//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Galaxy Rangers: The Movie - Shocker Crisis! // by Rixizu //------------------------------// Galaxy Rangers: The Movie - Shocker Crisis! Chapter 15 by Rixizu “Guys, how did you get here so fast?” Trixie asked, relieved to see her friends safe. Raindrops sported some ugly bruises on her face but otherwise seemed in good health. “More interlopers.” While the Great Leader wore a hood and cloak which hid his features, Trixie knew he’d be fuming with rage right now. He continued to glare at his hated foes balefully from the sidelines, still not intervening in the fight. Carrot Top sighed. “Don’t ask. I think I lost a few years off my life!” “Don’t be like that, Carrot. Rainbow did her best.” Ditzy turned her attention back to Trixie. “Rainbow Dash created a makeshift skycar. It was… interesting. But, hey! We got here safely!” “We’d get here sooner, but that evil Raindrops got in the way,” Cheerilee said. “She was pretty tough, but we somehow defeated her, um me, um her?” Raindrops added. “Apparently she comes from another timeline? It’s unbelievable I’d ever turn out like that. I hope.” A wave of brooding self-pity passed over her face. She’d seen something of herself in the Shocker version of herself she didn’t like. “I’m just glad you’re all safe!” Trixie waved her hooves frantically, attempting to dispel her friend’s dour mood. “Us too!” Lyra said. “What were you thinking of running off on your own! I won’t ask why you’re hanging out with an evil cult leader.” “I’m not a cult leader! The word is visionary!” Starlight’s words fell on deaf ears and everypony ignored her. “I had to retrieve the Elements before Shocker got their grubby little hooves on them! It didn’t exactly work out, but hey! We’re all together now. It’s got to count for something!” Trixie said, offended, “And I didn’t go alone, I had Pokey!” “Who you almost got killed in a train crash!” Pokey’s voice became a low growl of irritation. “That wasn’t my fault, it was the other Trixie!” Lyra gapped. “Other Trixie?” Trixie said nothing, only pointing towards the black figure fighting the princess. Luna slashed the Ranger with her scythe, but other Trixie only wobbled before sending the princess through a statue. “Dear Luna!” Cheerilee exclaimed. “How can she be so powerful?” A tisking sound interrupted their conversation. Cadance approached, wiping the dust off her leather coat. Other than her ruffled mane, she seemed otherwise unhurt. “She isn’t even close to Shocker’s true power. An amusing experiment, at best.” “Why are you doing this?” Cheerilee stepped forward wearing an angry scowl on her face. “Why are you invading our world?” “Because it is our right!” The Great Leader extended a hoof before stomping it on the ground. “Shocker shall become the supreme presence in all existence. It is our ultimate calling! To bring the perfect evolution to all creatures!” A small smile formed on Cadance’s mouth, who nodded. “And then everypony shall experience true and lasting peace under Shocker’s loving grasp.” “What a load.” Lyra spat on the ground. “You’re a bunch of bullies, that’s it!” “Take care of them Kamen Rider Cupido.” The Great Leader extended a hoof skyward. “Show them what happens to those who oppose Shocker!” “My pleasure!” Cadance pulled out a belt, not unlike Twilight’s, attaching it to her waist. “Henshin!” Darkness surrounded her, revealing an insect-like armor. Apparently, bugs were popular amongst Riders. Cadance was also grasshopper themed. Though, thankfully, she wore more appropriate dark colors. For some reason, she appeared more like a good guy than the real hero, Lux. Shining gave out a whinny. “She’s a Rider too? Never thought I’d have to fight an evil version of my marefiend.” “Really? How interesting.” Cadance gave the stallion a tilt of her head, before snorting in laughter. “Nah, he looks like a dork.” Shining winced. “Ouch.” “Bring it on!” Lyra brandished her lyre, ready and eager for battle. “This is our world, and you can’t have it!” Ditzy smacked her hooves together. “What they said!” Trixie said with a confidence she didn’t share. She knew what power Shocker wielded, but didn’t want to waver her friends’ resolve. Whatever happened, she had their back. Somehow, they’d win this. Together, they were unstoppable! Shining Armor and Starlight Glimmer might be helpful too, she guessed. Twilight continued her battle with Ambassador Hell, who sent a barrage of whip strikes in her direction in a dizzying pattern. The Rider was too preoccupied to lend her aid. In