!” Tile cracked to pieces as Kamen Rider Lux landed some steps away from her.

“Lux!” The Combatponies cried with equal parts fear and outrage.

“Perfect! You save me the trouble of hunting you down!” Hasami Jaguar said, delighted his enemy had landed in his lap.

“I can handle this myself!” Gilda said, annoyed by the interruption.

“Is this really the time for this? We need to work together!” A Combatpony yelped in pain and surprise as Twilight flipped him into his fellows, bowling them over. Her hooves were merciless, devastating any Combatpony who dared cross her path.

She’s improved, at least. Gilda joined the fray, showing her foes what true terror was. Stormy Flare, her recruits charging behind to provide support. They managed themselves well, keeping several Combatponies off their backs.

“Working together is lame!” Gilda said, engaging Hasami Jaguar by herself. “Griffons fight alone! Just keep these dweebs away from me!”

Metal clashed against metal, Hasami Jaguar parrying her talons with a curved blade. Gilda’s mechanical parts sizzled from the contact, leaving a black stain. They circled each other, both predators hunting for weakness. While some might become daunted at facing a monster capable of killing with a touch, it only excited Gilda. This was why griffons became warriors.

Each combatant vied for advantages as they exchanged parries, keeping their opponent at bay. Hasami Jaguar showed impressive ability, both an agile and skillful warrior. He refused to surrender an inch as they fought. She might need her buster cannon after all. Behind her, the pony princess tore through the ranks of Combatponies with impressive skill. But she detected a slight hesitancy in the pony princess’s movements, worried about Gilda’s safety. Sloppy. Such weakness could get her killed.

A burn mark scarred a mechanical wing, but she was having fun. She was biding her time, searching for weaknesses within Hasami Jaguar’s fighting style. Gilda almost scored a slash across the monster’s chest, but it missed by inches. Hasami Jaguar enjoyed himself too, but Gilda’s instincts screamed something was wrong. Her opponent seemed too pleased with himself.

There! Reflected in Hasami Jaguar’s yellow eyes, Gilda caught a green shape staring back at her. Instead of turning to identify the figure, she leaped clear of her current position. It was a lucky break as fiery destruction filled where she’d vacated. Their fight was only a diversion. Typical Shocker cowardice!

“Lucky! You wouldn’t be so fortunate next time!” Her new attacker was a bizarre pony-turtle hybrid. Attached to his shell was a bazooka almost half the monster’s height. He bent down to open fire, heedless of what target he hit. To Gilda’s dismay, the onslaught blasted the new recruits to pieces. Only Gilda’s quick wits and wings saved her from a similar fate.

“Call me, Kame Bazooka!” The turtle monster said. “You were foals to think any of you stood a chance!”

“Cover me. I got this.” Hasami Jaguar charged toward Gilda, blades raised to strike.

Gilda fought to stay a step ahead of death. When Kame Bazooka wasn’t firing upon her, he was taking potshots at any guards or recruits that came into view.

“Don’t worry, Gilda!” Twilight Sparkle said. “I’m coming!”

Gilda’s heart thumped like thunder as the blade passed inches away from her face. With another monster on her heels, defending herself seemed almost impossible.

I can’t keep going like this! If she positioned both monsters just right, maybe she could blast them together with her cannon! That hope proved short-lived, a careless explosion from above blowing her into a nearby wall.

Pain stabbed at her back as she landed hard on some rock debris. Through blurry eyes, she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Gilda knew unless she moved now, she was a fried griffon. Senses befuddled, she stumbled about in the dark. Fear stabbed her heart as her vision cleared, revealing Hasami Jaguar standing above her. He smirked in triumph, blades raised to deliver death.

Move! But her battered body refused to budge, leaving her helpless.

“No!” Sparks flew as something white stabbed at her attacker from above, something glowing in their talons. No hooves. Lux had arrived to save her. While this irked her greatly, Gilda didn’t mind if it meant not dying. The mechanical monster staggered back, gripping his sizzling wound.

“Kamen Rider Lux!” Kame Bazooka said, his voice sly. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Lucky shot.” Hasami Jaguar clashed his twin blades together. “You wouldn’t be so lucky next time.

Twilight prepared her energy sword to fight the two monsters with impressive valor. Gilda tried to regain her bearings to join the fray. No pony would fight for her sake. But abruptly, the fighting stopped. Combatpoines parting for someone new. With clipped, precise steps, they entered the castle’s hall. Fire burned in Gilda’s blood as she recognized the face immediately.

“Colonel Zol!” Gilda spat.

The pegasus’s military uniform was immaculate, gray-blue with a white undershirt and matching pants. His golden trim hat had a golden wreath surrounding a red dot sitting under a hawk in flight. The pony’s features were granite, radiating authority and demanding respect. His muzzle wore a thick mustache, with an eye patch covering his left eye.

Gilda’s hacks raised, forgetting her injuries. She readied herself for a sudden, unexpected strike with her cannon. But she paused, detecting something off. Was it her imagination, or had Zol’s figure flickered?

“Lux, we meet at least,” Zol said, extending the riding crop in his hooves towards Twilight. “We’re here to crush this pitiful little kingdom you’ve tried to create for yourself. You lead your ponies astray with this talk of democracy and freedom. Ponies can only thrive with a firm hoof guiding them.”

“Never!” Twilight said, growling. “Only through freedom can ponies be happy! Ponies have suffered enough under your heartless rule! Your dream would will only lead to desolation and ruin! Tyranny is anathema to life! I will create an Equestria where ponies will never stop smiling!”

“Sure, whatever,” Gilda said, struggling to her feet. “Save the namby-pamby speeches and focus on kicking this guy’s butt!” Seriously. If Princess Sparkle started talking about friendship next, she would puke.

“Right,” Twilight said, somewhat annoyed. But she focused on the task at talon, reading her energy sword.

With a crack of his whip, Zol made a dismissive gesture. “Not yet. Destron has completed its objective for today. We have decimated your sad excuses for recruits. When my entire army comes, your forces will offer no resistance when we attack in full. Equestria will be crushed and absorbed into the Destron Empire. Savor these precious moments of peace while you can. They will be your last, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Hasami Jaguar slashed his metal blades together. “You got lucky, griffon! Next time, I will have your head!”

“If she lasts that long before I blow her to smithereens!” Kame Bazooka said.

“Goodbye, Lux,” Zol said, and his form vanished as if it’d never been there. Gilda cursed, realizing it had only been a projection. Their enemy was still safe back in Pferdreich. His forces followed suit by pulling out white tablets and tossing them to the ground. Everyone coughed as smoke filled the room. But when their vision cleared, Destron’s forces had vanished.

“Wait!” Twilight kicked a nearby wall, cursing very unladylike oaths. Her ears drooped when she surveyed the damage. Zol hadn’t been kidding about the state of the recruits. Only a handful had survived the battle, Gilda’s heart seizing when she realized something.

Rainbow Dash! If the idiot had participated in the battle, she might have gotten injured or worse! Terrified, she bolted from the room with her wings extended out high. Twilight called for her to wait, but Gilda ignored her.

“Please be okay!” Gilda repeated his manta, hoping it might come true if she repeated it enough times.

While the damage wasn’t as severe as Gilda feared, many guards and recruits had suffered serious injuries. Some would likely never see action again. EMTs rushed to the scene, starting with the most grievously injured. The yellow pegasus helped with them, offering a kind hoof to suffering. Zol hadn’t been lying. Destron had retired Equestria’s army before it even saw action.

“Rainbow Dash!” Relief flooded Gilda as she spotted the dweeb.

“Careful!” Rainbow Dash said, helping an EMT move a bloody pony onto a stretcher. The pony gave RD a grateful nod and flew out a window towards the hospital.

“Gilda?” Her friend said, surprised. Fear quickened her heart as she saw crimson staining her friend’s fur, sighing in relief after realizing it wasn’t Rainbow’s.

“Yeah, I’m just here to see how badly you got your butt kicked,” Gilda said, hiding her relief that her pony friend was unharmed. “But it seems you did alright for yourself.”

“Ha! It takes more than a bunch of Combatponies to keep me down!” But Gilda noticed the heartache RD tried to hide under that bravado. Her first taste of battle hadn’t been as glorious as she expected.

“They hurt a lot of good ponies.” Rainbow Dash said, her tone turning hard as steel. “I won’t let this happen again.”

“Glad to hear it,” Stormy Flare said, walking towards them. “We need pegasi like you if we’re to win this war.”

“Thanks!” Replied Rainbow Dash, awestruck. She was speaking with a living legend. “I kicked as much Shocker butt as I could, sir! They couldn’t even catch me, sir!”

“So I saw,” Stormy Flare said, amused by Rainbow’s blatant hero worship. “Your team suffered the fewest losses of everypony. That’s why I want you as part of the Wonderbolts.”

“Wonderbolts, sir?” Rainbow Dash said, uncertain she’d heard that right.

“I didn’t stutter, recruit,” Stormy Flare replied, her tone going serious. “I want you at the Wonderbolt Academy at 6:00 tomorrow.”

“B-but you rejected my application. I’m not ready to be a Wonderbolt!” Rainbow Dash said, overcome with both doubt and hope.

“That doesn’t matter.” Stormy Flare said, kindness creeping into her tone. “We’re at war! We need every talented pegasi we can get. Like it or not, you’re ready now.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Rainbow Dash said, giving a crisp salute.

“Good. I’m expecting great things from you, Miss Dash. Don’t disappoint me.” Stormy Flare said, giving a brisk nod. “Now, I’ll leave you to help the survivors. I believe Nurse Redheart next door requires the help of a Wonderbolt.” With that, she took her leave.

“Can you believe it?” Rainbow Dash said, her tone full of wonder. “I’m a Wonderbolt! Yes!” She flipped in the air, dancing with her hips. Her ears flattened when a nearby nurse gave Rainbow a scathing glare.

“But celebrations can wait for later.” RD coughed into her hoof. “See you around, Gilda. Go see a nurse. You look like crap.”

Did she? Eh, Gilda had suffered worse. She was more worried about someone else.

“You too, Dash. Congratulations.” Not that Rainbow didn’t deserve this honor, but it only filled Gilda with dread.

“A Wonderbolt?! Yes!” Rainbow Dash whispered, stomping a hoof in delight.

“Yes, wonderful,” Gilda said with little enthusiasm. The appointment only heightened Gilda’s fear of Rainbow’s safety. But this was her friend’s path. Gilda knew she needed to honor it.

Yes. Destron will receive a rainbow-colored butt-kicking. Why am I worried? While it didn’t elevate her fears, it made her concern marginally better. She hoped.

“Well?” Ditzy asked, clutching at one arm. The limb throbbed something fierce. But she’d survive.

“The casualties were high, sir.” The Combatpony said, nervous sweat dripping down his brow. Nopony liked giving an inquisitor unwanted news. “It’s still early, but it’s estimated we’ve lost almost seventy percent of our forces.”

“I see.” Inwardly, she cursed.

Destron had been ruthless in their sneak attack. Ditzy almost hadn’t survived. They’d received reports that the old castle had suffered a similar attack. They’d underestimated Zol’s power, and he’d almost broken both his enemies to pieces. While, in time, the false Princess could recoup her forces. Shocker wouldn’t be so lucky, already hunted close to extinction.

“That bad.” Doctor Shinigami ran a hoof past his horn and long white hair. “The experiment survived intact, but that’s the only good news.”

“And you survived, doctor,” Ditzy said. “A Shocker General is worth a thousand Combatponies.”

“But what chance do we have against Zol, inquisitor?” Doctor Shinigami sounded defeated, older than she’d ever heard from the general.

How could this happen? Despair tore apart her heart. Ditzy’s most beloved was slipping from her grasp, both her muffin and Shocker. She couldn’t bear losing either, but what could she do? In Shocker’s current state, they couldn’t stop Trixie or Destron. Tears pricked at her eyelids, and Ditzy didn’t have the energy to wipe them away.

Doctor Shinigami gave her a sad smile, knowing her thoughts. But he remained silent, knowing they’d be empty encouragement. Shocker was dead.

“Or is it?” Doctor Shinigami said, reading her glum expression.

“What? Will your experiment be enough to turn the tide?” Ditzy asked, wondering what her general was thinking.

“No, but there’s a chance. But to do it is unthinkable.”

“What?” The Combatpony and Ditzy hung on Doctor Shinigami’s every word.

“What’s the old saying? An enemy of my enemy is my friend?” The Shocker General said.

“You can’t mean?” Ditzy couldn’t even finish the thought, it being so ludicrous.

“We’re weakened too, but together we might stand a chance,” Doctor Shinigami said. “If we join forces with Lux, victory might be possible!”

“No!” Ditzy said, her mind automatically rebelling.

But she stopped, considering the suggestion further. She recalled how much Trixie hated Lux from the night earlier. Unsurprising, considering Twilight Velvet had ruined Protean’s life. And Twilight Sparkle wasn’t an unfeeling mare. If she found out Trixie kidnapped a foal, she’d help rescue the filly.

And we’d have a stronger army to fight Destron, of course. But Ditzy was a mother. Her muffin came first, always.

This could work. While the suggestion still left a bitter taste in Ditzy’s mouth, Zol and Trixie needed to be stopped. For Dinky and Shocker’s sake, she’d swallow her pride. Besides, they wouldn’t be allies forever. Ditzy’s mouth extended into a wicked grin. They hadn’t lost yet.

Chapter 8

Twilight bundled up her blanket against the chilly night air, enjoying the night sky in all its glory. The moon was gorgeous tonight, full and close enough that Twilight thought she could touch it if she only stretched out a hoof. She sniffed, taking some solace from Luna’s majesty.

“Oh Princess Luna, what would you do in my situation?” Twilight bundled up closer, but not from the cold. A knock caught her attention, surprising Twilight because she’d told the staff she wished to be alone. But she won’t turn away a guest. Besides, it might be important?

“Sorry about the intrusion, princess,” Applejack said. “They told me you’d be up here.”

“Oh, Applejack.” The farmer was the last pony Twilight had expected seeing. “I’m sorry I missed our meeting, but unavoidable matters delayed me.”

“That’s alright, sugarcube. How are you holding up? Pinkie told everything. Figured you might need somepony to talk to.”

Before Twilight realized what was happening, she was spilling her guts. “It’s horrible, AJ! It was a mistake to sign that stupid Equestrian Service Act into law! And now we’ve paid the consequences! That stupid law placed a target on those poor pony’s backs!” She still remembered the slaughter, the blood pointlessly spilled in her name.

“Oh, sugarcube!” Instead of offering empty words of solace, Applejack wrapped Twilight in a hug, and Equestria’s temporary princess totally lost control. She sobbed into the farmer’s shoulder, crying tears she’d thought long dried up.

Twilight regained some measure of composure, giving a grateful smile. “Thanks. I didn’t realize how much I needed that.”

“Anytime, princess,” Applejack said, stroking Twilight’s mane. “What kinda pony would I be if I abandoned somepony in need?”

It was odd, a simple farmpony comforting a princess. But she didn’t feel any shame. Instead, the mare’s presence heartened her. It was like leaning against an indestructible wall.

“What should I do now, Applejack?” Twilight asked, returning her gaze toward the moon. “I knew I should do the hard thing and continue to support the act I hate. But how can I ask more ponies to die senselessly in my name?”

Much to Twilight’s surprise, the farmer’s expression hardened. “Now, princess, don’t you think that’s disingenuous to the brave ponies that fought and died today? They weren’t just helpless victims. Despite their lack of training, they fought Destron with grit and courage. You couldn’t ask better from anypony. You should be out there honoring their sacrifice, not up here pitying them. It’s darn right disrespectful!”

Twilight winced. This mare didn’t mince her words. “You’re right. I’ll arrange a ceremony in the morning. Tell ponies of their courageous sacrifice for their nation.”

“Right! Show Destron us Equestrians aren’t so easily cowed! Keep your head high and show your stuff!”

Despite herself, this brought a smile to Twilight’s lips. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Who said anything about easy? Nothing worthwhile in this world is easy!” Applejack said. “Like I tell my baby sister, Apple Bloom, bad harvests happen. But it ain’t a good reason to surrender. You pick yourself up and try again. Giving up is worse than failing.”

“Those are some wise words, Applejack.”

The apple farmer blushed, not used to compliments. “Ain’t nothing, sugarcube. Just advice my gran likes saying from time to time.”

“I should really make you a member of my advisory council.”

“No! My apple trees keep me more than busy! But I ain’t afraid to talk if needed.”

“I will,” Twilight said with a lighter heart. She’d do better to protect their next recruits, so this never happened again. Next time Pferdreich would learn the perils of facing Equestria.

“I’m back!” Trixie said, whistling to herself.

“Already?” Truthfully, the older mare had only left for four hours. Dinky had wanted to work longer on her escape plan. The brick leading toward freedom was more troublesome than she’d first expected. “Did something good happen?”

“Eh, not really. But my list of targets only has a single name remaining on it, Doctor Shinigami!”

“Nice knowing you. Doctor Shinigami is unbeatable!” Dinky replied, her tone snide. She’s met him once or twice, and the Shocker General had left an impression. He radiated power and brilliance, a rare pony among the chaff. And he was super nice, sneaking her candy treats when her momma wasn’t looking.

“We’ll see,” Trixie replied. “Ambassador Hell seemed unbeatable too, and he’s worm food! Thanks to the pony, who won’t be named.”

Despite her bravado, worry stabbed at Dinky’s heart. What would happen to her wonderful Shocker if their final General got defeated? Where would that leave her momma? She’d given her entire life to Shocker.

“How about we play some Go Fish?” Even if she couldn’t stop Trixie’s reign of terror, Dinky could at least pummel the aggravating mare at card games.

“Fine.” While not enthusiastic, Trixie pulled out the card deck. The mare hated backing down from a challenge.

If I can escape from here, I can tell Doctor Shinigami Trixie’s weaknesses. Then, we’ll set a trap and kick her butt into next week! Dinky gave her best fake smile, knowing she had the older mare.

While Trixie shuffled the cards with her magic, Dinky asked a question that suddenly occurred to her. “What happens after you beat Shocker? Will you destroy Lux and steal her throne as princess?” The older mare hadn’t hidden her contempt for the fake princess whose mother had ruined her life.

“I will beat Lux, but I’m still undecided if I’ll kill her. She’s just as uncaring for the plight of other ponies as her mother, but that doesn’t deserve death. As for the throne?” Trixie gave a dismissive snort. “Unlike most fillies, I’ve never wanted to become a princess. That’s because I’m already one, always have been.”

The fact Trixie spoke these words without a hint of irony astounded Dinky. “What then? Live your days in a sewer, like always?” Trixie had slipped about her years trapped in the sewers after her gooification.

The pegicorn paused, unsure how to reply. “Haven’t really thought about it. Defeating Shocker has been my primary concern since forever.”

“Didn’t you have some plans before your accident?”

“I like stage magic, but I never pursued it.” Trixie’s uncertain expression deepened. “My parents always told me I should set aside my silly fascination with it and focus on becoming a good, well-respected Shocker commander.”

“That’s so mean! My momma would never do that!” Despite being a Shocker Inquisitor, her momma had always been open to Dinky taking any future career she wanted. It’d earned her some flack from her co-workers, but her momma refused to surrender the point.

“You’re lucky. I’m over twenty and don’t even have a high school degree. My job prospects are hopeless! Besides, how would I even pay for an education to become a stage magician? I don’t have a single bit to my name.” Trixie sagged, the full implication of her situation striking her.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad!” Dinky gave the older mare an awkward pat on the back. It always caught Dinky off-guard how broken the Pegicorn was inside.

Not that I care. She’s trying to destroy Shocker and hurt my momma! That’s unforgivable.

“I think you’ve shuffled the cards enough,” Dinky said, noting how the older mare had absently been shuffling the cards as they spoke.

As pitiful as she may seem, she’s still an enemy. Don’t forget your goals, Dinky! For your momma’s sake, she needs to be destroyed!

“Ready?” Ditzy said into her earpiece. “Remember the plan. Don’t deviate unless I say so. Back me up if this goes wrong.”

“Understood.” But 1355 didn’t sound thrilled about their plan, knowing this would cost Shocker an important member if it failed. But Ditzy had little choice, knowing only she could conduct this meeting. She didn’t dare risk Doctor Shinigami. Besides, they needed the General in his lab.

From her hiding spot, a pink shape bounced across the castle courtyard. Perched precariously on her back was a humongous stack of papers, somehow keeping balance despite gravity arguing otherwise.

“Huh?” Ditzy stared at the impossible sight, waiting for the horseshoe to drop and the stack to topple over. The pink mare continued to bounce along, unconcerned about the disaster awaiting her.

“No.” Ditzy shook her head, remembering her mission. “Okay, I’m going in.”

While entering by the front entrance seemed foalhardy and reckless, this castle had once been her home. Ditzy would accept this loathsome mission with her head held high, not lurking in the shadows. She’d show the dignity her position deserved.

“Hiya!”

Ditzy screamed, face-planting out of the bush and onto the paved sidewalk. Despite the unexpected surprise, highly tuned instincts of survival activated. Her muzzle only touched the sidewalk for a split second before she recovered, her mechanical eye blazing with deadly energy. Despite being moments from a gruesome death, the pink mare only grinned at Ditzy, her muzzle too close for comfort. If the pink mare realized the danger she faced, she seemed staggeringly unaware.

To make matters worse, ponies had noticed the scene. They stifled laughter at the Inquisitor’s embarrassing situation. Ditzy memorized their faces for later punishment.

Instead of responding to the greeting, Ditzy pushed past the pink mare and marched towards the castle’s front entrance. Already her appearance was drawing attention, ponies muttering in quiet terror. In her absence, they’d remodeled the castle entrance. They had removed every sigil bearing Shocker’s mark with extreme prejudice, replaced with a new standard showing Twilight Sparkle’s cutie mark.

So tacky! Ditzy rolled her eyes and continued forward toward the main conference room.

Undaunted by the appearance of an Inquisitor, the pink mare bounced alongside Ditzy. The papers balanced on her back wobbled in beat to her bouncing. “Are you here for an appointment? Funny, I don’t recall any appointment set for this time, but we allow for walk-in political meetings! Follow me. I’ll guide you to the waiting room. Wait times can be lengthy, but a politician will speak with you shortly.”

“Wha?” Was this a castle or a doctor’s office? Before Ditzy could protest, the strange mare pushed her into a dull room. Little was inside the small chamber besides some chairs and a table covered with reading material.

“And we have plenty of, mostly recent, gardening and entertainment magazines to keep you occupied! Please be patient. Your time is precious to us!”

Before Ditzy could offer any protest, the pink mare slammed the room’s door behind her.

“Uh.” Now what? Should she wait for a representative or demand the presence of the princess? Either way, she should command more respect than this.

“Hey, let me out! I demand to speak to your princess at once!”

No response. Never mind, I’ll blast my way out. That’ll get their attention. It turned out to be a grievous mistake, Ditzy barely avoiding a ricochet as her shot bounced back towards her skull. Something about the walls reflected her attack back toward her.

“What the?”

“Oh, yeah. This is a super-secure prison-type room!” The pink mare said beyond what Ditzy realized was a reinforced door. “So don’t bother trying to escape.”

“You tricked me!” Ditzy said, outraged.

“Yep! It’s to trap the crazies and other unwanted guests.” The pink mare said. “Works every time!”

“Let me out of here, damn you! Don’t you know who you’re speaking to?” Ditzy said indignantly.

“An inept assassin?”

“No!”

“Uh, wait, don’t tell me!” The pink mare studied Ditzy’s face through a door window. “The plumber for the broken toilet on floor 2 in wing E? No. Three fillies trying to get the princess’s autograph standing on each other’s shoulders? Naw, I’m pretty sure the CMC already got their books signed. No, don’t tell me. An evil parallel version of Twilight from the conquest of Equestria?”

“What?”

“Yeah, we get those sometimes. They come in, blast magic everywhere, monologue about their evilness, give some rather flimsy backstory that doesn’t really justify their evilness, and act like they own that place!”

“No! I’m Inquisitor Doo, representative of Shocker, here to request a truce for both of our sake!”

“Really? Dang, it! That was my next guess!”

Ditzy’s temper had reached a boiling point. This foal wouldn’t delay her any longer. “Call the Princess here now, or so help me!”

“A truce? What do you mean? Has Doctor Shinigami finally surrendered?” A familiar voice said, the locked door muffling her words.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Ditzy cursed, wishing she was in a stronger position to negotiate. Never mind, she’d make do. Everypony who’d underestimated her had paid the price with their blood.

“No, I am here to offer an alliance, princess” Ditzy said.

“An alliance with Shocker?” Lux said, dumbfounded. She said that like Ditzy had asked her to grow wings and fly.

“Sounds like horse manure!” The pink pony added.

“Nopony asked you!” Ditzy snapped and cursed her loss of control. Only a cool head would allow Shocker to prevail this day. Her muffin’s life depended on it.

“I mean, I heard how you’d lost a large majority of your new recruits,” Ditzy said, regaining some measure of her usual calm confidence. “Destron attacked us too. We’re both weakened. We can’t survive without each other. If we don’t join forces, Zol will crush us both!”

Ditzy cursed the door separating her and Equestria’s fake princess, putting her into a weaker negotiating position.

“We can’t trust you!” Lux said. “You’d backstab us at the first opportunity!”

“Doctor Shinigami has given his personal assurances that Shocker will remain loyal even after Zol’s defeat.”

“Really?”

“We only ask for clemency for any of Shocker’s past crimes. A fresh start for the Combatponies. So they can reunite with their families without being wanted criminals. We’re tired of fighting, tired of running. Give us a chance, and Shocker will never bother Equestria again.”

Ditzy crossed her hooves, hoping her words struck home. Otherwise, she might lose Dinky forever. Shocker needed this alliance to work.

“And you’ll reform and start new lives?” Was that hope Ditzy heard in Lux’s voice?

“Doctor Shinigami and I swear it by our honor.”

“What do you think, Pinkie?” Lux asked her pink flunky.

“Please, I have a daughter.” Genuine tears slid down Ditzy’s face. “The monster stole her from me, and you’re my only hope of getting her back!”

“How?”

“Trixie.” Ditzy didn’t hide her contempt. “She foalnapped my daughter so she could lure me out to kill me. Trixie’s a loose cannon! She’s already killed dozens of other Shocker agents and won’t stop until she’s killed us all. And you too. In her deduced, revenge-clouded mind, you’re the daughter of the mare that destroyed her life. Didn’t she swear to kill you after finishing with Shocker?”

“I remember.” Ditzy heard the scowl in the Kamen Rider’s tone. “And she really has your daughter?”

“Yes.”

Lux hesitated, caught between doubt and pity.

“If Trixie has her daughter, she’s a real meanie jerk face!” Pinkie said, with feeling. “We need to stop her!”

“No argument from me,” Twilight replied, seeing the truth in her lackey’s words.

“If we can corroborate your story, I’ll keep an open mind,” Twilight said, making an executive decision. “Until then, you will remain in our custody.”

“That is acceptable,” Ditzy replied. “Anything to save my daughter.”

They set Ditzy free and she confronted Equestria’s princess face-to-face and they shook on the agreement. Still, this arrangement didn’t settle well with Equestria’s fake princess. She fidgeted, a nervous habit from stress. Unlike a proper leader, this pony seemed unable to control or hide her emotions. It made reading her easy. The decision weighed on her soul, but she saw the logic in Ditzy’s argument. She figured rescuing a small filly was a worthy endeavor for any Kamen Rider.

“Pinkie, I want you to contact Rarity and help her locate Trixie. And?”

“Dinky,” Ditzy replied, filling in the blanks.

“Dinky.” Twilight nodded her thanks. “You’re great at finding things, Pinkie. Together, this mission shouldn’t be difficult. Don’t confront the other Kamen Rider by yourselves. She might hurt you or slip away. Let me deal with her.”

“Got it, Princess!” Pinkie said, expression serious. “Never fear, Inquiz. We’ll find her. Then throw the best ‘Welcome to the Good Guys’ party ever!”

“Right,” Ditzy replied, lost for words. Unlike Lux, the pink mare was impossible to read. Somehow, her goofy smile hid thoughts not even Inquisitor Ditzy could penetrate. The pink mare zipped away and disappeared down a far corridor.

What the heck was that creature? No pony should be capable of moving that quick!

“Let’s get one thing straight,” Lux said, getting into Ditzy’s face. “If we verify your story, we’ll consider forming an alliance. But step out of line, and I’m Rider Kicking your butts into next week. I’m watching you.”

“Understood.” For Dinky’s sake, she’d deal with the devil and sell her soul. Thankfully, asking for Lux’s aid only diminished her pride. Besides, Trixie’s destruction would only aid Shocker’s cause. She was a wild card nopony could afford to ignore.

Chapter 9

“Uh-huh.” Pinkie nodded, listening as a mover pony rambled on about being short-staffed. The mare showed considerable patience as the stallion continued whining.

“Foals these days have no work ethics.” Ship Shape said. “They’d rather waste time on these newfangled computers doing Shocker knows what on the internet! I’ve surfed the webs before, ain’t nothing decent about the place. No wonder foals ain’t have the guff to keep a proper job these days!”

Pinkie continued to nod, and Rarity wondered if she was really listening. She sure wasn’t. Finally, the stallion got the point.

“Blue mare, white mane, obnoxious attitude?” Ship Shape asked. “Can’t say I’ve seen them.”

“Ah, that’s a shame, Shippy! Keep in touch if you see anything!” Pinkie bounced away with Rarity in tow.

“I see why Shocker isn’t too fond of Trixie. She’s a devil to track down.” Rarity had only met the alternate timeline Trixie once. The best description of the mare was overbearing. Somehow, she doubted this Trixie would prove much different.

“We’ll find her! I gotta gut feeling we’re close!” Pinkie waved over the weatherpony she’d spotted flying by. “Cloud Kicker!”

“Hey Pinks, what’s happening?” The pegasus said. The two broke into small talk. It marveled Rarity how comfortable Pinkie made other ponies, loosening their lips. For somepony so obvious and loud, Pinkie would make a fantastic spy.

“A cloaked mare? Haven’t seen her, sorry.” Cloudkicker paused, considering. “Though my cousin Night Glider might know something. She runs a local grocery store and sees more than ponies expect.”

“Thank you for your help, darling.” Rarity said. “It’s most appreciated.”

“Anything for a lady,” Cloudkicker said, not hiding her flirtatious interest. “How about coming over to my place later? We can bang?”

“My. That’s forthright of you.” Rarity said, somewhat lost for words.

“I don’t like to complicate things,” Cloudkicker replied, waggling her eyebrows. “If a mare’s hot, you need to say something.”

“I’m sorry, dear, but our work is urgent.” Rarity said, already edging away. Like it wasn’t bad enough when gross stallions hit on her. “We’re on a special mission for the princess. Can’t dawdle. Tootles.”

“What an interesting character.” Rarity said as they got further away. While the mare wasn’t unattractive, her attitude left much to be desired. A lady had to have standards.

Pinkie shook her head forlornly. “She’s a good pony, but a hoof’s full sometimes. I think she’d be more successful if she kept her mouth shut.”

Ponyville was sure a colorful place. Being from Appleloosa originally, Rarity was more used to the conservative, rough-and-tumble ponies. But Equestria’s capital attracted all types, a melting pot of a myriad of cultures and races. Before coming to Ponyville, she’d never met a griffon before.

“Cloaked pony?” Night Glider said, placing a canned fruit on a shelf. Her shop was a mom-and-pop place that tended to the needs of the nearby apartment blocks. But it was clean and well-stocked. Ponies were milling about the shelves as they spoke.

“I’ve seen her around the shop a few times.” The pegasus said. “Always hides her cutie mark with that dusty cloak of hers.”

“Do you know where she might live?” Rarity said, hope blooming in her chest.

“Beats me.” Night Glider shrugged. “Always pays with cash. She’s new, I guess? She started showing up a couple of weeks ago.”

The door’s bell rang as they exited the shop. While not the best lead, it told them Trixie lived in this general area. They passed some graffitied walls as they spoke to random passersby. They’d entered a less-than-pristine part of Ponyville as they continued their search. But Rarity was confident they’d caught the right scent.

“Yeah, I’ve seen her around.” A stallion said. “She’s squatting in this abandoned apartment building a couple of blocks away.”

“Smashing, darling.” Rarity said. “Lead the way.”

The streets became less appetizing as they followed their guide, eyes watching them from hidden places. But Rarity kept her calm, no stranger to danger. The stallion pushed aside a wooden plank nailed to a door to a condemned building, following him inside.

Pinkie wrinkled her nose as mildew and decay struck it. Trash covered the floor from previous swatters. Graffiti covered almost every wall. “This place needs some sprucing up. We should start a house cleaning party! Then Trixie won’t have to live in such a dirty place!”

“A party?” A stallion entered from a far door. “Why wait? We can have one right now. With two ladies, it’ll be a lively one.” More rough-looking stallions entered, blocking any escape.

Pinkie’s eyes lit up when the newcomer mentioned a party. “Oh! Is there cake?! Party games? I love Pin the Tail on the Pony! You could have picked a better location. I know! There’s a Pizza Plaza a couple of blocks away. We should have it there! Then we can have pizza and play some Skee Ball!”

“Uh.” Their guide said, confused by Pinkie’s behavior, not getting the fear reaction he’d intended.

“Skee ball! I haven’t played that in ages!” A thug said, his eyes lighting up. “Do they have those shooting games, too? I love those!” He shrunk as his fellows glared daggers at him.

“No. This isn’t that kind of party.” Their guide said. “It will be much more fun.”

Pinkie gasped in shock. “More fun than Skee Ball? Impossible!”

“Yeah, that’s like blasphemy, dude.” Another thug said. Some other ruffians nodded their agreement.

“You dolts.” The guide rubbed his brow with a hoof. “Remember what we’re here for.”

“The party!” Pinkie said, putting up some colorful streamers. While they weren’t looking, the party pony had been busy decorating the place. A banner reading ‘New Friends Party’ hung from the ceiling across the room.

“What?” The head thug said, his mouth agape.

“I’ll be right back. I need to get some party snacks from Night Glider’s shop.”

“Nopony going anywhere!” Rarity detected their guide was quickly losing control of the situation.

“You can’t have a party without party snacks,” Pinkie said, rolling her eyes. A goon raised his hoof to request something but lowered it when his leader glared at him.

“No, dammit all!” The head thug said, throwing a tantrum as his control of the situation slipped further away. “No parties!”

“Aw!” Pinkie said, dropping the balloon she was blowing up.

The head thug coughed into his hoof, pretending he’d never lost his cool. Before he could continue, one of his ponies raised a hoof. “What is it, Genome? It better be important.”

“Uh.” The stallion paused, considering. “Uh, sorry, Boss. It slipped my mind.”

“Then you shouldn’t have bothered me, you idiot!” The leader said, his breath heaving.

“You work in a really toxic environment, Genome,” Pinkie said, consoling the discouraged stallion. “He shouldn’t speak to you that way, the meanie!” Genome didn’t reply and only nodded in response.

“As I was saying, pretty fillies like yourself shouldn’t…”

“He’s always just so mean. I try my best, but he always only insults me.” Genome said, accepting Pinkie’s back pat with a grateful, weak smile. “I kept quiet because I need this job!”

“You deserve much better!” Pinkie said with honest passion. “Ponies should work where they feel appreciated.”

“Excuse me…” But the boss’s pleas fell on deaf ears.

“You know what? You’re right, Pinkie! I shouldn’t tolerate this abuse any further. Boss, I’m quitting!”

“What?! You can’t quit!”

“I can, and I will.” With a huff, Genome exited the building, nose raised high.

“Me too!” Said another thug, following his friend. “I’m done!”

“Wha? But!” The head thug watched helplessly as his goon squad abandoned him.

“Absolutely shameful!” Pinkie shook her head, disgusted.

“Masterfully played.” Rarity had underestimated the cunning beneath that poofy pink mane. When they’d gotten surrounded, she’d expected she’d need to teach these ruffians a lesson with her hooves. But this made their information gathering simpler.

“I just don’t like toxic work environments,” Pinkie replied nonchalant.

“Well, dear. It seems you’re all alone.” Rarity said to the remaining thug. “Now, how about you answer some questions?”

“Ha! You don’t know who you’re talking to!” The stallion waved a knife around, slashing wild patterns into the air. “I’m a deadly weapon, baby! Even my eyelashes can ki...” Before he could finish his sentence, Rarity had flipped him onto his back and put a leg into a restraining hold.

“So cool! You rock, Rare!” Pinkie yelled, clapping her hooves together.

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity replied. The stallion howled as she put more pressure into her hold. “As I explained, I want some answers. I bet I’ll get them.”

“Ow! Mercy! Mercy!” The stallion replied. “It was me, alright! I was having an affair with Silver Streak’s wife! I’m actually Grift’s father! Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry!”

“What?!” Pinkie gasped in shock. “Poor Heavy Bolt is going to be crushed!”

An awkward pause hung in the room as Pinkie glared at the stallion. A chill traveled down Rarity’s spine. She’d never seen this side of Pinkie before. What had she wandered into? The mare looked ready to kill somepony.

Rarity coughed, trying to get the situation back on track. “Not quite what I had intended, dear. You know the streets. I’m looking for somepony! Have you seen a mare in a brown cloak lurking around here?”

When the stallion didn’t reply, Pinkie pulled out a cake knife. It landed with a thud as it sank into the floorboards, inches from the stallion’s face. “Talk. Or I’ll use this.”

“Alright!” The stallion turned white as a sheet. “I have! Around Rockaway Street! That’s all I know! Please don’t hurt me!”

“Thank you, dear.” Rarity said, releasing the stallion. She had excellent instincts for detecting liars.

“Thank you! Thank you!” The stallion rushed towards the door.

“Oh! By the way!” Pinkie’s expression darkened further, pulling the cake knife from the floor. “If I ever catch you in Ponyville again, we’re having a very special party.”

The stallion yelped in terror, fleeing like the devil himself was chasing him. When Rarity gave her friend a horrified look, Pinkie offered an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Rare. I just don’t like it when somepony hurts a friend.”

Rarity gave a dumb nod, never realizing the bubbly mare had such a dark side. Facing the Great Leader himself seemed preferable. “You’re right. We should get going.”

“Right. We have a filly to save!”

“Um, you’re not planning to give Trixie one of your special parties, are you?”

“Move, you stupid thing!” Dinky gave the loose brick another hearty kick, cursing her short, stubby legs.

Freedom was close enough to taste, specks of light seeping through the cracks. But it remained elusive until this stupid brick cooperated. Dinky ran to the other side of her cell and charged full blast, horn lowered. The brick rattled, ready to slip free.

“This is for momma!” The brick clattered to the floor after her next charging jump kick.

Thank Shocker! Dinky wanted to sing and dance. But she couldn’t afford to celebrate until she escaped. Trixie was investigating a supposed Shocker attack on Equestria’s capital and would return soon. The small rectangular opening pressed hard against her body as Dinky pushed herself through, her diminutive size working to her advantage for once.

Dinky teared up as her hooves touched the wet, slimy floor, freedom tasting sweeter than any muffin. She peered into the corridor, finding little beyond the light trickling from a grate above. Was she in the sewer system? A sense of apprehension washed over Dinky. How was she going to escape? She could find a ladder to the surface, but weren’t ponyhole covers super heavy?

I’ll just cry out and hope somepony besides Trixie hears me. Her steps were quiet as a mouse as she stepped through a small stream of something she’d prefer not to consider.

Darkness consumed her as she explored deeper through the sewer system. These tunnels seemed to continue forever, twisting and turning in confusing patterns. As she got further from her former prison, a pang of strange guilt formed in her stomach for reasons Dinky couldn’t explain.

Didn’t she hate Trixie? The mare was loud, annoying, inconsiderate, hated Shocker, and snored! But she had shown kindness to her, however half-baked. And Shocker had treated her terribly. Nopony deserved to be thrown away.

Don’t be stupid, Dinky. She’s a villain through and through. None of it justifies hurting your momma! She couldn’t allow sympathy to interfere with her judgment.

“Dinky!” That single word echoed through the sewer system with terrifying venom.

Curses! Trixie knows I’ve escaped. Dinky cursed her short legs. They ensured she couldn’t have gotten too far. If Trixie caught her scent, she’d never escape.

But Dinky refused to quit, squinting down a corridor. Was it her imagination, or was that metal glistening in the sunlight? It was a ladder, thank Shocker! The problem was removing the cover. What if Trixie heard her screams for help?

She’d have to risk it. Dinky pushed her pace faster while also avoiding making too much noise. Her heart raced as a group of rats watched her approach them.

“Nice rats. Good rats.” Dinky cringed as she approached, trying to edge around the gross creatures. Terror seized her heart, fearing they might want fresh Dinky for supper. Much to her relief, they scurried away as she approached, but not before passing underneath her legs. She made an involuntary yelp of fright.

“Found you!” Trixie’s voice echoed down the corridor, coming from everywhere.

“Oh, come on!” Dinky howled to the heavens for the unfairness of it all. She rushed towards the ladder, hoping there might be some police officers around to help her.

Dinky’s tiny frame offered her no favors as she climbed the metal steps. She didn’t bother trying to lift the lid, instead pounding on it to draw attention. The ground above rumbled as a car passed over.

“Somepony, anypony! I need your help.” If anypony heard her, Dinky couldn’t tell. She continued to pound and scream, but nopony seemed around. Her hits against the cover hole weakened as Dinky started losing hope.

“Hiya!” A pink figure said, appearing from nowhere. Dinky jerked in surprise, flailing midair as her hooves slipped from the metal bars. Pain coursed through her as she landed hard against the concrete floor. Wincing, Dinky looked up toward her would-be rescuer.

“Uh, hello!” Dinky said, uncertainly towards the eye peering through the cover’s hole. “Can you help me? I’m trapped down here.”

The pink pony gasped. “Oh my gosh, are you being chased by an evil clown? Quick, think happy, confident thoughts! That creature feeds off of fear!”

“What?! No! Somepony foalnapped me and trapped me down here!”

“Is it a meanie pants named Trixie Lulamoon?”

“Yes!” Dinky said, her tone venomous. “Help me! She’ll be here any minute!”

“Hey, Rares!” The pink mare yelled towards somepony. “I’ve found Dinky!”

They know my name? Oh, of course! My momma must have sent them! Thank Shocker! Trixie was so wrong about them being bad guys!

“That’s wonderful! Coming, darling!” A pony with a high-class, rich accent said.

With effort, Dinky pulled herself back up the ladder’s stairs. “Can you get the cover off?”

Before Dinky even finished that sentence, the pink mare pulled the cover off with no apparent effort with her bare hooves. She tossed it aside, assisting Dinky out of the smelly sewers.

Amazing. Shocker must have augmented her to be that strong! I’m in good hooves! Dinky embraced her rescuer with a hug, and tears stung her eyes. “Thank you so much! “

With gentle hooves, the pink mare stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, you’re safe now from that meanie’s face!”

“That’s right, dear. We’ll reunite you with your mother soon!” Her other rescuer, a white unicorn, said. She spoke into her ear, presumably using some comm unit.

“Not if I can help it!” Trixie launched out of the sewer, landing with a cat’s grace.

“I wouldn’t let you hurt her!” The pink mare said, pulling Dinky protectively behind her. “So back off, or you’ll regret it!”

“Really?” Trixie said, unimpressed. Her expression turned devilish as she directed her ire toward Dinky’s rescuers.

“Hold on.” The white mare said. “Help’s on the way!”

“Momma?” Dinky said, eyes brimming with hope. It’d be so satisfying to see her momma beat up this joker.

“Nope!” The pink mare replied, beaming. “Somepony much better!”

“Now you’ve caught my interest!” Trixie said, crossing her hooves and sitting down.

“Uh, you’re not going to fight us in a desperate struggle while we await help, which will surely arrive at the last, most dire moment?” The pink mare asked.

“No, I became a Kamen Rider to fight Shocker filth,” Trixie said. “I’m not interested in you, small fry.”

A rumble reverberated through the empty lot, coming closer by the moment. Dinky tensed in eager anticipation. It had to be Commander Cadance, Kamen Rider Cupido! The heroic alicorn was famous for her motorbiking skills.

“Stop right there!” The dark figure said, charging toward them.

“Yes! Get her!” Dinky whooped and cheered. “Go, Cupido!”

Trixie remained firmly planted as the motorcycle charged toward her, unconcerned that it might crash into her. The rider skidded away moments before striking her.

“So we meet again.” The rider lifted her helmet’s visor, revealing somepony Dinky hadn’t expected.

“I didn’t expect this encounter again so soon, but I’m not complaining. I’ve been bored.” Trixie said, smirking. “Kamen Rider Lux. Or should I say the Princess Holiness of House Sparkle or whatever?”

“Lux?” What the hay was she doing here?

“You might share her face, but you’re nothing like my Trixie,” Lux said, dismounting from her bike. “She would never foalnap a filly.”

“I don’t know about this other Trixie, but I am her, only better.” Trixie’s face contorted in pain, and a belt grew from her torso. “And I only foalnapped Dinky to draw out the real villains.”

“You’re also Shocker’s enemy,” Lux said thoughtfully. “We don’t need to be enemies. Just release Dinky, and we’ll talk.”

Twilight jerked back in surprise as a hoof flew past her face, almost striking her. She blocked the next incoming punch. “I’m Shocker’s enemy, but I’m not your friend, either. I didn’t intend this fight so soon, but what the heck? Besides, you look eager for a fight, anyway. This is payback for the hell your mother put me through. I’m going to enjoy caving your pretty little face in.”

The combatants pirouetted away to a safe distance, glaring at each other. “I don’t want to be your friend, either.” Twilight threw a belt around her waist, taking a battle position. “Pinkie, get Dinky out of here. I’ll handle this.”

Dinky jerked as a pink hoof grabbed her from behind. “Righto!”

“Good luck, darling!” The white mare said, retreating with Dinky’s pink rescuer.

Twilight’s muzzle extended into a slight smile before returning her attention to the battle at hoof. “Henshin!”

Trixie punched the ground hard before raising her head up, smirking. “Henshin!”

Chapter 10

Fast! Twilight slipped back as a hoof flew past her muzzle, entering a defensive stand. Her bones rattled as she blocked the next blow. Protean’s raw power was frightening, but Twilight still possessed an edge in skill over Trixie.

Twilight flinched after receiving a glancing blow but kept on the defensive. Each exchange drove Lux back. Confident in an easy victory, Trixie overextended herself. She howled in pain as Lux took advantage of the opening to kick her in the chest.

“Gah!” Trixie staggered back from a blow to her helmet. She retaliated, but Twilight dodged with ease.

“You’re strong, Trixie, but completely unrefined.” Unlike her opponent, Twilight had been, thanks to Cadance, practicing martial arts almost her entire life. Power meant nothing without skill behind it.

Instead of getting frustrated or angry, Protean only laughed in merriment. “As expected from some spoiled rich brat. No doubt bragging that your training makes you better than me. But I’ve been feeding off raw hatred for years. I won’t surrender until my dying breath!”

Trixie took an odd fighting stance. Twilight wearily circled her. Her Trixie, Red, was an unpredictable mare, unbound by logic or good sense with accomplished fighting skills to boot. Protean couldn’t be as dangerous as her, right?

Her opponent’s battle tactics changed, becoming increasingly more erratic and unpredictable. She’d abandoned herself to moves meant more for their surprise tactics than sense. It should have failed, but didn’t. Somehow, Protean’s limbs appeared where they shouldn’t, striking at impossible angles for a pony’s body.

Twilight’s head spun as a blow struck her forehead, which Trixie followed with a kick that threw her across the parking lot.

“So much for your skill, huh?” Trixie mocked.

What is she? Twilight decided that her opponent had some strange power concerning her body. It seemed impossible, but Trixie had stretched her limbs during their scuffle. Her mother’s experiments must have fundamentally changed how her body functioned.

Had the unstable nature of her magic changed the plasticity of her cells? Her mom had mentioned that Trixie had melted because of the blotched magical fusion. Was Trixie forcing her body to appear like a pony? That only raised more questions.

“Gah!” Twilight yelped in pain as a punch bopped her in the nose. “Hey, do you mind? I’m contemplating serious scientific problems here.” Trixie’s only reply was a kick to the chest.

“Jerk!” The curiosities of Trixie’s body would need to wait. She first needed to deliver the smackdown on the opponent. I can play dirty too!

Trixie grunted as Twilight slipped through her defenses, landing a jab right into her chest. While Protean was fast, she was faster. And she’d learned some tricks since her fight with Gilda. Her opponent cursed as Twilight suddenly shifted around her to deliver a jab to her backside. Lux became untouchable, fluttering around her opponent like a butterfly.

With photon energy, Lux could fly. But Twilight figured she could apply that simple principle to her movement. Instead of hovering in the air, she used her photon energy for quick dashes instead. Her wing slits shone with sudden bursts of light as she switched them on and off.

Instead of getting discouraged, Trixie appeared amused as she whipped dust from her helmet. “Not bad. Maybe the rumors you killed the Great Leader are half true. Though I doubt it. I bet you took the credit for the other Trixie’s heroics, you faker!”

On reflex, Twilight’s eye twitched as Trixie insulted her. She reminded herself that Protean was taunting her into a mistake, but it took some effort. The other mare’s self-satisfied, smug attitude rubbed her the wrong way.

She flinched back as two blades flew past her muzzle, missing her by inches. With surprising quickness, Protean slashed towards her with the twin blade ability she’d stolen from Kabibinga, sparks flying as one clipped her in the waist.

“You’re not the only one with a sword!” Lux summoned a blade of pure photon energy and blocked the incoming bone swords. It scorched a black mark on Protean’s weapons, but they held firm. Sparks flew as Trixie slashed across Lux’s helmet, while Twilight scored a hit across Protean’s chest.

“Interesting,” Protean said, studying her injury. “I can’t seem to steal your ability. Too machine, maybe? Never mind, you’re dead meat, regardless.”

While no swordspony, Protean’s swordplay was quick and unpredictable. Each Riders’ movements faltered as they struck direct hits on their opponent. Lux’s lungs heaved as the battle intensified, but Trixie wasn’t even winded. Protean continued the fight with a vigor and energy that seemed inextinguishable. Or was it just plain bullheadedness?

Twilight howled as a bone blade struck her between the shoulder blades, hitting like a truck, and staggered back.

I need to finish this quick. Trixie’s too resilient for a prolonged battle. It made Twilight even more self-conscious of her weaknesses, but such self-recriminations could wait.

Her sword blazed brighter as she focused her photon energy. It drained her as it burned through her energy reserves, making her knees wobble. She’d need to bask in the sun for almost a day to regain her strength, but it should provide the bite she needed.

As predicted, Protean blocked her photon sword with her twin bone blades. But the mare didn’t anticipate the sheer power behind Lux’s sword. Trixie jerked in surprise as deep holes burned through her weapons until they snapped in two. Sparks flew as the blade carried through, leaving a deep slash across her chest.

“Time to finish this!” Lux’s photon wings extended wide as she leaped into the air, her boot glowing as she gathered energy into it.

“I haven’t lost yet!” Insect wings sprouted from Protean’s back, driving her upwards toward her opponent.

“Photonic Burning Rider Kick!”

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

The impact of the two kicks colliding blew both Riders back from their sheer power. Fire lit across Twilight’s back howled as it struck the pavement, her entire body screaming in agony. She lost her transformation, her breath heaving.

“Damn.” Gripping her throbbing left leg, Trixie pulled herself back into a standing position.

“Not bad. I thought an influx of endless cake would make you fat and weak, Princess Faker.” Trixie said, holding the remains of her bone sword. She’d also lost her transformation, limping towards the other Rider. Twilight tensed, seeing the broken sword still had a jagged, pointy tip. She cursed, entering a fighting position on shaky hooves.

But instead of lunging with her weapon, Trixie studied the other mare. “You came to rescue Dinky Doo. But why? Unless Inquisitor Ditzy Doo told you about it.” Trixie said, organizing her thoughts. “It didn’t take long. Already the new government is working with Shocker. How long until you join them, I wonder? Tyranny is easier than freedom.”

“It’s not like that!” Twilight snarled back. “She asked us as a mother to save her daughter. She said she’d turn from her old ways if they helped her. Shocker has decided to reform itself into something better.”

“You’re an idiot if you believe that. Shocker is evil to the core. They can’t be redeemed.” Trixie shrugged. “No skin off my hooves. I might have lost Dinky, but I don’t need her anymore. Now I know where Shocker is.”

Trixie dropped her weapon and limped away, but she stopped before reaching the end of the street. “Next time, I won’t be more merciful. I’m taking you both down. No, correction, everypony down! Shocker, You, and Zol. You better be ready to kill me next time. Because I won’t show you any mercy.”

Twilight watched the other mare leave, helpless to chase after her. She scowled, not liking she’d been called a villain. It wasn’t like she naively believed Inquisitor Doo and Doctor Shinigami’s claims. Twilight had her own doubts but firmly believed in second chances. Once they defeated Zol, she’d deal with the consequences of their alliance.

“It’s done,” Twilight said through her com unit. “I’ve chased her off. No, don’t worry about me. I’ll return on my bike.”

She needed time to think, and riding helped. More than ever, she needed to complete her new Rider weapon. She couldn’t afford to lose or stalemate her next battle. Next time, she’d pound the annoying upstart’s face into the ground.

“Momma!”

“Dinky!”

Ditzy embraced her daughter with tears in her eyes. While unseemly behavior for a Shocker Inquisitor, she bombarded her Muffin with kisses. Dinky screamed in protest, but laughed and howled with joy.

“I feared I’d ever see you again.” Dinky rubbed her face into her mother’s chest, staining it with tears.

“Me too.” Ditzy stroked her Muffin’s hair, relief flooding her as she held her daughter.

“I see the foal has been recovered safely.” A voice said. Ditzy stood to attention.

“Doctor Shinigami!” The white unicorn, Rarity, said, not hiding her suspicion. The other guards weren’t much friendlier. Dinky’s eyes were wide, filled with hero worship towards the famous Shocker General.

“Welcome, General. It’s an honor to meet you.” Twilight said with false sincerity. “No need to fear. We are all friends here.”

“With Trixie Lulamoon after my head, I thought it prudent to enter your protection. Besides, our alliance can’t work if I’m hiding in a bunker.” Doctor Shinagmi replied.

“Right, alliance,” Twilight said. “We will give any Shocker member clemency if they join us in the battle against Colonel Zol. My new government believes in second chances. Not everypony who worked for Shocker was evil. They were just ponies working for a legitimate government.”

“Rightly so,” Doctor Shinigami replied. “I’m hoping this will lead to a long-standing friendship. I still have much to offer to both Equestria and ponykind.”

While Twilight gave a grateful nod, she couldn’t hide her misgivings. But she was a genial host, joining the General for drinks somewhere more comfortable. Ditzy wanted to join the talks but couldn’t bear separating from her daughter by even five hooves. If possible, she’d stitch them together for all time! The two broke off to speak about state matters while Ditzy joined her Muffin for a walk around the castle corridors.

“Wow.” Ditzy beamed, enjoying the Shocker architecture used to create the royal castle. They both ignored the sacrilege of Twilight Sparkle’s cutie mark used to spoil the castle’s true beauty. Guards watched them with open suspicion, but they ignored them.

“Uh, is it okay for you to be here?” Dinky asked as they examined the pillars used in the front courtyard. “Don’t they need you in that meeting with the General?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Ditzy replied. “Doctor Shinigami understands I need to spend time with you after that terrible ordeal. Besides, only an order from the Great Leader himself could separate me from you.”

“Thanks, momma.” Dinky hung close, her arm around her mother. Ditzy sniffed, fearing she might break into tears again. Trixie would suffer a thousand deaths for separating them.

“Want to go out for ice cream?”

“Do I?!”

While technically resistricted from leaving the castle grounds, an ice cream cart stood nearby, close to the castle gates. Dinky bounced with excitement as she enjoyed her chocolate cone. She held it in her hoof, still not strong enough with her magic to levitate it.

This is nice. Ditzy thought, enjoying her own chocolate cone. It’d been too long since they’d done something like this, her job always keeping her busy. She spent time with her daughter, but being a single working mother kept her too busy. After her father’s unfortunate ‘accident’, Dinky had nopony else to depend on but her. Amethyst Star barely seemed to care that her step-sister existed.

Damn you, Twilight Sparkle. Damn you, Zol. If she perished in this upcoming battle… No, she couldn’t think like that. She’d win for her Muffin’s sake.

“Going already?” Dinky said, disappointed, as they returned to the castle.

“Work calls.”

“I love you, momma!” Dinky grabbed her in a tight embrace.

“I love you too, Muffin.”

“How did the meeting go?” Ditzy asked as she walked alongside Doctor Shinigami. He’d been waiting for her in the royal garden. While guards watched them like hawks, they couldn’t hear their conversation if they kept their voices low.

“She’s wary, but willing to listen.” The Shocker General replied. “Everything is going as I predicted.”

“Good.” Ditzy took in a breath, realizing what she was asking. “I’m ready to begin the procedure.”

“Excellent. You will become one of the Shocker’s mightiest warriors.” Shinigami said with obvious pride.

Her equinity didn’t matter as long as her Muffin was safe. Trixie would pay for foalnapping her Dinky. She would die by Ditzy’s bare hooves. That was an unbreakable oath that the Shocker Inquisitor swore to herself.

“Is that plan proceeding as expected?”

Zol did a salute and nodded. “Doctor Shinigami has allied with Lux, just as we’d hoped.”

“Excellent, our enemies are gathering right where we want them.” The shadow said.

“Yes, my lord. I will crush them under my hooves when the great battle comes!” Zol said, beaming with pride. With Twilight Sparkle gone, Destron’s aim would be impossible to oppose.

“Zol speaks prematurely, I think.” A new voice said. Zol resisted the urge to scowl.

“And what do you mean by that, Doctor G?” Zol said through clenched teeth towards his rival.

“I’ve seen her fight. She wouldn’t be an easy opponent.” Doctor G wore a knight’s armor with a blue cape draped over his back. His mighty brass shield bore two fearsome scorpions facing the opposite directions. His helmet had an even more imposing scorpion carved onto it whose stinger seemed ready to strike death at all who opposed him. Over the earth pony’s shoulder was a battleaxe emblazoned with his trademark scorpion symbol.

“What are you implying?” Zol said, not hiding his hostility.

“That you’re biting off more than you can chew. And Kamen Rider Protean still remains an unknown quantity.” Doctor G said with subtle smugness. “You know how troublesome these Riders can be. The alternate histories are proof enough.”

“I can handle it,” Zol said more forcefully.

“I’m not saying you can’t. But we can’t afford for our plans to fail. Pferdreich is a much smaller country than Equestria. When can’t stand against them if the Equestrian war machine comes in full working order? And that isn’t including their alliance with the Griffons. If they unite with the Zebras too…”

“The Zebras can’t threaten us! Their shamanic magics are nothing compared to Destron’s technological might.”

“Enough!” The shadow said, stopping the conversation before it got too heated. The two Generals bowed, offering their absolute obedience.

“Your abilities are tremendous, Colonel Zol, but Doctor G’s points are valid. Destron is still a fledgling organization. We don’t possess the resources Shocker once had. Besides, if Twilight Sparkle uncovers the item that Ambassador Hell carelessly mislaid, we will be in serious trouble.”

“Doctor G. Go to Equestria and further disrupt their war efforts. If possible, break any alliances they might have made.”

“And if I run into Kamen Rider Lux or Protean?” Doctor G said, eager to test his ax against such powerful foes.

“Kill them. And Colonel Zol, continue your work training and recruiting our army. You know we run a tight deadline. Dismissed.”

Both Zol and G bowed and left the dark chamber. They said nothing as they walked through the corridor, but Doctor G gave his companion a needling smile. He knew much Zol would rather have their positions reversed.

But it didn’t matter. Zol knew his role. He was king of Pferdreich, and he’d play his part masterfully. Let Doctor G play with Lux and Protean. His duty was greater. He would present Twilight Sparkle and Trixie’s heads on a platter to the Great Leader of Destron. He smiled, knowing glory was close at hoof.

Chapter 11

“What a bother!” Trixie said to nopony in particular, rummaging through her hideout. She needed to take anything of worth before Twilight Sparkle’s goon squad arrived to investigate. She stuffed spare bits into a bag and packed whatever food she could fit. Despite her unique condition, Trixie still required food.

Her hoof paused as it brushed an unfinished Monopony game on the table. She’d sworn to Dinky they’d finish it once she returned. But Trixie held no regret about this. The tiny filly was a demon of ruthless capitalism.

She eyed Dinky’s cage next, seeing the freed brick the filly had used to escape. It brought a strange combination of anger and sadness.

Loathed as she was to admit it, it hurt Trixie she’d never get to play games with Dinky again. During foalhood, her parents never had time for game nights. Heck, had she really played games with anypony? Foals either feared her family connections or found her too abrasive to play with.

Trixie reminded herself that Dinky was only a means to an end. She only lived for revenge. The filly didn’t matter. Yet, why did her heart ache so? Was she that desperate for a younger sister figure? A friend?

Not that it mattered. Trixie’s road would always be a lonely one. Such was her fate.

Glancing away from Dinky’s things, she tossed a blanket over her shoulder and left. Luckily, she’d already planned her new residence far in advance. It was a disused ice cream parlor, long since closed down. With a certain trick, its locks wouldn’t prove much difficulty. With the building so close to the castle, it’d be easy to watch the comings and goings there.

The trick was finding ways around the many guards stationed there. They’d make reaching Doctor Shinigami difficult. Tougher still, the old geezer was smart and won’t take any unnecessary risks.

A newspaper flapped against a nearby streetlight, its front page catching Trixie’s eye. It was a commentary on the upcoming war with Pferdreich. Colonel Zol was getting more aggressive, the headline warning of an impending attack.

Despite her previous boasts, Trixie wasn’t sure she’d be of any use against Zol and his army. She was only a single pony, despite how marvelous she was.

I can’t worry about Zol right now. I need to destroy Shinigami before Pferdreich attacks. What a bother, but she’d deal with problems as they arrived.

Fine. It’s settled. I’ll sneak into the royal castle tomorrow night and destroy Inquisitor Doo and Doctor Shinigami. And nothing would stop her, even if she needed to topple the castle on top of them.

“How’s it going, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, walking into Twilight’s lab. “You ain’t looking too hot.”

“For the last time, I can’t afford to rest.” She’d already argued this with Starlight a thousand times. “My new weapon can’t wait!”

Apparently, they assumed she couldn’t pull a triple all-nighter. She’d done it often during college! And regularly afterward too, her studies and internship at Ore Journal keeping her busy.

“That darn right understandable, but it ain’t healthy!” Applejack replied. “Learned that the hard way when Big Mac broke his leg a couple of years ago.”

“I’m fine,” Twilight said, sipping at her coffee. It was delightful. Her assistant, Pinkie Pie, was a master at brewing coffee, although she regularly added too much sugar.

She turned back towards her notes, scratching her head. Her wastebasket overflowed with failed ideas for the focusing mechanism, the final piece she needed, only adding to Twilight’s growing frustration at her lack of progress. Harnessing her photon energy was the key, Twilight was sure. The problem was finding a proper way to control and direct that energy.

A gemstone? It’d be like how a laser worked, gathering and focusing light. The issue was finding the jewel to fit her needs. Garnet, Ruby, or Quartz, perhaps?

“Pinkie.”

“Yep?” Pinkie said, appearing behind Twilight from nowhere.

Twilight yelped in surprise, slipping on a half-crumpled piece of paper. Her hooves flailed as she careened down a nearby staircase. Each stair was pure pain as her head collided with it. Thank Shocker, its elevation hadn’t been that high.

“Twiley, are you okay?” Over the banister, Pinkie peered over, concerned. Her friends ran to help her up.

“No problem,” Twilight said, rubbing her sore head. She accepted Applejack’s hoof up. “Just a silly accident!”

She coughed, trying to regain her dignity. Twilight was a princess, for Shocker’s sake! A temporary one, but still! “Pinkie, I want you to speak to Ponyville University’s Institute for Laser Science. I have a problem I’d like to pick their brains on. Get me an appointment with Doctor Spectro as soon as his schedule allows.”

“Righto!” Pinkie said, zipping away as quickly as she’d appeared.

“You’d think she’d learn not to do that,” Applejack said, chuckling. “She’ll give a pony a heart attack one day!”

“But she does the job,” Twilight said. Pinkie’s endless energy, while sometimes troublesome, got things done quickly.

She yawned and returned to her notes, thinking about methods to integrate such a jewel into her design. Scratchy notes filled her notebook as she wrote out her various ideas. She almost jumped as a hoof tapped her on the shoulder. It was Applejack.

“Oh, sorry, Applejack. I got so busy with my studies that I forgot to attend to you.” Twilight flushed at the lack of etiquette. “Is everything going alright on your farm? Is the subsidy we’re offering not sufficient for the new sprinkler system you wanted?”

“It’s alright, sugarcube. But, no. Ain’t nothing wrong happening at the farm. Just checking how you’ve been. Heard you’ve gotten a tough time the last couple of days.”

Twilight deflated and set aside her notes. “I’m okay, I suppose. I just feel like a worse princess and Kamen Rider every day. Just one complication after another.”

“Say it ain’t so, sugarcube. You’re a darn good leader, and everypony looks up to you! My sis, Apple Bloom, idolizes you as her personal hero! Is this about that Trixie vagrant?”

“I guess. It feels like I’m in a rut that I can’t escape.” Twilight gazed down at her hundreds of failed designs, her frustration mounting.

“That’s why you’ve been locking yourself in your lab, avoiding everypony?” Applejack’s accusation wasn’t wrong. Twilight had canceled most of the appointments, fanning illness. She really just wanted to be alone. Twilight gave a slight nod.

“Then it’s decided!” Applejack said, making Twilight blink. “You need a night out!”

“I really don’t think...” But before Twilight could protest, her farmer friend pulled her into the corridor. Her traitorous guards watched in amusement as Applejack pushed her along the castle corridors with her head, the earth pony’s strength too difficult to fight against.

“Alright, fine. An hour break will do some good.” Twilight rolled her eyes. She looked at a nearby clock. “Though at this hour, I doubt much will be open.”

“My family’s having a get-together. It’ll be tons of fun!”

Twilight brightened and nodded, enjoying the prospect already. Besides, it might dislodge some ideas for her new weapon.

—

“This isn’t quite what I had in mind, AJ.” Twilight rubbed her chin, wondering how she’d gotten into this situation.

“Swing your partner round and round, now do the dosey doe.” An energetic mare with a straw hat sang while strumming her fiddle. She looked vaguely familiar, a face she’d seen around the castle.

“What’ya mean, sugarcube!” Applejack laughed, kicking her hooves in the air. “This is a grando’ time! The old Apple square dance is the Ponyville event that can’t be missed. It’s a tradition that dates before Shocker turned the town into the cement nightmare it is today!”

“I suppose.” Ponyville used to be just a tiny, no-name farming town. After Shocker destroyed the previous capital, Canterlot, they’d transformed it into Equestria’s new prime city, remaining it Shockeropolis. Canterlot Mountain was still a jagged ruin to mark that tragic event. Princess Luna herself had died in that tragedy.

Ponies laughed, twirling around in a circle to the song’s energetic words. The size of Applejack’s extended family was impressive, each a colorful character. A sharp contrast to the dignitaries and politicos Twilight dealt with daily since becoming princess. They laughed, clapped, and sang to the rhythm of the music. The sheer force of their exuberance overpowered Twilight but also lightened her mood.

“Big Mac, over here!” Applejack said, waving somepony over. The stallion she’d waved over was huge, standing almost twice her height. He was bright red, with a shaggy mane of blond hair. His build was powerful, all muscle from years of hard labor.

“This is my big brother, Big Mac,” Applejack said, pushing an awkward Twilight forward.

“Uh, hi!” Twilight said, suddenly self-conscious. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. But I bet you knew that already. Don’t worry about titles. I’m just Twilight here!”

“Howdee, Twilight!” Big Mac replied. Twilight waited for more, but nothing came forthwith.

“Yeah, uh,” Twilight said, lost for words. “Having fun at the square dance?”

“Eeyup.”

“Thanks, good. Everypony seems to be having fun!”

“Eeyup.” An awkward silence persisted, Twilight seeking something to speak about.

The quiet persisted until Applejack spoke up. “I’m glad you two are getting along so well! You two haven’t joined the dancing, right? Well, shoot. Looks like there’s an opening! You better get to it!”

Before she could offer a protest, she and Big Mac suddenly found themselves in the dancing circle. Stuck in this awkward position, Twilight surrendered. She tried her luck with square dancing, tried being the keyword. While a skilled martial artist with over a decade of experience, this didn’t translate to dancing skills. She stumbled over her hooves, colliding with nearby ponies by accident. They glowered at her, and Twilight replied with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Twilight said, cringing as her lack of coordination caused trouble. Strong hooves gripped her tight into a more natural dance.

“Here, follow my lead.” Big Mac said. He used the utmost care as he directed her toward the correct steps. The farmpony was quite the gentlestallion, always patient with his flailing student.

While her square dancing wasn’t anything somepony might call stellar, she had tons of fun, and the event helped distract Twilight from her troubles. The hour she had promised herself she’d spend away from her work grew into several hours. It was early morning before she walked the empty streets back towards the castle with Big Mac. She vented to him about the various annoyances plaguing her since becoming Equestria’s temporary princess. The big stallion listened without saying a word, allowing Twilight to speak her mind without reproof or judgment.

“Really, what kind of representative of a foreign nation attacks the leader of a potential ally and almost kills her!” Twilight said, ranting. She still suffered the bruises from that battle. “I know griffons respect strength, but still!”

After another half-mile, she noticed it was almost three in the morning. When had that happened? “Sorry, Big Mac. But I must get going. Busy day tomorrow.”

“Eeyup! Night Twilight.”

“Say, uh, I’m happy we had this night out.” Though, Applejack’s blatant attempt to hook Twilight up with her brother annoyed her, and said so. It was like dealing with Cadance’s insistent matchmaking all over again. They both shared a laugh at this.

“Seriously, though. It’s nice to have somepony to talk to.” Twilight said. “You’re a good listener.”

“Eeyup.”

While he spoke little, Twilight detected a keen mind in the humble farmpony. On an impulse, she blathered about her current problem with developing a new weapon. Big Mac listened patiently as she expounded on several technical terms and technological difficulties.

“I can’t say I know much about the science you’re talking about, Twi, but maybe you’re making the problem more difficult than it needs to be. Maybe Shocker’s already done half the work for ya. They certainly had all sorts of gizmos and doohickeys. ”

“Huh?” She blinked, a sudden thought occurring to her. She slapped herself for missing something so obvious. Hadn’t Ambassador Hell been in charge of weapon development? She’d never considered just looking at his notes for ideas. It might contain some hidden nuggets that might prove helpful.

“You’re a genius, Big Mac!” She gave the stallion a hug. He only blushed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Let’s see.” Twilight scattered several blueprints across the table in the General’s old office, scanning their contents. With the recent turmoil, nopony cleared his desk out yet. Big Mac stood behind her, peering at the complicated diagrams.

She found an odd grab bag of plans, with little collaboration between them. They varied from prototype tanks to weather machines. There didn’t seem to be any outlandish plan Shocker wouldn’t attempt at least once. Was there no limit to their evil?

Her exuberance turned to a scowl upon stopping something unpleasant, the device used to brainwash Red. Doctor Shinigami had used it to twist the Ranger Trixie’s will during the invasion of the other timeline. It reminded Twilight how dangerous that unicorn was.

“This?” Big Mac pulled out a blueprint for an experimental weapon satellite. This highly concentrated laser weapon could shoot a beam toward the Earth, allowing it to pick off any target with a mile-wide beam. Its destructive capabilities were frightening. Nopony could oppose Shocker with this weapon in their pocket. Thankfully, the project had stalled because of issues with the targeting apparatus.

“Yeah, this might work.” While different from her project, the design for its proposed laser weapon was fascinating. It might just work! “Thanks, Big Mac!” She couldn’t stop herself from giving the big stallion a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Oh shucks.” Big Mac said, blushing.

“Let’s get to work!” Twilight broke into an involuntary yawn, her excitement curbed by a sudden surge of tiredness. It was her turn to blush after her stallion friend gave her a raised eyebrow.

“After a night’s sleep, of course.” Twilight gave a sheepish laugh, seeing the stubborn tightness of his lips. No doubt his sister had told her about her habit of skirting sleep.

—

“Report.” Doctor G said to his spy in the royal castle.

“Fraid it’s just as you feared, sir.” The spy said, crossing her hooves. “I can’t say I expected to see the princess at our family reunion, but it revealed a piece of interest.”

“Oh?”

“She’s gotten closer to developing a new weapon than we expected. I didn't overhear everything, but Lux has made a breakthrough.”

Wonderful. Doctor G scowled, knowing how dangerous these Riders could become if unchecked. The princess had a keen technological mind, possibly surpassing even himself. Fate had dealt Shocker a cruel hoof when it made her a Kamen Rider. They couldn’t allow Lux to gain her full potential.

“Get me names and places.” He said.” I want to know everypony who’s working on this project. Brilliant as Twilight Sparkle is, she can’t do it alone.”

“Already ahead of you. I uncovered a memo stating that Lux is asking for assistance from some egghead at the university. They’re planning a meeting tomorrow.”

“Excellent. When they gather all together, we’ll strike and wipe them from the face of Equestria.” Even if they didn’t kill Lux, they could at least stall the project by killing the scientists.

“Consider it done.”

“Magnificent work, Fiddly Twang, the demon fiddler. Without a weapon capable of harnessing photon energy, Lux will be a helpless filly when we invade Equestria.”

Chapter 12

“Too easy!” Trixie said, slipping through a side window. While it had magical protection against intruders, the makers didn’t expect somepony to slip through the cracks to enter. She jumped to the floor below, wary of guards. The moon watched from above as she slunk through the darkened corridors.

The enormous building contained a vast cavalcade of offices and other administrative rooms, its layout maze-like. Unlike castles in fairy tales, Shocker built this one more for function than aesthetics. Something about its angles seemed oppressive in the dark, almost sinister. Not surprising, considering who’d last owned it. Twilight Sparkle’s remodeling efforts did little to rectify this.

Thankfully, Trixie already knew where her quarry lay. She’d overheard a guard saying Doctor Shinigami resided in his old room, the obvious location for his house arrest. The room already had high security and kept the Shocker General where everypony could see him. Inquisitor Doo’s room was still unknown, but she was a lesser target.

And Twilight Sparkle didn’t disappoint in protection. Actual griffons patrolled the deeper areas. The castle’s interior grew more ostentatious, with finery draping every inch. Yet, somehow, it only seemed to heighten its sinister nature. She paused at an elevator where two guards stood on high alert. It wasn’t surprising considering their guest, but super annoying for Trixie. Her quarry sat in the deepest basement level of the castle, but Trixie wasn’t sure how she’d reach him.

There must be stairs for emergencies. I bet there’s a secret exit somewhere.

She could charge and defeat both guards, but the corridor was wide open. They’d raise the alarm before her hoof even touched them. Worse, she didn’t know what protections stopped somepony from using the lift. Knowing Shocker, it likely contained a death trap. Her ears flicked as it caught a noise, and Trixie hung against the ceiling as a griffon passed. A cool breeze struck her while she waited, a vent blowing her from above.

Wait. I can slip into places where other ponies can’t! Her odd nature would work to her advantage. She could go down air vents too tiny even for fillies to fit through. The bottom rooms had to get their air from somewhere.

Her body plopped down the metal shaft, Trixie wincing as the sound reverberated through the vent. She paused, hoping nopony had heard. In the quiet of night, it sounded like a thundering explosion. Satisfied she remained unnoticed, she slunk through the passageway. The vent cramped against her, even in her ooze form. Which was good. Nopony would expect this as a vulnerability in their security.

Trixie paused every so often, keeping her ears alert for any sound. While hearing the occasional guard chatter, the night remained still. But her mode of entry had other difficulties. Her progress was agonizingly slow to avoid causing a racket. The vents were a confounding maze, running Trixie in circles more than once. The castle had more underground rooms and passages than she’d expected.

After descending almost three stories, Trixie oozed herself into the nearest room. With deft hooves, she landed without a sound in an unoccupied room. Its furnishings were bare, a storeroom of some kind. Her head poked through the door, peering into the waiting corridor.

“Now, where am I?”

Only darkness greeted her, walking more into a dungeon than a fancy castle. Trixie frowned, getting a bad vibe. She wondered if Equestria’s new famed princess even knew this existed. As she continued forwards, her unease grew as a sense of déjà vu struck her, Trixie soon realizing why. This was where Doctor Shinigami’s fated magical enchantment program had taken place.

She soon found cells and grimaced as she discovered long-dead ponies within. Trixie refused to venture further to uncover why, likely victims of various test weapons. Strange equipment sat in storage, well beyond Trixie’s understanding. She wanted to smash it all, so not even Princess Sparkle could use it. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. But Trixie decided it could wait until she found an escape route.

A strange, pulsing light caught her attention, drawing her forward. It originated from a disused laboratory, and Trixie peered into the room from the barred window. Inside, she found a vat surrounded by the most advanced computer systems she’d ever seen. It looked well-cleaned, without a speck of dust. What the hell had she stumbled into?

Creaking the door open, Trixie slipped inside. An odd odor struck her nostrils, slightly pungent, tinged with a sweet coppery smell. An oppressive dread overtook her, a dark cloud threatening to choke her to death as she progressed deeper. Gathering her courage, Trixie gulped and peered into the glowing vat.

At first, its contents appeared little more than a green pea soup. But shapes emerged from within, making Trixie yelp in fear. They were screaming faces. They howled in rage, hungry for Trixie’s flesh. She jerked back in surprise as a tendril whipped towards her, eager to pull Trixie into her doom. The slimy purple tendrils increased in volume, making her retreat to avoid getting entangled.

What the hell have I stumbled upon?

“Oh, good. It’s only you.” A voice said behind her. “I feared Lux might have stumbled upon the General’s experiment.”

Trixie jerked around, turning to face the intruder. It was Inquisitor Doo.

“It was such a bother transferring it here.” Doo continued. “Risky with the princess’s people around, true, but necessary. It could hardly continue without the good doctor watching over it.”

“Aren’t you under close observation?” Weren’t they supposed to be under house arrest?

This only earned a derisive snort from the Shocker Inquisitor. “We know this castle better than anypony. Slipping away from Lux’s incompetent guards is easy for the likes of us.”

Figures. As usual, Trixie was right about Shocker’s trustworthiness. “What’s in the vat?”

“Death.” The Inquisitor replied. “But that hardly matters to you. You wouldn’t be escaping this chamber alive.”

“And you’re going to stop me alone?” If it was Doctor Shinigami, Trixie might be worried. But Inquisitor Doo was only a puffed-up bureaucrat.

“I’ve become something greater than a pony, Trixie.” Inquisitor Doo replied, a slight smile on her muzzle. “Thanks to you, I’ve realized my equinity has only held me back.”

Ditzy Doo’s body changed, her fur peeling off. Metal revealed itself beneath hardened steel, blacker than night. Her hooves expanded into claws, whose talons shredded the pavement beneath like tissue paper. A blank face mask stared back at her, only a single red eye visible.

“Call me, Death Head.” The Inquisitor’s voice contained no emotion, almost sing-song in its robotic tone. It made Trixie’s blood run cold. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. For taking my daughter, that’s too kind a fate for you.”

“Never. I still haven’t gotten my revenge yet!” Trixie summoned her belt, grimacing as it forced itself out of her stomach. “Henshin!”

Trixie yelped in pain as her body flew across the corridor, shredding flooring as she struck it. With shaky legs, she regained her hoofing. Damn, that mechanical monstrosity could hit like an oncoming freight train.

Death Head seemed an implacable foe, her attacks less than useless. But Trixie refused to surrender, summoning two bone blades. While her opponent was quick, Trixie maneuvered herself into a prime position to strike. But her twin blades only clattered against Death Head’s mechanical body. Trixie gasped as two metal hooves grasped her neck with an iron grip.

While she fought back, her hooves barely seemed to register against the monster. Trixie’s vision went black as her opponent strangled the life out of her. Her legs stretched around Ditzy’s neck to pull her away, but it was like trying to push over a steel beam. The Inquisitor seemed hellbent on Trixie’s destruction.

Trixie gasped for breath as her opponent suddenly released her, only to howl in pain as she received a punishing blow to the sternum. Protean floundered as she tried to recover.

“Not yet,” Death Head’s dead, mechanical voice said. “I won’t allow you to die until I am satisfied.

Well, ponyfeathers. What now?

Her opponent tilted her head in surprise as Trixie began laughing to herself. “Who the hell do you think I am? I am Kamen Rider Protean, the Rider of infinite potential. I can’t lose to the likes of you!”

“Falsehoods. Empty bravado from a cornered pony.” Death Head said. “You were nothing, but a failed experiment, just one of the countless throwaway guinea pigs.”

But Trixie was no stranger to such scorn being thrown her direction, unbothered by such insults. “Let’s prove it if you dare.” She extended a hoof in a ‘come here and face me, you gutless coward’ gesture.

Despite being incapable of showing emotion, Trixie’s taunts gulled her opponent. With lightning speed, Death Head charged toward her.

Her chest screamed in pain as a hoof connected with her rib cage, her opponent relentless. But Trixie endured, her eyes scanning Death Head’s metal body for possible weaknesses. Trixie searched for openings in her armor but uncovered none. She became more desperate as her search proved more and more fruitless.

Dear Shocker, is she invincible? Trixie’s head spun as it collided with a wall, leaving her prone and helpless.

“It’s over,” The metal monstrosity said. Trixie’s eyes widened as her opponent’s right arm opened, revealing a laser cannon. It sparked with energy as it gathered power.

If I don’t do something, I’m a dead pony! Thinking quickly, Trixie devised a devious idea. She only hoped Dinky didn’t tell her momma about Trixie’s greatest secret.

“No! Please! Don’t kill me!” Trixie panted, her transformation dissipating. She scrambled away, anything to avoid the deadly beam aimed her way. Her expression displayed abject terror but hid a smile.

“You foalnapped my muffin. There is no mercy, Trixie. Stinger Ray!” A beam of red energy shot toward Trixie, engulfing her. The door behind her blew into splinters, filling the corridor with smoke.

When the cloud cleared, nothing remained of Death Head’s victim. Nevertheless, the machine pony scanned around to confirm the Rider’s death. The Inquisitor gave a confused tilt of her head. It baffled the metal monstrosity that no traces of the dead Kamen Rider remained. But she shrugged it off, concluding she’d vaporized the mare. Her hooves clattered as they walked away, satisfied a hated enemy was dead and gone.

That was close. Trixie sighed in relief, detaching her ooze-like body from a far corner. The blast had just passed over her as she lost solidity. Not wanting to try her luck further, she oozed up a wall to the nearest air vent.

She cursed her folly for underestimating Shocker. Still, one positive. They thought Trixie was dead! She’d enjoy the looks on their faces when she appeared from nowhere, alive and well.

No time for games, though. I need to get stronger. Trixie grimaced when she realized this might include teaming up with Twilight Sparkle. No, that was a stupid idea. Trixie could manage this on her own. Protean still hadn’t learned to master her powers yet. Next time, she wouldn’t fight so unprepared.

Watch yourself, Ditzy Doo. I will discover your weakness and blow you to bits!

“You seem in a good mood,” Twilight Sparkle said as they entered the conference room.

“I’m just pleased to have my Muffin back after days of fretting about her safety!” Ditzy replied. “It delights me so much to have her rescued from that villain, Trixie Lulamoon.”

While odd, Twilight could only shrug in response. Pony moved towards their designated seat. Several sat empty, off on other business. Besides, having Twilight’s entire cabinet together at once was reckless. It’d give Destron a golden opportunity for assassination, crippling their enemy’s leadership structure.

“Let’s begin the meeting, shall we?” Doctor Shinigami said.

“Yeah, yeah.” Stormy Flare said, steepling her hooves. The ex-Wonderbolt wasn’t keen on this meeting either, but she’d keep her obligations. “Tell us, General. What can Shocker offer this new administration to protect itself from its enemies?”

“Like a giant robot?” Princess Gabby said excitedly. “They say Trixie Lulamoon had one!”

“The Ranger Trixie originated from a different world. Her powers used a technology even we struggled to understand,” Doctor Shinigami replied.

“Pity. It would have been fun to stomp Zol’s forces into pancakes!” Captain Gilda said.

“Fascinating.” Red had been vague about her power’s origins, her best reply being friendship. Which made no sense to Twilight’s scientific mind. She wondered if it’d been metaphorical. But that was a mystery they could solve later.

Doctor Shinigami said they have secret weapons that the Shocker deserters don’t know about. “Tanks, guns, certain bio-weapons, all free for your disposal.”

“Bio-weapons.” The hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck stood on end. “No, thanks! They’re too dangerous!”

“Seconded. We aren’t Shocker. We won’t stoop to that level.” Stormy Flare slammed a hoof against the table.

Doctor Shinigami extended his hooves in a placating gesture. “And I wasn’t suggesting such. I mention it, so your ponies can safely dispose of them. I know the risk they pose, and not just to the enemy.”

“Fine, how many stockpiles are we talking about?” Stormy Flare asked, relaxing somewhat.

“Four.” The former Shocker General replied. “Inquisitor Doo will supply you with details of their contents.”

Ditzy Doo pushed over a manila folder, and her Commander-in-Chief peered over Twilight’s shoulder as they read. It seemed like an impressive stockpile. While they couldn’t arm every recruit, it’d give them a better fighting chance.

“How many former Combatponies will fight for the cause?” Twilight asked. The high-tech weapons were useless without the ponies to supply them.

Doctor Shinigami sighed, giving a dejected shake of his head. “Not as many as we’d like. Most went over to the enemy. A couple hundred.”

While disappointing, Twilight kept the mood positive. “It’s still larger than zero. Thanks, General Shinigami. They will be a great help.” She gave a friendly smile. While Twilight still didn’t trust him, acting like a distrustful jerk would only alienate him if the offer of friendship was legitimate.

“You’re too kind, princess.” Doctor Shinigami gave a grateful nod. “Anything to help.”

“Come on, that’s it?” Gilda said, her claws scraping into the table as she leaned forward. “I thought you were some kinda super genius, Doctor Shinigami. There must be more than that. Some secret weapon.”

Doctor Shinigami hesitated, stymied for a moment. Everypony in the room stared at him expectantly, particularly Twilight. She raised an eyebrow because the griffon had a point. The former Shocker General wasn’t being completely forthright with them.

“Nothing that isn’t in the experimental phase.” Doctor Shinigami replied coolly.

“That’s fine.” Stormy Flare said. “We have access to some of the finest minds in Equestria. We can jury-rig something.”

After a moment, the Shocker General gave a reluctant nod and sighed. “You are correct, Mr. Flare. In our war against Pferdreich, we can’t afford any half-measures.”

“Well, what is it?” Gilda asked, her tone impatient.

“A prototype motorcycle,” Shinigami replied. “The Cyclone Delta.” This caught Twilight’s attention, making her heart race in excitement.

“What? That’s not even remotely helpful militarily!” Gilda said, incredulous.

Doctor Shinigami only snorted. “It is Shocker’s latest, greatest model, capable of going Mach 1 at full speed. Its maneuverability is top-notch and handles like a dream. It contains weapons useful for battle. Its rear compartment can extend into wings, allowing it to hover in the air.”

“Can it turn into a robot?” Princess Gabby asked.

“No,” Shinigami replied, shooting down the enthusiastic griffon.

“What a useless piece of junk!” Gilda said, not as impressed. “How the heck will that help us beat Zol?!”

“Yeah, I don’t see how that’s helpful, princess.” Stormy Flare said, giving a shaky smile.

“It sounds perfect!” Twilight said, unable to control her enthusiasm. “Get the Cyclone Delta prototype to my ponies right away. We’ll figure out something to make it a viable machine for our purposes.”

“R-really? You know it’s only a motorcycle, right? Not some death machine.” Gilda said, flabbergasted. The princess’s reaction took aback even Doctor Shinigami. But Twilight hadn’t noticed, too busy fantasizing about riding that bad boy. The day was finally looking up!

Chapter 13

“Where do you want it?” A gruff pegasus growled, guiding this fellow workponies as they flew the package in.

“Over here!” Pinkie Pie said, guiding them with two orange batons in her hooves.

“Got it.” Everypony flinched as the box struck the floor with a loud bang. The gruff pony glared at an embarrassed, cream-colored pegasus. “Watch it! This is expensive equipment meant for the princess herself! I’ll take it out of your hide if there’s a single dent!”

“Sorry, sir.” The cream-colored pegasus said, shamefaced.

“Anyway, that’s everything, princess.” The gruff pony said, hoofing over a clipboard to sign.

“Perfect, thanks for getting it delivered so soon,” Twilight said, almost dancing on her hooves in anticipation.

“A motorcycle?” Starlight Glimmer asked, peeking into the box after slipping open the lid.

Twilight gave an emphatic nod. “Yes, the Cyclone Delta! It’s a prototype Doctor Shinigami just had in storage.”

“You seemed excited. What about your new weapon?” Starlight asked, eyebrows raised.

“Oh, let the dear have her fun,” Rarity said. “These recent weeks have been stressful enough for her.”

“It’s still useless,” Starlight said, groaning. “I was hoping for something more practical against Destron.”

But Twilight ignored her, using her magic to break the box apart. Its four corners collapsed, revealing the prize within. The machine was sleek, its head shaped like a bird of prey. Its coating was white with pink racing stripes along its frame. Like all Shocker devices, it had its symbol emblazoned on its side.

Without a delighted giggle, she leaped onto it, getting a feel for the machine. Twilight pictured that this was what pegasi felt when they slept on clouds. Even turned off, she sensed its tremendous power.

Rarity pulled out her reading glasses, reading through a dossier attached to the box. “Hmm. It seems mostly in working order, but the engine was acting up before they mothballed the project. It seems the General’s claim of reaching Mach 1 was wishful thinking on their part.”

“We’ll figure out something.” Twilight giggled to herself again, imagining riding the Cyclone Delta into battle. Even without reaching Mach 1, it’d be a fast machine.

“She’s like a filly on Hearth’s Warming Eve!” Pinkie said, giggling.

“So it seems,” Starlight said, rolling her eyes at her princess’s foalish behavior.

“Did it come with the blueprints?” Twilight asked.

“Yep.” Rarity said. “All here.”

“Okay, I’ll roll it over to my lab and look them over.” Twilight pushed Delta towards the door.

Starlight coughed. “Princess, aren’t you forgetting your meeting with Doctor Spectro from Ponyville University at 1?”

Twilight coughed into her hoof, embarrassed. With all the excitement, it had slipped her mind. She had a bad habit of forgetting everything else when something caught her interest. With a sigh, she allowed Pinkie to roll the Delta inside while she followed Starlight toward the conference room.

While her weapon was important, Twilight suspected this meeting would be super dry and dull.

Shape up, Twilight. Doctor Spectro took time out of his busy schedule for this meeting. Besides, he’s the top expert in laser technology. It was bound to be an intriguing conversation, regardless.

“That can’t be right. Without an increase of 1.8 volts, the light bulb won’t spark to life!” Doctor Spectro said to a silent room. The aging earth pony stallion had a faded brown coat and a turquoise mane. The quiet continued for several long, awkward moments before Pinkie nudged a numb Twilight in the ribs.

“Was that meant to be a joke?” Pinkie whispered.