the other fight, Luna flew above the Evil Trixie, sending an onslaught of magic beams down towards her. Like water flowing through a pipe, the Ranger dodged around them and Luna cried out in pain as other Trixie threw a bench into her which shattered on impact. “Suffer.” Cadance grew a sword from her belt. Much to Trixie’s shock, before she ended her blink, the Rider was already on her, swinging it towards her. “Trixie!” Shining screamed in warning, and Trixie winced as Cadance’s sword bounced off a shield Shining had summoned. “T-Thanks.” Trixie couldn’t believe the other mare’s speed. Dear Luna, what had they gotten into? Maybe they should imitate the much wiser Pokey who hid behind a nearby shrubbery. “Take this!” Lyra summoned a shockwave with her lyre which tore the ground asunder and threw Cupido off her hooves. The Rider extended her wings, unbothered by the attack. Cadance moved to strike Lyra but paused as eight different Lyra’s appeared. Trixie prayed Cadance didn’t have one of those stupid illusion detecting devices and pulled Lyra to safety. Cupido eyed her surroundings, not falling for the bait and attacking the fake Lyras. Trixie had pulled them both into a cloak of illusion, but it was a rushed job and wouldn’t hold up to hard scrutiny. Raindrops and Cheerilee used the distraction to send punches the Rider’s way, but Cadance ignored them, more focused on targeting Trixie. “Got you.” Cadance turned towards the bush Trixie and Lyra were hiding behind. “Take this!” Ditzy swooped down at full speed and crashed into Cadance, and the mare stumbled a few steps and her sword just missed taking a generous portion from Trixie’s head. “Irritant!” Ditzy screamed as Cadance back hoofed her into a nearby statue. “Ditzy!” Rage filled Trixie and she charged, summoning more Trixies than she’d ever attempted before. Cadance stumbled around trying to find the real one. She cut a Trixie she’d thought was the genuine one, but the illusion only stuck her tongue out at her before dissipating. This served as the perfect distraction for Lyra, who bombarded the Rider with sonic blasts. Starlight joined the fight by shooting magical beams that staggered Cadance. Trixie’s fake selves made it difficult to pinpoint where Lyra was attacking from. Raindrops and Cheerilee continued to pound Cupido with their hooves while Ditzy and Carrot Top used their bodies to divebomb her, keeping the mare unbalanced. Shining’s shield blocked any attack from Cadance’s sword. He strained from the effort and kept his shields small to conserve energy. Sure, they weren’t fighting fair, but they couldn’t win in a straight-up contest. Trixie only hoped this would wear the mare down enough to beat her. Much to her shock, Cadance only laughed. “Not a bad strategy, but I could do this all day!” Instead of fighting back, she stood still and let them bombard her with attacks, showing how little they actually bothered her. It didn’t take long for their attacks to become slower, exhausted by their efforts to hurt the Rider. “Uh, now what guys?” Trixie asked, realizing how much Cupido was playing with them. “This isn’t over!” Starlight ran forward and her horn glowed so bright everypony had to avert their eyes. A brilliant, devastating beam of turquoise light shot from her horn, throwing Cadance off her hooves. The beam caught several of Trixie’s friends in the crossfire, reducing statues to rubble as the Rider smashed through them until she slid to a halt, motionless. “That takes care of that.” Starlight panted, looking almost on the verge of collapsing. “Hey!” Ditzy glared as she untangled herself from a bush. “It worked, didn’t it? One down, three to go.” Starlight showed no shame that she’d accidentally hurt several of her allies. She gave the Great Leader a smug smile who didn’t even twitch in reply. Instead, he focused on the fight between Ambassador Hell and Twilight. “Um, guys.” Shining pointed a trembling hoof as Cadance rose back to her hooves and stretched unbothered by getting thrown almost twenty hooves. “You guys are such fun,” Cadance replied, “it’s cute you think you can actually win.” “Let’s even the odds.” Cadance screamed in genuine pain as Luna appeared from nowhere and her scythe slashed the Rider across the chest and sparks flew from the impact. “You little!” Cadance crossed weapons with the Princess, standing face-to-face. “You share my daughter’s face, but your heart is full of evil. It doesn’t contain the love my Cadance has,” Luna said. “Like I care.” The two flew around the garden, dodging and exchanging blows. Trixie