“I guess.” After an hour of speaking with the professor, Twilight’s brain had gone into standby mode for its own protection. The stallion was so dull, constantly rambling dry anecdotes, nopony asked for. Twilight sighed. Her hopes for an intellectually stimulating conversation had been dashed within minutes after meeting the stallion.

“That’s so funny!” Pinkie said, trying and failing to smile.

“Yes, you are truly hilarious, Doctor Spectro,” Twilight said, trying to get the conversion back on track. “But I was wondering if you saw the blueprints I emailed you earlier?”

“Well, at last year’s Laser Research Convention, I was called the life of the party.” Doctor Spectro said, lost in another unwanted story. “I remember when a colleague named Doctor Micro…”

And the story droned on, with Twilight failing to interrupt him so they could return to her original point. The students who’d accompanied him just sighed and waited for the story to come to its natural, glacially slow conclusion.

“How do you deal with this week after week?” Twilight whispered, begging for Zol to appear to end her misery.

“He’s not so bad during lectures.” A pegasus mare with an electric blue mane and silver coat said. “I’m Bright Eyes.”

“Honestly, It feels like we’re more teaching ourselves.” An earth pony stallion with a black coat and purple mane said. “Call me, Black Light.”

“To be fair, it’s his last year. I’ve heard he’s almost pushing a hundred and fifty!” A unicorn mare, a filly, said. She had a banana-colored coat with a pink mane. “Banana Splash!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” Twilight said, giving a polite nod at the promising bunch of students, full of curiosity and energy.

“You mentioned blueprints, princess?” Banana Splash asked, pushing herself higher in her chair. “This is for a weapon? I’m vague about the details.”

“I want to create a sword that can harness Lux’s natural photon energy and hone it into a deadly blade,” Twilight replied, nodding. “But designing the focusing mechanism has been tricky. I was hoping we could use an old prototype satellite laser weapon Shocker had been developing as a basis. But this isn’t really my area of expertise.”

“May I?” Bright Eyes asked, eyes alight with enthusiasm

“Help yourself.” Twilight pulled out a Manila folder. It contained various diagrams and figures Ambassador Hell’s ponies had been working on.

All three students gasped when they read through the design, impressed by such masterful workponyship. Twilight had a similar reaction when she’d first read it. While evil, Shocker could be absolutely brilliant.

“So, we need to minimize this design into a sword?” Black Light asked. “Sounds simple enough.”

“Simple?” Banana Splash said, snorting. “Just more of your empty bravado. I can already think of 10,945 complications to this plan.”

“So, it’s unworkable?” Twilight said, her enthusiasm punctured.

“I wouldn’t say that, just difficult.” Bright Eyes said.

“Whatever you need, we will provide,” Twilight replied.

“Including snacks!” Pinkie said, sweetening the deal.

The three students conversed with themselves, entering a rather spirited conversion. They had differing opinions on how to finish the project. Their disharmony worried Twilight, wondering if she’d given them an impossible task.

“This would be tricky.” Doctor Spectro said, peering over his student’s shoulders, reading the blueprints. “But, princess, the focusing mechanism isn’t the problem.”

Twilight, Pinkie, and the students jerked back in surprise, startled by the aged professor’s unexpected appearance.

“A certain crystal is necessary to focus and gather the needed energy.” Doctor Spectro continued pointing at the relevant part of the plans. “And finding one strong enough to withstand the enormous power of your Rider powers wouldn’t be easy. It will also require a specific crystalline matrix.”

“I agree,” Twilight said. “Any suggestions?”

“A few, but it requires a considerable amount of dangerous testing.” Doctor Spectro gave his princess a serious glare. “And I won’t put myself or my students into any reckless danger, princess.”

“Understood.”

“I know some nearby rock farms that might have the crystal caves we’ll need.” Doctor Spectro said, eyes glinting.

Pinkie waved her hooves like an elementary student trying to catch the teacher’s attention. “I can help! I grew up on a rock farm. My rocky instincts will be super helpful in finding a good one!”

“Grad to have you aboard, dear.” Doctor Spectro said, smiling. He entered a spirited conversation about rocks with Pinkie, who showed an impressive, almost encyclopedic knowledge of the subject.

“You seemed surprised.” Bright Eyes said, chuckling.

“I never realized the professor was such a genius,” Twilight said, cursing herself for making such hasty assumptions about the stallion.

“He’s a bore, but he knows his stuff!” Banana Splash said, beaming.

“Rock farm field trip!” Pinkie whooped in excitement.

“Pinkie Pie and I have decided the best location to farm crystals.” Doctor Spectro said. “It’s located an hour south from here.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Twilight said, relieved they finally had a plan of action. Pinkie chatted with the professor as he described the required crystalline structure.

As the meeting came to its natural conclusion, her guard captain finalized the details of the professor’s protection. Twilight debated coming along, but matters of the state took precedence. Shame. The crystal caves sounded fascinating.

“Leave it to me! I’ll get the most super-duper crystally crystal possible, princess!” Pinkie said when Twilight mentioned her disappointment.

“Good luck,” Twilight said.

“Is that right?” Doctor G said, nodding in satisfaction.

“Yep, totally helpless.” His top spy, Fiddlesticks, said. “Better yet, the princess’s aide is assisting in the project.”

“Good work.” Doctor G hoofed over a bag of bits. “Keep us posted about any further developments.”

“Yes, sir!” The spy slipped away, vanishing like she’d never been there.

This certainly made their job easier. He’d been worried he’d need to storm the castle to interrupt the princess’s Rider weapon project. Now, they could attack the research group with little fear of Kamen Rider Lux interfering. Doctor G had already learned of Trixie Lulamoon’s elimination from his other source. Few obstacles remain to threaten Destron’s grand plan.

“Sir?” Jigoku-Thunder said as she approached, giving a respectful salute.

“I need you to handle a few problems.” Doctor G hoofed over a memo with the quarry’s address. “Eliminate everypony at this dig site. Leave nopony alive.”

“Understood, sir.” The antlion monster gave a crisp salute in response. Doctor G inclined his head, gladdened the former Shocker ranks were assimilating nicely into their new organization.

“Do it quickly.” Doctor G said towards Jigoku-Thunder’s back. “Lux won’t be at the scene, but Riders are difficult to predict. Don’t allow her a chance to intervene.”

After nodding in understanding, his monster departed through the secret exit. Doctor G chuckled, glad he’d ruined any chance of Twilight Sparkle developing a weapon capable of threatening Destron. Soon Equestria would be a distant memory, absorbed into the mighty Destron Empire!

Pinkie bounced across the cavern floor, enthused. It brought back such happy memories of her foalhood, of playing in caverns with her bestest big sister, Maud.

She watched as the light from her lantern broke into miniature rainbows as it struck nearby crystals, spattering color everywhere. It was so pretty. She’d need to bring Maud here the next time she visited Ponyville. They could frolic through caverns like the good old days during their foalhood.

Behind her, Professor Spectro rambled on about crystalline structures and other science stuff. Another reason Pinkie wished her sister was here. She and Spectro would get along like a house on fire! Pinkie understood not a single word, but allowed him to continue speaking, regardless. It’d be super rude to interrupt his rock talk, after all.

Her eyes scanned the wall, searching for any interesting crystals. Her princess wanted a crystal for her new weapon, and Pinkie figured the coolest would probably fit her need the bestest!

“Nope! Nope! No, not shiny enough! Nope, not crystally enough!” Pinkie said, giving her critical eye to each rock she came across.

“Pinkie? What are you doing?” Banana Splash watched as Pinkie threw aside a rock she’d picked up.

“Helping.” Pinkie pressed her face against the nearest wall, her expression serious as she studied it.

“Right.” The genius filly said, giving a nervous laugh. “Anyway! The professor cautioned against wandering too far. These caves aren’t safe. They say Diamond Dogs dwell down here.”

“Okie Dokie Loki!” Pinkie’s hair bounced as she pulled her head from the crystal wall, frowning. “Would you like to join me? The rocks over there look promising.”

“S-sure. It’s best if we work in pairs.” Banana Splash said, giving a cautious smile.

As they explored deeper, Pinkie eyeballed each nook and cranny they passed. Banana Splash concurred with her assessment of what they’d found, using some hoofheld tool to scan the crystal’s properties.

“I hope the others are having better luck,” Banana Splash said, sighing after dropping another crystal. “None of these come close to the crystalline structure we need!” She grimaced as she caught Pinkie licking a rock.

“Nope! Doesn’t taste right!” And Pinkie knew when rocks tasted good. Rock soup had been her favorite back on the rock farm.

“This is my partner?” Sighed Banana. She jumped as a scream echoed through the chamber. “What the hay was that?”

The cave system suddenly seemed eerily quiet. They couldn’t hear even a single hooffall. Pinkie watched as her right hoof twitched, realizing immediately what that meant. Banana yelped in sudden surprise as Pinkie grabbed her with her teeth and tossed her onto her back.

“What are you doing?” Banana Splash asked, her tone verging on panic.

“We need to leave, now.” Pinkie frowned, trying to determine the best escape route. The front entrance was a no-go. The enemy would expect they’d go in that direction. But Pinkie trusted her underground instincts to guide them to a safer exit. If Diamond Dogs lived in this cave system, they’d have multiple paths to the surface. She’d have to hope the others escaped safely. Her highest priority was to protect her passenger.

“Hang on!” Pinkie flew down a right passage, Banana Splash holding on for dear life.

Pinkie stopped at a three-way split, trying to determine the best route. Her ears flicked as a laugh echoed through the chamber.

“Who the heck is that?!” Banana Splash said in a full-blown panic.

“Destron,” Pinkie said, her tone grim. They must have somehow learned about this science trip. Some naughty pony in the castle betrayed them to the enemy!

On a hunch, Pinkie went through the middle passage. It opened into a large chamber, crystal pillars rising towards a ceiling beyond her sight. Bright Eyes screamed as a figure appeared in each column, some hideous insect pony with two incisors popping from their head. Her eyes darted around, searching for where the real monster hid.

“Who the hay are you?” Pinkie said, trying to buy time while she planned their escape. These villain types loved the sound of their own voices.

“Jigoku-Thunder.” The antlion monster replied. “I used to work for Shocker. Now I worked for a greater power, Destron! All that oppose the great Colonel Zol and Destron must die!”

“What?! No!” Bright Eyes said, tears stinging her eyes.

“You’re a real meanie face!” Pinkie said, outraged. “You won’t get away with this!

But how? Twilight’s at the castle, and Trixie’s elsewhere. I’m on my own!

Jigoku-Thunder’s mocking laughter echoed through the chamber, making it impossible to tell from which direction it originated. His reflections hopped from pillar to pillar, making it seem like he was everywhere, yet nowhere. Banana Splash trembled on Pinkie’s back, squeezing tight and praying for the torment to end.

“We aren’t beaten yet!” Pinkie gave the filly a comforting pat on the head. While she was just as terrified, Pinkie stayed strong for Banana Splash’s sake. She couldn’t afford to break down. Instead, she fled deeper into the cavern with all the speed she could muster.

“Is it raining?” Banana Splash said as something pelted them from above. It fell upon them like a rainstorm.

“Sand?” Pinkie said, feeling the coarse pebbles under her hooves. It quickly gathered under her hooves, making running more difficult.

Pinkie grunted as she pushed herself through an ankle-deep sandpit. No stupid sand would stop her from saving her charge. Pinkie yelped in surprise as her hooves stumbled, tripping over something unseen. Banana Splash slipped off Pinkie’s back, face implanting into the ever-growing sandpit.

“Blah, yuck!” The filly said, spitting out sand. “What the heck happened?” She screamed as her eyes caught what had tripped Pinkie.

“What is…” Pinkie’s voice trailed off, eyes widening. It was Bright Eyes, her head buried deep in the sand. Her expression was pure terror, dead from suffocation.

A cruel laugh echoed through the chamber. “Doctor G has instructed me to kill everypony in this expedition. She died, buried alive, screaming and howling for salvation that would never come! And now, you’re next!”

Chapter 15

“So, is this it?” Twilight said, rolling a seven-sided crystal along her desk.

“It should do the job quite nicely, princess.” The elderly unicorn professor said. “It came at a high cost. But it will fulfill all our needs.”

“Very good. We will compensate the university for your work. And arrange a proper memorial for your students.” A pain stabbed at Twilight’s heart for such a senseless loss.

She’d been careless, forgetting that neither Shocker nor Destron cared if their victims were elderly or children if it meant achieving their goals. She should have seen this coming. Bright Eyes and Black Light’s deaths were on her hooves. Zol would pay for this outrage.

Doctor Spectro only nodded, tears stinging his eyes. With a bow, he left after almost losing his composure. Twilight felt so helpless to prevent the suffering of her subjects, no matter what she tried. She couldn’t account for everything, but still.

Enough self-pity. You have a job to do.

“Come in,” Twilight said, watching Pinkie Pie enter her office. The pink earth pony had bandages along her waist and head, with a hoof in a sling. It was remarkable she was even standing.

“Yeppers!” Pinkie said, wincing as she gave her princess a respectful bow. “Whataneed, princess?”

“Take a few weeks off, Pinkie.” Princess Twilight Sparkle said with all her authority. “You deserve some rest.”

“Ah shuck, princess. But I can’t!” Pinkie replied. “You’d get nothing done without me around. Who’d remind you to take your daily meals?”

A blush appeared on Twilight’s cheeks. “I can take care of that myself, thank you very much. And I’m serious. You’d be more a hindrance than a help with your injuries.”

“But..!”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said, her tone offering no compromise. And ponies call me a workaholic.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, unleashing a sigh. “I’ll go home for a family visit. Maud’s been missing me since I moved to the big city! She’ll be so weepy when we see each other again!”

“Enjoy yourself.” It made her heart ache for her family. Both her brother and father had moved to Manehatten years ago. She hadn’t seen them in months, with no time to visit them. No, that wasn’t true. As princess, it’d be easy to arrange a meeting. Truthfully, she feared telling them what happened to Mom. It was an ugly can of worms she didn’t want to open.

“Are you okay, princess?” Pinkie asked, genuine concern in her voice.

Twilight rubbed her eyes with a hoof and yawned. The latest Destron attack had caused her to lose an entire night’s sleep. Not that she usually slept well since becoming a princess. “Just tired.” And with Destron lurking around, rest was an unaffordable luxury.

“You should take better care of yourself and follow your own advice!” Pinkie said, her tone stern.

“That wouldn’t be bad,” said Stormy, breaking her silence. “You haven’t taken the day off since you’ve taken office. You’re going to burn yourself out. My time in the army has taught me to rest when possible. Things are going along nicely. The army is shaping up into a fighting force. Your new weapon is almost complete. And you don’t have any pressing issues that need your attention.”

“Hey, she could take the weekend off and join me on the rock farm!” Pinkie’s eyes alight with happiness. “My family would love love love to meet her! You can taste my mother’s famous rock soup!”

Rock soup? What did that mean? Vegetable soup with spices created from various minerals?

“Actually, I think she’d rather spend time with her own family,” Stormy replied.

“Oh, right, obviously!” Pinkie said, chagrined.

“Well.” The offer tempted her. Darn it, what if something happened? They couldn’t afford to underestimate Destron! Yet, she longed to feel her father’s embrace and hang out with her BBBFF.

“Okay.” Twilight forced out the word, the thought of her brother deciding this decision. Besides, they needed to know what happened to Twilight Velvet. “I guess I can afford a couple of days off. But if anything happens, call me immediately!”

She frowned, not liking the smug expressions on her friends’ faces. “Of course, princess,” Stormy said. “You’ll be the first we contact.”

Would the general honor that promise? Still, she supposed Gilda could fight any Destron monsters if they attacked. Pinkie proved even normal ponies could even defeat one with the right tools.

A light blossomed in Twilight’s heart, eager to reunite with her family. It had been too long since their last reunion. She had so many fantastical stories to tell them.

“Please, sir!” The spy said, quacking at Doctor G’s fury. “We were working on the best intelligence we had. Jigoku-Thunder’s death was an odd quirk! A fluke!”

“A fluke that further reduced our already dwindling resources!”

Besides Televi Bae and a couple dozen Combatponies, Doctor G had few allies in Equestria. While Televi Bae could brainwash the rabble to their cause, they weren’t a fighting force. And they had few resources to create new cyborgs. General Stormy Flare was a more competent leader than expected, keeping her new recruits safe. Her misinformation on their secret training camps kept Destron’s spy officers running in circles. Worse yet, somepony still unknown was hunting them. They’d already cost them dozens of valuable Combatponies and several new cyborgs.

Their enemies, however, were recruiting soldiers in droves, emboldened by the Wonderbolts’ propaganda campaign and outraged by the recent Destron attacks. Doctor G could already hear his rival’s smug mockery of his troubles. But they weren’t failures, only costly setbacks.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t skin your hide.” Doctor G gave a nasty smile.

“Instead of demoralizing the army, how about their head?” Fiddlesticks said, playing with her stetson. It was a nervous habit.

“Explain.”

“The princess is planning to meet up with her family for some much-needed R&R! They’ve already left Manehatten and will arrive here late tomorrow night. Imagine how heartbroken Lux would feel if her family got brainwashed to Destron’s side! Or transformed into cyborgs! Better yet, the Pink Devil isn’t coming along.”

Doctor G considered the proposal and nodded. “The idea has merit.”

“I know which train they’ll arrive on,” Fiddlesticks said, regaining some confidence. “A cyborg could intercept it with minor difficulty.”

“True, but not alone.” Doctor G said.

“Sir?”

“Enough slinking about. I need some action.” He couldn’t afford for this plan to go awry. He’d handle this himself. With Televi Bae as backup, even Lux coming to the rescue wouldn’t amount to anything.

“Brilliant, sir!” Fiddlesticks said, throwing more needless, sycophantic flattery on the pile.

“Contact Televi Bae right away. The strategy meeting is at 3.” Doctor G paused, giving the spy a look that clenched her pathetic heart. “Oh, but if this fails. You’re dead, Fiddlesticks.”

The spy shuttered, shallowing a suddenly dry mouth. “I’ll carefully monitor the situation and inform you of any sudden changes in the princess’s family’s travel plans.”

“Excellent. There’ll be consequences if the train is five minutes late, and I’m unaware of it.”

“Yes, sir.”

It felt good to enter the field again, wanting this flex his stinger. He wasn’t like Zol. The battlefield was where he belonged. While it’d complicate matters, he hoped Lux would interfere. He wanted to show her himself why her efforts to oppose Destron were fruitless and foalish. A general of Destron would show her what true power was.

“Understood. I’ll be there soon!” Televi Bae said, buzzing with delight. With a flick, he tossed the phone onto its cradle.

He’d been on standby too long, acting as a doctor for a free local clinic to brainwash patients to their side. But now he’d show his stuff and impress Doctor G. If he performed well enough, it might mean a promotion. Televi Bae had always envisioned himself as a Destron General, standing by the greats like Doctor G and Zol.

It would happen someday. A go-getter like him always impressed ponies. If they asked for coffee, he’d make it himself. If they wanted something done, he’d have it finished yesterday. He imagined the hated Kamen Rider Lux under his boot. No match for the great Televi Bae!

Don’t get ahead of yourself. Get to the rendezvous point first. Disguised as a doctor, he rode the subway toward his destination. He grimaced as ponies pushed against him, the train too crowded for much personal space.

His irritation heightened as a unicorn mare with a too-large hoodie began dancing, looking for hoofouts for her performance. These weirdos always showed up when you least wanted them to. Like the other passengers, he only wanted quiet while he waited.

Ponyville has too many weirdos. Televi Bae thought belatedly.

After two more dance numbers, the train mercifully pulled into station 5. The door slid open. Televi Bae joined the passengers, flowing out like a burst dam. Ponies going about their business passed as he climbed the stairs to the outside. An eye twitched as the dancing mare seemed to follow close behind him. Televi Bae prayed she wouldn’t ask him for a hoofout.

A sudden turn drove him into another crowd, walking towards another subway entrance. With his unwanted pursuer lost, Televi Bae trotted onto the surface. Cars zipped past as he headed further downtown.

Posters showing the Wonderbolts zipping proudly into the air littered the walls, asking for recruits to defend Equestria from the Destron scourge. Televi Bae’s face wrinkled in utter disgust, fuming at the traitorous organization for turning against their Shocker masters.

The foals. Shocker has risen from the ashes into something greater! We will crush you under our hooves! Ponies gave him curious glances as Televi Bae laughed to himself menacingly. He ignored those foals, heading into a nearby alley. A couple more blocks and he’d arrive at the rendezvous point.

“Excuse me, spare some change?”

Televi Bae jerked in surprise, heart almost beating out of his chest. The dancer from the subway was standing in the alley with him.

“I have none. Get lost if you know what’s good for you!” Televi Bae said, menace creeping into his voice.

Instead of getting scared, the mare only smiled and thrust a baseball cap forward again, with greater insistence. Irritated, Televi Bae slapped the hat aside, shattering coins everywhere.

“I’m warning you, leave!”

“That wasn’t very nice. I needed that for my supper tonight.” The mare said, unbothered. “But Destron thugs are known for their terrible manners, right?”

“What?”

“I think it’s about time I show myself.” In a flourish, the mare tossed aside her hoodie to reveal a set of wings. She rubbed her face to reveal an azure blue beneath.

“Trixie Lulamoon?! But you’re dead!” Televi Bae said, stumbling over his words.

“Only because I allowed you foals to believe such,” Trixie said. “What’s Destron up to now? You’re going to meet somepony, right?”

“Like I’ll tell you!” Televi Bae burst into giddy laughter. If he defeated the infamous Kamen Rider Protean, a position as a General of Destron was well within his reach! “I’m not just some Destron lackey!”

With a flick of his arms, he transformed. Green armored chitin grew over his torso, while thick black fur grew along his arms and legs. His head split, becoming two television sets with an old-style TV antenna on top. Beneath, he had a metal plate with a black knob where his mouth should be. His actual mouth was between his screens, two pincers with dagger-sharp claws.

“My name is Televi Bae. You’re mine, Kamen Rider Protean!”

“You are going to tell me everything. Henshin!”

Still, how was Trixie Lulamoon alive? Televi Bae scowled, realizing this mare must be the reason for the recent disappearances of his comrades, an outrage he’d avenge. Both combatants circled in the alley’s tight confines, each searching for an opening. This, however, was only a distraction from his actual attack.

“Hypnotic wave!” Lights flashed from his screens, and Protean squirmed as they assaulted her mind. Trixie’d been a fool to challenge this particular Destron champion. Soon, she’d be a willing servant of Destron, mind and soul!

“No!” Trixie writhed, gripping at her bulbous insect skull.

“Surrender! No one can resist! You will obey Destron!”

“Destron must obey! No!” Trixie flailed, trying in vain to resist. “No, I won’t. I’m my own pony! I obey nopony!”

Pain wracked Televi Bae’s head as Trixie drove a hoof into it, disrupting his hypnotic wave. He staggered back, stunned.

“I won’t obey! I refuse to obey!” While still wobbly, Protean seemed to regain strength by the second. Impossible. How could anypony have such willpower? Or was it just pure bloody-mindedness?

Several jabs stabbed into Televi Bae’s chest, driving him back. Damn it, he’d underestimated the Rider, but he hadn’t lost yet. Unbeknownst to Trixie, he’d already won. He had an ability that would spell the Rider’s doom!

If I survive that long. Televi Bae thought as Trixie drove a kick into his sternum. With astonishing speed, the Rider countered each blow the monster sent her way. Since a straight-up fight wasn’t to his advantage, Televi Bae changed strategies.

“Hey!” Trixie growled as the Destron cyborg’s wings buzzed, sending him up the alley toward the roofs.

Metal screamed as Televi Bae tore off a nearby AC unit, hurling it at the Rider’s head. Trixie deftly stepped, and the missile flew past her. Taking to the air, Protean followed her attacker.

“Forget I could fly?” Trixie said, landing with deft hooves. But Televi Bae used the taunt to throw a double-hooved blow into the Rider’s head. A roll sent Trixie away from Televi Bae’s follow-up strike and blocked the second.

“Fool, I have you right where I want you! Pain Wave!” Face to face, Trixie had nowhere to run. A red light emitted from his TV sets, the Rider howling in agony. A body blow sent Trixie off the roof into a nearby parking lot, a car cracking in half as she landed on it.

Trixie cursed, struggling to stand from her metal bed. But Televi Bae flew down towards her, emitting another Pain Wave. The Rider writhed, helpless against such agony.

Good work, Televi Bae! Doctor G said in his head. Finish Kamen Rider Protean. Her body will unveil its secrets to us when we dissect it.

The Destron General had been watching the fight all along, Televi Bae broadcasting it when the battle had begun. Even if, in the unlikely scenario that Televi Bae had lost, Destron would have learned Trixie’s battle data. Then, they’d created the perfect cyborg to counter her.

Yes, Televi Bae would enjoy that. Trixie’s body had resulted from a failed experiment by the infamous Twilight Velvet. A thousand times over, it should have killed her. With Kamen Rider Protean’s secrets, they’d be unstoppable!

“Die, Rider!” Televi Bae slammed a hoof down toward Protean’s chest.

“I haven’t lost yet!” Trixie’s hoof intercepted the blow, holding it in place.

Another pain beam drove the Rider to her knees, but Trixie refused to surrender. Flinging her head back, she whipped it forward into Televi Bae’s twin TV sets. The Destron monster staggered in pain, a kick to the sternum driving him to the ground.

“How about tasting your own medicine?” Trixie clapped her hooves together and thrust her right hoof forward. Red light shot toward Televi Bae, and agony consumed him.

“What? But that’s impossible!” How was Trixie using his own power against him?

“A little ability I have. I’m very adaptable.” Protean replied. Sweet release gave Televi Bae room to breathe as Trixie stopped her assault. Little comfort, however, as the Rider swept his hooves from under him. Before he crashed to the pavement, Trixie grabbed him from behind by the neck.

“Talk. What does Destron have planned? It feels like you have something big planned.”

“I won’t tell you anything!” His defiance only tightened the hold, choking him. Was this it? Was this where Televi Bae died? But he would die with his heads held high, never leaking a thing to the enemy.

No, tell her about the attack against Twilight Sparkle’s family. Doctor G said.

Sir?!

This can work to our advantage. Trixie Lulamoon is a wild card that must be eliminated. Never fear. She’ll never expect it to be a trap.

Three birds with a single stone! It was perfect! Genius! Trixie would walk right into her doom! Besides, it was better that Protean learn about their plan from him. The Rider would dog them until she uncovered it, anyway.

“We’re going after Princess Twilight Sparkle’s family.” Televi Bae said when the grip lessened. “They’re coming by train from Manehatten in a couple of days. We will use them against her. Her heart will break when she sees their corpses!”

“Typical Shocker ruthlessness, whatever you name yourselves,” Trixie said, disgusted.

“The attack will occur at 8:00 PM tomorrow.” Agony coursed through his sets as they got pounded into the pavement. This was it. This was the end.

Good work, Televi Bae. You did Destron a service with your sacrifice. Doctor G said.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

As Televi Bae died, he could only laugh. They’d already won. Kamen Rider Protean just hadn’t realized it yet.

Chapter 16

“You doing alright?” His father asked, slightly jostling as the train rumbled beneath them. “You seem somewhat on edge.”

“I’m okay.” But Shining Armor knew that wasn’t quite the truth. His life itself was going well. His work as an instructor at the police academy was fruitful. He loved teaching the next generation of officers. Without Shocker breathing down his neck, Shining could mold the young ponies into something Equestria could be proud of.

No, this anxiety came from their upcoming reunion with his sister. Irritating and annoyance filled his belly, furious at how long Twilight had waited before contacting them.

“You know how Twilight is.” Night Light said, seeming to read his son’s mind. “She’s just been busy. Nopony expected her to become princess!”

“Which we only learned about through the news!” That rankled him. Had she become too important for them now? No, that was unfair and untrue. Arrogant didn’t describe his sister. But why in Equestria would she not contact them? Her rather nervous invitation by email made him suspect something was wrong.

Even without words, his father caught onto his son’s worries. “I’m worried about her, too. She has a bad habit of putting too much on her plate. I can’t imagine becoming princess has been easy for her.”

“No kidding.” With the country still in shambles after Shocker’s fall, organizing a new government was a monumental task. Though he supposed Twilight was the ideal pony for the job. Her micromanaging skills were unreal.

“Do you think we could convince her to transform? Princess and a superhero! Quite spectacular if you ask me!” Night Light couldn’t sound prouder.

Though how she’d become a Kamen Rider, only Shocker knew. Had Shocker experimented on her? It wouldn’t be hard to imagine they had augmented her into a monster, only to rebel against her masters. He smirked, knowing that a pony like her wouldn’t be easy to mind control. He’d need to ask her when they met up.

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Shining asked, noting his father’s sudden change in mood.

“I just wish your mother could be here.” Night Light said. “I realize what she was like, but she would have been proud of her Kamen Rider daughter.”

“Yeah.” Though, in his heart, he could only grimace. While she’d always doted on his sister, Twilight Velvet had exclusively ignored his entire existence. And all because he’d never matched her standards. When he hadn’t performed high enough on an intelligence proficiency test as a foal, he’d stopped being Twilight Velvet’s son. But when Twilight Sparkle proved exceptional, her daughter was Equestria’s greatest gift. Their mother was obsessed with making her daughter the perfect pony, making her study far harder than anypony her age. Twilight Velvet had even thrown the word goddess around.

“No offense, Dad, but she deserves whatever Shocker have done to her!” That showed just how deranged their mother was. Even an evil organization like Shocker wouldn’t take her! What happened to her remained a mystery. The papers reported dead, but the details were sketchy.

Night Light released a long-suffering sigh. “I know. She seemed so happy and full of life when I married her. No, that is in the past. I’m sorry for how she treated you, son. But I still think, deep down, she loved you.”

If that monster is capable of love. But Shining tactfully didn’t voice this opinion. Instead, he gave his father a hug. They moved to a less painful topic, discussing what changes Twilight had done to the castle since becoming princess. They joked about how she’d make it an even more clinical place since taking residence. Unlike the late Princess Luna, his sister despised ceremony and ostentation.

Still, Princess Twilight Sparkle, it’s hard to believe. True, it was only a temporary position until elections started, but still. He hoped she would run when they finally started. His sister had proven a popular leader with plenty of forward-thinking ideas. Her status as a national hero didn’t hurt either.

He smirked, contemplating the myriad of ways he’d tease her when they reunited. While still furious at her, Shining was proud of what she’d accomplished. She’d created a future free of Shocker.

Nostalgia washed over him as he gazed upon the familiar boundless fields. Plumes of mist showed they weren’t too far from the Neighagra Falls. It brought back fond memories of a camping trip when they were foals. He was looking forward to visiting Ponyville too. Still, while he missed it, Shining’s life was in Manehatten. He adored his students and his job, despite the trouble they sometimes caused.

Huh? An odd hissing sound caught his attention, but found it nowhere in sight when he turned to investigate. Was it from that luggage over there? Was something leaking? Shining frowned, but shrugged. It was probably nothing.

Still, he couldn’t help shivering, getting the odd sensation that somepony was observing him. He peered at his father, but nothing seemed amiss to him. The older stallion was intent on his book, captivated to the point of being oblivious to his surroundings. Twilight had a similar habit.

Something is wrong. Cop instinct guiding Shining’s step as he left the train car. While no longer on the beat, he remained an officer at heart. A slight familiar pain jolted through his leg as he walked, but it became background noise as Shining focused on his task. He peered around the cabin, searching for anything out of order. The feeling of being watched didn’t leave him as he entered the next car. He heard that strange hissing sound again. It came from the window this time. Was it his imagination, or was it mocking laughter?

The luggage compartment was empty as he slipped inside. Because it was the slow season, the car was mostly empty. Few ponies had joined them on this train, only a smattering of business ponies. While reckless, he needed to confront their observer. It was his job to protect his father and the other passengers. A nearby pile of luggage made a useful hiding spot, and he slipped behind it.

Minutes passed, but nothing happened. Nopony entered to follow him. Shining wondered if he was just being paranoid when a hissing sounded from above. He yelped in fright as a snake dropped onto his back. It hissed at him with menacing glee. He turned to flee, but more snakes appeared to block the cabin’s exit. What the hay was going on?

“I have you now, Shining Armor.”

He watched in stunned surprise as one snake glowed, transforming into a pony-snake monstrosity. The cobra-like creature had glistening fangs. Its scales were yellow, while its belly was a bright blue. It had odd metal patches across its body, one of which looked like a line of bullets across its right middle. Oddly, the monster had a snake head for its right arm instead of claws.

“What the heck? Shocker?” Shining said, backing away in fear.

“I am Machine-Gun Snake! I am a proud member of Destron, the future rulers of this planet!” The monster said. “I’m giving you one choice: come quietly or die. We don’t need both of you to use against Kamen Rider Lux.”

Destron, of course! Twilight, Dad! Oh, no! The monster’s plan became sickeningly clear, and he rushed towards the exit. But several business ponies appeared in the doorway to block his path. Shining’s dread increased as they removed their disguises to reveal the Combatpony uniforms beneath.

They laughed, mocking him. But as a former officer of the Manehatten police force, he refused to be deterred. Despite the injury that’d cost him his career, he’d still fight. Protecting ponies against monsters like this was his duty, refusing to fail his new princess or his father.

“Come and get me, then!” Shining said, horn sparking to life.

“Get him! And don’t be gentle!” Machine-Gun Snake said, setting his Combatponies free to assail their prey. One jumped him from behind, but Shining proved too nimble and leaped away. His attackers surrounded him, blocking any escape. The Destron cyborg watched from the sidelines, amused, allowing his minions to do the dirty deed.

“Shining!” His father cried out from a distant car, heightening his anxiety. As if on cue, the Combatponies struck as one.

Shining fought off his attackers while rushing toward the next car. Despite his foes’ enhanced strength, Shining had experience on his side. But their numbers threatened to overwhelm him. One shrieked in triumph as they punched Shining from behind. They yelped in surprise as the blow bounced off a suddenly materialized shield. They flailed, almost thrown off the train. Only a lucky grab of a railing saved them from hitting the speeding ground. He reached the opposite end of the car, but a sudden blow from behind almost crumpled Shining. Only a quick shield spell had saved him.

“You aren’t escaping so easily!” Machine-Gun Snake said, his snake arm pressing hard against Shining’s shield. So strong. It took considerable concentration to prevent his dome from cracking.

“Shining!” His father cried out, struggling against the two Combatponies restraining him. Unlike his son, the older stallion was only a clerk. He had no magic or fighting ability to protect himself.

“Give up,” Machine-Gun Snake said, pressing harder against Shining’s only protection. “Or your father will meet a terrible fate!”

“No, run! Forget about me!” His father said, yelping in pain as a Combatpony gave one of his legs a hard twist.

“Father!” Panic filled Shining, wondering what he should do. Fleeing wasn’t an option. He refused to abandon his only remaining family. But surrendering to Destron would only play into their hooves and threaten his sister.

“Surrender! You have three seconds!” Machine-Gun Snake motioned with a hoof. A Combatpony produced a knife, pointing it toward Night Light’s throat. The older stallion stopped thrashing, eyes wide with terror.

“No!” Shining hooves shook, helplessness creeping in. He had no choice. “Okay, I…”

“Typical Destron! What can’t beat two stallion civilians without any tricks?” A mare’s voice said.

“You!” Machine-Gun Snake said, searching for the source of the interruption.

Distracted by the interruption, the Combatpony with the knife pulled his weapon away. He yelped as a pony appeared from nowhere and tossed them into a nearby seat. Another Destron lackey received a hoof on the chin for their trouble.

“Who are you?” Night Light said to the mare that stood protectively in front of him. Shining gapped as he noticed the azure-colored mare had a unicorn’s horn and a pegasi’s wings.

“Trixie Lulamoon!” The mare announced, giving Shining’s father a wink. “I’m always willing to rescue handsome studs like yourself.”

“Protean!” Machine-Gun Snake said, snarling. “You finally show yourself!”

“Damn right! You’d think I’ll let you do whatever you like?” Trixie said, pointing towards the Destron cyborg. “I am Shocker’s bane! The storm that will consume you all!”

“We are Destron, silly mare!” Machine-Gun Snake replied. “We are their great successor!”

“Whatever, like I care. Different name, same monsters.” The winged unicorn said, shrugging.

“Thanks,” Shining said, taking a protective stance in front of his father’s savior. “Get my father out of here! I’ll hold them off the best I can!”

“No, she should get you to safety instead!” His father said in protest. “I won’t let you die for me!”

“But!” Shining opened his mouth to argue, but Trixie interrupted him.

“Nopony needs to get sacrificed! I’ll handle all of them!” The mare rolled her eyes before entering a fighting stance. Shining’s eyes boggled again as a belt appeared around Trixie’s waist. Another Kamen Rider like his sister? How was that possible? He thought the only other Rider was his sister’s former foalsitter, Cadance!

“Foal, like I’ll give you a chance!” Machine-Gun Snake tossed aside the snake head covering its arm to reveal a fully loaded machine gun. “Die, Protean!”

Shining had seconds before the enemy filled the car with bullets as the creature unloaded, spraying everywhere. Under his son’s protective shield, Night Light trembled. Sweat trickled down his forehead as stray bullets struck his shield. Such power! Each shot almost pierced through it.

With such a display of power, Shining assumed his wannabe savior was mincemeat. But Trixie proved more agile than anypony expected. With deft hooves, he slipped behind a seat for cover. Pointing his arm in that direction, Machine-Gun Snake filled that location full of lead. Each bullet pierced past the makeshift barrier, stuffing flying everywhere.

“Finish her! Machine-Gun Snake said, directing his minions to accost the obviously fatally wounded Kamen Rider. But the Combatponies gasped in shock, finding nopony there. What? There wasn’t anywhere to go. How did she escape?

From out of nowhere, Trixie appeared behind the Destron Cyborg. “Henshin!” Whatever form Shining had expected, this wasn’t it. Her armored form was more visceral than expected, organic instead of mechanical.

“Protean!” Machine-Gun Snake, said alarmed. He grunted in pain as he received a jab to the sternum. After receiving several continuous body blows, the monster staggered back. Ouch, that had to hurt.

“Damn you! Get her!” Machine-Gun Snake said, waving his Combatponies to swarm the Kamen Rider.

The Combatponies jumped into action, surrounding the Kamen Rider while their leader returned to a safe distance. While it appeared Trixie didn’t have any formal training in any martial art, her strikes were fierce and quick. Her attackers failed to subdue her, each Combatpony falling to a well-placed strike.

Whatever she is, Trixie can handle herself. With everypony so distracted, it seemed like the ideal time to escort his father to safety. With a gesture, he indicated they should sneak away to the far car door. After a nod of acknowledgment from his father, they crept in that direction.

“Die Rider!” Machine-Gun Snake unleashed another barrage of machine gun fire, headless if he hurt any of his ponies.

While most shots missed, one struck Protean in the leg. Much to Trixie’s shock, it oozed crimson. She grimaced as she struggled to support her weight on that leg.

“They created me to kill you, Kamen Rider Protean! Doctor G predicted your organic armor wouldn’t withstand armor-piercing bullets!” Machine-Gun Snake said, laughing with glee.

Oh, ponyfeathers! Thought Shining. A glance outside revealed they weren’t too far from Ponyville. If he shot a warning flare, his sister might see it and send help! But when he opened the next car, an unwelcome sight greeted him. A pony wearing scorpion-themed armor walked into the car, blocking any escape.

“There’s no escape this time, Kamen Rider Protean.” The stallion said. “I, Doctor G, General of Destron, will ensure your demise!”

—

“You seem excited, princess.” Rainbow Dash said, chuckling.

“I can’t help it. I’m just so pumped for his weekend.” Twilight replied.

After gaining the courage to send the invitations, eager giddiness replaced her worry. She’d spent all last night devising the perfect checklist of what they’d do this weekend. It had where they’d eat, what museums they’d visit, a trip to an amusement park, and a hoofball game. The Ponyville Manticores faced the Fillydelphia 67’s in a highly anticipated grudge rematch tomorrow! After the crushing defeat last year, Ponyville wanted revenge!

“Don’t worry, Princess. We’ll make sure this weekend is special. Anything for our princess!” Rainbow said with an uncomfortable amount of reverence. While she didn’t appreciate guard duty as her first job as a Wonderbolt, the pegasus wasn’t slacking as usual. Her multicolored eyes constantly swept around the train station, seeking threats. They were both in disguise, but still. It didn’t hurt to be cautious.

“Just Twilight, please. You’ve known me for years, Rainbow! It’s a fancy temporary title. Once the government’s back in tiptop shape, I’ll be some random reporter again.” She hoped to reestablish Ore Journal and bring back the old crew, minus Rainbow. Her friend had earned her position as a Wonderbolt, pleasing Twilight greatly.

“Come on.” Her bodyguard rolled her eyes. “You want to do that dumb, boring journalist stuff again? What’s wrong with being a superhero? You could haunt the streets, fighting bad guys from the shadows!”

Twilight only sighed. While she appreciated everything they’d accomplished, she missed that tiny office and her old coworkers, Hot Scoops and Da Chief. What were they even doing now? With all the hubbub, she’d lost track of them. Something she’d need to investigate later.

“We’ll see.” Twilight made a weary sigh, annoyed that returning to her old life remained so out of reach. But that was the future. She had other concerns right now.

“That’s odd. The train is late.” She glanced at a nearby clock, seeing it was already three minutes past nine.

Rainbow only rolled her eyes at her princess’s concern. “It’s a train! They’re never on time!”

“Right, right.” Her nervousness about reuniting with her family was making her edgy. Twilight still wasn’t sure how she’d explain Twilight Velvet’s fate to them.

Another twenty minutes passed, and still nothing. Ponies grumbled around them, annoyed by the wait. Many of them had places to go. An odd worry stabbed daggers in Twilight’s stomach. Something was wrong.

“Rainbow, can you fly up and see if you can spot the train?” Twilight asked.

“Princess, I can’t leave your side.” While other guards hid around the station, the Wonderbolt had explicit orders to keep close to her charge.

“I think something happened to the Friendship Express,” Twilight said, her certainty growing.

“Just because it’s over twenty minutes late? I’ve had trains hours late before!” Still, Rainbow relented, bending the rules to answer her princess’s request. She zipped away at astonishing speed, showing why they’d chosen her as a Wonderbolt.

Before Twilight could even blink, her bodyguard had returned. Her stomach twisted in worry when she caught Rainbow’s pensive expression.

“There’s a fire on the track.” She said, “I think it might have gotten derailed.”

After a string of curses, Twilight extended a hoof. “Take me. There’s no time to waste. It has to be Destron. They’re after my family!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Rainbow Dash the Wonderbolt nodded. “Hold on.”

Twilight almost got her internal organs lodged in her bottom hooves as the Wonderbolt flew at full speed. Twilight’s fear doubled as she spotted the smoke Rainbow mentioned, getting a sinking feeling. If anything happened to her family…

“Go faster!” Twilight said, gritting her teeth against the freezing winds whipping against her.

Rainbow nodded and zipped faster. It chilled Twilight further, but she didn’t care. She prayed they wouldn’t be too late.

Chapter 17

“You’re finished, Trixie.” Doctor G said, pointing his axe toward his hated enemy. “This is where you die!”

Trixie cursed, her leg burning something fierce. She’d never expected that she’d ever bleed, being an accidentally created pony ooze. But in a way, it felt good that she could bleed. It meant she was still fundamentally a pony. While fascinating questions about her existence, they could wait until later. She hissed after making a misstep on her injured leg.

“This isn’t over.” Shining Armor said, his horn glowing with power. Twilight’s dorky brother possessed an impressive magical ability. Unlike his son, poor Night Light couldn’t defend himself. He quivered behind Shining. Damn Destron. They won’t get away with this. But how could she win with such powerhouses surrounding her?

Wait! Trixie grimaced, hating the idea of sinking so low to resort to such a tactic. But what other choice did she have? But even contemplating it brought bile to her throat.

Then she turned her attention back towards Night Light and his son. Despite being her most hated enemy’s family, they didn’t deserve to be used as leverage against Twilight. She supposed it wasn’t their fault Twilight Velvet was such a monster.

Fine. Trixie would swallow her pride and stretch out a hoof to ask for Twilight Sparkle’s assistance. This would only be a onetime occurrence. Even after millions of years, she’d never ask for help from Twilight Velvet’s daughter again.

And she already knew how she’d get reinforcements. Out the window, she saw some familiar skyscrapers poking out through the trees. Twilight must be waiting at the station. It was only a matter of getting her attention.

Her momentary musings almost cost Trixie as another barrage of bullets flew in her direction, only missing her by inches. Pain screamed through her leg as she rolled away, yelping in surprise as an axe suddenly flew towards her neck. Only a quick duck saved her. She engaged Doctor G, but his implacable, towering shield intercepted every blow. Pain lanced down her back as Machine-Gun Snake punched her from behind, knocking her aside with a backhoof hit.

Trixie shook her head, dazed as she impacted the car’s metal walls. Her eyes widened as she came face-to-face with Machine-Gun Snake’s machine gun arm.

“Die, Rider.” Before Protean could even react, he fired.

Sparks flew as bullets bounced off harmlessly from a transparent blue orb. Shining gritted his teeth, falling to his knees as he struggled to hold his spell. Damn, that was some impressive power. Seeing her opportunity, Trixie tore two bone swords from her arms. She darted around the barrier towards the unsuspecting Machine-Gun Snake. Sparks flew as her twin swords slashed across the Destron monster’s side. Before she could follow up, her blade blocked an incoming axe from her blind spot.

“Impressive skills, Kamen Rider Protean. But you can’t last forever!” Doctor G said, pushing Trixie back as she dodged a follow-up strike.

“Shining, use your barrier to protect your dad!” Trixie said, making a snap decision. It was messy, but it’d draw Twilight’s attention.

“What?” But Shining was already huddling over his father, eyes fearful.

“What are you planning?” Doctor G said, his voice tense. He’d sensed the Kamen Rider was planning something outrageous.

“Nice try, but I’m not finished yet!” While it’d caused her a jolt of pain, Trixie used her injured leg to launch herself into the air. “Rider Kick!”

When her hoof landed on the floor, the entire car exploded apart. Since the train was still moving, it’d flung Trixie clear across the field. The hard jolt of the impact against the incoming ground disrupted her transformation, leaving Trixie bloody as she rolled to a halt. But she nodded in satisfaction when she saw she’d reduced the Friendship Express to a smoldering ruin. Twilight Sparkle would surely notice that.

“Are you crazy?!” Shining said, pushing himself free of a piece of the car’s ruined roof. His voice cracked with hysteria, eyes wild. Trixie wondered why he was so upset. Hadn’t he and his father escaped relatively unharmed?

“Hey, it worked, right?” Trixie said, smug.

“That was quite a ride.” Night Light said, unperturbed. He seemed more amused than anything.

“Damn you, Trixie!” Machine-Gun Snake said, limping towards them. The Destron monster hadn’t been so lucky, getting battered almost senseless. He barely had the strength to raise his machine gun arm. Other Combatponies pulled themselves from the wreckage in little better condition.

Much to her disappointment, only Doctor G seemed otherwise unharmed. That was some armor he was wearing. His eyes blazed with anger as Trixie responded with a smug grin. “Get them!”

The limping Combatponies moved to surround them, numbering in the dozens. Trixie entered a fighting position. Even without her armor, she could fight. Her leg still blazed with pain, but it was lessening. Her odd nature gave her some ability to heal herself, but it came at a price. It worked much slower when using her Kamen Rider powers. Usually, Trixie would sleep off her injury, but that wasn’t an option. Until she recovered somewhat, her best plan was to hold off without her armor.

“Bring it!” Combatponies encroached on her at every angle. Unlike the confines of the train car, they could assault her at all angles in an open field. Winged combatants even attacked them from the air. Careful of her injured leg, her hooves moved like lightning as they assailed her. Shining proved backup, his shield limiting the Combatponies’ option as his muscled hooves battered them. He had impressive fighting skills. Night Light wisely kept low and stayed out of the way.

“Die Rider!” Heedless of whom he shot, Machine-Gun Snake opened fire into the bustle of bodies. Trixie leaped away from the barrage, Combatponies getting shredded behind her. Unfortunately, it separated her from her allies. Trixie cursed, realizing this was the monster’s intention.

“I hope you have good benefits!” Trixie shouted over the bustle of activity. “Not much job security, it seems!”

The Combatponies hesitated, disturbed by how little their lives mattered to Machine-Gun Snake. But a glare from Doctor G made them reconsider any rebellious action, turning to attack their hated enemy once again. But Trixie used this slight hesitation to get into a better position, her hooves already moving. She dropped ten Combatponies before rejoining Shining’s side. With his help, none of the Combatponies still stood.

“Useless foals!” Doctor G drove into the fray, his axe slashing toward Trixie’s back. A magic shield intercepted it, but a back hoof from the general’s shield struck Shining’s head. It battered the stallion senseless, dazing him. In a single blow, Trixie had lost her best ally.

With the way clear, Machine-Gun Snake didn’t hesitate in opening fire. Trixie bounced away, just avoiding them. A bad landing sent a jolt of pain through her leg. It wasn’t healing as quick as she’d hoped. A sudden blow from behind by Doctor G’s shield tossed her aside, planting her face in the dirt.

“You’re finished, Protean!” Machine-Gun Snake said, pointing his barrel toward Trixie’s head. With Doctor G on her back, there wasn’t any easy escape. “Die!”

The entire scene exploded in thunder as a rainbow figure crashed into the monster, knocking him senseless. A purple figure jumped from its back, revealing a familiar face.

“You!” Doctor G said, his word a curse. “Kamen Rider Lux!”

“Sorry, I’m late!” Twilight Sparkle said. “Shining, are you okay?”

“I’ve been better,” Shining said, clutching his injured head. “Be careful. These guys are strong!”

“Do worry, I’ll save you!” Twilight Sparkle said before turning towards Trixie. “Hey, Trixie.”

“Hey,” mumbled Trixie with little enthusiasm, though she was grateful for the save.

“Rainbow, get my family to safety!” called Twilight.

“Got it!” After a salute, the rainbow-colored mare zipped towards Shining Armor and Night Light. Before anypony could stop her, she pulled Night Light across her back before grabbing Shining by the hooves. In a rainbow-colored trail, the pegasus vanished. Trixie gapped in shock. Dear Shocker, that mare was quick!

Satisfied her family was safe, Twilight joined Trixie’s side. “Ready?”

“I suppose,” Trixie said, summoning her belt. While her leg was far from healed, it hurt less. It’d have to do.

“Kamen Rider Lux, Protean.” Doctor G said, eyes alight with satisfaction. “How convenient for you to come together. It will make eliminating you so much easier! I, Doctor G, shall bring about your destruction!”

“Try it if you like. We won’t make it easy for you,” Trixie replied.

“You’ll regret trying to hurt my family!” Twilight threw her belt around her waist.

“Henshin!”

Both riders sprung into action, Lux taking on Machine-Gun Snake while Protean fought Doctor G. With that damn snake monster off her back, Trixie could fight with full force. The unexpected power of a punch made her opponent stagger a step, knocking Doctor G off balance. Trixie took advantage of this lapse, her hooves a blur. But the Destron General recovered quickly, his armor reducing the effectiveness of Protean’s blows.

Machine-Gun Snake kept his distance, firing at Twilight whenever the best opportunity presented itself. But Lux proved nimble, slipping out of the path of each shot. But each barrage of bullets hadn’t been random, aiming at Trixie when the monster thought her distracted. While she’d avoided getting a bullet in the back, Doctor G had been relentless. With her attention split, Trixie was less effective at fighting off the Destron General. Sparks flew as a careless step got her a slash across the chest. Doctor G’s eyes alight with triumph as he saw Protean on the ropes.

I need to change strategies! And Trixie had already devised a perfect one.

“Switch!”

“Huh?” Behind her helmet, Twilight blinked as Trixie did a sudden somersault and kicked Machine-Gun Snake in the face. The next jab and a punch to the sternum made the creature stumble over the unseen train tracks.

“Don’t worry, Lux. I’ve got this guy!” If Trixie had such trouble fighting Doctor G, why bother continuing fighting?

“Okay, sure,” Twilight said, preventing Doctor G from attacking Trixie from behind by intercepting his axe with a hoof. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a sword of pure energy and engaged the Destron General.

“That’s such a good trick.” Trixie had to admit Lux had some nifty powers.

“Damn you, Trixie Lulamoon!” Machine-Gun Snake said, regaining his feet. “You will pay for that!”

“What? You can attack from behind, but I can’t?” Trixie said, smirking.

“Die, Rider!” Machine-Gun Snake sent a hoof towards Trixie’s head, which the Rider deftly blocked. The monster howled in pain and fury as Trixie kicked him in the stomach. She continued to close the distance, making it difficult for the Destron monster to use his ranged machine gun. Still, her leg throbbed something fierce. This quick fight had inflamed it to almost intolerable levels. Trixie needed to finish the battle soon.

Not that Twilight was doing much better. The General’s raw power was proving troublesome. Her energy blade proved useless against his mighty tower shield, not even leaving a scorch mark. For every slip-up, Doctor G repaid it with a painful blow from his axe. Despite her disadvantages, Twilight Sparkle was holding her own. Her sharp eye was already dissecting the general’s fighting style, each of his successive blows becoming less successful as she learned how to counter them.

When Machine-Gun Snake is gone, Doctor G wouldn’t stand a chance! Thought Trixie. Wait, why was she getting so eager about working together with Lux? The pain from her wounded leg must be addling her brain.

A mighty punch sent Machine-Gun Snake clear across the field, holding his wounded stomach in obvious pain.

“Foal!” Machine-Gun Snake said in triumph. “With your wounded leg, you can’t get to me quickly enough to stop me firing on you. You’re as good as dead, Protean!”

But Trixie had anticipated this, already thrusting out a hoof. “Pain beam.”

The red energy stuck the monster with instant agony, hitting him right before he’d gotten his weapon raised. Bullets went wild as Machine-Gun Snake succumbed to pain unlike any he’d ever felt before. It made aiming almost impossible. With this distraction, Trixie had already closed the distance. With her injured leg, a Rider Kick was out of the question. But that was okay. She had other weapons at her disposal.

“Protean Shining Rider Punch!” The blow struck the creature right where her previous one had landed for maximum effectiveness. The monster screamed in pain and fear, trying and failing to recover from the fatal blow. After stumbling a few steps, Machine-Gun Snake collapsed and exploded in a massive fireball.

“Machine-Gun Snake!” Doctor G said, shocked. The lapse cost him, getting a slash across his chest armor for his trouble. Unlike his shield, his plate didn’t offer nearly enough protection. He staggered, gripping his chest in obvious pain.

With the greatest annoyance dealt with, Trixie joined Twilight’s side to confront the Destron General. Together, they harried their opponent, fighting him from multiple angles. His shield couldn’t block both of them. Wincing from a sudden blow to the skull, Doctor G scowled.

“Kamen Riders! This isn’t over! I, Doctor G, will show you my true power!” After laughing, the Destron general bit his hoof hard enough to draw blood.

“What the?” Trixie said, baffled. She didn’t like the maniac look in the general’s eyes.

With a quick wave of his hoof, Doctor G created a pentagram of blood on the dirt. He thrust his hoof into the middle of the crude drawing. Both Riders jumped in shock as lightning flashed above them, driving them back as it almost struck them. “Ancient spirits of evil! Grant me your power! In exchange, I will give you the souls of these two Kamen Riders, Lux and Protean!”

A whirlwind formed around the Destron general, throwing both his enemies back. Within the storm, Trixie saw contorted, malevolent faces howling and screaming. Doctor G jerked as each evil spirit flew into him, laughing all the while.

“And now, Riders, you will see my true form!” He thrust his shield forward, blocking his face. Despite being midday, the sky darkened as Doctor G transformed. Trixie stepped back as there was an explosion of foam behind his shield. When he pulled it down, the General’s monstrous face revealed itself.

“Call me, Kani Laser!” Doctor G’s face had changed, becoming a monstrous blend of pony and scorpion. His hair had become insect legs, with a stinger jutting from his skull. Between his scorpion eyes, a lens with an antenna glittered in the returning sunlight. It made him appear like some demented doctor. Underneath his armor, he had spiked insect chitin of a hideous palish blue color. “This is where you both die!”

“Okay, wasn’t expecting that,” Trixie said dryly. Of course, a cultish organization like Destron would have experts in the occult. He answered her comment with an axe swing of incredible power, the ground splinting as Trixie almost didn’t dodge away.

Taking advantage of the opening, Twilight punched the monster in the head. But her blow only bounced off, having little effect on his almost invulnerable chitin skin. The back blow from Doctor G’s axe made Lux howl in pain.

“Is that the best you’ve got, Kamen Rider Lux?” Kani Laser changed targets, engaging Twilight with his weapon.

Trixie jumped in to help, but her leg failed her. She cursed, realizing she’d used her last strength dealing with Machine-Gun Snake. Twilight was on her own against this implacable foe.

Energy sword raised, Twilight struck back. They engaged, each matching the other blow for blow. But Kani Laser’s axe proved a more effective weapon against his opponent. While her sword caused some injury, it wasn’t tough enough to pierce the monster’s hard shell. Sparks flew when Lux over-committed to a swing, receiving an axe to the chest for her trouble.

“This isn’t working.” Twilight dismissed her sword, fighting with her hooves instead. This proved more effective, allowing her to get within the swing of his weapon and her strikes pushed him back. His shield still proved an obstacle, but Lux had discovered methods of circumventing it. Even with proton-powered punches, however, her blows only had minimal effect.

It’s time I change this around. After Lux dodged the axe swing, Trixie picked her moment to strike while the Destron General recovered.

“Pain Beam!” Red light shot from her hooves, striking the Destron general from the side. Momentary agony enveloped him, freezing him in place. Seeing her opportunity, Lux kicked his shield from his hooves. It landed in a thud several hooves away, out of reach of its owner.

“Ha! You thought I was useless without my leg, Kani Laser?” Trixie said.

“Damn you!” Blinded by rage, the Destron General switched opponents. With Trixie still on the ground, immobile, nothing would save her from an axe swing.

But Lux used the lapse in judgment to punish him for his distraction. His axe went wide as Twilight kicked it aside. Trixie further dishooved him with a kick to the hoof. She caught his famed weapon before it clattered to the ground.

“How about this?” Flexing her muscles, Trixie applied pressure to the axe. It exploded into powder as it snapped in half, rendered useless.

Kani Laser growled in frustration, jumping aside as Twilight tried a follow-up kick. He created some distance between himself and his opponents.

“Die!” Kani Laser positioned his hooves in the air, chanting something under his breath. He pointed a hoof forward, and beams of energy shot toward his enemies from the lens on his head. Both Riders rolled aside, watching as the laser left deep furrows in the ground.

While Trixie’s legs still wobbled, she joined Lux as they engaged their opponent. While her mobility was crap, Trixie could still strike with tremendous strength if she focused power into her muscles. They bulged as she delivered a powerful haymaker into Kani Laser’s scorpion head. He howled in pain, staggering back. Together, both Riders harried him, attacking him from both sides.

Kani Laser repeated the hoof gesture again, blasting them at close range. He swung his head in an arc, Twilight howling in pain as she took the full brunt of the attack. Satisfied with the result, Doctor G pounded into the momentarily stunned Rider.

“Twilight! Protean Shining Rider Punch!” Trixie leaped forward, forcing her strength into this single blow. Its power was incredible, tossing their opponent across the field.

“Thanks, Trixie! Let’s finish this!” Light exploded from Lux’s back as she leaped into the air and summoned her wings.

Not to be outshone by anypony, Trixie rushed power into her hind legs and joined her in the air. It hurt like hell, but she was ready to finish this.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

“Photonic Burning Rider Kick!”

Both Riders flew toward Kani Laser, striking him in the chest as he struggled to rise. A nearby tree shattered into splinters as the Destron General collided with it, leaving a crater when he finally struck the ground. He heaved a pained breath, returning to his pony form. Blood dripped from his mouth, staining his teeth crimson.

“You may have defeated me, Riders. But Destron will live on! Destron is eternal! You have no clue what awaits you when the Pferdreich finally invades Equestria. Our collective might will consume you both! Long Live Destron!” Doctor G collapsed and exploded, consumed by an enormous fireball.

“We won!” Trixie said, relieved. With a breath, she undid her transformation.

“We make a nice team!” Twilight said, doing the same. Much to Trixie’s disgust, she couldn’t argue the point. The princess gasped as she spotted how badly Trixie’s leg was bleeding. With her last rider kick, she’d done a number on it. The pain almost made Trixie blackout. “You need a hospital!”

“No way! I’ll survive just fine by myself, thanks.” It would heal on its own. Besides, she didn’t dare talk to any doctor. They’d only turn her into a lab rat again. Trixie rose on shaky hooves, trying to walk away.

But Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria and Kamen Rider, wouldn’t hear any of it. Before Trixie could protest, the other mare had placed a hoof on her. Her horn glowed with incredible power. In a pop, they vanished.

Chapter 18

“Load that over there,” Zol said, pointing his riding crop to the desired spot. The Combatpony saluted, heaving the heavy box toward a spot next to a tank. The pony sweated profusely but completed their task with impressive efficiency. They saluted and continued to their next undertaking.

Zol allowed himself a slight smile. The war preparations were going smoothly. They had enough supplies to arm the war machines Destron had purchased on the black market. Soon they’d be an unstoppable war engine that would sweep across Equestria and beyond.

A beeping caught his attention, and the former Shocker general trotted to the command chamber. Combatponies saluted him as he passed, which he answered with his own salute. But Zol kept speed in his step, not wanting to keep Destron’s Great Leader waiting.

“Yes, my master?” Zol asked, bowing to the stone emblem of Destron. A red stone glowed as the Great Leader spoke.

“Doctor G had fallen in battle.” The Great Leader said, without preamble.

“Surely not!” A pit formed in Zol’s stomach. While they’d always been bitter rivals, he’d respected Doctor G’s tenacity and skills with the dark arts. To hear such a formidable warrior of Destron had fallen was dire news.

“Kamen Riders Lux and Protean defeated him.”

“Protean? She isn’t dead?” But he supposed this wasn’t really a surprise. The Ranger Trixie had also been a slippery snake. Zol smacked his riding crop against a wall in agitation. “I should have known. What do you wish, my lord?”

“We are pushing our invasion plan forward. Tonight, Pferdreich will lay waste to Equestria and conquer it.” The Great Leader said. “With one Rider seriously injured, this will be an ideal chance to strike. We can’t afford Lux’s side getting any stronger.”

“It will be done,” Zol said, saluting. While not ideal, they’d make do.

Walking to a console, he adjusted a nob and hit every button. “Everypony to the assembly room. I have an important announcement to make.”

In short order, Zol had his audience as he stared down from the raised platform. Behind him stood a flag with Destron’s logo, its colors alive and vibrant.

“Ponies of Destron. Today is an auspicious day. We are marching to crush our enemy. We will topple their pathetic defenses under our hooves and dethrone their false princess.” The crowd cheered, absorbing his words like an eager sponge.

“We will show her our might and avenge Shocker, an organization whose rightful destiny was rulership of the cosmos. While beaten, they refused to fall. We rose from the ruins to become something greater, the Grand Destron! We will destroy all Twilight Sparkle holds dear and make her an example for all future generations of what happens to those who dare oppose us! We of the Grand Destron are eternal!”

This got uproarious applause from his audience, who responded with cries of “Death to the false princess, death to Kamen Rider Lux! All hail Destron!” Zol gave a slight smile. With an army this fierce and loyal, what could stop them? That also didn’t account for the other nasty surprise he had awaiting Kamen Rider Lux.

“It’s okay! You’re safe!” A nurse said, trying to block Trixie’s newest escape attempt. Despite Twilight’s reassurances, Trixie seemed convinced they planned some terrible fate for her.

“Not that surprising, considering what my mother did to her.” It brought a pain to Twilight’s heart, saddened that her mother had inflicted such damage on anypony.

She watched Trixie bounce against an invisible shield blocking her path through the door. The mare extended her hooves and summoned her belt to blast her way to freedom, but the nurse jabbed a needle into Trixie’s neck. Twilight watched in continued astonishment as the mare collapsed into azure goo, her entire body losing cohesion.

“It really is quite remarkable.” Doctor Stronghoof said. “It’s like her cells can respond to her thoughts.”

“They even respond to Trixie’s need,” Twilight replied, nodding. They’d all watched in astonishment as the mare’s bullet wound had fused back together, making it seem like it’d never been there. But that wasn’t the only marvel. Her cells had built a layer of protection under Trixie’s skin, so bullets won’t pierce so easily again. So, did this mean the mare held pony form with willpower alone?

And that only scratched the surface of their current knowledge about Trixie’s unusual condition. Twilight gave an unintentional squeal of delight. This was so exciting! The research papers she would write about this!

“But is she recovering?” Twilight asked, frowning. All this fighting against them wasn’t helping her wound’s condition.

“With some sleep, yes. I’m inclined to allow Trixie’s natural healing ability to do its job.” The doctor replied. “We’ll keep her monitored for any changes.”

Twilight nodded, leaving to allow Trixie some rest. Besides, she had a more pressing issue to contend with. Her family awaited her.

“Princess!” A younger guard said, rushing up towards her. In his hoof, he held a briefcase.

“Yes?”

“Delivery right from the labs. They told me to deliver it to you.”

“Really?” Twilight brightened, already knowing the package’s identity. “My new weapon is finally complete?” She peered at the case, eager to give it a whirl. She was sure they had some test dummies she could play with.

But she suppressed the urge. More pressing matters needed her attention. After thanking the young guard, she slung the case over her shoulder and trotted toward the lesser medical wing.

“I told you, I’m fine,” Shining said, irritated as a nurse began administering to him. “It’s only a new bruise.”

“Let the mare do her job.” Her father said.

“Did you get that badly hurt, Shining?” Twilight asked as she entered the hospital room. Its stark bright interior matched her brother’s coat well, almost acting as camouflage. She placed her weapon case against a wall. After the trouble of getting it, Twilight didn’t dare let it out of her sight.

“No, he only got roughed up.” Her father replied. “That Wonderbolt mare was quick to get us to safety. She’s a real wonder!”

This earned a chuckle from Twilight. “Yes, General Stormy was wise in recruiting her. Rainbow’s the fastest mare I know.”

“And single?” Night Light gave his son a playful elbow.

“Right.” Shining rolled his eyes at his father’s attempts at matchmaking. He was almost as bad as Cadance.

“Regardless, I’m glad you’re okay.” Twilight looked down, tense. “It could have been much worse. Destron is ruthless.”

“I’d hoped after Shocker’s defeat, Equestria would gain some measure of peace. But evil doesn’t stop so easily.” Night Light’s mouth quirked into a smile. “Of course, we have you, Kamen Rider Lux, to oppose them.

“So, why do you even have powers?” Shining asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That is the reason I requested you to come. It’s about Mom.” Realizing they weren’t alone, Twilight gave a nurse a sharp look. “Could you excuse us?”

“Right away, princess. I was finishing up anyway.” After some quick application of antiseptic and ice packs, she departed.

“Did Mom conduct some experiments on you?” Shining said, narrowing his eyes. Her father only frowned. While shocked, the story didn’t surprise him.

After releasing a breath, Twilight relayed the whole sorry tale and their mother’s final fate. She told everything, even relaying the story of the failed test experiment on Trixie. Her mother had sacrificed three ponies to make the mare into a pseudo-alicorn. Her family listened with bated breath, stunned by her story.

“Oh, Twilight Velvet.” Her father said, saddened by his late wife’s twisted but well-meaning actions. This was just another extreme example of how much her mother valued Twilight.

Shining only scowled, his loathing for his so-called mother deepening further, and Twilight couldn’t blame him for this. On reflection, Twilight realized how badly her mother had neglected her brother. She recalled days when their mother hadn’t even looked at him, almost like he’d been invisible.

“That’s why I haven’t been in touch,” Twilight admitted, ears drooping. “I was unsure how to tell you.”

“Oh, Twilight.” Night Light gave his daughter a fierce hug, soon joined by Shining. Twilight cried into her father’s shoulder, releasing all the pent-up emotion she’d held since her mother’s demise. While she loathed her mother for her crimes, Twilight still loved her and always would. She had great difficulty reconciling her feelings with what she knew about her.

“Still, I’m glad some good came from all this.” Night Light gave a weak smile. “She made you into a most formidable Kamen Rider. You’ve gone great good with the gifts your mother gave you.”

“That’s one way to view it,” Shining said, not hiding his bitterness. “Still, you kicked flank. I heard you destroyed a Destron General! Way to go!”

“Well, I had help,” Twilight said, blushing.

“I’m very proud of you.” Night Light said, taking his daughter’s hoof and patting it. “You’ve made an excellent princess.”

“And how did that happen?” Shining asked, some mocking disbelief in his tone.

“Well, funny you ask.” Twilight regaled the inauguration and her other adventures since becoming Princess of Equestria. Dear Shocker, she’d missed them. After the trial and tribulations, she needed them back in her life. How had she pushed them away?

And she’d protect them, too. Twilight vowed that Destron would never touch a hoof on their heads again! Entire armies wouldn’t be enough to stop her from protecting her family. She swore this as Princess and Kamen Rider.

“Can we order some food?” Shining asked. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“Better yet, I’ll have my personal cook, Mulia Mild, whip us up something. It’s much better than hospital food!” Hey, her job came with some perks.

“While we’re eating, I can regale you with tales of another Twilight from a different timeline. While not a Kamen Rider, she fought to protect Ponyville from Shocker as they invaded her home.”

“What’s wrong, momma?” Dinky asked, watching her mother pace around their chambers like her tail had just caught fire.

“Just a complication at work, nothing to worry about,” Ditzy Doo said, brightening as a familiar black-cloaked figure approached their door,

“Doctor Shinigami,” Ditzy said, doing the Shocker salute. Despite their wonderful organization being gone, her Momma still did it reflexively.

“Inquisitor Doo, Dinky.” The former Shocker general said, inclining his head. He gave Dinky a brief, warm smile before returning his attention to her mother. “Excuse me. May I borrow you for a moment?”

“Muffin, momma’s got some business she needs to address,” Ditzy said, her tone rushed and visibility agitated. “Ask a guard to escort you to the local park if you want. I might be gone for several hours.”

“Sure,” But Dinky frowned, sensing something was wrong. Her mother usually wasn’t like this. The adults hid in a nearby alcove to convene further. Despite her better judgment, Dinky followed them. She might help!

“So Trixie is still alive?” Ditzy asked, shocking Dinky with that single name.

“Protean is in special care after a heated battle with Destron. The reports I’ve received about her are fascinating. She’s unlike any lifeform I’ve ever seen. She can likely manipulate her cells with thought alone.”

“Fascinating, sir. But she poses a big risk.” Ditzy said, then lowered her voice enough that Dinky didn’t hear the rest.

“Immaterial. Have faith. It shouldn’t matter.” Then the former Shocker general led his subordinate away to discuss another matter. He made innocent chit-chat as a guard approached.

Dinky decided not to follow, considering what she’d overheard. So Trixie got hurt? It was something she totally deserved. Despite everything, however, Dinky couldn’t help but be worried about the mare. She’d gotten to know the Kamen Rider as a pony during her captivity. While annoying, Trixie had suffered a great deal during her life. She’d unfairly projected her anger towards Shocker, despite it only being an accident.

She’s so stubborn! Trixie would stop at nothing until her so-called enemies vanished, even if it killed her. Dinky remembered Trixie had gotten seriously injured, but wondered why it mattered to her.

Instead of going to the park, Dinky stayed in her room. Like her mom, she paced across the room. Try as she might, Dinky couldn’t stop thinking and worrying about Trixie.

“Fine. I guess I’ll see her.” She looked forward to telling off Trixie for being reckless. It wasn’t like Dinky was worried about the mare or anything.

It was pitifully easy to evade her guard. Being a former Shocker inquisitor’s daughter, Dinky possessed skills few adults had. Getting into a well-guarded hospital wing proved more troublesome. High security protected her target, making Dinky wonder about the wisdom of this adventure. But she refused to surrender, scrutinizing the two muscled guards and the high-level ID scanner at the door.

There must be a way inside. Her hackles raised as a nurse approached her, eager to guide the obviously lost filly. But Dinky evaded her, slipping down a far corridor and ducking under a desk. Her heart raced as the confused nurse passed her hiding spot, but the older mare only furrowed her brow and passed by.

“Hey, I need to get these supplies to wing D.” A gold-coated earth pony stallion with a silver mane dressed like an orderly said, approaching Dinky’s target with a cart. On its surface were random medical supplies and other junk.

Not believing her luck, Dinky crept toward the cart. She moved from one piece of cover to another. So far, everypony seemed too preoccupied to pay her much attention. After the coast was clear, Dinky ducked under the cart.

“Hey, Goldie!” The guard one said, his voice chipper. “I didn’t know you were working today! How’s the wife? Mine tells me you have a filly on the way.”

“She’s fine.” The orderly said, mechanically. “She’s doing well?”

“You lucky dog!” The chipper guard gave the stoic stallion a hardy slap across the back.

“Right.” The orderly said, his voice tight.

“But I suppose preparing for a foal isn’t easy. Do you need a crib? Mine has been sitting in storage for like forever!”

And the guard continued talking the orderly’s ears off, much to the stallion’s consternation. He clearly had places he needed to be. Dinky echoed this sentiment, wanting the boring adult talk to conclude already. The second guard only watched the scene with undisguised amusement, chuckling as the orderly’s left eye twitched.

“I really need to get these delivered!” The orderly said.

“Really? I’ve heard nothing about it.” The guard one said before shrugging. “Well, it must be important! See you around, Goldie! Tell Flower Petal I said hi!”

The stallion only gave an awkward nod and continued toward the now-open door. Just avoiding getting toppled over by the cart, Dinky clung to the bottom with her hooves. It burned her muscles to keep off the floor, but it was worth it after they passed the guarded double doors. The effort became more strenuous as they progressed down the hallway. But Dinky kept herself aloft until she found a decent hiding spot.

An open door came into view, and Dinky took her chance. She flinched as her nose almost got smacked by the cart’s bottom edge as she dropped off. After scrambling to her hooves, Dinky slipped into an empty room.

“Okay, where do I need to go?” It struck Dinky how little she’d planned this incursion. She only shrugged and winged it. But the halls were maze-like, confounding Dinky’s usually excellent sense of direction. Luckily, few ponies populated this area, making sneaking around easier. Dinky checked each patient’s record for any sign of Trixie. But that also proved fruitless, just names she’d never met before. When she got ready to try another hall, a baleful, hateful voice caught her attention. It was Equestria’s fake princess, Twilight Sparkle.

“See you around, BBBFF!” The older mare said, giving a pearly white stallion a hug. “Sorry, I can’t stay longer. But duty calls.”

“We quite understand, Twilight.” An even older stallion said. “Go on. We’ll talk later tonight.”

Before the fake princess could depart, the stallion stopped her with a question. “Say, do you know where that mare that saved us is recuperating? I never got to give her a proper thanks for saving our lives.”

“I’m grateful Trixie saved you, but she’d been a pain!” Twilight said before sighing. “She seems convinced we want to conduct mad science experiments on her!”

“Is that right?” The stallion said. “Let me handle this. I think I can calm her down.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Dad!” Twilight said. “She’s in wing K, room 41.”

The adults conversed some more, but Dinky had already slunk away. There wasn’t time to waste. With the fake princess’s directions, finding Trixie wasn’t that difficult. Unlike everypony else, the older mare was in a glass cell. Irritated by her predicament, the Kamen Rider paced the room like a caged animal. Despite her imprisonment, she seemed well. The only sign of injury was a bandaged leg.

“Pst. Trixie.” Dinky said from her position behind a potted plant.

“Dinky?” Trixie said, stunned.

“How does it feel being the one imprisoned?” Dinky said with some smugness.

“I can leave whenever I want!” Trixie said, standing straighter. Though Dinky noticed, the old mare looked tired, not possessing her usual cat-like grace. Was she under the influence of some relaxing drug? “I just need some rest, then I’ll smash out of here.”

Dinky could only beam, knowing how silly Trixie was being. She’d heard from the false princess herself that she had no ill intent toward the other Kamen Rider.

“Still, I’m glad to see you,” Trixie said, sitting on her bed.

“What? You’ve missed me?” Dinky asked sarcastically.

“No!” Trixie sounded upset, then her voice became gentler. “I was worried about you.”

“I’m tough,” Dinky said, puffing out her chest. “Besides, my mom will beat up anypony dumb enough to hurt me.”

“That I don’t doubt,” Trixie said with some humor. “Still, isn’t this place well guarded?”

“I have my own special talents. I’m getting my cutie mark any day now.” Considering how easily she’d snuck in, maybe she’d get a mark in spy work?

“Right.” Trixie only rolled her eyes, raising Dinky’s hackles.

Dinky opened her mouth for a biting comment, but decided against it. She’d be the more mature one of them. “Anyway, is it true you fought Destron?”

“Yep, kicked their flank. With Twilight, we destroyed one of their generals.”

“Good! They deserve it for betraying momma and Doctor Shinigami!”

For several long moments, Trixie said nothing. “Come on, filly. The two are barely different. Today, Destron planned to foalnap Twilight Sparkles’ family to use them against her. It’s a typical Shocker tactic! Ponies have gone missing because they said the wrong thing or didn’t bow and scrape enough to Shocker!”

“Well, my momma’s different. She doesn’t do anything like that!” Dinky said with conviction. Trixie’s eye roll only enraged Dinky further.

Stupid Trixie! She knows nothing! My momma’s a good guy!

“Hey!” A voice said, startling them both. Instead of Twilight Sparkle’s dad, as Dinky had expected, it was the orderly from earlier that Dinky had used to hitch a rise.

“Don’t mind her. I brought her here,” Trixie smirked. “I’ve never really liked rules.” Wait, what? Why was the mare protecting Dinky?

But the stallion ignored the intruding filly, focusing all his attention on Trixie. “I have you right where I want to, Kamen Rider Protean!”

Fear struck Dinky’s heart as she realized what they meant. It could only mean one thing.

“Call me Hammer Kurage!” The stallion transformed, his head becoming part jellyfish. His slimy skin was a whitish green with streaks of crimson that looked like dripping blood. Countless tentacles whipped around his torso from his head, each tipped with a crimson spike. Instead of a right arm, he had a wrecking ball attached to his appendage.

Dinky’s heart almost leaped from her chest as the monster turned to address her at last, yelping in terror as the creature grabbed her. He lifted his wrecking ball over her head, threatening to crack her skull at any moment. “Surrender yourself to death, and this filly won’t be harmed.”

Chapter 19

“And I tell ya, it ain’t going to happen!” A yellow pony said in protest to the calls of a collection of fillies and colts.

“Come on, sis! It’s a wonderful idea! With Destron sneaking about, the princess needs all the help she can get!” A yellow filly said. Like her other compatriots, she wore a half-domed helmet shaped like Kamen Rider Lux’s helmet.

“Yeah, I’m sure the princess will think it’s a great idea once you tell her!” A white filly said. “Think about it! We can have eyes everywhere! No Destron baddie can escape our sight!”

“Right! With us fighting beside her, Destron won’t stand a chance!” A snooty pink filly added.

Gilda watched as the collection of foals argued with the adult, refusing to give any quarter. But the older mare in a half-gallon hat refused to budge.

“I appreciate you’re willing to help, sugarcube, but it’s too dangerous for a bunch of foals like you.” The old mare said reasonably. “The princess would only worry if you got involved. It would be better for the Rider Scouts to go camping instead. Say, how about we go this weekend? The Whitetail Woods are darn right beautiful this time of year.”

“Okay, Miss Applejack.” The foals moaned dejectedly. They’d really been looking forward to matching wits with Destron and fighting against evil. While Gilda obviously agreed that children shouldn’t be involved in the battle against Destron, she had to admire their gusto. Loathed as she was to admit it, ponies were much tougher than her original assumption.

“I told you it was a dumb idea, stupid!” The snooty pink filly said towards an orange pegasus classmate. “You didn’t listen to me.”

“It was a good idea!” The orange filly countered. “If Rainbow Dash can fight for Equestria, why can’t we? AJ’s just too close-minded to realize the Rider Scout’s awesomeness!”

The two fillies broke into a heated argument, which reminded Gilda of the fracases she had gotten into with Rainbow Dash at flight school. Rainbow watched in amusement as she approached.

“What’s the hubbub about?” The mare asked.

“Just silly kids’ stuff,'' Gilda replied with a shrug. Her rainbow-maned friend waved to the orange filly, who seemed to glow from the attention. To nogiff’s surprise, the dashing mare had an admirer.

“Looks like they’re having fun. Cool helmet, Scootaloo!”

The filly beamed, joining her friends for some adventure in the park. Gilda reclined on the bench as her old friend joined her on it.

“So, how’s training?” Gilda asked, trying to sound casual. She’d been worried that her slacker friend might struggle with the Wonderbolt’s famously intense program.

“I’m managing,” Rainbow replied with a snort. “They’ve even allowed me to help train the newer recruits since we're so short-staffed. The Wonderbolts only had thirty members before Shocker’s fall.”

Her friend sighed and reclined on the bench. “I’m tired, honestly. Thanks for joining me on my day off. The wings are killing me!”

In response, Gilda only offered a shrug. It would appear lame if she admitted this hangout session pleased her. She listened as Rainbow broke into a series of complaints about some poor recruits who were still struggling with basic. Still, despite these grips, Gilda could tell her friend enjoyed teaching. Her friend had changed those chicks from wimpy ponies into a formidable fighting force.

But Gilda was still worried. Her gut told her any day now, the enemy would attack. Despite her inward fears, Rainbow Dash was tough and could handle herself.

“Forget work. It’s my day off! We should enjoy it.” Rainbow Dash made a conspiratorial smile. “It was meant to rain today, but I bribed the head of the weather team to postpone it until tomorrow. I deserve decent weather for my day off!”

This earned a chuckle from Gilda. Her friend knew what she wanted. “Cool, cool. How about we get some ice cream?”

“Awesome! I know just the place!” They walked in relative silence, basking in the sunny weather Rainbow’s bride had provided.

“Chocolate for me,” Gilda said, her beak already watering. Chocolate was a difficult substance to get cheaply in her homeland. The cocoa bean was incapable of growing in its harsh climate.

Hey, this alliance between our two countries might have some perks.

“Strawberry swirl for me,” Rainbow said. While Gilda’s cybernetic appearance startled the seller, he happily took their bits and gave over their order.

Before Gilda could lick into her delectable treat, a scream started her. She turned to find a Combatpony assailing a random mare. More Combatponies appeared, slipping out from the shadows and sewer entrances to attack Ponyville. Their numbers seemed legion as more and more appeared.

Gilda’s metallic claws crushed her ice cream as she vented her fury. Destron. How dare they interrupt her hangout with Rainbow Dash?

“They’re invading now?” Rainbow said, surprised. “Captain said it’d take at least another week or two!”

“It seems they didn’t get the message,” Gilda replied. She watched as a tank appeared from nowhere, presumably teleported from somewhere. It was an impressive trick for unicorn mages to move that much tonnage. Gilda didn’t doubt it had come at a cost, however, likely killing several of the unicorns in the process.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Rainbow Dash zipped forward, punching a Combatpony as they tried to foalnap a nearby child.

While it didn’t thrill Gilda that her best friend had joined the fight against Destron, the pony’s fighting spirit was something any griffon parent would be proud of. She threw herself into battle, heedless of danger. Her heart sang with the drums of war. This is what griffons lived for. Her talons met flesh as she aided Rainbow in assisting the pony populous.

But more tanks appeared, one firing towards them. But Gilda's metal talons slashed the incoming shell to pieces, the remnants exploding behind her. Gilda leaped onto the tank’s hatch and ripped it free like a can of tuna. The Combatponies screamed as she tore apart the driver and his comrades.

Yes, today would be a good day.

A yawn erupted from Twilight’s throat. Since the attack on the train, she had gotten little rest. The words of the document she was attempting to read all blurred together, making them difficult to comprehend.

“Hey, Pinkie, how about some coffee?” But then she slapped herself, remembering the pink ball of energy was on medical leave. The entire office seemed quiet without her assistant.

“Oh well.” Twilight worked to brew her own coffee. She jumped as her door suddenly slammed open. A frantic Windowpane greeted her as she turned towards the intruder.

“What is it?”

“It’s Destron! There…” The cabinet member collapsed as a Combatpony decked him in the skull with a club.

“Destron!” Twilight prepared for battle as ten Combatponies swarmed her. Steel slashed past her head as one of them leaped at her with a sword. Another stabbed at her gut, but Twilight used her chair to block it before it connected.

Her hooves rained down on her foes, knocking or tossing them aside. While each wielded a deadly weapon with muscles that contained the strength of three ponies, they each fell in rapid succession. Twilight wasn’t even panting as she knocked out the remainder of her enemies.

“Are you okay, Windowpane?” Twilight asked, helping her friend and cabinet member up.

“My head hurts something fierce, but I’ll manage.” The stallion said, managing a weak smile.

“Princess Sparkle, thank goodness you’re okay,” General Stormy said, dashing in through the door. It was an impressive feat, considering how quickly she’d been flying.

“I’m okay. It’s Windowpane who’s hurt.” Twilight replied.

“Scumbags,” General Stormy uttered a curse, though she seemed relieved her princess was unharmed. “It’s time to fight back. The foals seem to assume that if they secure the capital, Equestria is all theirs. Let’s show them differently.”

“General, get the Wonderbolts and the other forces organized,” Twilight said, nodding. Her military commander’s enthusiasm was infectious, boosting Twilight’s waning confidence in their success against Zol’s forces.

“Yes, ma’am!” General Stormy said, offering a salute.

“I’ll be fighting on the front lines, helping where I can.” Twilight had seen old photos of Princess Luna entering battle when Equestria’s situation seemed the direst. She wasn’t about to disappoint that legacy.

“The Cyclone Delta is ready in garage K,” While not pleased about her princess going in danger, General Stormy nodded. “Go get them. Don’t do anything reckless.”

This earned a smile from Twilight. “Me never!”

“Princess.” A new voice said. The former Shocker members stood at her office’s door, expressions worried and concerned. “Thank goodness, I feared the worst.”

“Never fear, Doctor Shinigami. A few Destron Combatponies can’t beat me so easily,” Twilight replied. “Doctor, help the general where you can.”

“Can do. I look forward to knocking the heads of those traitors.” Ditzy Doo said with her usual vindictiveness.

Doctor Shinigami inclined his head. “Your wish is my command, princess.”

“Don’t worry, princess. We’ve secured the other cabinet members. I’ll get Windowpane to the safe room.” Stormy added as Twilight dashed from the room.

More Combatponies appeared to block her way. But her guard had organized a defense, fighting back against the intruders.

“Go, princess.” Her head guard, Joust, said. He used a shield to block a Combatpony’s club. “We’ll handle it from here. Stop Colonel Zol!”

“Thanks!” Twilight dashed around the engagement into a far corridor.

With her magic, she tore open the garage door. Inside were the old vintage cars that Ambassador Hell had collected before his untimely demise. Twilight couldn’t help a wide smile as she spotted her newest motorcycle. The machine was a true beauty.

It roared to life as Twilight revved the engine, purring like a lion cub. She could feel its raw power through her bones. It roared like a dragon as if it eagerly anticipated the speed Twilight planned to pour into it. After securing a helmet, Twilight zoomed out into the open street.

Twilight whooped as Combatponies scattered as she zipped towards them, some howling in pain as she delivered a kick to their face for their trouble. Some Combatpony riders tried pursuing her, but they only ate her dust. With ease, she outmaneuvered them as they attempted to box her in. One brave Combatpony tried jumping on her bike, but a quick burst of speed made him eat hard pavement instead.

With her bike's remarkable agility, Twilight flew through alleys and narrow streets, leading her enemies into places they couldn’t easily follow. But they tried anyway, often suffering painful results. She openly mocked them, trying to draw as much attention as possible. If they focused on her, they wouldn't be tormenting her subjects.

Her bike almost lost control as an explosion rocked her, but instinct saved her from a nasty blowout. Another explosion blasted towards her, but the Cyclone Delta’s remarkable engine flew past it. It wasn’t hard to find the source of her attack, Twilight steering towards him.

“Die, Rider!” Kame Bazooka cried, sending another shell her way. But she dodged around it, whirling her bike around until it came to a halt. As expected, a multitude of Combatponies surrounded her in an instant.

“This time, you won’t escape, Kamen Rider Lux.” Kame Bazooka said, gesturing.

Instinct saved her as claws slashed out from the gaggle of Combatponies. Hasami Jaguar gave a nod of respect for her quick dodge.

“This time, Zol isn’t here to save you! This will be your tomb, Rider.” The cat monster said, slashing his claws together.

“I’m not finished yet.” Twilight tossed her belt around her waist and entered a pose. A shell blasted towards her, but she somersaulted away before it hit. “Henshin!”

“Now it’s time to play with my newest toy,” Lux said, pulling a suitcase from her Cyclone Delta. It broke open to reveal her new weapon as the Combatponies swarmed her.

Steel dropped from a handle as Twilight’s blade deflected an incoming swipe, cutting the steel blade like butter. Her green blade illuminated her helmet as it shone, harnessing her photon power to its truest potential. Her energy blade shot from a crossguard with a handle that went high into the air, almost appearing as a second shorter blade.

“Come and get me!” Lux said, charging into battle.

“Trixie!” Dinky yelled in horror, watching as the older mare got tossed through a glass wall. While she’d gotten some bloody nicks across her fur, Trixie seemed otherwise alright.

“Damn.” Trixie sagged, her body aching everywhere. Whatever drug the nurse had pupped her with was interfering with her powers. While they burned bright within her, they surfaced sluggishly.

Worse, the damned monster had Dinky captive, limiting Trixie’s ability to fight back even with her powers.

Doesn’t this jerk realize who he’s got captive? Wait. “I’d let that filly go if I were you.”

“Oh, and why’s that?” Hammer Kurage said, smug in his position. Before good measure, he pointed his wrecking ball appendage at his hostage.

“That’s Inquisitor Doo’s daughter,” Trixie said, doubling her own smugness that she knew something this creature didn’t. “Do you know what she’ll do to you if she learns about this?? Memories of the beating the mechanical mare gave her in that secret lab flashed back unbidden.

This made the Destron monster hesitate, no doubt aware of the Shocker Inquisitor’s infamous reputation.

“Yeah, my momma’s gonna beat you up if you don’t release me!” Dinky said, squirming under Hammer Kurage’s grip.

“Uh.” Sweat visibly formed on the fish creature’s brow, realizing how badly he’d messed up. But then he ignored his own caution. “Shut up! She’ll never learn of this if you're both dead!”

“Hello, inquisitor. It’s in the name.” Trixie replied. “I doubt there’s anywhere you could hide with that mare on your scent.”

“Shut up!” Though Trixie heard the quaver in the Destron monster’s voice. “Shocker’s dead and gone. She’s powerless!”

And the monster continued to rant about his superiority. Trixie summoned her belt around her, using a fallen cart is disguise the action. While glacially slow, her power returned. Though Trixie doubted she’d be a hundred percent until the drug wore off.

“Damn you!” The monster said, recognizing what his target had planned.

“Henshin!” In a flash, her armor appeared.

Usually, Trixie felt she could conquer the work with her Protean powers. Now, however, she felt like she was swimming through maple syrup. But Trixie swore she’d win this. Before Hammer Kurage could raise his hammer leg on his hostage, Trixie kicked Dinky aside from the monster’s grip.