didn’t know how Luna kept up the fight after everything and could barely follow their movements. It didn’t stop her from creating subtle illusions that confused Cadance enough for Luna to get the upperhoof on her. Ditzy and Raindrops flew up to help, attacking the Rider’s blind spot whenever she was vulnerable. Lyra helped too, sending shockwaves to create more confusion. “Enough playing.” The voice of the Great Leader startled Trixie, who’d almost forgotten he was there. The other Trixie stood next to him obediently, waiting for her next orders. “Trixie, join the fight with Cadance and crush all in your sight!” Trixie cursed as the Ranger leaped at blinding speed towards the fight and sent everypony flying from the impact as she punched Luna in the gut causing her to scream in pain. Much to Trixie’s horror, the princess had difficulty standing up. Evil Trixie sent another punch towards Raindrops who’d gotten too close, but a shield blocked the blow. The barrier didn’t last, shattering as the punch smashed through it. Raindrops screamed in pain, thrown several hooves until she crashed into the ground. The shield had protected her from most of the punch’s power, but not enough, and she was unable to stand. Shining panted, sweat glistened on his forehead. He’d pushed his power too far and would overchannel if he wasn’t careful. Luna attempted to join the fray, but Cadance blocked her approach, eager to fight the legendary Night Princess. “Let them have their fun,” Cadance said, “I believe Trixie’s an old friend, right? Why interrupt their joyous reunion?” Pokey screamed as Ditzy’s body broke his hiding spot. Nothing seemed to hurt this monster. Starlight’s beams barely bothered her. What could stop this thing? Cheerilee’s breath left her as the Ranger punched her in the gut and she fell gasping to the ground trying to get her breath back. “Cheerilee!” Trixie dove towards other Trixie. A sharp pain burned on her cheek as she got knocked away. She screamed as the Ranger drove a hoof down towards her and rolled away. The pavement shattered under the power of the Evil Trixie’s hoof. So much for heroics. Trixie summoned three different Trixie scrambled away trying to get to safety. “Oblivion Blade!” Trixie found her body going flying as the ground beneath her exploded and the breath was driven from her asher back hit the pavement. She groaned, trying to get back on her hooves, only to find the other Trixie standing above her. “Trixie! Photonic Burning Rider Kick!” The other Trixie flew aside as the kick threw her aside, but she quickly regained her hoofing. Twilight’s wings glistened as she landed next to her friend. “Thanks.” Trixie found standing difficult, but she couldn’t afford to lie around. Twilight screamed and cursed as a snake-like whip appendage struck her in the face. Ambassador Hell joined the chaos, pushing the Rider back making it difficult to aid her friends. A chill went down her spine as Trixie turned to find herself face-to-face with her copy. “Look, uh, I know you’re me and still in there.” Trixie took a step back, almost slipping on a broken piece of cobblestone. “Don’t do this!” Trixie whimpered as the other smacked her across the face again before she could create an illusion to escape. Pain erupted in her hip as she stuck the stone beneath, hard. Raindrops and Ditzy flew in to intervene, but Cadance threw Princess Luna into them. “Oblivion Blade.” The doppelganger summoned flame around her sword, and Trixie knew she was finished. No illusion would protect her from the onslaught of destruction. “Trixie!” Much to Trixie’s amazement, Pokey had run towards her in a desperate attempt to save his employer. The stallion must have known it would be suicide, but he persisted anyway and already had his hooves around her midsection trying to pull her to safety. They both closed their eyes, hoping the end won’t be too painful. Moments passed and no more pain happened to her. She peeked an eye open, finding the Evil’s Trixie’s blade right before Pokey’s face, frozen like a statue. “Pokey.” The other Trixie’s hooves shook, and somehow that solitary word conveyed an unexpected amount of anguish. “Pokey. Pokey.” Was the other Trixie, crying? “What are you waiting for? Finish them.” The Great Leader boomed and the entire world stood still, wondering what would happen next. Trixie and Pokey were at the complete mercy of this other Trixie. Twilight separated from Cadance, darting to save her friend, and Cupido gave chase. A scream of anguish escaped the Ranger’s lips and she threw her