“Ouch! Hey!” Dinky cried, fuming from where she’d landed.

“Who cares about that? Run!” Trixie replied. The filly nodded, scrambling away. Then froze as dozens of Combatponies charged into the room. Damn, Hammer Kurage must have let them in.

“Hey, that’s Inquisitor Doo’s daughter. She’ll flay you alive if you dare touch a hair on her head.” This time Trixie’s warning worked, allowing the filly to scramble under the Combatpony’s hooves to safety. That filly had some impressive speed.

“You idiots! Don’t… Whatever.” Hammer Kurage said, recovering. “We Trixie right where we want. I’m going to enjoy this. Get her!”

“If you can!” Trixie replied.

Trixie grimaced as a polearm slammed into her stomach, the Combatpony guffawing in delight at the easy hit. Then he howled in pain from a headbutt to the snout. Blow after blow struck Trixie as she struggled to fight off the dozen Combatponies assaulting her. Despite her boast, she wasn’t in any condition to fight. Trixie grunted in pain as she received a painful blow to the gut and collapsed to the floor.

“Pathetic!” Hammer Kurage said, his subordinates separating as he walked towards the fallen Trixie. He put a wrecking ball hoof to Protean’s chin and lifted it up. “This is the Rider Destron feared? Hardly worth the effort.”

Her entire body throbbed. Not painful exactly, but unpleasant. She tried clambering back to her hooves, but a blow to the head from Hammer Kurage knocked her senseless.

“Hey, leave her alone, you bully!” Dinky yelled, hopping mad.

“No,” Trixie mumbled. The idiot filly! Why wasn’t she getting Lux or someone else to help? She could do nothing against these monsters. But Dinky stood firm, refusing to be intimidated despite several Combatponies thrice her size coming towards her.

“You have spirit, filly.” Hammer Kurage said. “But foalish, none the same. Your courage can serve Destron. Or scientists will augment you into something more useful.”

“No, let me go!” Dinky said, struggling as two Combatponies grabbed her by the front legs.

“No!” Trixie snarled, forcing herself to her legs. A Combatpony drove a billy club at Trixie’s helmet to stop her. But she dodged aside, kicking that stallion between the legs.

Trixie refused to allow Dinky to suffer the same hell she’d suffered at the hooves of Twilight Velvet. That indignation drove Protean forward, punching a nearby Combatpony in the jaw. With unstable hooves, Trixie pulled a bone blade from her left leg and charged.

Caught by surprise, Combatponies fell to her blade. Still, Trixie took a beating as they fought off her attacks. One Combatpony got the bright idea to put a knife to Dinky’s throat but got a sword in the chest before she even raised her weapon. Seeing his minions dropping like flies, Hammer Kurage entered the fray. Protean ducked as the Destron monster sent a wild punch toward her head.

Much to her surprise, her fighting ability improved as she fought. Her movements became sharper and more agile, losing the sluggishness she once possessed. With another bone blade, she blocked Hammer Kurage’s wrecking ball arm as it aimed to cave in her helmet. Sparks flew as Trixie drove her other blade across the fish monster’s chest, causing him to stagger back.

“Damn you, Rider.” Hammer Kurage said, annoyed the battle had shifted in his opponent’s favor. He reached for Dinky, but the filly darted away. Incensed, Trixie drove her twin blades forward. The Destron monster howled in pain, crashing into a nearby wall.

Seeing her chance, to finish this fight Trixie tossed aside her swords and leaped into the air, kicking off a wall to execute her finisher.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!” The blow struck the monster’s center of mass, and the wall cracked as he crashed into it.

The monster staggered to his feet, refusing to surrender. But he succumbed to his wound and collapsed. Seconds later, he exploded in a massive fireball. Trixie undid her transformation and sighed in relief. Without the painkillers, her agony had returned in full force. Her injured leg screamed something fierce as she put weight on it.

“Trixie!” Dinky sobbed in Trixie’s coat, forgoing any attempt to act tough. “I was so scared!”

“It’s okay. They can’t hurt you any longer.” Trixie replied, stroking the fillies head with sisterly affection. “Nor will I allow these jerks to hurt you.”

After a few seconds, Dinky collected herself and gave a grateful nod. “Thanks.” She gave a weak smile.

Trixie only beamed, giving a self-satisfying smile. The building shook from a sudden explosion, reminding her the danger was still near. Trixie had a sinking feeling about what was happening.

“What’s going on?” Dinky said, trembling under Trixie’s legs.

“It’s Destron. Their invasion of Equestria has begun.”

Dinky stared up at her, wide-eyed. “No.”

“Come on, let’s go.” Trixie hefted Dinky onto her back. “It isn’t safe here. Besides, I have some heads to kick in!”

“Okay,” Dinky said, her voice small.

After checking that more Combatponies won’t jump out at her, Trixie dashed into the corridor. Hopefully, she’d find somepony to take care of Dinky while she fought the bad guys. No doubt Twilight Sparkle was out there fighting Destron, and Trixie refused to be upstaged by the daughter of her greatest enemy.

I’m coming for you, Zol, half-dead or not. You better watch out!

Chapter 20

“You’re surrounded, Kamen Rider Lux!” Hasami Jaguar cried, slashing his scissor-like claws together to create sparks.

“You’re finished!” Kame Bazooka added, blasting a shell at Twilight. She yelped in pain as a Combatpony decked her from behind. More joined him, obstructing her as the cat monster slashed at her. Sparks flew from her helmet as his claw slashed past her face.

Trapped on all sides, Lux used the nearest Combatpony as a jumping platform. She landed several hooves away and whistled. Her foes scrambled in surprise as her new bike almost ran them down. Twilight reunited with her Cyclone Delta and sped forward, sword raised. Combatponies collapsed as Twilight struck them with her blade, thinning their numbers. Another shell blasted at Lux, but her Cyclone leaped over it.

“How’s this?” Twilight circled around, racing towards Hasami Jaguar next. But the monster leaped into the air, knocking Lux off her bike. They collapsed in a heap and rolled across the pavement. Unfortunately, the Destron monster got the upper hoof, landing on top of his hated foe. Lux hissed as he used the opportunity to dig his claws into her armor. With a twist of her body, she threw her opponent off. Her victory proved short-lived, as a shell blasted her across the street from Kame Bazooka’s back cannon.

“Ouch,” Twilight said, groaning as she raised herself to her hooves. These two monsters were a formidable duo.

“Now, it’s time for you to die, Kamen Rider Lux!” Hasami Jaguar leaped forward, claws extended over his head. But Twilight proved quicker on the draw, taking to the air with her wings of shining light before the blow struck. While still in midair, she redirected her path into an axe kick. The monster howled in pain, crashing face-first into the dirt.

While the monster sat momentarily stunned, Twilight took her shot. She flipped high into the air and sent another kick toward Hasami Jaguar.

“Photonic Burning Rider Kick!” Light gathered around her bottom hoof as it connected with the cat monster’s chest as he struggled to stand. The creature screeched in fear and pain, stumbling several steps before collapsing and exploding in a magnificent fireball.

“Hasami Jaguar! Damn you, Lux!” Kame Bazooka cried, lobbing another shell at his enemy. But Twilight pirouetted away and charged. Explosions blasted apart pieces of road, but Lux used her keen scientific mind to calculate their velocity and point of impact. Without Hasami Jaguar to distract her, they were easy to avoid. More Combatponies moved in to waylay her, but she only slipped around them.

“Photon Punch!” Her radiant punch crumpled Kame Bazooka’s cannon, the monster panicking when he realized he was defenseless. Lux didn’t hesitate to capitalize on her advantage. She flipped in the air from the back of the turtle monster’s shell and delivered the fatal blow.

“Photonic Burning Rider Kick!” The Rider Kick struck the monster right in the head, knocking her opponent several hooves away. He exploded in a blast of fire when his body impacted the ground. The remaining Combatponies scattered, their morale devastated by their two champions defeat.

“Phew. Now time to find Zol and finish this!” She untransformed, wanting to save her energy. While it disheartened her that Trixie couldn’t fight by her side, a grin broke on her face as streaks of multicolored light zoomed past her. The Wonderbolts had entered the fray against Destron. Woe to anypony foalish enough to challenge them.

They weren’t Ponyville’s only defenders. Her soldiers charged into battle, facing the invaders head-on. They used their own tanks to counter the enemy ones, blasting them to scrap.

Despite their courage and tenacity, their forces were fewer. Stormy hadn’t been able to requisition enough of them. Smoke rose from several buildings as the fighting intensified. Lux mourned for her city and subjects. On Cyclone Delta, she zoomed toward the thickest of the fighting. Her sword made quick work of their enemies. But for every one Combatpony she downed, four took their place.

She gasped in surprise as a Shocker Combatpony knocked aside a Destron one who had tried throwing a spear at her back. More Shocker forces appeared, fighting against the Destron menace.

“Thought you might require some aid, princess.” Inquisitor Doo said, punching a Destron Combatpony senseless.

“Thank you. Shocker’s help is most appreciated.” There’s a sentence I thought I’d never say!

“Follow me. I know where Colonel Zol is.” Ditzy Doo said, waving further in town. “Doctor Shinigami is engaging him right now!”

“Right,” Twilight said, nodding. “Lead the way! Let’s finish this!”

Trixie couldn’t believe her eyes. She rubbed them, half convinced she was dreaming. Shocker Combatponies were fighting alongside the Equestrian forces to defend Ponyville.

“Told you Shocker were the good guys the entire time!” Dinky said smugly. “Momma’s fighting to protect everypony!”

“It still changes nothing,” Trixie said, scowling. She’d still despise them until the end of her days. But, she supposed, not all Shockers ponies were evil. Maybe.

“Whatever, let’s kick some flank!” Trixie yelled, throwing a kick at the nearest Destron goon’s stomach. Another got cut off at the knees, their muzzle meeting pavement. A sword slashed at Trixie’s face, but she ducked back and headbutted her attacker.

“It’s Trixie!” A Destron Combatpony said, drawing attention to the Rider. “Get her!”

“If you can!” Trixie said, puffing out her chest. Dinky squealed in fright as more Destron Combatponies swarmed them, weapons raised.

While her leg still throbbed something fierce, Trixie’s agility had returned. She ripped a staff from an enemy’s hooves and used it to pummel the Destron goons assaulting her. Despite their number, they couldn’t match Trixie’s skill or agility.

“You got them,” Dinky said in wide-eyed amazement at the groaning Destron Combatponies around them.

“Was there any doubt?” Trixie said, beaming.

“Protean!” A Shocker Combatpony said, running towards them. Trixie tensed, but relaxed as she made a salute. “Thank Shocker you’re here. These Destron scum seem endless! This way, I’ll lead you to where Princess Sparkle is fighting. She’s left to confront Colonel Zol!”

“Thanks,” Trixie said, her tone neutral. This alliance didn’t please her whatsoever.

“Leave Inquisitor Doo’s daughter with me.” Another Shocker Combatpony said, “I’ll take her someplace safe!”

“No, thanks. She’s staying with me,” Trixie said, her paranoia sparking like wildfire.

“It’s fine,” Dinky said in protest. “They’re friends!” But Trixie refused to relent and brought the filly with her as the reluctant Combatponies escorted them into the warzone.

Inwardly, Trixie scowled, knowing she’d need to join forces with Twilight Velvet’s daughter again. Well, never mind. It was only an alliance of convenience. They’d surely be enemies again in no time. That matter could wait, however, joining her Shocker Combatpony guide in battle.

Watch out, Zol. I’m coming for you!

“Hiya!” A Destron Combatpony yelped in pain as Rainbow’s kick knocked them senseless. A Shocker Combatpony finished them with a blow from their club.

Despite the sneak attack, the battle was turning against Destron. Combined with General Stormy’s extensive preparations and Shocker’s help, they were fighting the enemy back. The Shocker forces were more numerous than Rainbow had expected, appearing from nowhere to assist the battle.

Civilians cheered as Gilda destroyed another tank, allowing them to escape. Soarin guided them, leading them to various safety shelters across the city. The other Wonderbolts slashed across the sky, picking off strategic targets while the ground forces dealt with the primary force. While skilled fighters and flyers, the Wonderbolts were still just a support team.

“Rainbow, we have some of our forces pinned at the sports store on 67th. Assist however you can,” General Stormy said through Rainbow’s comm.

“Affirmative, sir. On my way!” A rainbow zipped through the sky as she hurried her way there.

It didn’t take long for Rainbow to find her objective. A force of about seven soldiers was taking cover behind a turned-over desk. Nearby, two dozen Destron Combatponies were harassing them with crossbow bolts and spells. Only a blue shield protected the defenders from the onslaught. But, from how it flickered, Rainbow guessed the barrier won’t last long.

“Dang, that’s a lot of bad guys,” Rainbow said, trying to assess how best to fight them. The Destron forces had some pretty effective unicorn spellslingers on their side, capable of downing her in a single hit.

“Um, I might need some backup,” Rainbow said through her comm. “I can’t handle this by myself.”

“Don’t worry, I’m on my way!” An unfamiliar voice said.

A blinding light crackled through the air as a whip cracked between the Destron Combatponies, scattering them. Several unfortunate goons seized up as thousands of bolts of electricity coursed through their system. The others fled for cover as another whip flew past them.

“Well, I’ll be.” This wasn’t something she’d ever expected. One of Shocker’s monsters had come to her aid.

Two flaring red eyes terrified the Destron Combatponies as the creature lumbered forward. While moving somewhat awkwardly, his scaly muscles held an impressive amount of power. His pale olive face was a mismatch of pony and fish. Extending from both arms were two whip-like tendrils that sparked with electricity.

“Run while you can, Destron scum. Or else, you’ll face the wrath of Namazuguiller!” The catfish monster said, gesturing with his claws.

But the Destron Combatponies remained firm, charging at the interloper. One unicorn blasted energy at the Shocker monster, but it deflected off Namazuguiller’s scales. Another Destron goon screamed as a tendril struck him, filling him with a thousand volts of electricity. A third had their spear torn from their hooves and knocked back into their stomach. Seeing her new ally harried on all sides, Rainbow zipped in to help. She refused to leave anypony hanging, from Shocker or not.

Together, they forced the enemy to flee to safety. Bolstered by these reinforcements, the once-trapped soldiers charged and took their vengeance on their enemies. Any of the goons not paralyzed by Namazuguiller’s shocking tendrils got knocked unconscious by Rainbow’s waiting hooves. Seeing the battle had turned against them, the remaining Destron Combatponies fled to safety.

“Flee, you cowards!” Namazuguiller said, nodding in satisfaction.

“You’re not bad!” Rainbow said, punching the Shocker monster on the shoulder. In response, Namazuguiller preened in satisfaction.

“That was way too close.” A familiar face said, emerging from the safety of the sports center.

“Shining Armor?” Rainbow said, surprised she’d accidentally run into the Princess’s brother. “What are you doing here?”

“Doing my part!” The stallion said, puffing out his chest. “The Wonderbolts aren’t the only ponies capable of fighting. I’m not on active duty anymore, but a cop will always protect the populace!”

“Glad to have you.” Since Rainbow knew she couldn’t talk some sense into the stallion, she might as well use him. “Was that your shield?”

Shining Armor nodded, giving a salute. “Shield spells are my specialty. Use me however you see fit.”

“Okay. We’ll see what we can do.” A voice on her comm caught Rainbow’s attention. “Understood. Be right there.”

She turned to face her new comrades. “Coronal Zol has finally shown his fat, ugly mug. It’s our job to back the princess up! She’s meeting remarkable resistance.”

“Let’s go!” Namazuguiller said, gesturing with a hoof. He seemed pumped and ready for action.

“Don’t worry, Twi, we’re coming!” Shining added.

The rest of the soldiers nodded, and they joined Rainbow to besiege Zol’s camp in the quarry outside Ponyville. Minutes later, Gilda flew above them, ready to add her support. While she gave the Shocker monster a disdainful glare, she saluted Rainbow. While the Wonderbolt grimaced at the crimson staining her friend’s metallic claws, Rainbow couldn’t help but grin. With their combined forces, the scumbag Coronal Zol didn’t stand a chance!

As the two legends faced off, Dinky marveled. Zol grimaced as he fought back Doctor Shinigami’s cane sword with his riding crop. Both combatants breathed hard as they fought to overcome their foe’s defenses. From her vantage point on Trixie’s back, Dinky cheered Doctor Shinigami to victory.

Bolstered by the sight of their great heroes, both sides’ Combatponies fought with everything they had. They were even pressing Trixie hard as they sought her life. But the Ranger refused to be denied. Dinky gripped on for her life as Trixie darted around the battlefield. Unfortunately, it drove them away from the fight between the Titans. Dinky prayed that Doctor Shinigami would be victorious and end this battle.

“Woah!” Dinky screamed in fright as a tank shell almost blew them both to smithereens. She cursed, wishing she’d been more emphatic about being left behind with those Shocker Combatponies.

“Argh, I can’t get close.” Trixie retreated, using the dust from another explosion to hide her flight.

“Hide in this bush. It’s the safest place right now,” Trixie said, landing on an outcropping high above the battlefield to allow her passenger to alight.

“I hope so!” Dinky said, her nerves frayed. A battlefield wasn’t even remotely as fun as she’d imagined it’d be.

“I’ll be back!” Trixie said, entering her transformation pose.

“Momma!” But Dinky distracted her, pointing as a familiar red light caught her attention. Combatponies scattered as her momma’s laser eye created a path of destruction in her wake. And the fake princess Sparkle accompanied her, using a motorcycle to cleave a hole through her enemy’s lines. Together, they seemed unbeatable as they made their way toward Colonel Zol.

“Darn it.” Trixie cursed, hating she wasn’t part of the action. But before she flew away, Dinky gave her an impromptu hug.

“Stay safe, okay?” Dinky said, unsure what possessed her to say that.

Instead of replying with her usual sarcastic remarks, Trixie gave the filly a sisterly smile and pat on the head. “Always. I’m Kamen Rider Protean. These chumps don’t stand a chance.” After a salute, the Kamen Rider leaped off the cliff and into the fray.

The battle intensified as the two forces clashed, neither side giving an inch. Dinky watched in wonder as Shocker fought with spirit against the Destron oppressors, her momma the greatest force of destruction among their number. Her daughter couldn’t be prouder.

The false princess wasn’t far behind, knocking Destron Combatponies aside as she charged past them on her motorcycle.

“Colonel Zol!” Finally, the Kamen Rider had found her archfoe, her bike squealing to a halt.

“Kamen Rider Lux,” Zol said. “Finally, you have arrived!”

“Twilight Sparkle.” Doctor Shinigami said, ceasing his fight with the Destron General. “Perfect timing!”

“It’s time we end this, Zol!” Twilight said in a growl. “I’ll never let you have Equestria! After Shocker’s tyranny, the ponies of this wonderful nation deserve to be free! In the name of justice and the late Princess Luna, I won’t allow you to go any further!”

Instead of balking at this speech, Coronal Zol broke into uproarious laughter. “Is that what you think? Foal! You have no idea how trapped you really are!”

“Huh?” The Kamen Rider gave a curious tilt of her head and gasped as Doctor Shinigami slashed at her back with his cane sword. Blood stained the quarry floor as she received an ugly wound across the back.

“What are you doing?” Twilight Sparkle said, shocked. Instinct saved her from the second blow, flipping out of the way.

What the heck! Dinky couldn’t believe her eyes. What was the kindly old unicorn stallion doing?

“Foal. You fell right into our ploy!” Doctor Shinigami gave a dramatic gesture with a hoof. “Destron is Shocker’s successor! They carry the Great Leader’s legacy! We are of one mind and goal!”

The traitorous general clicked a button on his cane. “Attention Shocker, attack the Equestrian forces! In Shocker’s and the great Destron’s name, Equestria will be ours!”

Dinky watched in horror as the Combatponies who’d once fought side by side with Equestria forces in harmony turned against them, catching them completely off guard.

“No! Damn.” Twilight grimaced, holding a hoof to her wound. “So it was all a ploy to make me drop my guard.”

“That’s right,” Zol said, nodding. “And now there’s no escape!”

Momma, please do something! You can’t allow this betrayal to take place! But, much to Dinky’s shock, her momma only beamed, her eyes alight with glee.

“Oh, so that was the plan.” Shocker Inquisitor Ditzy Doo said. “Clever. I’d almost thought you’d lost your senses when you proposed the alliance with Kamen Rider Lux.”

Impossible. What was her momma saying? She wouldn’t really join Destron, right?

“My apologies for the deception, Inquisitor, but the act needed to appear authentic.” Doctor Shinigami offered a polite blow of apology.

“No worries.” Ditzy Doo replied. “It was worth it for the look on Twilight Sparkle’s face. How naïve! For Shocker and the great Destron!”

“No” Dinky heaved, unable to control her breathing. This had to be a nightmare. No way this could be true.

Her momma’s body glowed, transforming herself into a metal monstrosity. The creature pointed a metallic claw toward Twilight Sparkle. “And this quarry will be your grave, Kamen Rider Lux!”

Chapter 21

“Woah!” Twilight leaped back, almost getting impaled by Ditzy Doo’s metallic claws. Each movement caused a fresh ripple of pain across her bloody back, but she persevered.

“Call me, Death Head. I’ve been looking forward to this! Now, we will avenge the Great Leader’s destruction! Die, Rider!” The monster’s ruby eye glowed, shooting a beam of pure destruction. Only a quick flip away saved her from getting blasted to pieces. A ripple of fear spiked across Twilight’s spine as she saw the almost three-block groove the metal monstrosity had carved into the solid rock.

“Doctor Shinigami, Colonel Zol, allow me to deal with Lux.” Death Head said. “We can’t afford to forget our greater goal of conquering Equestria.”

“You are correct, Inquisitor,” Zol said, inclining his head. “I will lead our forces deeper into Ponyville. But it’d be best if we didn’t underestimate our opponent. I’ll leave Doctor Shinigami here to assist you in defeating Kamen Rider Lux.”

“That’s fine by me. Trixie’s still around somewhere, scurrying around like a rat!” Death Head said.

“It shall be done.” With care, Doctor Shinigami undid the tie of his cape, smirking all the while. Once unfastened, he lifted it high over his head. “Now Kamen Rider Lux, you shall witness my true form and despair!” When the Shocker General dropped his cape over his head, a new form revealed itself.

His fishy skin was a sickly white, the color of a dying pony. A grotesque squid-like face leered at her, two tentacles swaying where his mouth should be. More writhing tentacles wrapped around his arms, claws extending from his hooves. Across his back were red fins that resembled the cape the vile doctor had been wearing. “Now, I, Ika Devil, will be your opponent!”

“I wish you success, Ika Devil, Death Head!” After a smirk, Colonel Zol leaped onto Destron’s main battle tank and guided it and several dozen Combatponies toward Ponyville’s castle and seat of government.

Not good. Twilight cursed herself for allowing herself to drop her guard around Shocker. With Destron breathing down their necks, it’d seemed prudent to ally with the broken remnants of the evil organization.

While she’d always assumed Doctor Shinigami had selfish motives, Twilight had expected he’d betray her after Destron’s defeat. It never crossed her mind that Destron and Shocker were one entity all along. Now her foalish naivety might cost thousands of pony lives. Instead of self-loathing, however, it only fueled Twilight’s determination to defeat these monsters.

“I won’t allow you to have your way!” Twilight snarled, entering her transformation pose.

“Like I’ll let you!” Another beam from Death Head’s ruby eye screamed toward Twilight. The Kamen Rider leaped aside, her wounded back howling in protest as she landed hard against the gravel floor. Another beam blasted towards her, giving Twilight no chance to transform.

“Now that’s not fair at all!”

“What?” Death Head yelped in surprise as somepony kicked her from behind, almost making her lose balance.

“Trixie Lulamoon!” Ika Devil said with a growl.

“The one and only!” Trixie flipped in the air and helped her fellow Rider up. “The rat has finally shown herself!”

“Trixie?” Twilight said, pleased her nebulous but powerful ally had survived. “Are you sure you can fight? You’re still hurt!”

Trixie responded with a dismissive snort. “No worse than you. Besides, we’re Riders. Injuries mean nothing when a fight needs doing. And I’ve been looking forward to this, Doctor Shinigami! I owe you for the living hell you put me through!”

This only earned a smile from Twilight. “Thanks. Let’s do this!” Both Riders entered their transformation pose.

“Henshin!”

Ponies cheered as the weapon of destruction toppled over, its tank treads spinning uselessly. Another exploded from a lobbed grenade from an Equestrian soldier, metal remains clanging to the street.

Ha! These Destron chumps are falling like a wingless chick! It seemed like only a matter of time until Destron’s total defeat. Buoyed by their success, the combined Shocker and Equestrian forces pressed forward. Zol’s campsite wasn’t far.

More Destron Combatponies rushed to greet them. Gilda responded with her talons, her blood singing an ancient griffon battle song as they died.

Harried from all sides, the Destron forces retreated. Namazuguiller continued to decrease their number, shocking any unwary Destron Combatpony into unconsciousness.

“Yeah, we got them! For Princess Sparkle!” A pony cried, charging with her spear. While somewhat fowlhardy, Gilda admired the mare’s gusto. She joined the pony in step, slashing through a makeshift barricade made from a car door.

“Onward! Keep pressing them!” Shining Armor yelled, decking a Destron Combatpony.

Above, Rainbow scattered their numbers with quick slashes with her spear, moving quicker than the enemy could even blink.

“With these guys gone, they can’t flank the Princess from behind,” Rainbow said, flying down as the remainder of the Destron Combatponies fled. From a distance, Gilda’s sharp predator eyes spotted the princess pony engaging Colonel Zol. Soon, this battle would be over.

Shocker Combatponies and Equestrian forces cheered the Kamen Rider on, heartened by her bravery and determination. Despite herself, this earned a quirk of a smile from Gilda’s beak.

“You go, Twi!” Shining said, tears welling from pride.

“Enough celebrating. Save it until we have Zol’s head on a spike!” Gilda said, putting her taloned foot down. “Press forward and back up the princess.”

“Yes, mam!” Her forces said, saluting.

“Good, now…” Gilda paused, heart racing as she caught something strange from the corner of her eye. Her head jerked in that direction, ice stabbing her heart.

“Attention Shocker, attack the Equestrian forces! In Shocker’s and the great Destron’s name, Equestria will be ours!” The Shocker General’s voice boomed across the battlefield. Silence hung over the combatants as they absorbed Doctor Shinigami’s words. The momentary quiet lasted only scant seconds before all hell broke loose.

A mare screamed as Namazuguiller’s electrified whips struck in the chest. After releasing a horrified scream, she collapsed dead.

“Finally, I can abandon this pretense and fight for real!” The Shocker monster said, “Face the full 100,000 volts of my whips!”

To emphasize the creature’s words, the once paralyzed Destron Combatponies rose as one, not as stunned as everygrif had assumed. Gilda uttered a curse, feeling the fowl for her naivety. Together with their counterparts, the Combatponies struck as one.

But this only earned Gilda’s ire, deciding she wouldn’t play around either. Even outnumbered ten-to-one, a Griffon warrior fought like a demon until her last breath. A fact a Combatpony learned as she gutted one when he’d tried to attack her from behind with his pitiful sword.

“Bring it on! Who else plans to join this Shocker scum in hell!” Gilda bellowed, extending her wings wide with hate in her eyes. The challenge made the Combatponies quaver under her glare, realizing they faced a ruthless predator. Bolstered by Gilda’s display, the small Equestrian forces took advantage of this lapse.

“Foals!” Namazuguiller said, extending a claw toward Gilda. “She’s only one bird! Run, and I’ll execute you all!”

“Just try it!” Gilda said, circling around the Shocker monster. Meanwhile, Shining organized their dwindling forces into a more defensible position while Rainbow swiped at the newly revealed enemy with her spear from the air.

Electricity crackled as her opponent’s whips struck against the bare stone, just missing as Gilda dodged away. Like any skilled predator, Gilda stayed patient. With her prey capable of killing with a single strike, any mistake would cost Gilda her life. She continued her circle around Namazuguiller, taunting him into attacking to waste energy. The monster’s temper flared as his attempts failed to produce any fruit.

“Gah!” Rainbow hissed in pain as an unexpected jab from a spear struck her from behind. Crimson stained rock as Rainbow danced away from a second thrust.

“Rainbow!” The distraction cost Gilda dearly, howling as thousands of volts jolted through her system. Her feathers sizzled as she collapsed to the ground.

“Foal!” Namazuguiller cackled in delight at his victory over his opponent.

“Gilda!” Rainbow tried rushing to her fallen friend’s side, but several pegasi Combatponies barred her path.

“Don’t bother!” Namazuguiller said. “Nothing can withstand my 100,000 volts sting!”

“Gilda!” Rainbow replied, tears glistening in her eyes.

But the griffon warrior wasn’t dead. Her augments had allowed her to survive, if barely, but her body hurt like hell. When the Shocker monster turned to address the remaining standing Equestrian soldiers, Gilda raised a shaky head.

No, can’t die yet. But Gilda knew her strength was faltering fast. She smirked, realizing she still had her trump card. When she activated her arm cannon, however, it refused to function. Her metallic claw wouldn’t unlatch, jammed shut by the damage. A curse escaped her beak. That’d been her only shot at defeating that monster. But Griffon warriors never despaired, fighting until the bitter end. On shaky taloned feet, Gilda rose.

“What?” Namazuguiller said, eyes widening in comical surprise. The situation became twice as comical, at least to Gilda, when the monster howled in pain as her talons met his flesh.

“Damn you! Die!” Then the monster struck her with both whips, unleashing his worst. Her best friend watched in wide-eyed horror, helpless to help.

“That’s it? I barely feel it!” Gilda said, her talons grabbing the offending appendages. She accepted the pain coursing through her system, eyes alight with fury. While her real arm seized up, her mechanical one suffered no such ill effect. Black ichor squirted from the wound as Gilda tore the tendril free. The pain made the Shocker monster stop his attack. With a grunt, Gilda used her remaining strength to rip off the remaining tendril.

“No!” Rainbow watched in horror as Gilda’s strength failed, collapsing to the ground. Despite her doom, Gilda only wore a smile on her beak. While much remained unsaid between her and Rainbow, she’d done enough. Without a single regret, Gilda was happy to give her life to protect her friend. That happy thought carried with her until darkness consumed her.

“Curse that bird,” Namazuguiller said, whimpering as he held where Gilda had damaged his precious whips. “Never mind. They’ll be repaired soon enough.” Despite his bravado, however, Rainbow noticed his body sagged. Using so much electricity had exhausted him.

“Gilda.” Rainbow dropped to her knees, eyesight blurring with tears. With a shaky hoof, she extended it to check if her friend still lived, but a scream stopped her. A soldier yelped in pain as Namazuguiller’s claws slashed across her back. Another died in another foalishly brave attempt. Rainbow’s teeth gnashed together, furious this creature dared steal any more lives. Morning would happen later. Now, Rainbow needed to fight.

“Gah!” Namazuguiller flinched back in surprise as Rainbow bashed into her so quick, the monster hadn’t seen her coming.

“Pest!” The Shocker monster swiped his claws, but a blue shield protected her.

“Don’t worry, I got you!” Shining said, grimacing under the Shocker monster’s tremendous strength.

The monster howled again as the Wonderbolt crashed into him. Despite her best efforts, Rainbow only seemed to annoy the creature. Other pegasi Combatponies tried attacking her, but Shining’s shield waylaid them.

“It’s not enough!” Rainbow struck Namazuguiller even harder, but the blow still only bounced off. “I won’t lose!”

“Pointless!” Namazuguiller said with a throaty chortle. “No mere pony can defeat a Shocker cyborg! Your efforts are useless!”

But Rainbow knew this wasn’t true. If Pinkie could defeat one, so could she! “Useless, huh? I’ll attack you with my best weapon then!”

“Huh?” Namazuguiller blinked in confusion as Rainbow vanished in a rainbow streak. “Your best weapon is fleeing? Such bravery from the Wonderbolts!”

A mile away, Rainbow’s hooves dug into the firm earth. Her wings flexed as she prepared, getting into a better launching stance. Her idea was crazy, impossible, but she didn’t care. With a boom, Rainbow dashed forward.

Combatponies scattered or got knocked aside as Rainbow zipped through them, hoof extended. She ignored them, aiming toward her true target.

“What is…” But Namazuguiller didn’t get to finish its sentence as Rainbow careened into him, pushing him high into the air. The creature flailed in panic as it suddenly found itself several dozen hooves in the sky.

“Let me go!” The Shocker monster said, his voice tinged with fear. Its panic increased as Rainbow increased her speed even fast. “What are you doing?”

But Rainbow ignored the creature, pushing herself even harder, but she still wasn’t quick enough. Gilda would have laughed at her for such a pathetic display. Her wings burned as she pushed them beyond their limits. A cone appeared around her as incredible g-forces fought against her, telling her she was fighting against an impossibility. In response, Rainbow only pushed harder.

“No, please! Let me go!” Namazuguiller had forgone any attempt at appearing tough, breaking into panicked tears. “Mercy!”

“Mercy? What does Shocker know about mercy!” Rainbow channeled everything into her wings, her pain, fear, sorrow, and outrage, into pure speed. Electricity crackled around her body as she tapped into the pure essence of speed. Rainbow refused to allow this monster to hurt anyone else!

A boom resonated through the sky as it exploded into a rainbow shockwave. Entire trees ripped from their roots as the force of a Sonic Rainboom struck them. Rainbow could only watch in awe, her sorrow forgotten from the thrill and exhilaration at her current speed. What was this? Had she just broken the sound barrier or beyond?

Electricity crackled around her hoof as she smirked, eager to give payback to this creature who dared hurt her friend. Namazuguiller opened his mouth to beg for mercy. Rainbow, however, only responded by releasing the monster with the g-forces she unleashed.

Onlookers stared in shocked awe at what remained of Canterlot Mountain. During the Great Battle for Equestria, the once fantastical city of Canterlot suffered a cataclysmic explosion. The city structure had crumpled, causing it to collapse to the mountainside below. Many claim this fall claimed Princess Luna’s life. Shocker’s engineered explosion paled compared to the meteor strike that had blown a chunk out of the entire mountainside.

Panic broke out in Ponyville as nobody knew what was happening. Had Shocker unleashed a terrible new weapon? Or had it been from Princess Sparkle’s side? Everypony stared wide-eyed at the remains of Equestria’s once-beloved landmark.

Rainbow, however, was ignorant of the turmoil she’d unleashed, landing on a grassy hill utterly exhausted. Pain lanced through her spine after an experimental flap of her wing. Her efforts to outrun death and destiny itself had sprained a wing. Despite her aches, Rainbow flopped onto the grass with a grin. Even now, she wondered if she’d dreamt it all.

“That was a Sonic Rainboom.” Rainbow laughed, hardly able to believe her own words. It was an ancient fairy story from Pegasi myth, not something that’d happen in their modern, scientific world.

Tears watered the grass beneath her as Rainbow sobbed a choking laugh. Gilda would have called it silly pony nonsense, laughing at the very idea anypony could be awesome enough to break physics.

“She would have loved it.” Rainbow didn’t hold back, allowing her grief to take flight. That idiot. It wasn’t fair. Too many had already died, taken too young.

“Gilda. I hope your sacrifice was enough.” While Rainbow had defeated Namazuguiller, Destron was far from beaten. She tried her wings again, only to wince in pain. No, she couldn’t do anything else to help. Rainbow had used everything for that single victory. She only prayed to Princess Luna it’d been enough to tip the scales.

“It’s up to you, Twi. Please be safe.”

Chapter 22

“Impossible.” Death Head shook her metal head, bewildered. “It couldn’t be.”

The Inquisitor’s reaction wasn’t surprising. The sudden rainbow explosion booming through the sky startled them all. Twilight watched in awe as it washed across the sky in dazzling colors.

“That was a sonic rainboom.” Ika Devil said, awestruck. “A myth from the ancient times. To think it’s real.”

“No! It can’t be! Such things can’t happen! It’s not possible!” For whatever reason, the Inquisitor seemed unnerved by the sudden appearance of this marvel. Despite her face only being a metal plate, it displayed her distress.

“Well, I think it’s a miracle!” Twilight said, her heart awed by its majesty. It told her that her old friend Rainbow Dash had broken past all limits to inspire everypony. Somehow, it didn’t matter to the Kamen Rider that Rainbow performed a scientific impossibility. Instead, she’d shown that miracles were possible. It pumped her up for victory!

While keeping her usually smug tone, Trixie seemed just as moved. “No doubt a sign of your defeat!” Death Head grunted from a sudden kick from Protean’s hoof.

“It matters not! We will show you the only future is despair!” Death Head said, a flying punch sending Protean flying. But with a graceful flap of her wings, Trixie landed with a flourish. Just like Red, this Trixie loved showing off.

Not wanting to disappoint, Lux leaped forward with a sword raised. She engaged Ika Devil while Trixie kept Death Head busy. Despite his advanced age, the Shocker General showed remarkable skill. With an easy gait, he kept beyond Lux’s sword’s reach.

Protean was having similar luck. Her opponent seemed more tank than a pony. Each blow bounced off the Inquisitor’s metal skin, her retaliatory blows striking with the force of an incoming train. Trixie howled in pain as the metal monstrosity grabbed her by the skull and started squeezing. From how her shell-like helmet bent, Twilight feared Protean’s head would pop like a grape.

“Pain beam!” Trixie said through clenched teeth, firing a red light from her hoof. Her captor recoiled, releasing her captive.

“Cute! But how about this? I had this enhancement added specially for you, Kamen Rider Protean!” Death Head raised a hoof, it opened up to reveal the gleaming metal of a machine gun barrel. Fire bellowed from it, sending a barrage of bullets at its intended target. Surprised, Protean’s body took the full brunt of the assault.

“Ouch.” Trixie staggered but remained on her hooves.

“What?” The Inquisitor said, shocked. “Those were armor-piercing rounds!”

“Sorry, but I’ve already evolved past that weakness.” Though Twilight could tell that they’d still hurt the Rider. “Let’s pick up the pace!” With an elaborate flourish, Trixie pulled two bone blades from her arms and charged. Sparks flew at each impact point as Protean danced around her opponent.

“Remarkable.” The Shocker scientist said. “Don’t damage Trixie Lulamoon’s body too badly, Inquisitor. I want adequate test samples.”

“Easier said than done!” Death Head sent a wild punch toward Trixie’s head, only for her opponent to duck under it.

“You as well, Lux.” Ika Devil said, turning a fish eye at Twilight. “Twilight Velvet altered your structure too. I thirst to learn how.”

“Then you’ll be disappointed!” They re-engaged, each strike searching for a weak point. Neither combatant could gain an advantage over the other.

Trixie, however, wasn’t proving as fortunate. Her bone swords had little effect on her opponent, howling as a sudden kick drove into her stomach.

“Protean!” But Ika Devil stopped her from rushing to her ally’s aid, flipping away before a pincered hoof drove into her helmet. The fight began anew, but the Shocker General slowly got the better hoof. Twilight winced as a sudden kick took the legs from under her. She squirmed as Ika Devil lifted her with his pincer and tossed her several hooves across the quarry. Dust scattered everywhere as her body collided with the rock floor.

“I don’t think so, Kamen Rider Lux. It’d be best if Inquisitor Doo finally settled the score with her most hated enemy. I shall be your opponent, for I too have a grudge to fulfill. This is for Ambassador Hell!”

Twilight’s bones rattled as she blocked the next incoming punch, feeling the full strength of Ika Devil’s wrath. She realized Trixie was on her own. Twilight already had more than enough on her plate. She just prayed she could handle it.

Pain lanced across Trixie’s back as it slammed against a rock, hissing as she struggled to rise. Death Head had proven almost invulnerable to Protean’s attacks. But it didn’t matter. Trixie’s entire life had been pain, and she refused to surrender. This monster must have some exploitable weak point.

Sparks flew as Trixie slashed across her opponent’s right leg joint. The monster retaliated with a backhoof across her face. Another yelp of pain erupted from her lips as Death Head slammed a hoof down on her.

“Yes, suffer more! I will inflict a thousand deaths for taking my daughter.”

Trixie gave a weak chuckle, wondering if the other realized the irony of this. But her amusement only brought on Death Head’s ire, rock cracking beneath Trixie as another hoof slammed down on her.

“Amusing, was it? It’s a pity I have to kill you here,” Death Head said, her tone conversational. “I was hoping for a more in-depth session, but I must cut it short. The good Ika Devil still needs me. We can’t allow Kamen Rider Lux to interfere with our plans again. Goodbye, Kamen Rider Protean!” With a crimson glow of death, Death Head charged her eye laser for the kill.

“No!” Then a tiny gray figure rushed from the rock, throwing her body onto Trixie.

“Muffin!” Death Head jerked back. Despite wearing an emotionless mask, the Inquisitor’s shock was evident.

“Don’t hurt her, momma! She’s my friend!” The filly pleaded.

“Dinky Doo, move aside. That mare is an enemy of Shocker! She’s just the villain I warned you about.”

“No, she’s rough around the edges, but she’s a good guy.” Dinky drew herself up to her full height, as diminutive as that was, her eyes full of defiance. “What about you? Why are you helping Destron? They’re evil!”

“Shocker is Destron. We bring peace and stability.” Death Head said, her tone defensive. “We’re necessary, so ponies can live happily. These rebels only bring chaos.”

“I don’t believe you!” Her mother flinched like somepony had slapped her. “I’ve seen what Destron is like. They’re nothing but bad!”

“I’m not arguing with you about this right now, Muffin.” The Inquisitor’s tone turned stern. “Forget Trixie Lulamoon. You need to get to safety! A battlefield isn’t any place for a filly!”

“I’m not leaving without my friend!”

“Listen to me. I know what’s best.” The mother and daughter had hit an impasse, neither willing to budge an inch. Trixie used this reprieve to move into a better position, ready to protect Dinky if the situation turned south.

“Inquisitor Ditzy Doo, don’t forget your duty!” Ika Devil said. “More is at stake than one filly.”

“But!” This pronouncement rattled Death Head to her core, her metal limbs shaking. Trixie tensed, wondering if she’d sacrifice her daughter for the Shocker cause. From experience, Trixie knew it wouldn’t be the first time.

“Yeah! Protean is helpless! Finish her!” A Combatpony said, jumping onto the scene with several others. She brandished a polearm, eager to run the Kamen Rider through.

“Don’t you dare!” Death Head said, snarling. “Not with my Muffin in the firing line!”

“Inquisitor.” Ika Devil’s imperial voice said a one-word denouncement.

“I...” For once, the heartless, unmovable Shocker Inquisitor was speechless. She tensed as the Combatponies congregated around her daughter and Trixie.

“Trixie!” Lux said, wincing as the distraction cost her a punch to the gut. “Cyclone Delta!”

Combatponies shattered as Lux’s motorcycle careened towards them, parking in front of Trixie. She cursed, but her revenge against Doctor Shinigami could wait. Her first priority was getting Dinky to safety. She grunted in annoyance as the Combatponies attacked her from all sides.

“Oh no, you don’t!” The Combatpony with a polearm stabbed forward, aiming to run Dinky through before she climbed onto the Cyclone Delta.

Only a lucky step back saved the filly, but it still cost her. She howled in pain as the pole arm’s blade slashed her across the eye, leaving a deep gash that bled like a fountain.

“You bastard!” Any hesitance left Death Head when she’d seen her precious daughter hurt. She grabbed the offending Combatpony from the scruff of her neck, staring into her eyes with her metal plate. “Die.”

“Please!” But the Combatpony’s frightened pleas fell on deaf ears. With a flick of her hooves, the Combatpony went limp, her neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

“Who’s next?” Death Head roared, the once emboldened Combatponies quavering before fleeing. Trixie used this opportunity to deck the nearest Combatpony and lift Dinky to the motorcycle’s seat. After a quick scan, she spotted Twilight’s brother fighting amongst the chaos.

“Twilight, drive this thing like thirty degrees to the right! Your brother’s other there!” While Trixie wanted to guard Dinky’s safety, she found she couldn’t abandon her fellow Rider either.

“Don’t worry. We’re getting you to safety. There’s a strong white stallion with awesome shield spells to protect you.” Trixie whispered.

“Okay. Just don’t hurt my momma, okay?” Dinky said, crying through her bloody left eye.

“Forget them. Momma will fight to protect you.” But Death Head flinched as Dinky refused to look at her, vanishing as Lux commanded her bike to drive away.

“You, you did this! You turned my Muffin against me!” Death Head roared.

“No, you did that. You and your kind.” She wouldn’t allow the mare to make excuses for her mistakes.

“Yes, you’ve much to answer for Death Head. But you can redeem your mistake by destroying Kamen Rider Protean!” Ika Devil said.

“Die!” Death Head threw a wild hoof at Trixie, screaming like a banshee. Gone was the cold, methodical Ditzy Doo. In her place was a mad mare, lashing out to hurt anypony to ease her ruined life.

With ease, Trixie slipped around her attacks. Sparks flew as she lashed out with her bone swords, striking the weak spots her enemy wasn’t protecting with her wild attacks. Beyond furious, Death Head unleashed a laser blast from her eye socket, headless of whom it hurt. Unlucky Combatponies screamed as their body got incinerated by their Inquisitor’s laser.

She really has lost it! Trixie yelped as the laser almost sliced her in half, leapfrogging over the beam.

“Inquisitor Doo, calm yourself. You’re doing more harm than good!” Ika Devil howled as a stray beam stuck into his shoulder, his flesh bubbling under the intense heat.

“Ika Devil!” Death Head said, returning to her senses, ashamed of her actions.

“It’s only a flesh wound.” The Shocker General’s voice was raspy as he clutched at his wound. “Destroy the Kamen Riders!”

“You! You will pay for that!” Protean’s bone rattled as she intercepted a punch, hissing in pain. While some sanity had returned, the Inquisitor continued to fight like a wild dog. And Trixie punished her for it, her bone blade striking her opponent’s legs joints. Death Head staggered, falling to her knees.

After tossing aside her bone blades, Protean leaped into the air, leg extended forward. “Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

Death Head howled, her metal chest plate crumbling under the force of Protean’s attack. But she stumbled back to her hooves, ready for another round.

“Not bad. Few can withstand my Rider Kick.” Trixie said.

“And that’s the last victory you’re going to get!” Death Head’s eye lit up again. Instead of one continuous beam, she shot bursts of laser energy instead. It forced Protean on the defensive, wincing as a stray bolt struck her in the chest.

“Damn, this fight isn’t over yet!” Trixie winced as the ground erupted, landing hard on the rock below.

I need to hurry. Death Head’s too difficult for Trixie alone! She blocked an incoming punch as Ika Devil punched forward, pressing against the Shocker General face-to-face. Not that she didn’t also have her own problems.

Despite his injury, Ika Devil still seemed ready to fight. Twilight noticed, however, that he favored his right, uninjured arm. She grunted as her opponent broke past her guard, landing a solid blow to her helmet.

Their dance continued, Twilight focusing her energy sword on her opponent’s wounded shoulder. But Ika Devil didn’t make it easy, the Shocker General fighting at a range that made using her sword awkward. While he was fast, she moved faster. Twilight pushed him harder, making him fight to keep from her blade. But time fought against him, sparks flying as his wound and exhaustion pushed Ika Devil to the limit.

But Trixie wasn’t as lucky. Twilight winced as her ally received a nasty blow to the side of her helmet. Despite her tricks, Death Head was proving an insurmountable foe. Both Riders stared into the other’s helmet, making a silent communication. With a subdued nod, Trixie agreed.

Her opponent tensed as Lux bent close to the ground, ready to unleash her special attack. With ease, Ika Devil leaped aside as Lux launched forward. He wasn’t, however, the intended target of her attack. Lux’s blade crackled with power as she swung forward, aiming her slash at Death Head’s center mass.

Protean followed suit, leaping past a surprised Death Head towards her intended target. Her extended kick stuck true, hitting her hated enemy in the chest.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

“Photon Slash!”

“Curse you, Riders!” Ika Devil stumbled, his breathing pained as he collapsed to his knees. In a flash, the Shocker scientist returned to his pony form.

“Argh!” Death Head howled in primal fury, Lux’s blade leaving a wide wound across her metal chassé. But her alarm was only directed at her superior. “Doctor!”

“Sorry, but I must leave you, Inquisitor.” Doctor Shinigami said, his rasp barely rising above a whisper. “I can’t die here.” Then he was gone, vanishing into nothing.

“Hey, I haven’t killed you yet!” Trixie said, raging that the target of her revenge had disappeared. But her words were in vain, the Shocker General teleporting to who knows where. Twilight guessed, however, the scientist had received mortal wounds. Where could he have gone, and why? It gave her a bad feeling.

“Whatever. Let’s finish this other one so we can find the General.” Trixie said, retrieving her bone swords.

“I can’t die here either!” Much to their collective surprise, the machine monster darted away at top speed, fleeing toward Ponyville. “But don’t think you’ve won yet, Riders!”

“What was that about?”

“They’re fleeing because they’ve realized they’re finished,” Trixie said, not sharing Twilight’s apprehension. She didn’t bother waiting for a reply, spreading her insect-like wings wide and flying after Death Head.

“Hey, wait for me!” All of Twilight’s instincts warned her not to leave her fellow Rider alone, getting the impression they’d only just dipped their hooves into the worst that Destron had prepared for them. The battle had only truly started.

“Just a little further.” Doctor Shinigami pushed his battered body forward, stumbling as he hobbled across the corridor. Not yet. He couldn’t die until he reached the chamber. Only a few hooves left to go.

It took some effort, but the panel accepted his shaky hoofprint and the lab door swung open with a hiss. Despite his terrible pain, a broad smile painted itself on his muzzle.

“I can’t die yet. Not until I wreak terrible vengeance on those foals that dare oppose the Great Destron!” He stumbled forward, his hooves landing on the railing surrounding the pool that dominated the center of the lab. It bubbled and hissed, a wet plop exploding from its surface as it breathed. It’d taken all of his considerable scientific might to create this masterpiece.

“I die, only to be reborn!” While a masterpiece of genetic engineering and black magic, it still required one final piece. Doctor Shinigami was happy to provide it. While not quite the purpose he’d designed it for, it should due. There wasn’t time to birth Type: Devil with his own consciousness. He laughed with glee as he toppled into the pool, the black ooze consuming him as it absorbed his very being. He welcomed death like an old friend, content he’d completed his life’s work.

For a moment, the laboratory was quiet. Only the hum of distant equipment broke the silence. Then the pool began to bubble and boil as if subjected to great heat. At one end, a limb suddenly broke the surface, heavily muscled and clawed. It flailed around blindly for a few seconds, searching for the edge. When it connected, there was a roar of triumph as the newly born creature hauled itself onto the dry land.

Black ooze pooled around its hooves as it stepped forward, delighting in taking its first breaths. The birthing liquid fell like a waterfall from its skin of the color of decayed flesh. The monster observed its being with fascination. Power filled Type Devil’s limbs as it experimented with movement. It would suit it well in its path of destruction and vengeance.

In experimentation, the monstrosity took a genial step forward with its flippered feet as it learned to walk. Each step became more confident as it lumbered forward, soon gaining a preternatural grace to its gait. Seconds later, walking became as natural as breathing. A trot became a gallop as it hurried to venture outside, impatient to fulfill its mission.

Rows of serrated teeth grinned as a breeze hit its face, the freedom from the lab invigorating. But it didn’t allow this to distract from its mission, darting through the city with the speed of a cheetah pursuing its prey.

Ponies cried in alarm when they saw the doctor’s twisted creation, dying before the scream even left their mouths. The blood was good, but it still wasn’t its purpose. It had one delicacy it must taste above all others, the blood of a Kamen Rider.

Chapter 23

“Hiya! Take this, you varmint!” A Combatpony howled as twin legs struck him in the head, knocking him senseless. After striking the blow, Applejack ducked as somepony attacked her from behind.

Ponyville, once known as Shockeroplis, was in complete chaos as it fought for its freedom and very existence. Applejack was one of the many brave souls fighting against Destron’s tyranny. Her friend, Pinkie Pie, fought her darndest, her party cannon sending Combatponies flying. Even Starlight Glimmer was doing her best, though she only engaged the enemy with scattered magical bursts from behind cover.

It was hard doing, but Ponyville’s defenders were making leeway. It had been a lucky thing Applejack hadn’t been that trusting of those Shocker Combatponies, so they hadn’t caught her off guard when those rascals finally showed their true colors. Applejack knew from the start that something stunk about their so-called alliance. Few ponies could fool her.

“You’ll regret this!” A Combatpony said before hobbling away.

“You all better run!” But AJ didn’t dare pursue them. Too many ponies needed medical attention, and it wasn’t in her nature to abandon ponies in need.

“Is it over?” Starlight said, poking her head up from behind a bundle of sandbags.

“For now, but we best not drop our guard. Them Destron are tricky folks. They have all sorts of nasty tricks up their sleeves!”

“Wonderful.” Starlight forced a shaky smile.

“Whatever it is, we’ll kick its butts!” Pinkie said, bouncing over. This earned a genuine smile from AJ despite their situation. The pink party pony always seemed to bring light to the direst situation.

“Over here!” A kind voice said, guiding over several volunteers. The yellow mare bent down, examining a soldier’s wounds. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t look too severe. We’ll have you patched up in no time.”

The gentle Fluttershy guided the volunteers, putting the wounded onto makeshift gurneys. She took care to avoid worsening their injuries, but soldiers weren’t the only ones she attended to.

“Hm. Only a broken leg. We’ll put a splint on that right away,” Fluttershy said after examining the fallen Combatpony.

“I want nothing from you, traitor.” The Combatpony spat. “Leave me here to die! I deserve it for my failure!”

Her patient continued to shout obscenities, but the former Shocker Combatpony accepted them all in stride. To her, the Combatpony was somepony who needed help, regardless of whose side they’d been on. “Don’t say that. You deserve to live like anypony else. You call me a traitor, but would Shocker or Destron be so quick to help you?”

Only silence answered Fluttershy’s question. It lingered as Fluttershy created a splint for the Combatpony’s broken leg.

“Thank you.” Was the Combatpony’s almost inaudible reply as their caretaker finished. Applejack could only marvel at the mare’s ability to touch hearts, giving a kindness that tendered even solid rock. It was difficult to imagine she’d once worked for the evil Shocker. Though, admittedly, the mare hadn’t been a great Combatpony. After attending to the worst injured, volunteers took patients to a nearby school for rest and further care.

“I don’t like this,” Applejack said, staring out into the distance. After the rainbow explosion, a strange quiet washed over the battlefield. A palpable dread seeped into everything like a sickening oil.

“We better hurry with the injured,” Fluttershy said, her apprehension just as palpable. Even Pinkie Pie seemed more subdued than usual. Starlight, however, seemed unbothered, never a believer in the preternatural.

The bile in her stomach worsened as something flickered in the distance, almost making Applejack lose her lunch. Evil itself seemed to radiate from the creature, promising only death. A sudden primal fear struck Applejack, her legs wobbling. But she stood her ground, refusing to run. Then it was gone, her dread vanishing.

“What the heck was that?” Starlight asked, peering into the distance but finding nothing.

“A monster.” Fluttershy quavered in a ball, opening a hesitant eye.

“Whatever it is, the princess needs to know about it,” Applejack said, her tone hard. The terror didn’t matter.

“Okay, but how?” Starlight asked.

The ground shook as an explosion rocked the street, everypony automatically taking cover. Hooves stomped as multitudes of Combatponies marched. Amongst their number was a gargantuan tank, Destron’s logo emblazoned on its surface. Standing in the cockpit was a familiar pegasus, giving orders and absorbing more Combatponies into his army.

“Colonel Zol!” AJ spat the name like a curse. But it gave her an idea. “Seems like he’s needed towards the castle. A hundred bits the princess’s following!”

“That’s a huge army,” Starlight said, her smile shaky.

“Let’s go! I’m not leaving Twi hanging!” Without another word, Pinkie limped after Zol. Ponies underestimated how loyal that mare could be.

“Me too!” Fluttershy said, fighting back her fear. “She might be hurt!”

“Starlight?” Applejack asked.

“Okay, I guess.” Though the unicorn didn’t sound very enthused about the prospect.

“Let’s go!” And the four charged off to help their friend however they could.

—-

“Stupid Trixie!” Twilight hissed, annoyed. Despite her best efforts, she’d lost track of the other Rider. She had found no sight of Death Head either.

Her Cyclone Delta zipped across town, no obstacle capable of blocking her path. She whooped as she ramped across a steel beam, passing over several topped-over cars.

“Not here either,” Twilight said, stalling to a halt. Her bike stood parked on a parking garage’s roof, giving her an excellent vantage point to gaze across Ponyville.

Through the chaos, she spotted the tanks assailing her castle. Their barrels shot fire, doing terrible damage to the surrounding structures. Zol led the charge, his riding crop guiding his force’s attacks.

Fire belted from his tank’s barrel, leaving dirty scorch marks on the castle’s wall. Its previous owner, The Great Leader of Shocker, had been paranoid, making his stronghold’s ebony walls almost indestructible. But a crack formed from Zol’s next shot, proving the structure wasn’t invulnerable. With the gates strongly defended by magical shields and natural barriers, he decided on a more circumventive route into the castle.

Just as I feared. And with Trixie gone, taking on Zol wouldn’t be easy. Twilight’s back wound from Doctor Shinigami’s sword was becoming a constant ache, taxing her already pushed reserves. With such a time crunch, she’d only been able to afford some torn window curtains as bandages.

But she’d fight, regardless. Despite causing a fresh ripple of agony, Twilight stood straighter. As princess, she couldn’t afford to look weak. Her ponies were counting on her to bring victory. Besides, Trixie would show herself eventually. The last lap was coming into view. One final push and she’d reach the finish line.

Dread filled Twilight’s heart as the next shot punctured the wall further. The entire structure groaned as it collapsed, leaving a gap wide enough to fit a pony through. Equestria’s defenders returned fire with their cannons from the castle’s walls. But Zol’s personal tank was a marvel of Destron engineering, not even taking a scratch from the bombardment. Combatponies swarmed through the gap their leader created, widening it further. The Shocker General was content to let his grunts weaken the inner defenses before getting to business.

But Lux couldn’t wait that long, knowing she needed to act to save as many lives as possible. Obstacles barred the Kamen Rider’s path, making her lose sight of the Destron leader.

“No choice but forward,” Twilight said, revving her engine.

While it seemed reckless for Equestria’s princess to charge into such a volatile situation, little choice remained.

Headless, Twilight zoomed forward at full speed. Combatponies pointed at their greatest enemy, eager for some payback. They fell to her sword. Twilight cut them down as she zoomed past. She winced as explosions flew towards her, eager to blast her off the road. Some Destron tanks had noticed her, turning their barrels towards her instead.

With death bombarding her, each swerve and turn might cost her life if she miscalculated the slightest motion. Twilight flinched as heat washed over her from a shell that’d detonated only a hair’s breadth away.

Her dread only increased as Zol’s main tank finally burst a hole in her castle’s wall, smashing through the weakened structure like it’d been cloth. She had to hurry!

“Don’t worry, princess! We got you!” Like a lightning bolt through the sky, help arrived. Tanks blew to scrap as a figure zipped by, dropping a bomb right on their heads. An arctic blue mare saluted the dazed Combatponies who’d barely escaped with their lives and zipped away before they could shakily lift their weapons. The Wonderbolts dropped more bombs to clear a path for their princess.

“Thought you might need some help!” General Stormy said, saluting her princess as she flew in step with Twilight.

“Thanks, general. Much appreciated.” She returned the salute.

“We’ll keep them busy out here. Kick Zol’s grimy flank!” Stormy said before flying off to direct her ponies. While their numbers had lessened since the battle had begun, the Wonderbolt still proved a terror to their enemies.

Free of any further obstacles, her Cyclone Delta thudded as it crossed over the ruined remains of the shattered wall. With her belt gleaming, she transformed for the final battle.

“Henshin!”

Click-clack. Lux’s boots clattered against the polished marble floor as she explored further into the castle. Besides some irksome Combatponies, nopony had bothered her as she trotted through the halls. While she could hear fighting outside the windows, the castle’s interior was eerily quiet. Zol was nowhere in sight, but Twilight already knew where she’d find him.

With a creek, the audience hall’s doors opened into a vast room. During Shocker’s days, it’d been a gloomy place, reflecting its master. While Twilight had fought against this, it’d never lost its nature. Regardless, it suited the mood well as the Kamen Rider turned to confront the pony lounging in the later Great Leader of Shocker’s chair.

“You’ve come, at last, Kamen Rider Lux,” Zol said, inclining his head towards her.

“Colonel Zol.” Twilight kept her tone measured despite her hatred towards the pony that had despoiled her castle. Neither made a move as they gauged the other.

“You’ve done well to get this far, Lux. The blood of many Shocker members stains your hooves.” Zol cracked his riding crop across his throne. “But no more! I will avenge my fellow generals and crush your pathetic attempt at a government and restore the proper world order!”

“Typical. You Shocker types obsess over days long since passed. It’s what drove that one Combatpony to alter history, perverting the timeline to create a tyrannical nightmare! But no more! Those days won’t return to Equestria as long as I live.”

“Then show me you aren’t just talk!” Zol finally rose from his throne. “By the dark gods, this will be your last day on Earth. I will rend your flesh with my fangs! Let me show you my true form, Kamen Rider. Let me show you my henshin!”

Eyes ablaze with malevolence, Zol laughed with glee and triumph. With a crack of his riding crop, a sudden explosion consumed him. When the dust cleared, a new, fearsome foe appeared in his stead.

“I am Golden Wolf Pony! Prepare to die, Kamen Rider.” The pony-wolf said, nodding his canine head. His muscles bulged as he moved, slinking along with a predatory grace.

Twilight prepared for a sudden pounce, expecting the General to attack with his formidable claws. Instead, they opened to reveal black barrels. The Kamen Rider howled as several sudden rockets blasted against her chest, flinging her across the room.

The wolf pony continued his assault, blasting away with his mini-missiles. It forced his opponent on the defensive. Twilight barely kept ahead of the explosions. But she saw her moment, slashing forward with her sword. Sparks flew as the blow connected, but Zol refused to take it lying down. Twilight winced as Golden Wolf’s claws dug into her armored chest, almost dragging her to her knees.

The fight became brutal as each combatant tore into the other, testing their limits. Her opponent darted around the battlefield, Golden Wolf’s agility incredible. Lux’s strength waned as each blow connected, compounding her previous injuries.

But Twilight fought like a demon, regardless, joining the dance of battle. Each recoiled as sword and claw struck, both digging into the other. And both panted as they gathered their remaining strength.

As a rocket from the Shocker General struck her chest, Lux’s sword slashed across the Golden Wolf’s face. Both staggered, wincing as they struggled to rise. Claw met blade as they tore into each other.

“You fight well, Kamen Rider Lux, but I’m finishing this.” After leaping off a nearby pillar, Golden Wolf fired. Twilight dodged aside as mini-missiles shredded the once-polished marble floor, howling as the stray missiles connected. Twilight used her own acrobatics, dashing across the room as her opponent fired.

“Photon Slash!” Energy gathered around her blade, cracking as it slashed forward. But Golden Wolf did something unexpected. Seeing his death, the Shocker General pointed his launchers at the ground. While the heat of the impact blackened his golden fur, it’d thrown him clear of Twilight’s attack. Stunned by her misfire, Twilight stood helplessly as her enemy took an opportunity for retribution.

“Gah!” Pain stabbed into her chest as a clawed foot slammed into it. She staggered, unable to move quickly enough to dodge the follow-up attack. Point-blank, she took several mini-missiles to the chest. Her bones rattled as she impacted her throne, shattering it. An untransformed Twilight crawled from the wreckage.

“I did it,” Zol said, panting as he returned to his pony form. Like Twilight, he’d taken a beating too. It’d taken everything for him to defeat the Rider. “So end Kamen Rider Lux, false princess of Equestria.”

“Not yet.” Twilight refused to surrender, her breath coming in ragged bursts. “Never!”

“No, I think you’ve done enough, Twilight Sparkle,” Zol said, straightening his military suit to regain some semblance of order. She flinched as the Shocker General lifted her head with his riding crop. “But fear not. You won’t die here today. Destron needs your body and its secrets. Who knows? We might even conscript you to join us like your former foalsitter.”

“Never!”

This only earned a snort from Zol, turning as some Combatponies tentatively peeked their heads into the room. Their courage returned when they saw their greatest enemy defeated in a pile of rubble.

“Take her,” Zol said. “Put her in cell K. It should be strong enough to hold her. Its anti-magic field will prevent any annoying tricks.”

“Stop struggling!”

Twilight winced as a Combatpony whacked her over the noggin with a club, stopping her protest. With her head throbbing and escape impossible, it seemed wiser to preserve her energy until a more opportune time to flee. They cuffed her as they hulled her away.

“Ouch! I’m not fighting, okay?” Twilight said, her migraine worsening as she took another blow across the skull. It seemed the Combatpony hadn’t yet had fun with their helpless captive.

“This is for number 0217!” The pony with the club said, giving Twilight’s noggin another pounding. An evil gleam glinted in her eyes as she fulfilled some unknown grudge.

“Hey! Colonel Zol wants her alive, remember?” Another Combatpony said.

“Not that alive. He can still use her corpse, right?” This response sent a chill down the Kamen Rider’s spine. This mare wanted her dead, regardless of the consequences. With Zol distracted in his conversion with his lieutenants over the war effort, it seemed she’d get her wish.

“Die, Rider!” The mare said, raising her club for the killing blow.

With a grimace, Twilight awaited the finishing blow. But death never came. She opened a tentative eye. Much to her astonishment, a rope restrained her would-be killer’s arm.

“Not so fast, villain! I ain’t allowing you to lay a hoof on our princess!” A familiar country drawl said.

“Applejack!” Twilight said, her eyes alight with hope.

“Yeah, meanie face! Leave her alone!” Pinkie Pie said, coming in cannon blazing as some Combatponies charged the intruders.

“You’re not taking our country or our freedom!” Fluttershy said, riding on top of a vicious bear that snarled at the suddenly nervous Combatponies.

“And, uh, I’m here too!” Starlight Glimmer said lamely with a wave.

“Ugh, what now?” Zol said, visibly annoyed at this intrusion. “Get them! Don’t let them rescue the princess!”

“You’re not surviving this, Rider!” The hateful Combatpony snarled, trying to smash Twilight’s head in again. Only to be pulled away as Applejack yanked on her rope, meeting the farmer’s hooves as it flung her forward.

The scene transformed into total anarchy as her friends fought for Twilight’s safety. They fought as a cohesive unit, holding back any assault wagged against them. The Combatponies not engaged in the battle tried to pull the Kamen Rider away, but a sudden loop from a lasso pulled her to safety.

“Thanks, AJ,” Twilight said, sighing in relief as she rejoined her friends. With the help of Starlight’s magic, they got the cuffs off Twilight’s hooves.

“Foals!” Colonel Zol said, snapping his riding crop. “You can’t defeat a bunch of civilian bumpkins?”

“They’re not bumpkins, they’re my friends.” This earned smiles from Twilight’s friends. “Together, you can’t stop us, Zol.”

“Fine. I’ll show you what happens to those that oppose Destron.” With a crack of his rising crop, Zol re-transformed into Golden Wolf. “But with those injuries, Kamen Rider Lux, I doubt you will pose much of an obstacle.”

“Do your worst.” Twilight got into her transformation pose, but she knew the truth of their enemy’s words. She felt nauseous and had trouble standing. But she also knew failure wasn’t an option. She’d fight, regardless of the odds. “Henshin!”

Chapter 24

“Darn it.” Rainbow limped through town, exhaustion eating away at her with every step.

Crawling her way back towards Ponyville from Canterlot Mountain had taken considerable effort. First commandeering a vehicle from a local farmer, then fighting through scores of angry Combatponies. They’d given her a terrible beating, worsened by her inability to use her wings. They spiked with pain, incapable of flight.

But never mind, Rainbow had returned to Ponyville with the castle looming over her. While it seemed suicidal to enter in her condition, it didn’t matter. As a Wonderbolt, she’d sworn to protect the princess with her life. She had her friend’s back, no matter the cost. That egghead needed her help, and she’d get it. After performing the mythical Sonic Rainboom, she could do anything.

“But how to enter?” Scores of ponies fought over the gaping hole in the castle’s side, the defenders fighting off a surge of Combatpony forces. Pushing through such a crowd wouldn’t be easy.

Before Rainbow gathered the courage to fight her way to the princess, a wave of nausea washed over her. She cursed, wondering if she’d received a blow on the head worse than she’d thought. But then terror struck her heart, watching as a black shape darted towards the hole in the castle’s wall.

Then the darkness and the inky blackness clutching at her heart vanished, the terror seeping away. After a moment of heavy breathing, Rainbow regained her senses.

“What the hey was that?” Rainbow’s fear for her friends had heightened to a fever pitch. She needed to reunite with Twilight before it was too late! Against what foe, Rainbow didn’t know. But she needed to do something!

At least the path was clear, ponies on both sides too injured or frightened to stop her. Before Rainbow departed, a voice stopped her. Her heart jumped, unable to believe her ears. Tears stung her eyes, the world turning blurry.

“Hey, are you just going to leave me behind? Some friend you are. I thought you never left anyone hanging?”

“Damn it!” Ditzy said, panting as she led against a wall. Each breath brought a rush of pain as she struggled to steady herself. Despite her Death Head’s armor’s near indestructibility, that Photon Slash had inflicted a terrible wound. Curse both those Riders.

Fear spiked across her spine as her ears caught a fluttering sound, only to sigh in relief when it turned out to only be a bird. It titled its head at her from its perch on a street sign, but Ditzy ignored it.

How pathetic, an Inquisitor jumping at shadows. But she was being hunted, dogged all across Ponyville. Trixie Lulamoon refused to surrender the chase, always finding her no matter how hard she ran. Still, Ditzy hid a smile. This worked to Destron’s advantage. With Trixie distracted, Zol would finish the false princess with ease.

Ditzy refused to die here. Regardless of their degrading relationship, she still wanted to see her daughter again.

And she would survive this. She just needed to play smart. Inquisitor Doo studied her surroundings for anything useful. It seemed their mad chase had driven them into an industrial district. Besides some factories and warehouses, there wasn’t anything that interesting. Or was there?

A lock melted to slag as her eye beam blasted it. With a squeal, the chained door opened on rusty hinges. The smell of sawdust and freshly cut wood struck her nostrils as she entered the lumbering yard. In rows, wooden logs rested stacked neatly on shelves, piled dozens high. Machinery sat forgotten from where the workers had abandoned them. No doubt the invasion changed their work schedule somewhat.

Yes, this would suit her purposes nicely. Besides, she refused to run any further. She’d do her duty and finish this troublesome Rider once and for all. After a minute and a half of waiting, her arch-enemy arrived.

“There you are!” Trixie said, landing with a graceful, unnecessary flourish. She folded her wings behind her back.

“Indeed.” Giddiness bubbled in Ditzy’s stomach. She’d enjoy hurting the mare that corrupted her daughter. “I thought it’d be nice to have a stage for our final battle without distractions.” Lux wouldn’t come to save Trixie’s sorry hide this time.

“Good.” Trixie cracked her neck. “One more piece of Shocker trash to add to the pile.”

Hatred surged in Ditzy’s heart, knowing how many comrades this creature had killed. She never realized it was possible to despise one person this much. Death was too gentle a punishment for Trixie Lulamoon, all of them.

“And I’m ready!” Her fur bubbled as she summoned her real form, skin turning cold, heartless metal.

“Let’s finish this!” Trixie entered a pose, grimacing as her belt pushed itself out of her skin. “Henshin!”

Stone shattered into fragments as Death Head’s opponent dodged a wild swing. She barreled forward, determined to crush this Kamen Rider like the bug she was. But Protean proved more nimble, darting around her attacks with surprising grace. Hadn’t she just been in an intense fight? Where did this energy come from? Or had her thirst for revenge pushed her beyond her limits? Whatever the case, Death Head would exhaust her into helplessness. While quick on her hooves, Trixie couldn’t match Ditzy might to might.

“Stand still, damn you!”

But Trixie didn’t seem intent on slowing down, taunting her opponent with every dodge. Despite herself, Death Head’s temper flared out of control. Her attacks became sloppier as she became more intent on pulverizing the Rider’s annoying skull!

And Trixie took full advantage of Death Head flailing as a punch knocked her off balance. Her metal face struck the pavement as Protean kicked her knee, staggering her. Humiliated and outraged, the Inquisitor charged again to similar results.

A beam shot from her mechanical eye, blasting past Protean’s helmet by inches. More lasers fired at the Kamen Rider, each just missing her. As her opponent darted around, Death Head noted the Rider’s location.

Just a little further. Got you! Behind her metal faceplate, Death Head smirked. The next blast flew wide again, but hitting Trixie hadn’t been her intention. The world shook as the metal strap holding a pile of wooden logs broke, causing its contents to tumble forward.

“Nice try!” But Protean hadn’t been caught off guard as Death Head had hoped, her wings buzzing as she leaped away. The logs rolled every which way, but missed the Rider completely.

“My turn. Protean Spinning Rider Kick!” Protean’s wings darted her forward, her extended leg striking Death Head in her metal skull.

“Damn you!” Death Head howled in pain, head ringing. Part of her vision blurred as her systems realigned themselves, recovering from the near-fatal blow. No, she couldn’t lose yet. Against such a foe, only heartlessness and iron determination would prevail. Her mind emptied of all other considerations, Death Head focused on her only goal, destroying Trixie Lulamoon. Destron must win, whatever the cost.

“Die Rider.” Death Head said, her voice flat and emotionless. A beam shot from her eye, shooting through the lumberyard’s fence and leveling a nearby apartment complex. Ponies screamed from within, but the Inquisitor was beyond caring. If it meant killing the Kamen Rider, she’d burn the entirety of Equestria to ash.

“Are you crazy!?” Trixie screamed in alarm. “Not with so many ponies around!”

But Death Head continued forward, blasting her eye beam with quick bursts at her foe. Logs of wood and machinery exploded, making Trixie wince in pain as debris and fire washed over her. The Rider howled in pain as a fragment of broken wall smashed against her head, dazing her. The lumberyard’s office building got leveled as Death Head stuck Trixie’s helmet with her full strength.

With the Rider covered by tons of concrete and rubble, she was helpless as Death Head unleashed a full burst of her eye beam into the debris. Solid stone melted under its heat, leaving the office only a heap of glowing black charcoal. She had obtained victory. Ponies wavered in fear, horrified their false savior had fallen.

“Dear Shocker!” A soldier cried out in alarm. “She got the Kamen Rider.” His breath left him as Death Head turned her iron eyes toward him. Before he raised his weapon to defend himself, the Inquisitor burned him to ash. With more soldiers in sight, she unleashed more death on her foes. And she’d keep doing it until the enemies of Destron were dead. The entire city of Ponyville was a hive of traitors. They’d all suffer for it. Everyone would suffer for it. It was Death Head’s purpose.

More soldiers died as she wreaked havoc, bolstering Destron’s dwindling Combatpony forces. With impassive eyes, Death Head watched as a cathedral burned. A memory flashed of a filly laughing while watching an opera, but it faded into nothing soon after. Neither it nor the child mattered. What mattered was Destron and her mission.

“Get behind me!” A white stallion said, leading a last desperate charge against her. With desperate determination, Equestrian soldiers followed his lead.

Magical bolts and arrows dashed against Death Head’s metal carapace, but she only continued forward like they’d been gnat bites. The suicidal foals stood no chance against Destron. Death Head would teach them the folly of their actions.

“Gah!” A beam lashed against the white stallion’s conjured shield, but it maintained its integrity. Impressive, but still folly. His next shield shattered as Death Head fired a continuous burst.

“Mr. Armor!” A filly cried out, horrified. Death Head ignored her, focusing another beam to blast Equestria’s last protectors to pieces.

“No, momma! Don’t!” The filly said, rushing to protect the doomed stallion.

This only earned a snort of disdain from Death Head. If the filly had a death wish, she’d get it. Her right mechanical eye blazed with energy, ready to scorch the surrounding city block. No survivors.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!” Death Head jarred aside as something slammed into her, the beam going wide and missing its target.

“Trixie!” The filly said, crying tears of relief.

“Protean.” How grating. Trixies had a bad habit of not dying when they were supposed to.

“That’s your daughter! What are you doing?” Protean said, outraged.

“Irrelevant.” The statement passed through Death Head’s memory, ignored. Only cold logic mattered. Only Destron and the mission. “Die, Rider.”

“Woah!” Trixie flipped aside, just dodging the beam. “Get going, Dinky!”

“But! Momma, please! It’s me, Dinky! Can’t you remember me?”

But Death Head continued her assault, hooves flying as she aimed to crush Protean’s skull. Strikes struck against her metal skin, but bounced off harmlessly.

“Argh. So annoying.” Protean said with a huff. She changed strategies, ripping two bone blades from her wrist. It shot forward, slashing at any weak points she found.

This proved an annoyance, the blade leaving deep rivulets in Death Head’s already damaged chest plate. If this continued, she would suffer serious injury.

“Hey!” Protean grimaced as a sudden beam blasted her off her hooves, her back crashing against some rubble.

“Die.” But a shimmering blue shield intercepted her next beam. The white stallion stood on shaking hooves, breathing hard. His specialized magic had a tremendous physical and mental cost, taxing him beyond the breaking point.

Seeing her chance, Protean took full advantage of the distraction. Death Head howled as twin bone blades stabbed into her carapace right where Lux’s Rider Kick had struck it. They bit deep into her armor, going in almost to the hilt. Sparks from damaged circuitry flew from the impact point, black oil oozing from the wound.

In retaliation, a metallic hoof impacted Protean’s skull, knocking her senseless. She collapsed in a heap, barely conscious. Before Death Head enacted a killing blow, the filly intervened again.

“Please, momma. Look at me! It’s your muffin!” The filly said, again throwing herself into danger to protect the Kamen Rider.

Memories flashed in her metal head, telling her something was important. But she discarded them like trash. Destron was all that mattered. The filly yelped in surprise as Death Head plucked her from the ground. The filly’s tears of fear flowed freely, pleading for her momma not to do this.

“All enemies of Destron must be destroyed.”

The filly yelped, closing her eyes, hoping her end would be quick. But a voice rose in challenge.

“Leave her alone.” With steel in her voice, Protean rose again. Beyond all logic, the Rider refused to surrender. “Back me up, Shining. We need to protect Dinky at all costs.”

“Right behind you!” The stallion said, gritting his teeth.

With remarkable speed, Trixie tore a bone sword from Death Head’s chest. In the same motion, she slashed across her opponent’s wrist. Pain made Death Head release her hold of the filly, dropping her.

“Back off!” After the filly plopped to the ground, the white stallion unleashed another burst of shield energy. It struck like a tide wave, blasting Death Head off her hooves. With a crash, she collided with a nearby street. Spider web-like crack remained on the pavement where she’d struck.

“I’m sorry, Dinky,” Trixie said, her voice raw with emotion. But she didn’t hesitate as she flew into the air. “Protean Spinning Rider Kick!”

Pain stabbed into Death Head’s chest as her chest plate collapsed. Impossible. She’d lost…? Her transformation failed, returning to her pony form.

“Momma!” The filly looked away, horrified.

“Dinky?” No. What was going on? Why was her muffin staring at her with such terror? Her momma would never… Then it clicked, remembering how she’d surrendered herself to her Shocker programming to defeat Trixie. Her breaths came out in muted sobs as everything returned to her. “No, I…” Ditzy choked on her words. Needles stabbed her heart as her muffin hid behind Trixie, certain her mother intended her harm.

“Please. No…” Her mind flashbacked to Doctor Shinigami’s words, ordering her to choose between her daughter and Shocker. How had she made the wrong decision? This was her muffin, her only love. Why did this have to happen? Had she been wrong?

“I didn’t want to hurt you…” Her breathing quickened, blackness encroaching on her from the edges. No! Not yet! She wanted to see Dinky grow into a fine mare, watch her graduate, and walk her down the aisle to her special somepony.

“Momma?” Dinky stepped a hesitant hoof forward, both scared and worried.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Ditzy repeated this manta, her words interrupted by broken sobs. She’d been such an idiot. How could anything matter more than Dinky?

“Momma!” Tears dripped on Ditzy’s face as Dinky snuggled her tight. As the black closed in, Ditzy kept her daughter in view. Nothing, not even Shocker, would steal this prize away from her.

“Dinky.” She tried wiping away the tears from her muffin’s face. But her strength collapsed midway, her arm flopping to the ground. So many regrets plagued Ditzy Doo as her eyes closed, so many sins she wished to reverse. But she at least took comfort in that her muffin was safe. Shocker wouldn’t get her too.

“The poor dear,” Shining said, watching the filly cry over her shrouded mother. They’d used a gray curtain to mask the body. “It’s never easy. I’ve seen too many sad foals during my time at the force.”

“Yeah.” Trixie’s ears folded back, heartbroken. While Ditzy Doo was a monster, her foal didn’t deserve to see her mother die like that.

And now she’ll hate me forever. I caused her mother’s death. It’s been unavoidable. The Inquisitor had become an enemy to ponykind.

If wishes… While painful, Trixie couldn’t dwell on the past. It wasn’t like it’d do her any good. Her only chance was pushing forward. If Dinky hated Trixie for the rest of her life, so be it. Only Zol remained. Then Destron would crumble to pieces.

But Trixie was uncertain she could fight any longer. Her battle with Ditzy Doo had pushed her past the brink. But on the other hoof, she couldn’t afford Twilight Sparkle taking all the credit and defeating Zol by herself.

“I’m going to the castle,” Trixie told Twilight’s brother. “Guard Dinky for me. No way she should be anywhere near there. It isn’t safe.”

Much to her relief, the stallion nodded. “Fine by me. I won’t be much help, anyway.”

“You’re leaving?” Dinky sniffed, pulling away from her late mother.

“I must. Somepony needs to defeat Zol. We can’t count on that useless fake princess to do it.”

Much to Trixie’s surprise, Dinky launched into a big hug. She gripped the Rider tight. “Be careful, okay?”

“I’m shocked you even want to talk to me,” Trixie said, avoiding looking at the sheeted body across the street.

Dinky wiped her tears, trying to be brave. “It isn’t your fault. It’s Shocker’s. They did that to... to my momma.”

“Thanks.” Unexpected tears dripped onto the filly’s head as Trixie returned the hug, moved that Dinky didn’t hate her. The filly’s forgiveness touched a spot on Trixie’s heart she’d assumed had become barren. It seemed crazy, but they’d become family.

After regaining her composure, she tousled the filly’s mane. “Be good for Shining for me, okay?”

After a sniff, Dinky nodded and released the older mare. After a playful wink, Trixie extended her wings wide, taking to the air. While a shabby flier, the Rider made excellent time. Yet, for reasons unexpected, her flight became reluctant as she approached the black citadel of the later Great Leader to Shocker.

“What is this?” A primal dread struck Trixie’s heart, activating some instinct to flee and save her sorry hide.

“No!” Trixie shook her head, fighting against the urge. She hadn’t killed her sister’s mother to flee now. Before she could fly towards a half-destroyed window, she flew back as the structure shook violently.

“What?” Her ears rang as something exploded, pebbles raining onto her head. A roaring sound drowned out the surrounding battle, Trixie gasping as she glanced up. A column of darkness had shot through the roof, gathering sickly, muted clouds around the castle.

What the heck was going on? Was this Zol’s doing? What had happened to Twilight Sparkle? Was she even alive?

While her heart filled with dread, Trixie pushed forward away. For Dinky’s sake, she’d face any evil, regardless of its power. She was a Kamen Rider, and they never fled a fight.

Chapter 25

“After them! Don’t let them escape!” Golden Wolf yelled, guiding his forces to surround their prey.

“We ain’t running, you villain,” Applejack said. “We’re hankering for a fight. Just hope you’ll ready for it!”

Despite their dire situation, this earned a smile from Twilight. Applejack was the bravest pony she knew. Her other friends stood ready, behind her to the end. Red, the other Trixie, had taught her the value of friendship. Somehow, it’d pull them through this. The Combatponies charged, keeping her friends engaged while the Rider confronted the real threat.

“Then prepare to die, little pony!” Golden Wolf howled, jumping into the fray.

Her bones rattled as the hilt of her sword intercepted the blow, sparks flashing as the general’s claws left deep gouges in her weapon. They separated, prowling around each other as they vied for a better position. Despite her terrible wounds, Twilight didn’t dare show any weakness. The slightest slip would mean defeat.

Their dance had them dodging, weaving through the other’s attacks, neither able to gain an advantage. They separated, prowling anew as they each searched for a weakness to exploit. Both breathed heavily, their strength taxed. Twilight grunted as her hoof struck a loose stone, making her stumble.

Sparks flew as Golden Wolf took full advantage of this slip, pain exploding in the Rider’s chest as the general’s claws dug deep. But Kamen Rider Lux wasn’t an easy foe. Her sword left a deep gash across her opponent’s face. They both staggered, pulling away from their opponent to gain some breathing room.

But Twilight was in worse shape, standing becoming almost impossible. That last exchange had pushed her too far, leaving her reserves empty.

“At last, Kamen Rider Lux falls!” Golden Wolf said, howling in delight as his opponent faltered. Before Twilight could respond, several missiles from the monster’s fingers blasted toward her.

Half-blinded by the wound to his dominant eye, most missiles flew past harmlessly. One, however, struck its mark, launching the Rider across the throne room.

“Twi!” Applejack said in alarm, knocking a Combatpony’s skull into a pillar. She rushed towards her princess’s side, taking a protective stance over her.

“And what do you expect to do, little pony?” Golden Wolf said, hobbling towards the pair.

“Getting ready to kick your flank.” The farmer said, stubbornly refusing to leave Twilight’s side.

“No, go!” Lux said, her tone frantic. Despite standing no match for the Shocker General, Applejack remained resolute despite Twilight’s pleas.

“Foals.” Golden Wolf said, his tone both mocking and amused.

“No way, meanie!” A high-pitched voice said. “Fireworks are meant to make ponies smile!”

“Gah!” Golden Wolf staggered back, a flash of fireworks exploding against his face. While they inflicted minor damage, the colorful explosions stunned the monster.

“Nice shot, Pinkie!” Starlight said, giving a wave from behind a pillar. While never the brave sort, she still proved her worth by stunning a Combatpony that tried to attack Twilight from behind.

“You’re not hurting my friend!” Fluttershy said, eyes red from rage. The general howled in pain as the mare’s bear ally decked him across the face.

Wow! Shy little Fluttershy is tougher than she looked!

“You will regret that, traitor.” Golden Wolf said, regaining his hooves. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten your treachery.”

The hateful glare from the Shocker General made Fluttershy tremble in fear. But she stood her ground, refusing to surrender to this bully.

“Die, all of you!” The general unleashed a barrage of missiles, blasting Twilight and the rest of her friends back. They groaned, bloody from getting blown clear by the blast. Thankfully, while bruised and battered, they still lived.

“No, you ain’t hurting her!” Much to everypony’s surprise, Applejack still refused to surrender. She staggered back to her hooves and stood tall and resolute, despite her wounds. She extended her hooves, ready to get into hooficuffs to protect her friend.

“No, yet!” Fluttershy said the next to stand to her hooves. While her bear friend was unconscious, she was still prepared to fight.

“Yeaperooni!” While blood matted her poofy hair, Pinkie wore a beaming smile.

“Guys.” Despite the ravages of her body, her friend’s support buoyed the Kamen Rider’s spirit. Was the power of friendship Red liked talking about?

“Then die together!” The general’s fingers opened, eager to unleash a barrage of missiles at the helpless pair.

But Golden Wolf howled in pain, his missiles diverted to shoot past their intended targets. They exploded harmlessly against a wall. “Who?”

“What? Did you forget about me, darling?” Rarity asked, her tone sugar-sweet. In her hoof, she held a dagger whose tip gleamed in the sun as blood dripped from it.

“You? The spymaster?” Golden Wolf grunted, clutching at a wound on his right rib.

“Of course. Did you think I’d miss the party?” Rarity fluttered her eyelashes. “I’ve been waiting a long time to snuff out the rest of Shocker.” Her tone turned deadly, positing her weapon in a fighting stance.

“Get ready, darling.” The spy said towards Twilight. “Let’s finish this and go home for a much-deserved spa date.”

“Typical Rare!” Applejack said, rolling her eyes but smiling.

“The only place you’re all going is hell!” Golden Wolf slashed his claws forward at Rarity.

But the spy slipped away with remarkable agility, almost gliding across the floor. No wonder Shocker had considered her a terror and locked her up in their most inescapable prison when they’d finally caught her. But the monster was quick and relentless, pushing his opponent hard. Despite her incredible skill, Golden Wolf proved too agile a foe to evade forever. Rarity hissed as her pure white coat was strained crimson by a glancing blow to her side. But Pinkie and Fluttershy backed her up, acting as a distraction to keep their friend from their enemy’s grasp. Starlight aided from a distance, but her shots went wild.

“I’ll need your help. Can’t fight much in this condition.” Despite her friends’ bravery, they couldn’t last forever. Twilight winced as Golden Wolf crushed Pinkie’s party cannon to scrap.

“Sure thing, Sugarcube. Just leave it all to me. Pinkie, Flutters, Rare, Starlight! Set ‘em up, will ya?”

“Got it!” All mares cried in reply.

“I’ve had enough of you, meanie!” With deft hooves, Pinkie darted under the wolf monster and kicked with everything she was worth. Twilight winced as a cracking sound reverberated through the throne room.

“Yes, we’ve had enough of you already,” Rarity said, taking advantage of the monster’s pain and leaving an X-shaped gash across his chest with her blade. A magic blast from Starlight Glimmer blasted into the monster’s chest, stunning him. For good measure, Fluttershy kicked Golden Wolf with an ineffectual but heartfelt kick, knocking him several degrees over, “Now!”

“Hang on, Sugarcube, this is gonna be a wild ride!”

“Sorry?” Twilight yelped as a rope slipped over her, grabbing hold tight. She screamed in surprise as her friend sped her around in a circle, threatening Twilight’s lunch.

“Now get him!” Applejack said, flinging the Kamen Rider right at their greatest foe. While discombobulated, Twilight knew what she needed to do. Her friends had risked everything to win this, and she wouldn’t disappoint them.

“Protean Rider Kick!” A radiant hoof stuck Golden Wolf in the chest, light exploding as Twilight released her remaining photon power.

“Impossible.” Golden Wolf staggered back, returning to his pony form. Blood dripped from his lips, and he collapsed to the ground. With a shaky hoof, he rose back to his hooves.

“Don’t think you’ve won,” Zol said, haggard but resolute. “As long as evil exists, so will Shocker, whatever form it takes. Hear me, Kamen Rider Lux. I will return for my revenge, even if I have to fight my way from the depths of hell itself!” His strength spent, Colonel Zol, the final Shocker General, exploded in a ferocious fireball.

“We did it! We vanquished Destron!” Twilight said, flopping to the ground.

“Not bad guys,” Starlight Glimmer said, exiting her cover. “I always knew we’d beat Zol!”

“Right,” Applejack said, rolling her eyes but smiling.

“Thank goodness it’s all over,” Fluttershy said, examining the shape of her bear friend. While he’d live, the animal needed medical attention.