sword down, creating a large fissure from the impact. She grabbed her head and stumbled back. Everypony froze, turning to watch the scene as the other Trixie flailed about in anguish. “No! You belong to Shocker!” The Great Leader said. “You will do what you are told!” The other Trixie gave Pokey a long look, before giving Lyra, Cheerilee, Raindrops, Ditzy, and Carrot Top a glance before staring at the floor. “Trixie!” Luna’s voice boomed using her royal Canterlot voice. “You are strong. You are no servant of Shocker! Fight it!” Twilight and Trixie’s friends joined the Princess, giving the other Trixie words of encouragement. Soon, Trixie too joined them, caught up in the emotion of the situation. They screamed at the top of their lungs. Fight, you know you can! “Enough!” Cadance darted past the distracted Lux and threw her sword towards Pokey’s heart. Trixie watched in horror as the blade seemed to move in slow motion, unable to do or affect anything. The other Trixie grunted in pain as the sword impacted her midsection, her legs giving out under her. “Not again.” The Ranger huffed. “Trixie!” Twilight said in delight. “Oblivion’s Rider Kick.” Cadance used the distraction to execute her finishing move and light flared as Twilight returned to normal, rolling next to both Trixies. The mare’s lip bled and she had a nasty cut across her forehead. “Got a little careless.” Twilight’s voice was rough, but a smile formed on her lips when she saw the other Trixie. “So ends Kamen Rider Lux.” Ambassador Hell said. “Trixie’s resistance is a futile gesture.” “Yeah, I don’t see the pretty little princess giving us much trouble,” Cadance said, earning a glare from Luna. The moon princess was in rough shape, bloody and battered, almost unable to stand on her four hooves. “No, it’s only the beginning! I’m not letting Pokey down. I won’t let you hurt anypony I care about. I’ve already lost too much.” The other Trixie panted, fighting an invisible force. She screamed, punching her hoof into her belt. A cracking sound echoed through the garden. “Never again!” The Ranger’s next punch shattered the belt which fell off her waist, clattering to the ground. Sparks flew from the damaged section, ruined beyond repair. A light shone from the other Trixie who returned to normal. “Impossible.” The Great Leader’s voice was breathless, stunned. The Ranger let out a breath before giving a smug smile. She stretched her muscles and pulled out the cords attached to her body. “Thank Luna almighty! Those things were so irritating. Like an itch you can't scratch.” “Are you okay?” The Ranger turned her attention to Twilight. “Can you still fight? I’m not sure why you have powers now, but I would enjoy fighting with you.” She extended a hoof towards the downed mare.” And by that I mean fighting alongside you not, you know, punching you,” she grinned awkwardly. Twilight returned the smile and took the offered hoof, rising back to her hooves. “It’s a long, painful story. We can share a drink after we beat the crud out of these guys. I’m buying.” “Can’t argue against that. Ready, Twilight?” “Ready!” “Henshin!” “It’s morphing time, Ursa!” Both of them were cloaked in brilliant light and armor appeared over them as the light faded. The other Trixie’s armor was red and the constellation of Ursa Major burned bright on her chest. “Call me, Usra Red.” “Kamen Rider Lux.” The two heroes stood back to back. “Together, we will bring an end to your crap, Shocker!” They said in unison. “What can you do, Ranger, Rider?” The Great Leader asked. “Without our technology, you’re not even half as powerful as you once were Trixie.” The Ranger snorted. “Shows what you know.” She pointed towards Princess Luna, Ditzy, Cheerilee, Raindrops, Carrot Top, Lyra, Pokey, Twilight, and lastly at Trixie. “Those are my power.” Other Trixie said. “With them by my side, I’m unbeatable.” “Some ponies never learn.” Cadance summoned a sword from her belt, ready to engage in the fight with the two heroes. The Evil Rider started searching around for the other Trixie when she disappeared in a flash. She gasped, finding the other Trixie standing behind her. The entire world shook as the Ranger sent a mighty punch into Cadance’s back, creating a massive crater beneath her. Trixie gasped as she lost her hoofing as the ground shook beneath her, falling painfully to the ground. Much to Trixie’s amazement, she noticed the shockwave had also knocked some guards and Combatponies several hundred hooves away off their hooves. How powerful had that punch been? Could they actually win this?