“Victory! Finally!” Pinkie Pie threw confetti into the air, doing cartwheels despite her injuries. This earned a smile from Twilight, amused by the earth pony’s boundless energy. “Oh! I should bake a cake to celebrate! A super party, yay we save Equestria from eternal evil, cake for everypony can enjoy!”

“I’d like that,” Twilight said, disengaging her transformation.

“Um, er, if it’s not too much of a bother, can it be cherry?” Fluttershy’s voice dropped several octaves. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”

“Cherry would be fantastic.” Twilight wondered if Trixie would be interested in joining their little celebration party. It was a little disappointing that she hadn’t helped defeat Colonel Zol. Like Red, the mare enjoyed the spotlight. But such was life. They could rest easy knowing the war was over. While there were still Destron stragglers, Rarity could handle that business, calling on Kamen Rider Lux if things got sticky.

“Let’s get…” A stab of fear drove into Twilight’s heart, almost driving her to her knees. What was this? Her friend fared little better, almost debilitated by this malevolent aura.

Booming hooffalls echoed through the chamber as a black figure entered, Twilight flinching as she stared into its baleful, singular eye. It wore ebony armor, so dark, it sucked the light from the air. Its crab-like face was monstrous, reminiscent of Ika Devil, but with mandibles for a mouth. Tentacles draped across its body and arms like rich silk.

“I see, so Zol has fallen.” The creature said, his deep baritone voice shaking the room. He radiated power and authority, demanding total obedience. “Nevertheless, I shall take the throne from undeserving hooves.”

Impossible. It couldn’t be. Twilight recognized the voice. “Doctor Shinigami?”

The black figure approached the ruined remains of the late Great Leader’s throne, flicking a hoof. The broken stones cogitated in the air, bending to the newcomer’s will. In place of the destroyed stone was a throne fit for a dark king, ebony with skulls ordained over its surface.

“Correct, and I have been reborn as Type: Devil. Your new king and master.” The creature lounged on his new throne, giving Twilight a baleful look. To him, she was an insect barely worth his attention.

“No.” Just looking at the reborn Shinigami brought an uncontrollable urge to either flee or submit to the creature’s will. But she was a Kamen Rider. Surrendering wasn’t an option. “The throne belongs to the people!”

“Such bold words, but can you back them up, Kamen Rider Lux? You sway like a leaf in the wind. It’ll only to a breath to blow you away.” Type: Devil said. “I shall show you why your romantic notions of a free Equestria are only a foolish dream.”

“Never!” Twilight said, snarling.

“Come, if you dare. But I won’t even need to leave my throne to defeat you. Throw yourself against my perfection and perish!” Type: Devil said, raising a hoof. Only Twilight’s highly honed instincts saved her, jumping out of the way as a dagger appeared from nothing to strike her in the heart. What the heck? Had Type: Devil formed it from thin air?

“Die, Kamen Rider Lux. Your pathetic and inept reign ends today!” Dozens of more knives surrounded her, slashing out at impossible speed. They left her little room to dodge, her situation becoming even more perilous.

“Never. Hen…” Twilight didn’t get to finish, hissing in pain as a knife reopened the half-healed wound given to her by Doctor Shinigami’s treacherous sneak attack.

“Pathetic. Did you really expect you could do something against me?” Type: Devil stomped a hoof, spears thrusting from the stone beneath. Twilight barely escaped with her life. Applejack’s lasso tugged her away, the lances just slipping past her throat.

“Thanks,” Twilight said, using her friend to stand up.

Despite their enemy’s power, this stubborn mare refused to surrender, ready to battle despite the hopeless situation. “Not yet! Not until I knock you off that dang fake throne!”

“Well said, darling.” Rarity hurled a knife at the seated Type: Devil, but a wall of stone formed from the floor and deflected it away.

Neither Pinkie, Starlight, nor Fluttershy was idle, either. Starlight’s magical bolts peppered the monster, keeping him distracted. With her party cannon destroyed, the earth pony fought by other means. Type: Devil grunted in annoyance as the mare hurled party poppers at his face, more an irritant than a threat, but it bought them time. Time which Fluttershy used to assess Twilight’s injuries.

With deft hooves, the former Combatpony wrapped Twilight’s wounds in hasty bandages. While imperfect, they’d at least reduced her bleeding. The pegasus tried hoofing over several pills of painkillers, but Twilight rejected them.

“No, I’ll need my pain to keep sharp.” She couldn’t afford to dose herself in any capacity. The slightest dulling of her senses would only get her killed.

“Enough!” With a wave of his hoof, a surge of darkness struck Pinkie midair. It drove her hard against a far wall, denting the stone and shattering a nearby window. Rarity was the next to get swatted aside, but thankfully she hadn’t gotten struck so hard. Starlight didn’t fare as well, smacking her head hard against the marbled floor.

“Dear Shocker. How do we deal with this monster, Twi?” Applejack said, her mask of confidence cracking. Fluttershy trembled, giving out tiny whinnies of fear.

We can’t win this. I can’t fight in this condition. Yet, surrender was impossible. If Shinigami won, the world would descend into a never-ending nightmare of darkness. The Rider’s heart almost stopped as the monster directed his baleful glare toward her.

“And now, it’s finished.” The creature said, extending a hoof. But a loud crack echoed through the chamber as a hoof struck the monster from behind, staging him.

“Trixie?” Twilight said, amazed. Where had she come from? While she hadn’t knocked Type: Devil from his throne, she had displaced him somewhat.

“Insect!” A piece of the throne formed into a spear to impale the interloper, but Trixie pivoted away on her wings.

“Nice try,” Kamen Rider Protean said, hovering out of range of the monster. She zipped back, her hoof smacking the creature’s muzzle.

“Any ideas?” Starlight said, crawling up to her princess.

“We’ll back her up the best we can,” Twilight said, though she wasn’t optimistic. To her dismay, Protean’s attacks did little besides annoy Type: Devil.

“Okay,” Starlight replied, giving a weak smile.

He must have a weakness. Twilight watched Trixie fight their opponent, keeping a close eye on how Type: Devil fought. She narrowed her eyes, observing how his reality-warping powers worked. Daggers zipped around in the air, slashing at the flying Rider. But Trixie kept out of their reach, using her finely tuned instincts to avoid them. More dangers materialized from nothing, pushing Protean away from her opponent in her attempts to dodge.

While not instantaneous, Type: Devil could form whatever he wanted from nothing. But the materialization took time, giving Trixie precious seconds to formulate a defense. Their mutual enemy wasn’t omnipotent, unable to affect anywhere beyond his line of sight. But what advantage did that afford them? She winced as Trixie misstepped, sparks flying as a dagger slashed against her chest. These distractions gave Type: Devil time enough to grow cords from the floor, lashing out to wrap around Protean’s leg.

“Hey.” Trixie howled in pain as dozens of daggers slashed into her chest, and more cords reached out to restrict her movements. She struggled against her bonds, but they only tightened.

“And now, another Rider falls.” Type: Devil lifted a hoof.

Rock coalesced in the air, forming a spear. Its sharp tip glinted in the light, sharpened to an impossible degree. Twilight’s heart froze in fear, knowing her fellow Rider’s armor wasn’t as impenetrable as hers. Type: Devil lounged on his throne, indomitable. With a dainty flick of a hoof, he sentenced Kamen Protean to death.

“Die.”

Chapter 26

“Trixie! Look out!”

“Wha?” Trixie stepped back, stunned, warm blood splashing against her armor.

“Are you okay?” Twilight Sparkle said, face contorting in pain. Blood dripped from where the spear had pierced her side, leaving a deep gash across her fellow Rider’s stomach.

“You idiot! What are you doing? Why are you taking blows without your armor? Are you crazy?” It’d happened so quickly. Trixie had barely caught what happened. One minute, the missile had been flying toward her heart. The next, a hoof pulled her to safety.

“Only you can fight, Protean,” Twilight said, her voice pained. “I can’t allow Equestria to fall to this creature, whatever the price. I am their princess. It’s a cost I’m willing to bear. Besides, you’re a Kamen Rider. We stick out for each other.” Then her hooves twisted beneath her, and she slipped to the ground.

“Twilight!” Trixie caught the falling mare, gently lowering her to the marble floor. Twilight’s breathing was irregular, every breath a pained gasp.

Insanity. Why make such a terrible sacrifice when Twilight knew Trixie despised her? It’d been this mare’s cursed mother who’d doom her to a hellish, freakish existence. Dear Shocker, was she crying?

“You idiot!” Trixie fought back a sob. “Idiot.”

“Twilight!” The mare’s friend said, horrified. They gasped as they saw how much blood the mare was losing.

“So, the false princess falls instead? A just punishment for her sins.” Type: Devil said from his throne.

“You aren’t getting away with this.” Trixie’s blood boiled, burning hot like a miniature sun.

“Watch over her. I’m finishing this,” Trixie said, passing over the mare to the yellow mare’s care. “I’m not letting you get away with hurting my friend!” The word tasted strange on Trixie’s tongue, but she couldn’t think of a better description. The mare had risked her life for her, and Protean was eager to repay the favor.

In response, Type: Devil only snorted in amusement, unimpressed with Kamen Rider Protean’s bold declaration. “Come and die then, Kamen Rider.”

“Wait.” A bloody hoof touched Trixie’s arm. She turned to see Twilight grasping at her. In her other hoof was Lux’s sword, extended forward. “Take this. Fight!”

“Thanks, I will.” Trixie’s voice caught as she accepted the proffered blade, a deep line scratching across the floor as Protean swung her new weapon to face their mutual foe. Its weight felt right in her hoof, its balance remarkable.

The creature watched her with indifference, confident this misfit stood no chance of unseating him from either his chair or Destron’s destiny as ruler of the world. He was an indomitable force of inevitability.

To hell with that nonsense! Trixie screamed as she charged, her weapon directed at Type: Devil in a clash that would decide a world.

“Useless!” The monster extended a hoof, dozens of spears shooting from his stone perch. But Protean used her wings to flitter through the projectiles, slashing forward in retaliation. She winced as her blade struck a sudden stone wall, blocking a strike at her opponent’s head. Instincts flaring, she leaped back as spikes shot from the barrier to impale her.

Stupid. Trixie ground her teeth, unsure how she’d bypass Type: Devil’s defenses. Insanely, it seemed he could summon them from thin air in seconds. Never mind. She’d only fight faster.

Her wing blurring as she flew, Protean zipped around her opponent. Spikes shot from the tiled floor but only struck her afterimage as she accelerated even more. She made several faints, making her attack pattern unpredictable.

“Enough.”

A spike of fear stabbed through her heart as dozens of spears shot from the ceiling, only an inch gap between each one. Sparks flew as one slashed across her wing, making her lose her balance. But her hooves were already moving as they touched the floor, darting forward.

Type: Devil howled in pain as Trixie’s blade slashed across the chest. This minor victory cost her, however, smashing through a pillar as Type: Devil backhoofed her across the face.

“Useless.” Type: Devil said, returning to his lounging position. “Your insect bites mean nothing to me.”

“Trixie, you okay?” The orange farmpony asked, helping Trixie to her hooves.

“Damn, I can’t just do much against him.” The single slash had cost her, draining her already dwindling strength. She hissed as she flexed her right wing, unsure it’d be capable of flight any longer.

“Then we’ll just have to help!” The pink pony said, bouncing up to Trixie.

“How?” Trixie asked.

“Don’t worry, I gotta plan!” The pink earth pony said with surprising confidence.

“Ya do, Pinkie?” The farmer asked, raising an eyebrow. “Hope it’s a good one.”

“Don’t worry, AJ. The tingling in my left leg tells me the tables are about to turn from an unexpected source!” Pinkie replied.

“What?” Trixie asked, flabbergasted.

But the farmer only nodded, somehow understanding this nonsensical statement. “Good, let’s turn our luck around then.” A smile appeared through the rope as AJ gripped it with her teeth. “Let’s start this rodeo and hogtie this varmint!”

Twilight’s friends are brave but foalish. But Trixie’s mouth quirked into a smile, liking these like-minded foals.

“Let’s go! Spread out!” The three mares ran forward, each attacking from a different direction. While having impossible reality-warping powers, Type: Devil could only keep his attention in one place at a time. And the monster directed his ire only at Trixie, dismissing the other mares as minor nuisances. It was a mistake that would cost him.

More barriers impeded her progress, but Trixie’s blade smashed them to rubble. Those pieces reformed, becoming maces to pummel the Kamen Rider to dust. But this worked to their advantage, distracting Type: Devil from the real threat.

“What?” The monster said in annoyance as a lasso gripped him tight, wrapping around his waist.

“I’m getting off that fake perch you’ve been sitting on! You ain’t deserving of the title of king!” AJ said through the rope gripped in her teeth, pulling with all her might.

“Insect!” A dagger shot from the ebony throne, slashing through the rope holding him and aiming at AJ’s exposed neck. But AJ nimbly leaped back, the farmer showing impressive reflexes.

“Pinkie Headbutt!”

“Gah!” A mass of pink mane dislodged Type: Devil from his seat as she smashed into his chest from the monster’s blind spot.

“Annoying little!” But the monster didn’t get to finish as Trixie pivoted around his false throne, stabbing the creature in the chest.

“You!” Pinkie and Trixie darted back as dozens of spikes from his throne, seeking to impale them both.

“Get off you, faker!” AJ’s powerful hooves smashed Type: Devil’s barrier of needles like they’d been styrofoam, both legs hitting their mark. Time seemed to slow as the monster flew from his seat, crashing to the polished floor below.

“Insect. You will pay…” But the creature stopped, realizing he lay spread eagle across the floor. His single eye widened, flabbergasted that anyone had forced him into such an undignified position. In his mind, Type: Devil was an unstoppable king. Such a thing shouldn’t be possible.

“Liking the taste of dirt, Shinigami?” Trixie said with a cocksure smile behind her helmet.

“I. Aggrhhh!” The monster bellowed incoherently as rage consumed him. A moment later, however, Type: Devil collected himself, pulling himself into a standing position. He lowered into a graceful bow of acknowledgment. “I applaud you for obtaining this insignificant victory. Very well, I shall fight you with my full strength. You will face the terror of Type: Devil!”

The creature extended both hooves. The air shimmered around them, submitting to the creature’s will. Metal formed around each hoof, hardening into a slick ebony sheen. Blades blacker than night shot out from his newly formed gauntlet, cutting through the tile floor like paper as he slid it across the ground.

Fast. Type: Devil dashed around Trixie, his movements a blur as he struck the Kamen Rider’s blind spot. Sparks flew as the twin blades connected, the monster slashing in a spinning circle. Pinkie and AJ tried their best to act as a distraction, but they proved only a minor speed bump. The farmer pony yelped in pain as the monster charged over her, crushing AJ with his tremendous bulk.

“AJ! You aren’t getting away with that, you meanie! Pinkie Kick!” But the kick only made the monster wobble a second, only a minor nuisance. But that hadn’t been the pink earth pony’s intention.

“Gah!” The creature flew back a step as a blade slashed across his chest, the Rider taking full advantage of Pinkie’s distraction.

“Itchy tail!” Pinkie said, ducking under a slash aimed at her throat. Dang, this mare’s reflexes were unreal! The two fought in coordination to keep their opponent off balance, just staying ahead of his attacks. But summoned barriers blocked them all, Trixie wincing as her weapon smacked hard against stone.

But Trixie kept pressing forward, refusing to give a single inch. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as they intersected. Every blow against Type: Devil’s gauntlets rattled her bones, striking with unbelievable forces. But Protean pushed harder, her blade blurring as it sought her opponent. Sparkles flew as Trixie slipped past a summon barrier, driving her sword into her opponent’s belly.

“Pinkie Punch!” As Type: Devil staggered back, the pink mare delivered a flying punch to the monster’s face. In irritation, the creature swatted at Pinkie but missed. Trixie took full advantage, the blade whirling as she slashed across their opponent’s armor.

“Futile! Nothing but futile!” Trixie rolled as a barrage of daggers flew towards her head, slipping past them. Her blade blocked a blow from Type: Devil’s gauntlet, but the follow-up kick threw the Rider across the room. Stone cracked as her body struck the wall hard, stealing the breath from her.

Before she got properly aligned on her hooves, Protean gasped as ropes formed from the wall. They gripped her tight, the restraints tightening hard enough to strangle her to death. Trixie flailed, struggling to pull herself free.

“Enough diversion. Let’s finish this, Rider. Then, I’ll finish you next, hated Lux.” Type: Devil said, pointing at the still-prone Twilight. Despite the yellow pegasus’s treatment, she still looked in no shape to fight.

“Pinkie Kick!” Another flying kick struck the monster in the back of the skull, interrupting its speech. Trixie’s breath caught as Pinkie received a nasty belt across the head. But the mare still refused to surrender despite the obvious futility of her actions.

“Pinkie!” Trixie watched in horror as the pink mare received blow after blow, yet a smile remained as she received the punishment. Finally, another blow to the chest drove Pinkie to the marble floor.

“Brave, but pointless.” Type: Devil said, stepping his massive boot on Pinkie’s head. He took pleasure in her pained screams as he squished her head harder. Yet, despite all reason, Pinkie kept her smile.

“What are you smiling about, foal? Do you long for death that much?” Type: Devil said, releasing the tension on Pinkie’s head.

“No. My left ear has been tingling, and it’s getting stronger! You’re in for it now!” Pinkie replied through pained breaths, confounding her tormentor.

“What?” Type: Devil said, confused.

“Leave her alone!” An unfamiliar voice said, knocking into Type: Devil at astonishing speed. The rainbow-colored mare landed clear across the room, landing with skillful grace.

“Rainbow?” Twilight said, surprised.

“Sorry I’m late, but I had to drag my sorry carcass across the countryside.” The pegasus winced as her wings flittered, but it turned into a cocky smirk.

“Another body to add to the pile?” Type: Devil asked, amused. Trixie couldn’t help but agree. Despite her boosting, Rainbow seemed in rough shape, her wings bent with a painful-looking sprain. What use was a pegasus without their wings?

“Foals, all of you!” The monster darted forward, his bladed gauntlet poised to impale the unlucky interloper.

But Rainbow seemed more amused than scared, watching the blade fly towards her without emotion.

“What?” Type: Devil cried out in pain as a figure sprung from nowhere. Sparks flew as metal talons connected with the creature’s face. He hissed, clutching at his single eye.

“Oh, by the way, I had backup,” Rainbow said, unleashing a flurry of blows in the creature’s stomach.

“Damn, you, bird.” Type: Devil said, directing his ire at the newest unwanted newcomer. “Why don’t any of you just die already?” Trixie used their opponent’s distraction to pull herself free from the tendrils. They’d lost their strength when their master had lost his concentration.

“Sorry, but Griffons don’t die until our enemies are vulture food! And I’ve been hunting for your sorry carcass, Doctor Shinigami.” The mechanical griffon said, entering a fighting pose. While half-dead on her claws, she seemed ready to rumble.

“Gilda? Quite a reunion of failures. Shall I show you why you were discarded?” Type: Devil swung a hoof, daggers flying in every which direction. Unprepared, Rainbow took a nasty gash across her eye. Blood seeped from the wound, matting her rainbow-colored hair crimson.

“Rainbow! Bastard!” The griffon swatted the blades from the air, driven by a primal urge for vengeance. They entered a dance, her mechanical claw slashing apart any obstacles thrown her way. Trixie joined the fray, attacking from the opposite direction the monster’s single eye was looking.

Beyond furious, Type: Devil blew them all back with a wave of darkness. The griffon landed hard against the marble floor, wincing as she struggled to her talons. Trixie fared somewhat better, but her optimism for victory was fading. Whatever they threw against the monster never seemed enough.

“Why must you keep coming? Don’t you realize victory is impossible?!” Type: Devil said, breathing hard as he raged.

“Because, as long as tyranny exists, someone will always appear to stand against it. You’ve lost from the start.” Twilight Sparkle said.

“Never! And I’ll show you why! Here is where hope dies!” Everypony gasped as Type: Devil thrust his bladed gauntlet forward, impaling the griffon right through.

“Gilda!” Rainbow said, breathless. She stood stock, still horrified.

“And there falls one of your best.” Type: Devil said, voice mocking. He pulled his blade free, tossing the body of the griffon aside. “Your hope dwindles.”

“Hey, jerkface!” A raspy voice said, drawing everypony’s attention. With her mechanical claw, Gilda scrapped her way forward towards their enemy. “You’re forgetting one thing, Shinigami!”

“What?”

“I fixed the latch on my cannon arm.” Before the creature could react, Gilda thrust a cannon into Type: Devil’s stomach. The nauseating stench of roasting fish filled the room as the creature’s insides got cooked. While it hadn’t pierced through, the blast had left an ugly scorched patch.

“Ha! Got you, you bastard!” Gilda said, flopping to the floor with a content smile. That cannon blast must have cost her remaining energy.

“Impossible. I can’t be defeated!” Pained gasps escaped Type: Devil lips, staggering back. “I’m a perfection! I am Shocker’s dream!”

“And that dream ends here.” Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, said.

“Twilight, no,” The yellow pegasus said, terrified for her charge as the stubborn mare fought to get to her hooves.

“No, I must. I’m seeing this through. Trixie, are you ready? Henshin!”

On shaky hooves, Kamen Rider Protean repeated the motion, ready to unleash everything she had. Together, they charged as one.

“Never!” Spears shot out from the marble floor, hoping to impale both Riders. But Twilight slid under them while Trixie slashed them to pieces. Energy gathered in her sword, Trixie channeling her wrath and pain for everything Shocker and Destron had caused to her and everyone else. Twilight’s hoof exploded in blinding light, radiant with her righteous cause to bring hope to the world’s citizens. While they fought for opposite reasons, their hearts were united in a common cause.

“Rider Slash!”

“Photonic Rider Punch!”

Another spike shot from the floor in desperation to save the creature from destruction. But a cyan hoof smashed it before it struck Twilight’s heart.

“Go! Get him!” Rainbow said, shaking the dust from her extended hoof.

“Gah!” Both of Type: Devil’s gauntlets shattered under the might of the unified attack, failing to protect their wearer from a mortal wound. The blow sent the monster flying back into the ruined remains of the Shocker General’s false throne.

“No. It can’t be.” The creature said through a strangled gasp. “So, I fall as well. Great Leader, I’m sorry! Your dream died.” Type: Devil collapsed, exploding in a massive fireball.

A weak laugh escaped Trixie’s lips, and she fell backward. “We won!”

“Yes, we did!” Twilight said, leaping into the air. She winced as she bounced hard against the ground.

“Twilight, stop it. You’re still hurt.” Fluttershy admonished, her tone surprisingly stern for such a timid creature.

“Sorry.” The princess replied, hunching over sheepishly. She undid her transformation and allowed her friend to further treat her wounds.

“Gilda!” The rainbow-color mare said, running over to the fallen griffon. In her excitement of victory, Trixie had forgotten about her. Remarkably, despite the hole in her sternum, Gilda still lived.

“Ha! Think I could get killed that easily?” Gilda said with a wheezing laugh. But the damage was terrible, the stinging stench of burnt circuitry filling the hall. Rainbow grabbed her claw, screaming for a medic.

“What does it take to kill her?” Trixie asked, marveling.

“The extreme cyberization from Shocker’s experiments saved her. Only ten percent of her body is organic anymore.” Twilight replied.

“Oh.” Already, the griffon had Trixie’s sympathy. It pleased her that Shocker’s evil experiments had once again bitten them back hard in the flank.

Then the reality of her situation struck her. They had vanquished Destron and Shocker for good. While remnants still existed, their leadership structure was kaput. She’d done it. Trixie had avenged herself. So why did she feel so empty inside? Shouldn’t she be happy?

Soon, medical personnel arrived, flocking to the injured. Trixie watched the ordeal from a corner with a detached air, though she was glad nopony had died. The yellow mare, Fluttershy, cried as she hugged her bear friend, who hugged her back with a ferocious squeeze. A palish purple mare clutched at her head, grumbling to herself why she’d bothered helping in this fight.

When some EMTs rushed over to assess her injuries, Trixie scared them away with a snarl. She kept to herself, brooding as she wondered what she’d do with herself now. With Twilight Velvet dead and Shocker and Destron finished, no targets remained for her considerable wrath. And after spending the majority of her adult life trapped in a sewer as a puddle of goo, she possessed few skills. Trixie had to admit she’d lost her purpose.

She watched as they loaded Twilight Sparkle onto a stretcher, and a sudden thought occurred to Trixie. With Lux’s sword in hoof, Trixie rushed over.

“Hey, you forgot this,” Trixie said, pushing the blade forward. She hated owing anypony anything. But her eyes widened as her fellow Rider pushed back the weapon.

“Keep it.” Twilight gave a warm smile. “Consider it as a present from a friend.”

“Isn’t it made for you, though?” Trixie asked, baffled.

“It’s fine. I’ll make another one. Besides, I designed it to be adaptive. It’s taken a shining to you.”

“Why do I even need it?” Trixie gave a snort. “Everything’s finished.”

“Maybe.” Twilight’s expression became distant, thoughtful. “But you still might need it.” Did the princess suspect something? Wasn’t Destron finished for good? “Besides, it suits Equestria’s newest knight.”

“What?” Trixie took a step back, bumping into AJ by accident.

“Equestria needs a protector. It’ll need you if another crisis happens,” Twilight said, her expression serious.

“Suits you well, Trixie!” AJ said, slapping Trixie on the back.

“Oh my gosh!” The pink mare said, bouncing on her tail, somehow. “We’ll need to have a super-duper knighting party! Right after the Equestria is saved from Destron party, of course!”

“But I don’t want to be your knight!” It sounded stupid to Trixie’s ear. Why were ponies assuming she was a hero? Trixie was as selfish as ponies got! Yet, she couldn’t deny it came with a certain appeal. It pitted her against more Shocker flunkies. It gave her a renewed purpose. “Does it at least pay well? And no experimentation or doctors.”

“We’ll take care of you, Trixie. I promise as a Kamen Rider and princess.” Twilight said, crossing her heart with a weak hoof.

“Okay.” Trixie said, relenting. Besides, what was the alternative? Return to the sewers?

Everypony cheered, and Trixie accepted unwanted hugs and hoof shakes. Why was everypony treating her like a friend? Still, a smile creased her lips. For being the wretched Twilight Velvet’s daughter, Twilight Sparkle wasn’t that bad. This could work.

Chapter 27

“Zol has failed.” The Great Leader of Destron’s mighty voice boomed through his emblem, a fiendish golden scorpion whose stinger glowed a malevolent crimson light.

“Damn those Riders.” Marshal Yoroi slammed his spiked ball and chain against a nearby console. A Combatpony yelped in surprise as sparks flew from its panel. So much had gone into this plan. They’d hoped to cripple Equestria while it was still fumbling to create a government. “They will pay for this!”

“It matters not. We will rebuild. We will survive to wreak havoc once again.” The Great Leader, in his infinite wisdom, said. It calmed Yoroi, reminding him of their greater purpose. They refused to allow this failure to dampen their spirits. Destron would have their day. They just needed to be patient.

Marshal Yoroi’s red scorpion armor clattered as he paced the room, considering their next move. The foalish princess assumed Zol’s death meant Destron’s destruction. A cruel smile extended across his lips, pleased by this unexpected boon. “You’re correct Great Leader. Let the foals think Destron defeated. We will spread and grow from the shadows, poisoning this budding new government with corruption and greed. When Equestria becomes fat and lazy, we will strike and reclaim Destron’s rightful glory!”

His rousing speech awoke something in the downtrodden and defeated Combatponies, awakening their pride and hope. The room erupted into cheers, hailing Destron as the world’s future master. A pleased smile filled Yoroi’s twisted muzzle, guiding his ponies as they abandoned the base. Destron couldn’t afford to be caught in Pferdreich with Equestria forces moving in.

Let Lux take Pferdreich. Let her think Destron defeated. One day soon, they would rise again. All would learn to fear their name. All hail Destron.

“Come in,” Twilight said, placing her hooves on her desk. New newly titled knight swaggered into the room, her golden cape billowing behind her. While flashy and somewhat tacky, it suited the mare.

“Twilight,” Trixie said, giving her princess a slight salute. Twilight detected a hint of mockery in her knight’s untitled address, but Twilight didn’t mind. Respect wasn’t something a pony earned easily. Besides, despite everything, this pony was a friend.

“How are the operations going?” With Twilight still confined by her injuries, she couldn’t go out into the field to help pacify the remainder of Destron’s forces. Pockets of resistance still fought in Pferdreich. The organization had brainwashed countless innocent citizens to its side, causing them to fight with the ferocity of true fanatics. General Fire Flare and her Pferdreich Counter Paramilitary Group had been pivotal in restoring freedom to the country. The matter, however, was still a considerable undertaking.

“We captured a Baron Kiba last night, another Destron bigwig. He gave us some trouble, but I defeated him in the end.” Twilight guessed it hadn’t been an easy victory from the bandages hidden beneath her knight’s cape.

“That’s good.” Twilight sighed, glad the operation was going smoothly. But it didn’t dampen her worries that the worst of Destron still hid somewhere. She had the distinct impression someone had puppeteered Zol and Shinigami’s actions from the shadows. And they still hadn’t found Cadance anywhere. Kamen Rider Cupido’s disappearance worried Twilight, fearful for her former foalsitter’s safety despite being an enemy.

“I hear you will win the newest election quite hoofily,” Trixie said. “Your approval rating is over 90 percent.”

“Yes, it appears they still want me back.” But this brought Twilight little joy. Many ponies died during the Destron invasion, many by her mistakes. They had trusted their lives to their princess, and she’d failed them. Her misplaced trust in Shocker’s possible redemption had almost cost Equestria and the world its freedom. Some glorious hero she was.

“Hey, cheer up already,” Trixie said, knocking Twilight on the shoulder. She yelped in pain, still recovering from her various injuries. Twilight sent a scathing glare at her knight.

“I mean it,” Trixie said more seriously. “You’ll worry yourself to death. You blame yourself for everything!”

“I have to. It’s my responsibility.”

“Foal. You can’t fix everything.”

This only earned silence from Twilight. While she understood this intellectually, her responsibilities still weighed heavily on her soul. “Thanks, Trixie. I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

“Foal,” repeated Trixie, turning away and leaving.

Twilight sighed at the blatant disrespect, but smiled. She needed a mare like this to keep her in check, reminding her she wasn’t alone. She still missed Red and her boundless energy, but this Trixie should do.

“You really scared me, you dummy!” Rainbow Dash said, sitting by her friend’s bed. “Don’t do that to me again!”

“Stop fussing. I’m fine.” Gilda said, refusing any comforting words on instinct.

The doctor’s prognosis wasn’t a happy one. While they could salvage what remained of her torn body, she’d require an even higher level of cyberization. The doctors estimated only six percent of her body would remain organic. Rainbow had joked that Gilda might end up a brain in a jar. Even after the repair operation, it’d take months of physical therapy to regain combat efficiency. Getting hurt sucked.

“Well, I’m proud of you, Captain Gildy!” Princess Gabby said, squawking away on her other side. “I’ll make sure Daddy will give you all the medals!”

Despite the stoic expression on her beak, this pleased Gilda. “We sure sent Destron packing!”

While disappointed they hadn’t been able to help protect Ponyville during Destron’s unexpected invasion, the Griffon Kingdom was making up for it tenfold in Equestria’s mop-up operations. The King himself had gone to Pferdreich to oversee the dismantling of Destron’s military government. As hunters, the Griffons ruthlessly prowled the lands for any remnants of the occupying force.

“When you fully recover, what will you do, Gild?” Rainbow Dash asked tentatively. “Return to the Griffon Kingdom?”

“I’m not sure.” With the general chaos of the last few weeks, she hadn’t given it much consideration. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be more guard duty. Though she had to admit this bodyguard mission for their princess had been exciting. “What about you? Are you staying with the Wonderbolts?”

“Of course!” Rainbow shook her rainbow-colored mane. It whooshed over the bandage across her eye. Gilda wasn’t the one who’d received scars from the last battle. “It’s my dream. For good or bad.”

“You know, Gilda, I’ve been talking with General Stormy. And we’ve gotten a proposal that might interest you,” Rainbow said, trying to keep her voice innocent.

“Wait, you aren’t suggesting I join the Wonderbolts, are you?” The idea was ludicrous in the extreme. The stunt flier group was for lame ponies. Rainbow didn’t count. They’d proven their metal during the invasion, but still.

“I mean it, Gilda. You’re the best flier I know! I’ve learned basically everything I know from you!” Rainbow said in a forced bit of flattery.

“Would it really be so terrible? You could act as the Griffon Kingdom’s representative.” Princess Gabby asked. “I’m sure they’d even allow you to keep your rank. It’s the perfect symbolic act to show our kingdom’s budding friendship!”

“Well.” Gilda floundered, recognizing the idea had some luster. She’d be able to hang out with Rainbow again. Heck, she might even see the now-mythical Sonic Rainboom for herself. Its earth-shaking boom had awakened Gilda from a sleep she’d assumed was death.

“I’ll give it some thought,” Gilda said finally.

“Great!”

“I haven’t agreed yet, doofus,” Gilda said, catching the pony’s expression. In Rainbow’s mind, she’d already agreed. While true, the stupid pony could wait on it.

“No hugs, please,” Gilda said, wishing she could push her friend away. She despised sentimentality. But it felt nice. She would enjoy fighting alongside Rainbow Dash in the upcoming days.

“How does Mac and Cheese sound?” Amethyst Star asked as she peeked her head into Dinky’s room. In response, the filly only gave a noncommittal grunt.

“Okay, I’ll call when it’s ready.” After giving a look of concern, her half-sister left for the kitchen.

“How was your day at school?” Amethyst Star asked as they ate supper, slipping at her orange juice. “I’m honestly surprised how quickly they got the schools up and running after the invasion. That’s Princess Sparkle’s efficiency for you.” She outwardly cringed when she mentioned the princess’s name, remembering how much Dinky disliked the mare. But the filly didn’t reply, picking at her food.

When her half-sister didn’t respond, Amethyst Star tried a different tact. “Would you like some ice cream for dessert? I have mint, your favorite.”

“...”

“Okay, I’ll leave some out if you’re still hungry,” Amethyst Star said, finishing her meal. The dead silence hung over the dining room like a cloud, suffocating them both. Despite this, Amethyst Star refused to abandon Dinky, staying strong for her sake.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Dinky.” The mare said, giving her half-sister a hug. While they’d never had a great relationship, the older mare still loved her sister despite their estrangement.

“Star.” Dinky broke down, crying into her sister’s shoulder. It hurt. It just hurt so much knowing her momma was gone. In a single day, she’d lost everything in the cruelest way possible. Would anything ever be right again?

Dinky’s ice cream melted under the falling sun, but she hugged her half-sister tight. She marveled at how the mare continued to love her despite how terribly she’d treated her. She accepted Dinky’s grief without complaint or judgment, a sturdy tree to lean on.

“Could-could I get some more ice cream?” Dinky asked in a quiet voice.

This earned a laugh from Amethyst Star. “Sure, dear. As much as you’d like.”

As sisters, they shared a pail of ice cream as they watched some silly cartoon on the couch. Despite herself, it earned a few chuckles from Dinky. Her mood improved double as Trixie came to visit, eager to play some games with her. The pegacorn’s shining cape impressed Dinky, its flashy colors dazzling her.

While initially having some reservations about the mare, her half-sister soon warmed up to the Kamen Rider, becoming fast friends. They played Go Fish together, though Dinky got the distinct impression the adults were letting her win, the jerks.

“Thanks for stopping by, Trixie. You’re always welcome around here.” Amethyst Star said. Luna’s moon was in its full glory, showing how late the hour had become.

“Of course. Anything for little Dinky.” Trixie said, ruffling the filly’s hair.

“You’re going to Pferdreich tomorrow? Get me some souvenirs!” It sparked Dinky’s imagination, dreaming about far-off lands. While she’d miss the Kamen Rider, the cool souvenirs excited her. And it won’t be forever.

“Sure thing. And don’t worry, I won’t be lonely.” Trixie said. “A special friend is coming along with me, the Princess’s father. We’re going to have plenty of fun together.”

“Okay.” Dinky hadn’t a clue what that meant, but whatever. She shared a hug with the older mare. “I love you, Trixie.”

“Me too, squirt.” Was that a tear in the older mare’s eye? Despite the personal troubles and tragedies, something about this mare made everything okay. She’d miss her momma forever, but somehow she’d gained a new family member.

Chapter 1

Rain pounded against Ditzy’s fur as she solemnly trotted across the graveyard. Her hooves squelched through the mud as she passed countless grave markers, their names indecipherable under the blinding rainstorm. They were anonymous, forgotten by history and everypony else. The Inquisitor likely faced a worse fate, but she trotted forward anyway. She’d take whatever awaited her with a high head.

The knocker sent a resounding boom through the stone door, its rumbling piercing through the heavy rainstorm. Moments later, the mausoleum door opened of its own volition, revealing uneven stone steps leading into the unknown darkness below. Heart heavy, Ditzy abandoned the chilly rain for the even colder passage below.

Her steps echoed through the chamber as she trotted down the steps. The stairs seemed endless, appropriately winding around towards hell itself. Eyes watched her from places unknown, judging her for her failure. And Ditzy didn’t protest, knowing she deserved to burn for her deficiencies. Finally, she stepped into a black chamber. The only light coming from a candlestick that showed the figure she’d known had been waiting for her.

“Doctor.” Ditzy bowed respectfully towards Doctor Shinigami, one of the few remaining Shocker executives. The aged pegasus’s black velvet cape blended into the dark, making him seem like a disembodied head floating in the air.

“Inquisitor Doo, you have some nerve showing your face after your failure during the invasion of World A. I’ve heard all. The Great Leader is dead. Worst still, rebels sat on the Great Leader’s throne, and other nations have rebeled against their rightful masters. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you where you stand?”

Ditzy didn’t argue or refute the general’s accusations. Shocker’s invasion of the other, weaker timeline should have been an easy victory. That universe had neither the Riders nor Rangers to defend it. They’d even brainwashed the Ranger Trixie Lulamoon to their side. Curse Twilight Sparkle. Curse Lux and her meddling.

As the highest-ranking member to survive the invasion, neither dead nor captured, she bore responsibility for the disaster. Ditzy bowed her head against the cold stone floor in surrender. “It is as you say, Doctor Shinigami. But I came here because Shocker needs me. If you think I deserve death, I won’t protest. Do with me as you wish.”

Several long moments passed as the general studied the prostate, Inquisitor. No, Ditzy wouldn’t complain if Doctor Shinigami destroyed her. It was what she deserved. It had almost broken her to learn of the Great Leader’s demise. He’d been a great stallion, a true visionary. Without him, the world was a dimmer place.

“Rise, Inquisitor.” Doctor Shinigami said. “You aren’t to blame for the invasion’s failure. Besides, Shocker can’t afford to lose a mare of your caliber and loyalty. It impresses me you came despite knowing the possible dire consequences.”

“I live to serve.” Tears stung Ditzy’s eyes, moved by the general’s generosity.

With a wave of a hoof, Doctor Shinigami summoned lights, revealing a high-tech laboratory. Tubes glowed with strange chemicals, and computer banks buzzed with activity. It prominently displayed the Shocker’s emblem above the doctor’s throne.

“With Shocker in turmoil, any news is scarce. Report, Inquisitor Doo.”

“I still can’t contact Colonel Zol in Pferdreich. And Commander Cadance…” Ditzy hesitated, hating being the bearer of such terrible news. “She’s vanished. I fear she might have gone mad! Nopony’s seen her since last week.”

“Regrettable, but of little consequence.” Doctor Shinigami replied.

“Sir?” Ditzy blinked. Kamen Rider Cupido was their greatest asset. Without her, Twilight Sparkle might be too powerful to defeat.

“Observe.” The Shocker General waved a hoof, and a tube illuminated the room. Ditzy squinted, unsure what she was looking at. Its skin was dry and skeletal, utmost unrecognizable as a pony. Ditzy gasped as she recognized the dilapidated pink pony, seeing the horn accompanied by the pair of wings.

“Cupido is easy enough to replace.” Doctor Shinigami said. “The original proved too difficult to convert, so we needed to be creative to make our own version.”

So, the three alicorn princesses are gone. Luna fell during the invasion of Canterlot, slain by the Great Leader himself. Celestia perished when she returned from exile in the sun and foolishly challenged Shocker for supremacy. The final had been captured by Shocker, but it'd been a shock to learn the Princess of Love had died long ago.

“Tell me, Inquisitor, is it true Trixie Lulamoon has returned to her world?” Doctor Shinigami asked.

Finally, good news to report to her superior. “Yes, I saw it myself. With the other Princess Luna’s help, she entered the portal she’d used to enter our world.”

“Excellent!” Doctor Shinigami clapped his hooves together. “So our only true obstacle is Twilight Sparkle, Kamen Rider Lux. And from my reports, she is no Ursa Red.”

Hope blossomed in Ditzy’s heart, realizing the truth in the general’s words. While the situation was dire, Shocker still held a tight grip over the world’s nations. Only a single mare and a group of rabble stood in their path. Unlike the Ranger, Lux didn’t have extensive training and experience. “Your wisdom knows no bounds, sir.”

“Then let us begin,” Doctor Shinigami said. “My next experiment will bring an end to the troublesome Kamen Rider.”

Shocker is eternal! Ditzy performed the Shocker salute with pride. With luck, they’d pay back Trixie’s crimes soon enough. She swore the Ranger’s world would burn for the insult they had played against Shocker. Just wait, Trixie Lulamoon. We’re coming for you.

“These Shocker folk just won’t give up!” Applejack said, reporting on the current situation in Equestria’s capital, Ponyville. “Those gosh darn villains almost poisoned my entire crop! Ponies will need to pull their belts tight for this winter.”

“Thanks, AJ. Keep up the good work!” Twilight said. It’d been a common enough story in the last few weeks. Some members of the Shocker remnant seemed intent on burning Equestria to cinders, rather than allowing it to fall into the rebel’s hooves. The entire country seemed to be held together by string and good wishes.

“Sure thing, Princess Sparkle!” AJ replied. “I’ll keep in touch!”

“Please don’t call me that!” Twilight groaned at the nickname she’d gained since the Great Leader’s death. “I’m not of royal blood, and nopony elected me for the role!”

Amused, the farmer pony raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Really? Cause I see only one of us sitting on a throne right now.”

Twilight flushed. “It’s just a comfortable seat, that’s it!”

Her flank currently sat on the throne of the former Great Leader of Shocker. Not because Twilight thirst for power, but it proved a convinent command center. Their resident spy and femme fatale, Rarity, had spruced up the place. She replaced the Shocker logos with decorative lamps and other colorful upholstery. The room had been too gloomy and dark for Twilight’s liking.

She sighed as the apple farmer left, leaving the Kamen Rider with her brooding thoughts. Weeks had passed, but Equestria wasn’t any closer to the free elections Twilight desired. Rooting out Shocker sympathizers proved more difficult than expected. Worse, too many ponies wanted Twilight herself to take Luna’s throne and start a new royal line. Like it or not, Twilight Sparkle was the de facto leader of Equestria.

“Is that all the meetings for today?” Twilight asked her secretary, bone-weary from the matters of state.

“Yepperoni!” Pinkie Pie said after checking a clipboard. “All done for today!”

“That’s a relief.” Twilight wanted to hit her bed and sleep for a week, but she had pressing duties. She needed to plan for her morning meeting with the Griffin Kingdom’s ambassador.

They were Equestria’s best allies during this tumultuous period, proving the most stable of the other countries. Unlike Equestria, the royal family had gone into hiding when Shocker rose to power. It hadn’t been difficult for the Kraus family to resume their position as the empire’s head. Equestria’s system of having eternally wise, godlike ponies as leaders had unexpected downsides. They’d left no obvious heir to take their place!

“Thanks, Pinkie. Your organizing skills have been a lifesaver!” She really needed to work on delegating more tasks. Her workload had become burdensome at late.

“Always happy to help, princess!” Pinkie beamed, accepting the praise with a wide smile.

Twilight groaned at the unwanted nickname and left without another word. Her problems could wait until tomorrow, bed first. Her desire for rest proved fanciful as Starlight Glimmer rushed up to her, a worried expression on her muzzle.

“Is something the matter, Starlight?”

The visitor from another timeline panted, gathering her breath, before finally speaking. “It’s a disaster, princess! Colonel Zol has successfully taken power in Pferdreich. General Fire Flare and her rebels’ attempts to stop him have failed!”

“Ponyfeathers!” Twilight was too tired to care about propriety, and followed Starlight into a computer room. Ticker tape sprouted from a computer. Twilight scanned its contents, revealing the dire news. Colonel Zol, a former Shocker General, had gone rogue, taking the royal throne of Pferdreich, and declared himself king. It was all over the international news.

“This is bad!” Twilight paced. If Zol successfully bolstered his troops, his armies could be a dangerous threat. Pferdreich’s neighbors weren’t in any condition to protect themselves. Heck, even Equestria might fall with the country still in such shambles! What was she to do? She was only a single solitary pony. She couldn’t fight off entire armies!

“And I can’t leave to stop Zol either!” Equestria couldn’t afford for its de facto leader to run off and fight bad guys! What a mess!

“Darling, have you heard about Colonel Zol?” Rarity asked, barging into the room.

“Yeah, just now.” Twilight’s body sagged, weighted down by the burden of this latest threat. “Starlight, see if you can get me data on Pferdreich’s military strength and technology. If they attacked Equestria tomorrow, what would we face?”

She doubted she’d get any sleep tonight. There was too much to plan for. Equestria needed to gather military funds sooner than she’d expected. Dear Shocker, how would other countries take this news? Would they mirror Zol’s thirst for conquest? How would the griffon ambassador react? While the griffon lands were a scattered collection of states, they could be a serious threat if they gathered together and attacked Equestria! There was too much to plan for!

“Oh, dear. Are you okay, darling?” Thankfully, Rarity never used the princess moniker everypony else had given her.

“No, I’m fine.” Twilight lied. “It’s just the burden of being a leader!”

“When’s the last time you’ve slept, Twilight?” Rarity asked, concern entering her voice.

“It doesn’t matter. Give me some coffee, and I’ll be right as rain!”

The spy clicked her tongue. “No, this won’t do. A mare needs her beauty sleep!” Without warning, the mare grabbed Twilight with her magic. Tired from the day’s events, the Kamen Rider was too weak to protest. She winced as Rarity unceremoniously dropped her before the door of her quarters.

Twilight opened her mouth, but Rarity beat her to the punch. “No, buts. You’re plum tired, dear. Yes, Zol’s rise to power is concerning, but it’s a matter that can wait till morning. He can’t attack anypony anytime soon. You need to be rested and clear-headed if you wish to combat him. Besides, it isn’t certain he’ll even keep his power. I’ll do what I can to help General Fire Flare.”

“Makes sense, I suppose.” Twilight couldn’t help it. She was a natural worrier. “Thanks, Rarity. You’re a good friend. I’m glad to have a smart pony like you on my side.”

“Think nothing of it, dear. Good night.” With a wave, Rarity left.

As Twilight snuggled into her sheets, her fuzzy mind returned to Zol, Shocker’s former overseas ambassador. He’d oppressed Shocker’s other member nations with an iron hoof. It was a shock he’d betray Shocker for his own personal power. It brought Twilight a horrible sense of dread, knowing he’d be a terrible tyrant to the people of Pferdreich. Ponies were suffering, and she couldn’t do a darn thing about it.

What I’m I talking about? I’m a Kamen Rider! I’ll tear him from Pferdreich’s throne with my bare hooves! While still anxious, she had delightful dreams of Rider Kicking the former Shocker General in the face.

The city of Ponyville was bustling with activity as Trixie walked along its streets. Cars whizzed by. Ponies joked, laughed, and went about their business. Nopony paid her any mind as she slipped past the crowds. Posters depicting the mare of the hour, Twilight Sparkle, lined the walls of buildings. Trixie snorted at them with disgust. It annoyed her that Lux had replaced the Great Leader of Shocker in all but name. But she’d change that. Trixie would show everypony who was the real hero.

But I have unfinished business first. Trixie’s dusty cloak billowed in the wind as she scanned the crowd, knowing her target couldn’t be far. She enjoyed eating at a local establishment called Sugarcube Corner. While technically in hiding, the Shocker agent couldn’t resist her sweet tooth.

Hiding behind a mailbox, Trixie watched the entrance of the colorful gingerbread cottage. She got cavities just looking at it. Still, the delightful odor made her mouth water. She needed to return sometime. It’d been years since she’d had anything approaching a confectionary. You didn’t find cupcakes in sewer systems.

Her musing about her lost life ceased when her target finally appeared. While hidden by a floppy cap and a trench coat, Trixie would recognize the blond lavender-colored unicorn pony from anywhere.

Lavender Lace ducked into Sugarcube Corner, acting as casually as possible. A portly blue earth pony mare greeted Trixie’s target and took the mare’s order. After getting her order, Lavender left. She slipped around a corner, doing her best to avoid getting noticed. Unfortunately for her, Trixie intended on dogging her until the end of time.

For several hours, Trixie’s target slipped around Ponyville. She sent worried, furtive glances around her, her anxiety heightening to a fevered pitch. Trixie had allowed her target to realize she was being followed. Lavender tried in vain to slip away, but Trixie doggedly kept on her trail. Finally, she ducked into an old abandoned hoofball stadium.

The dilapidated bleachers overlooked a torn, weed-filled hoofball field. Trixie’s target stood amongst some broken seats wearing an ugly scowl.

“I know you’re out there!” Lavender Lace said. “Show yourself!”

On cue, Trixie appeared from behind a pillar, meeting her nemesis face to face. She kept her cloak on and studied the other mare. From Lavender’s expression, she didn’t recognize Trixie.

“Who are you?” Lavender asked. “A bounty hunter? A Lux crony? A PI? You have some guts coming after a Shocker operative. I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with. I used to be second in command to Doctor Shinigami himself!”

“So, you don’t recognize me?” Trixie scowled, answering her own question. None of her other targets had membered her, either. They’d ruined her life beyond repair and didn’t care. Unforgivable!

“Should I?” Lavender raised her head in a haughty expression. She gasped as Trixie removed her cloak, revealing her wings. They were the fruit of this mare’s twisted experiment.

“My name is Trixie Lulamoon. And unlike you, I remember you most specifically. You were Twilight Velvet’s assistant during the experiment that made me like this!”

Comprehension dawned on the mare. “Wait, weren’t you the volunteer for the advanced enhancement program? Incredible. Shouldn’t you be dead? Your body lost all molecular cohesion!”

“Yes, it did. You scraped what little remained of me off the floor, then tossed me down a garbage disposal. But I wasn’t dead. I persevered!” Trixie had spent years as basically a pile of goop. It had taken years of effort to reconstitute herself back into a pony.

“And you have wings. You must have taken pegasus characteristics when we infused you with their magic!” Instead of horror, the Shocker scientist only showed a scientific curiosity about Trixie’s predicament.

“Three ponies died because of it!” They recruited two unicorns and one pegasus for the experiment. But when their magic was being infused into Trixie, it had gone catastrophically wrong. The magical imbalance had killed them and cursed Trixie with a worse fate.

“Oh, this is about revenge,” Lavender said, yawning. Apparently, Trixie’s tragic backstory was a tiresome bore to her. Like other members of Shocker, no heart thumped within her chest. “You are a foal! You probably think I’m just some lackey scientist, but I’m almost as deadly as Doctor Shinigami himself! Did you think we did those enhancement surgeries for fun?”

Lavender’s body changed, her hair whitening and extending across her body. The parts not covered by hair hardened into grotesque gray skin. She was barely recognizable as a pony.

“You can call me the Snowpony, one of Doctor Shinigami’s deadliest killers!” The monster said, stomping towards her seemingly helpless victim. Like the others, the Snowpony didn’t know what they faced.

Trixie extended a hoof and waved it across her body. Her stomach rippled as a metal device grew from her flesh. Its carapace was golden with a red x that glowed with a brilliant light from a jewel encased in its middle. Its formation caused waves of agony to pass through her body. But the pain only heightened her determination and thirst for revenge.

“Henshin!”

Light exploded from her belt, consuming her body, changing it. A black exoskeleton hardened around her fur. Her bottom half turned bright yellow with black stripes, warning her foes of her dangerous nature. Crimson arm guards formed around her legs. Her eyes extended outward, growing into red jewels, whose eyes saw the world in a different light. Antennae grew from her forehead, and her face lost its pony feature and became more insect-like, becoming the color of blood. Her wings became transparent, folding behind her.

When Twilight Velvet hadn’t just merged Trixie’s magic with three other ponies. The mad scientist had fused Trixie’s DNA with a grasshopper, making Trixie lose her equinity. This monster form was that twisted experiment's ultimate result.

“What?” Despite her beast-like muzzle having little resembling a face, the Snowpony recoiled, horrified.

“Lux isn’t the only pony with power. You can call me Kamen Rider Protean.” Trixie bent down towards the ground, pouncing with frightening force.

The monster howled in pain as Trixie pounded her chest with her hooves. Each jab was lightning fast, almost impossible to see. The Snowpony staggered backward, sending a backhoof toward Protean’s face in retaliation. With a deft movement, Trixie slipped around the attack. Her back hooves kicked her opponent across the stadium.

Dirt flew as Lavender landed in a crater. With some effort, the Shocker monster struggled to her hooves. She grunted in frustration as Trixie used her insect-like wings to hover over her. Protean had proven a stronger opponent than the Shocker scientist realized.

With a meaty hoof, Snowpony whipped blood from the slit that constituted her mouth. “Not bad for a freak. But I’m the strongest of Doctor Shinigami’s monsters. Prepare to meet your death!”

With powerful bone-crushing swings, the monster went on the offensive. Despite blocking them, Trixie felt each blow vibrate through her body. Lavender proved a more skilled fighter than she’d expected. A misjudged dodge after a clever faint left Protean open for a devastating blow to the chest. Trixie staggered back, crying in pain.

“Die, Rider!” A punch jabbed towards Trixie’s head, intending to cave her skull in. But Snowpony was fighting a Kamen Rider, a troublesome opponent even for Shocker's best. Her opponent gasped in surprise as Trixie’s front legs stretched forward, wrapped around Snowpony’s punch and stopping it whole.

“What?!”

“I’m not like other ponies, thanks to you,” Trixie said, hiding a smirk under her helmet. “My body is more pliable than most.” Snowpony howled in pain as their skulls connected and staggered back.

A barrage of jabs and kicks overwhelmed Snowpony, who struggled to fight back. Each blow seemed to hit its mark. Trixie’s legs seemed fluid, able to attack from any direction she wished.

“Protean Shining Rider Punch!” The blow sent Snowpony flying, crashing into a stadium wall overseen by bleachers. Her wings fluttered to life, flying high into the air. Trixie glared at her prone opponent with contempt, taking delight in her helplessness. This wouldn’t return her to normal, but it gave her a measure of satisfaction.

“Protean Spinning Rider Kick!” Her wings buzzed at blinding speeds as Protean drove down toward her opponent. The blow connected with Snowpony’s chest, her body buried deep into the wall. Moments later, the monster’s body exploded, erupting into a fireball as Trixie landed.

“That’s another one down.” While Trixie’s quest had succeeded with her previous marks, tougher challenges still awaited her. From a Combatpony she’d interrogated, Trixie had learned a high-level Shocker executive had come into contact with her true target, Doctor Shinigami. With Twilight Velvet reported dead, Twilight Sparkle was the best surrogate for her considerable wrath.

She withdrew a picture of a tiny unicorn from her dusty cloak pocket. The pale purple coat and blond maned filly would help along the next step of her revenge. While it loathed Trixie to involve a foal, it was a necessary evil. Her revenge couldn’t be denied.

Chapter 3

“I hate this!” Twilight stared at the piece of paper sitting on her desk. She’d tried her best to keep it organized, but the demands of her temporary office kept pressing upon her. “This goes against everything I believe in!”

“I’m sorry, darling, but I don’t know what to tell you.” Rarity said, her expression uncharacteristically grave. “Nopony ever said that command was easy.”

“I’ll be sending ponies to their deaths! Fillies and colts are going to lose their parents! Parents will lose their children! Lovers will never be united again! And it’ll be all my fault!” Despair gripped Twilight’s heart. She was asking for a terrible sacrifice. As a Kamen Rider, she’d happily give her life for her ponies, but how could she dare ask the same of others?

I bet this was easy for Princess Luna. She’d ruled Equestria for thousands of years. War was probably old hat for her. Heck, she’d likely met millions of ponies in her long lifespan. To the immortal mare, ponies were like mayflies. Did a single life matter against her countless years? Twilight, however, couldn’t be that indifferent. Her heart cared too much.

“There are no easy answers, but Equestria needs to defend itself.” Rarity replied, speaking the grim truth.

“Yes, more lives will die if I don’t sign this bill.” The truth tasted bitter on Twilight’s lips.

Her cabinet, such as it was, agreed that Equestria needed a standing army to face the budding threat of Colonel Zol. All fifteen had agreed to this measure. Worse, ponies had already volunteered when news of Zol’s ascension had spread across Equestria. It seemed only their princess had any reservations.

Dammit, Rarity’s right! Pushing almost hard enough to break her quill, Twilight signed the Equestrian Service Act into law.

“You’re doing the right thing, princess.” General Stormy Flare, the newly appointed Head of the Department of Defense, said. “Trust me, I’ll get them into tip-top fighting shape!”

Despite Twilight’s reservations, the older mare’s enthusiasm was infectious. Almost a decade ago, Stormy had led the Wonderbolts, an elite group of trick flyers. While not a military unit, per se, they had extensive combat training, often partaking in dangerous search and rescue missions. Nopony in Shocker had taken them seriously, to their error. The retired stunt flier was Twilight’s best military commander at present.

“Thanks, Stormy. I appreciate your help.” The General herself had led the charge to seize the royal palace, capturing most of Shocker’s politicos when news of the Great Leader’s death had spread. Nopony had expected the stunt fliers to go rogue. A great hero who’d saved Twilight from many messy fights with Shocker’s elite.

“Think nothing of it, Princess.” Stormy put a comforting hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “It’s difficult, but you’re making the right choice. Your caution gives you credit. You care about ponies, and that’s a fantastic trait for a leader.”

“And we just rescinded the Military Tax too!” Windowpane, Twilight’s head of Treasury, said. “Some ponies won’t be happy!”

“You can’t please everypony, Windy. Besides, Equestria needs defense. The public will understand.” Rarity replied. “With war looming, ponies want to do their part. Nopony wants anypony from Shocker back in power.”

“It’d help if we hadn’t lost most of our military armaments to Shocker saboteurs. It’s going to be costly to replace.” The former window fixer said, grumbling to himself. He’d been an odd case, recommended by Twilight’s chief spy, Rarity. But he was an effective bureaucrat with an excellent head for numbers. “I’ll figure out something.”

“Don’t worry so much, Win.” Stormy gave the stallion a playful push. “We have a Kamen Rider on our side. Shocker had met its match!”

“Thank you, everypony, for your hard work,” Twilight said, stretching her stiff limbs from hours of paperwork.

Time for a well-deserved break! After dismissing her cabinet, Twilight donned her favorite pseudo-leather jacket and jeans. After her stressful day, she was eager to hit Ponyville’s streets with her motorcycle. Her helmet would hide her face, giving her some peace. She craved the anonymity, even for only an hour.

“Hey, dweeb. I’d like to have a word with you.”

“Captain Gilda? I didn’t know you were still in the royal palace.”

Gilda admired Twilight’s biker outfit. “You aren’t as lame as I thought. You like to ride?”

Twilight ignored the slight and nodded. “It’s a pastime of mine.”

“I’m liking you more by the second. But I’m still not convinced.” Gilda clicked her mechanical talons together, creating sparks. “Join me in the training yard. I want to test your metal, Kamen Rider Lux.”

“Uh.” Twilight faltered, unsure how to respond. Griffons valued strength. She’d read that contests of martial prowess were common among Gilda’s people, especially among the nobility. If a king couldn’t prove their worthiness in battle, they weren’t worth following.

With our alliance so fresh, I can’t afford to show weakness. I need to earn their respect. “You’re on!”

“Good, see you there, Princess Sparkle.” Gilda turned her back towards Twilight. “Don’t disappoint me, dweeb.”

Twilight huffed. Again with the insults? She’d enjoy this bout, showing her stuff.

Finally, finally! Gilda cleaned and oiled every mechanical joint with practiced talons. While a hassle, it was necessary for peak performance. It had impressed her that the pony princess hadn’t cowed when challenged. It’d been too long since she’d fought anyone but a worthless Combatpony.

“Gilda?” A voice said, interrupting her musings. Gilda’s eyes widened in surprise, having not seen this face since chickhood. While most ponies looked identical, this mare’s coloring was unmistakable.

“Rainbow Dash?”

The pegasus flew down towards the training yard, eyes alight with excitement. “It is you. I hardly recognized you!”

Unexpected emotion gripped her griffon’s heart, almost making her dizzy. She buried them, putting on an air of indifference. “Hey Dash, didn’t expect to see you here.”

Rainbow circled around Gilda, studying her foalhood friend’s mechanical enhancements. “What happened to you?”

Keeping her mask of indifference, Gilda gave a noncommittal shrug. “A lot happened after we separated at flight school. Shocker was hard on the griffon people.” Her smile turned nasty. “A mistake they regretted dearly.”

“Oh, Gilda, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” The rainbow pegasus’s ears dropped, her expression turning sullen. “I would have done something if I’d known!”

“It’s ancient history, Dash,” Gilda replied, touched by the pony’s concern.

“So, what are you doing now?” Rainbow asked. “Still working to join the Silverhawks?”

“The Silverhawks?” Gilda hadn’t thought about that name in ages. They were the Griffon Kingdom’s best stunt fliers, the griffon equivalent of the Wonderbolts. “Naw. That was just a childish dream.” Besides, with her condition, she doubted they’d ever allow her to join now.

Rainbow’s wing feathers ruffled, miffed at Gilda’s casual dismissal of her once childhood dream. “What? You used to talk about joining them all the time! You never stopped talking about it!”

Gilda’s temper sharped, annoyed by the reminder that she’d failed that particular dream. “And what, you’re a Wonderbolt?”

Rainbow Dash tensed, her temper similarly sparking into life. “It’s a work in progress! I’m just doing some odd jobs until they recognize my awesomeness!”

She really hasn’t given up? It’s so like her. Was that envy she felt towards her once childhood friend? Ridiculous!

“Once I help kick Zol’s butt, I’ll reapply,” Rainbow said, head held high. “Just wait.”

“Really?” Gilda paused, her heart tightening when her old friend’s words registered. “You’re joining the army?”

“Obviously. They’ll need all the ponies they can get!”

A cacophony of conflicting emotions washed over Gilda, making her almost lose her balance. Rainbow was joining the army. Did she think war was some game? That she was immortal and couldn’t get hurt? The fool, the fool.

Outwardly, Gilda kept her visage of calm while her emotions whirled beneath. The thought of her chickhood getting hurt made Gilda sick to her stomach. Before she could convince her rainbow-colored friend of the folly of her decision, an interloper interrupted them.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Princess Sparkle said, still wearing her biker outfit. “Some other matter of state popped up.”

“Princess Twilight? What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We’re going to spar,” Gilda said, her tone icy.

“Right.” The sudden turn in the griffon captain’s mood put the pony princess on edge.

You asked for this, remember? Zol’s still out there. Gilda released a breath and stretched. She pumped herself up for the fight. The excitement before a battle was always her favorite.

“I’d transform if I were you. You’re facing the peak of griffon technology.” Gilda played with the release of her hidden arm cannon. It was a half-truth, but she refused to give Shocker any credit.

“Okay.” The pony princess sounded unconvinced, but entered a battle pose. She pulled a belt from her coat pocket and attached it to her waist.

“Henshin!” Twilight’s body exploded in brilliant light, becoming a miniature sun. When the light cleared, insect-like battle armor had formed around her body. It hummed with power, creating a slight pulse under Gilda’s talons. Her golden armor seemed to glow with radiant light, a beacon of heroism.

Gilda found the Kamen Rider more impressive than she’d expected. A crowd had formed around them. Princess Gabby bounced up and down to see over pony heads to watch the scene unfold.

“Fancy armor is cool and all, but can you fight?” Without another word or warning, Gilda struck.

The Kamen Rider avoided the sneak attack, proving capable of fighting Gilda blow for blow. She fought with a dancer’s grace, Gilda testing Lux’s ability with every exchange. Much to her delight, her opponent wasn’t an amateur fighter.

Better yet, Twilight was testing her opponent’s back. She pushed Gilda harder, the Kamen Rider’s hooves a blur of motion. A throbbing pain coursed through Gilda’s head as a punch slipped past her defenses and clocked her in the beak.

“Enough warming up.” The griffon captain smiled and licked at the blood leaking from her beak. “Let’s play for real.”

The pony princess grinned back behind her grasshopper-shaped helmet. “I quite agree.”

With a flick of a hand, Gilda’s talons extended. Sparks flew as the blow struck the Kamen Rider’s chest. The pony staggered back and delivered a one-two punch into her opponent’s torso. The pain barely registered, however. Twilight howled as Gilda struck a counter-punch to the ribs and staggered back. The two combatants circled each other, each seeking advantage.

“Go, Gilds!” Princess Gabby cried, cheering her fellow griffon on. Most ponies cheered for their princess, but Rainbow Dash cheered on both sides. Gilda hid a smile, touched by her old friend’s support. Together, they increased the ferocity of the fight.

Gilda applauded the pony princess’s battle instincts, not hesitating to exploit any opening or weakness she spotted. Good. The only way to earn a griffon’s respect was through unrelenting strength.

“Seems I need to get serious too!” Twilight extended an armored hoof, summoning a sword of pure light. She entered a battle stance, goading Gilda on with her other hoof.

With lighting precision, Twilight slashed with her sword. A few feathers got scorched as it slipped past Gilda’s head, but it’d only been a distraction. Pain reverberated through Gilda’s ribs as Twilight struck her at full force.

Cheeky. Undeterred, Gilda went on the offensive. She bombarded the princess with punches and kicks, pushing to overwhelm her opponent. Despite her incredible strength, Lux had a fatal flaw that Gilda exploited. She refused to use her sword for anything but faints, not wanting to seriously hurt her foe. It cost her, sparks flying as talons met armor.

Twilight staggered back, hoof holding her injured midsection. With a grunt of rage, Twilight dropped her reservations and slashed at Gilda with her sword. Instead of targeting flesh, Lux aimed toward disabling Gilda’s mechanical limbs. She proved adept at fighting with both hoof and sword.

But Gilda was a more experienced fighter, sparks flying as Lux received another punishing slash across the chest. Panting, her opponent dropped to a knee. Still, she refused to surrender. In a fury of slashes and punches, she slipped past Gilda’s defenses and struck several punishing blows to the chest.

Below, their audience whooped and cheered, captivated by the show. Gilda took great pleasure some ponies had betrayed their princess, cheering for her instead.

How about I show them why griffons are unbeatable? Gilda stood her ground, faking weakness and allowing her opponent to press the advantage.

With her opening supposedly clear, Twilight swung towards what she supposed was a more vulnerable joint. But Gilda charged forward, heedless of the danger. Metal sizzled as Gilda caught the light sword with her metal talons. Twilight howled in pain as she received a punishing blow to the head from Gilda’s beak. Frustrated, Lux swung a blind uppercut toward Gilda’s head. The punch slipped past harmlessly, Gilda seeing her opening. She slipped off her right arm, revealing the laser cannon beneath.

Her opponent gasped in surprise as a cannon shoved against her chest, too close to avoid. “Zapp Canon!” A burst of red energy blasted from Gilda’s arm cannon, walls shattering to pieces as Lux flew through them, out of control. The princess’s body splashed into the moat that surrounded the castle.

“Oh, come on! We just fixed that too!” The pink pony said in protest.

With her keen vision, Gilda saw crocodiles swim toward the unconscious pony princess. She could only shrug. If Twilight got eaten alive, it was her own fault. Jaws opened wide, eager to consume the pony whole.

You better hope pony doesn’t taste good, princess. Much to Gilda’s astonishment, the teeth of the beast carefully lifted the pony princess from the water and placed her on its back. After seeing that its passenger was secure, it swam toward the dry ground.

“Oh, thank goodness!” A yellow pony said, running towards Twilight. “Thank you, Ken. You are such a dear!” Ken waved its scaly tail like an excitable puppy, happy to be useful.

What?! What the hell was that? Since when were crocodiles pets? Gilda stared, baffled. She watched as the yellow pony revived her princess, checking her vital signs. She sighed in relief, finding Twilight only unconscious.

Startling Gilda from her stupor, Rainbow Dash glared into Gilda’s face. “What do you think you’re doing, Gild?! You could have killed her!”

Gilda reached down and grabbed her discarded mechanical arm. She offered her old friend an indifferent shrug. “It’s not my fault she was too weak to withstand my buster cannon. She has some skill, but nothing more.” Truthfully, it impressed Gilda that Twilight had even survived. Still, the Kamen Rider hadn’t been adequate to defeat her.

“You only won because of that dirty trick! If Twi was fighting for real, she would have kicked your flank!” Rainbow said, a growl in her throat.

Gilda could only snort in response. Every fight should be ‘for real’. Behind her, Princess Gabby apologized profusely for her captain’s actions. Rainbow continued to fume, striking Gilda with an unexpected onset of guilt. She hated upsetting her old friend, but stubbornness insisted she shouldn’t apologize. It wasn’t a griffon warrior’s way. Twilight was weak, so she lost.

Still, Gilda had one last comment before she retreated to her quarters. “Tell your princess this. She wouldn’t defeat Colonel Zol with skills like that. He’d eat her alive.”

Like luck, maybe the pony princess would learn from her failure. If not, Gilda would take Zol’s head instead.

“Argh!” Twilight cried out in pain, her entire body sore and unresponsive.

“Oh, dear!” Fluttershy said, fussing over her friend. “Don’t push yourself, princess! You’re still gravely hurt!” With gentle care, she placed Twilight on the hospital bed. The animal lover was stronger than she looked, taking her friend’s weight without issue. It wasn’t surprising, considering she was a defected Combatpony.

“That jerk!” Rainbow Dash fumed. “I’m so sorry about Gilda, Twi. She’s always been like that. That jerk!” The pegasus switched phases, from being furious to apologetic.

“It’s alright. It was my fault for getting careless.” Twilight managed through gritted teeth. Some Kamen Rider she was.

Trixie wouldn’t have fallen prey to such an unexpected attack. The Ursa Ranger never seemed light on clever tricks, capable of escaping anything. Nothing seemed to put the more experienced warrior off her stride. Trixie oozed supreme confidence with the skills to justify it. She never doubted herself like Twilight.

“Now, don’t move, princess,” Fluttershy said, voice compassionate. “This might hurt a bit.”

A stinging sensation made Twilight hiss as Fluttershy applied a gauze soaked with rubbing alcohol over a gash on Twilight’s forehead. She’d struck an unseen rock in the moat.

Twilight’s obvious shortcomings made her question the wisdom of taking leadership of Equestria. How could ponies count on her if she wasn’t powerful enough to protect them? She accepted the painkillers with grace and swallowed them down with water.

“Oh, dear. So the maid was right.” Rarity said, popping her head into the hospital room.

“Don’t worry, Rarity. I’m fine.” Twilight gave a weak smile. Despite her inner doubts, she couldn’t afford to show weakness.

“Glad to hear it!” Rarity replied. “I’ll do my best to paper over the situation and avoid a major international incident!”

“While you’re mostly only bruised, I want you to get plenty of rest,” Fluttershy said. “No strenuous activity until I say so.”

“But!” Twilight had thousands upon thousands of tasks to perform. She couldn’t afford to lie in bed!

“No buts.” Fluttershy gave her a stare that made her reconsider arguing. “You’ve been overworking yourself. When’s the last time you’ve had a solid night’s sleep, princess?”

When Twilight didn’t reply, Fluttershy nodded in confirmation. “Thought so.”

“Don’t worry, Princess Twi! I got this!” Pinkie said, startling Twilight with her sudden appearance. “As your assistant, I know the ins and outs of everything! If not, I can delegate! And I know just the pony for my assistant! I’ll have everything neat and tidy on your desk. Just as you like it! Nighty night, princess!”

“Oh! And I can help too!” Rainbow Dash waved an enthusiastic hoof in the air.

Rarity smiled as Pinkie zipped away, leaving a cloud trail behind her. Rainbow Dash zipped after her, a pony yelping in surprise as the rainbow mare almost collided with them.

Rarity stifled a chuckle. “You have good friends, Twilight. Don’t worry. We’re always here to catch you when you fall.”

“Thanks.” Twilight found herself unexpectedly moved by their loyalty. Tears stung her eyelids. Still, a dark mood struck her when she considered her failure. Zol was still out there, planning their demise.

Argh, I hate being bedridden when I should be training. Her body ached everywhere, indicating she wasn’t in any shape to do so. Still, she despised inaction!

She leaned back, trying to get comfortable. Despite her best attempts, sleep eluded her as Twilight entered a cycle of perpetual worrying.

As she tossed and turned, her mind wandered. A memory returned to her unbidden. It was back during her foalhood when Cadance had been her foalsitter.

“It’s not fair!” Little Twilight coughed, almost slipping the cold pack from her feverish forehead. “I want to be at school! They’re studying astrophysics this week! I don’t want to be home sick!”

“Really? Most foals want to keep away from school.” Cadance laughed with good humor. “How about this? We do flashcards. That’ll help you get to sleep.”

“Flashcards! Flashcards!” Twilight beamed with excitement. She loved testing her knowledge. It always confused her why foals hated pop quizzes so much.

“Why is the sky blue?” Cadance said, reading the first index card.

“Rayleigh scattering!” Twilight replied. “Light is scattered through the molecules in the air into shorter wavelengths, making blue light visible.”

“Correct!” Cadance nodded, pleased. They’d always enjoyed this little game. “Exact as always. You’ll be a great Shocker Scientist one day.”

“Oh.” Suddenly, Twilight’s mode dampened. A scientist like her mother? While she’d always loved science, her mother was something else entirely. She’d devoted herself to science beyond all other things, even her family. Twilight only saw her mother once every few months. Her father took great care of her and her BBBFF, but her mother’s absence always left a big hole in her life. Did she want to be a scientist if she ended up like her mother? Did her mother even love her?

Sensing she’d stumbled onto a sensitive subject, the Shocker Kamen Rider barreled forward and asked another trivia question. “Who first proposed that the galaxy was expanding?”

The memory made Twilight give a melancholy smile. Cadance had been like an older sister to her. And she’d always suspected that her foalsitter had a terrible crush on her big brother Shining Armor. But the greater context of things brought the bitter truth into perspective. Cadance was a Shocker operative and an enemy of freedom. Worse yet, not even a real pony. Her mind returned to their last battle, the alicorn fleeing bleeding inequine blood. What was her former foalsitter?

Despite their extensive searching, they came up empty. Even Rarity and her expert contacts couldn’t discover a thing. Twilight feared the worst. Despite their differences, she still cared about her former friend.

Ugh, this is why I work myself to death. It keeps me too busy to reflect on my terrible life! I need to get stronger!

While formidable, Kamen Rider’s Lux’s abilities were raw and unrefined. She needed something to focus her considerable photon powers. Her photon sword wasted too much energy, dampening its effectiveness. The various nicks on Gilda’s mechanical limbs were proof of that. While Twilight had made rough sketches of different prototypes, she’d been too busy with matters of state to create a new weapon for herself.

Well, I’m stuck here now. Might as well work on it. Besides, Lux’s battle with Captain Gilda proved she still had miles to go. Kamen Rider Lux needed to get stronger, for everyone’s sake.

When Fluttershy turned her back, Twilight levitated a pen and paper from a nearby desk to her. She threw the covers over her head, hiding her frantic scribbling. Millions of figures played around in her head as plans came into motion.

Chapter 14

“Bright Eyes, no,” Banana Splash said, sinking to her knees. The tiny filly sobbed into her dead friend’s body, overcome with grief.

A laugh echoed as Jigoku-Thunder popped from the sandpit, finally showing herself. “And you will soon join him,” she cackled.

“I won’t allow that,” Pinkie said, her tone frigid cold. Her hair flattened against her head, acting as a curtain over her left eye. Jigoku-Thunder’s mirth stopped, surprised by Pinkie’s expression. It showed no emotion, only pure ice. The Destron monster fidgeted on her hooves in uncertainty, not expecting this side of the usually perky, silly, party-loving mare. She reserved it for the worst of the worst. How dare he make a filly cry?

After a nervous laugh, Jigoku-Thunder regained his bearings. “What will you do, little pony? Throw me a party? Scold me for being a bad little filly?”

“I don’t like it when ponies laugh at other’s pain and misfortune,” Pinkie said, her tone containing no emotion whatsoever. “Laughter is meant to bring mirth and brighten spirits. Bad ponies like you besmirch its meaning.”

“And I’ll continue to laugh, once you’re a lifeless corpse!” Jigoku-Thunder said, trying her best to not sound ruffled. Pinkie didn’t reply, continuing her icy stare.

“Die!” Jigoku-Thunder sprang forward, hoof extended for a punch to the face. She jerked in surprise as her blow missed her prey, Pinkie avoiding it with a single step back. A follow-up punch met empty air, Pinkie already knowing where her opponent would strike.

“What?” Jigoku-Thunder jerked in pain as a sudden jab stabbed her ribs, almost toppling over as Pinkie’s next attack struck her in the kidney. Jigoku-Thunder stepped back in fear as Pinkie suddenly appeared in her face, eyes staring an icy, blank glare.

“Huh?” Banana Splash said, convinced they’d been a goner.

“Damn you!” Jigoku-Thunder jumped back, her body clearly fighting back nausea. Pinkie said nothing in reply. This monster wasn’t worth talking to. She stood still, waiting for her opponent to make the next move.

“What’s happening? You aren’t a Rider! You shouldn’t be this big of a problem!” Jigoku-Thunder said, a hint panic entering her voice, only for the Destron monster to laugh at her foolishness. “No, you never stood a single chance! Drown like your friends!”

With a leap, Jigoku-Thunder disappeared into the sand beneath them. The monster’s laugh echoed through the chamber as coarse grains of sand pelted them from above. Banana Splash quivered in terror, holding onto her fallen friend for comfort. Pinkie, however, allowed the raining sand to bury her, her mane sparkling as sand got into its length. Sand continued to fill the chamber, rising almost to Pinkie’s barrel.

Banana Splash watched her guardian in distress, wondering why Pinkie didn’t struggle against the sand threatening to engulf her. Behind the filly’s eyes, Pinkie saw despair and resignation to her inevitable demise. While Pinkie wanted to reassure her, she kept her expression neutral. Any distraction would prove disastrous.

“Die!” A hoof reached out from beneath the sand, eager to bury her alive. A twitch and Pinkie already knew which direction to dodge.

Her opponent repeated the trick, only to receive the same results. Frustrated, Jigoku-Thunder burst from the ground for a different tactic.

“Fine!” Jigoku-Thunder said, hobbling towards her opponent. “We’ll do this the hard way! You’ll wish I gave you death from suffocation!” When Pinkie offered no reply, Jigoku-Thunder became more frantic. She was used to her prey cowering in fear, and this distinct disinterest unnerved her.

A set of wild punches assailed Pinkie, each hitting nothing. From the brief exchange, Pinkie noted her opponent had no actual fighting skills. Jigoku-Thunder was a trapping predator, unused to getting prey in the open.

“Oof!” Jigoku-Thunder’s head jerked back as she received a sudden punch to the face. But it didn’t seem to do much, only annoying Pinkie’s foe. How bothersome. Her earth pony strength might not be enough to defeat this monster.

“Pfft!”

Banana Splash jerked in fear as a sudden voice tried to get her attention. With a nervous glance, she turned in that direction.

“Professor?” Banana Splash’s jaw dropped in shock. After Bright Eye’s terrible demise, she’d assumed everypony on this trip was dead! “H-how are you still alive? Where’s Black Light?”

Doctor Spectro’s expression fell, sniffing. “Gone, like Bright Eyes, along with the guards. I was lucky. After almost suffocating, I played dead. This Shocker ruffian didn’t bother to examine the body of an old stallion.”

“That’s great!” Banana Splash said, unable to control her relief that else had survived. She clamped her hooves over her mouth, fearful she’d given them both away. But Jigoku-Thunder didn’t even notice, more interested in finishing the strange pink earth pony.

“But, what now? We have to help Pinkie!” The words sounded stupid the second they’d left her mouth, but they couldn’t abandon her savior! Much to Banana Splash’s relief, the professor nodded in agreement.

“Quite right! That ruffian was gone too far! And we’re going to stop her!” Doctor Spectro said, with feeling.

“Not to knock you, professor. But how will we accomplish that?” While Pinkie could inflict some damage, she seemed incapable of finishing the job.

Doctor Spectro’s eyes lit with mischief. “Oh, yes! With this!” He held out a strange device.

“What’s that?”

“A prototype energy converter. The princess allowed me to borrow it from Ambassador Hell’s lab. I’ve been fiddling with it. I figure with a suitable crystal, we could use it as a weapon to help defeat that ruffian!”

“But wouldn’t we need a power source? Wasn’t this meant to be used with Kamen Rider Lux’s photon powers?”

Her professor’s expression sagged somewhat. “Yes, that is a snag in my otherwise brilliant plan.”

Neither spoke for a long moment, the severity of their situation striking home. Even if they fled the cavern system, Ponyville was miles away. The cavalry wouldn’t arrive until it was too late.

“Wait!” A sudden idea struck Banana Splash, remembering her crystal analyzer. It used light to analyze a crystal’s properties and used a powerful battery! With some fiddling, it could shine a powerful burst of light into the energy! But they’d only have a single shot. It will sap the battery’s remaining power and fry the analyzer’s circuitry. Stumbling over her words, Banana Splash explained her plan.

“Nice thinking, Banana Splash! You truly are a once-in-a-generation genius!”

The filly hid her face to disguise the reddening of her cheeks. “We best hurry.” A sudden idea occurred to her. “I think I know where we might find our crystal. Pinkie showed me where she thought she’d found some promising crystals.” Her rock farming experience had to count for something, right?

“Lead the way!”

Banana Splash’s hopes were dashed to splinters when she redirected her attention back toward Pinkie’s desperate fight against Jigoku-Thunder. The pink mare had a bloody gash across her forehead, leaking blood over her uncovered eye. Worse, her left leg hung at an odd angle, likely broken. Despite her remarkable dodging skills, Pinkie couldn’t keep up the fight forever.

“Here?” Banana Splash examined the crystal chamber, with little to distinguish its fellows. How could they find anything among this glittering horde? She reflexively gagged as she spotted her professor licking a rock.

“It’s an old rock farmer’s trick.” Doctor Spectro said defensively. “It hasn’t failed me yet.”

“We could try methods that are more scientific?” Banana Splash’s eye twitched. Their freaking lives were on the line!

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” Her professor said, sniffing a random crystal on the ground.

We’re so doomed! At least this chamber wasn’t as filled with sand. She shifted through it, scanning each crystal with her scanner. Her heart blackened in further despair as each proved more useless than the last.

A cry of pain made her jump, and her heart froze as a pink figure crashed into a nearby crystal wall, shattering it. A familiar laugh taunted them as it entered the chamber, gloating victoriously.

“Pinkie!” Banana Splash froze in fear as she stood over the princess’s fallen assistant. She was in terrible shape, struggling to lift her head. The blood dripping down her flat mane made Pinkie appear ghoulish, her gaze promising retribution. With some effort, she pushed herself to her hooves.

“How is she still standing?” Banana Splash said, marveling. “Her body should be passed by now.”

Pinkie dashed forward to meet her foe. While each move pained her, the earth pony continued to stay a step ahead. Despite the beating, her efforts had taken a toll on Jigoku-Thunder. The Destron monster’s movements seemed more sluggish, not used to exerting herself so hard. But that didn’t save Pinkie from the pain. More crystal walls shattered as the earth pony slammed into them. She barely had the energy to keep standing, only surviving through sheer stubbornness.

Tears stung Banana Splash’s eyes as she dug further into the sand, trying to honor Pinkie’s sacrifice. But each crystal reported negative, making her efforts seem more pointless. Her professor, however, only seemed more determined. An energy seemed to have overtaken him, moving like a pony forty years younger. He rummaged through the broken wall, calling Banana Splash over.

“Here! Try this one.” Her professor said after he sniffed a crystal and peered into it for several seconds.

“Okay.” Banana Splash’s hopes rose as the readings began, but when she read the final figures. “Nope. It’ll only hold the charge for a couple of seconds.”

But inspiration struck, her face lighting up with hope. “Which might be all we need! We only got one shot, anyway!”

“Brilliant, young lady! That might work! Hand your scanner over quickly!” Before it even touched his hooves, the device’s back was already open. With deft hooves that belied his age, the professor fiddled with the wires and connected the two devices in a complicated procedure Banana Splash couldn’t understand. But their good fortune proved short-lived.

“Ugh!” Pinkie floundered, struggling to stay on her hooves. Her body was a bloody mess, battered almost beyond recognition. “No, must keep going,” she muttered, but her words faltered, collapsing to her knees. While she’d fought a good fight, Pinkie had reached her limits.

“No!” Banana Splash’s heart raced as Jigoku-Thunder approached her opponent with a casual gait, making Pinkie suffer in utter helplessness as she awaited death.

I have to do something, but what? While a unicorn, Banana Splash’s magical skills were subpar at best. Levitation was her best spell. Even then, her lifting power was limited. But it didn’t matter. If Pinkie died, there was nothing between them and certain death.

I need to be strong! I need to be strong, or else we’ll die. Pinkie wasn’t moving, only the slight movement in her chest indicating she was alive. Despite the hopelessness of their situation, a strange calm overtook her. With her death almost a certainty, what else did she have to lose?

“Hey, leave her alone!” Hardly believing her own actions, a crystal shattered against Jigoku-Thunder’s head as she hurled it toward the creature.

Instead of being insulted, the Destron monster only seemed amused. “You’re challenging me, little filly?”

“Yeah, take that! Had enough yet?” Please hurry, professor. When she turned to check his progress with his thingamajig, Banana Splash had found he’d vanished. Her fake calmness vanished when she realized she was alone with this monster.

“Uh, er. Never mind!” Banana Splash laughed nervously, cursing her professor for abandoning her to her doom.

“You have some guts, filly.” With Pinkie out for the count, Jigoku-Thunder turned her sadistic games towards Banana Splash. What a lucky day.

Cursing the late Luna in heaven, Banana darted towards a far exit to escape. She could at least lure the Destron monster away from Pinkie. But her short legs betrayed her, the sand filling the chamber almost impossible to run through. Jigoku-Thunder, however, suffered no impediment. With a casual gait, the monster approached, not fearing that her prey would escape.

“Come here.” Banana Splash flailed as Jigoku-Thunder picked her up like a kitten by the scruff of her neck. To save herself, she squirmed with everything she had to wiggle free. But it proved futile, only getting her tossed into a nearby crystal pillar for her trouble. Jigoku-Thunder laughed as her prey struggled to breathe, the wind blowing out of her.

“Useless,” Jigoku-Thunder said, laughing over Banana Splash’s prone form. “What did you hope to accomplish?”

“A nifty distraction!”

Destron monster turned towards the sound, gasping in surprise as Pinkie launched herself towards her with something silver in her hooves. Before Jigoku-Thunder could respond, the earth pony thrust the device into the monster’s chest, right above the heart. The creature’s antlion carapace glowed red, face twisting with pain. The light within intensified before going dim and extinguishing.

“Huh?” Pinkie looked into the lens of the device before shaking it. The crystal within it had gone black. “I was hoping it’d become a cool sword! How disappointing!”

“How dare you!” Jigoku-Thunder said, her steps wobbly.

An ugly black mark hung over her heart where the heat of the light beam had cauterized the wound. Banana Splash’s muzzle twitched at the revolting smell of charred meat. Remarkably, the Destron monster was still alive. She heaved with each breath, her movements becoming more unsteady.

“You’re dead!” Jigoku-Thunder swung a wild punch toward Pinkie’s head. Even beaten as she was, the earth pony still dodged with ease.

“Stay down, jerkface!” A shockwave erupted through the cavern as Pinkie punched the Destron monster in the chest, and the creature collapsed. If she was dead or only unconscious, Banana Splash couldn’t tell.

“Banana Splash, are you okay?” Pinkie said, rushing to her aid.

“I’ll live.” Though Banana Splash doubted she’d forget this harrowing encounter. Maybe her father was right. She should have chosen a career in tap dancing instead. “What about you? The thing almost killed you!”

“I’ll be fine. A few bandages, and I’ll be right as rain!” While her hair hadn’t returned to its usual puffiness, Pinkie seemed otherwise herself.

“That’s good to hear,” Doctor Spectro said, whipping a handkerchief over his sweaty brow. “Thank Shocker, our plan worked! I feared the device might explode in your hooves!”

“Great, and now we’ve lost our scanner!” Banana Splash said, signing. “We’ll never find our special crystal now!”

“Oh, chin up! We’ll find it, eventually.” Pinkie said. “Professor, while you’re getting help, please find a broom too! We’ll need one.”

“Sure thing!” Doctor Spectro was already heading towards the exit.

“Why?” Banana Splash asked, baffled.

“Because the place is a mess, silly!” Pinkie replied. “We can’t just leave the crystal cave like this with sand everywhere. My rock farm heritage won’t allow it. Besides, we might stumble upon the right crystal as we work! My rocky instincts are screaming, it’s in this room!”

“But, you’re half-dead!” Banana Splash found herself lost for words. “Okay.” She sighed, wondering what happened to the cool, fearless Pinkie that fought Destron monsters. “We need to clean up every piece of sand?” Banana Splash asked, dreading the answer.

“Yep!” Pinkie said, beaming. “We should have it done before the ambulance arrives! Can’t dally when work needs doing. That’s what I always say!”

I should have become a tap dancer. Banana Splash thought as her professor returned with two brooms and dustpans.

Epilogue

“Interesting. Thank you for telling me, Cadance.” Twilight Velvet said. The news was unwelcome. Destron was proving to be a bothersome cockroach. Marshal Yoroi wouldn’t be an easy adversary for her daughter. A ruthless, cunning foe who was sure to use every dirty trick to obtain victory.

Still, her efforts to propel Twilight to greatness had succeeded more magnificently than she’d ever calculated. It brought her great satisfaction that her daughter had ascended to princesshood, becoming the sole guardian of Equestria. Seeing the pathetic Shocker remnant crumble under her daughter’s hoof pleased Twilight Velvet.

This new threat, however, threatened everything Twilight Velvet had spent her life planning for. While she trusted her daughter’s abilities, she’d allow nothing to chance. “Cadance, watch my daughter from the shadows. Eliminate any assassins who dare target my daughter.” She couldn’t have her Twilight die to some random poison, not when higher greatness was close to hoof.

“Yes, Twilight Velvet,” Cadance said without emotion, obeying like a good automaton should. Personally, Twilight thought she should have reprogrammed the Kamen Rider years ago. But she hadn’t realized then her daughter’s former foalsitter was a facsimile of a pony, a tool created by Shocker to further their goals. But it’d worked out regardless, the foalsister influencing Twilight as she wished, teaching her useful interests she’d need later in life, like a love for martial arts. Twilight Velvet wouldn’t have tolerated the association otherwise.

“Protect her, but never coddle her.” Strife and conflict made a pony strong, pain being an apt teacher. Her Twilight needed to be mighty for her future destiny.

“Soon, my dear Twilight Sparkle, you will become a God, the herald that will bring ponykind into a new age.”