//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Kamen Rider: Equestrian Shade // by The Dark Brony //------------------------------// The remaining nine hundred and Ninety Nine years on the moon almost seemed to pass quickly. Alex mastered his skills with each Eyecon he had obtained in the intervening time. Luna, Midnight and Alex had chose to collect everything they could use from the base, this included the Fourze Driver and Switch’s from inside the moonbase, which had caused the power to be cut when the Elek Switch was removed. After they were sure they had collected everything that was important, they had decided to sit outside under the stars once again, deciding that it would be the best place to wait for the time that they would return to planet below. “What do you think it will be like down there after all this time?” Luna asked as she rest her head against Alex’s shoulder. “Who knows? A lot can change in one-thousand years,” Alex admitted. “I guess that’s true,” Luna chuckled. “But I do wonder how exactly we do get back down to the planet?” Alex admitted. “Did you not ask?” Luna replied. “Nope.” “Maybe the stars will help when they aline?” Midnight suggested. “...What made you think of that?” Alex asked. “The fact they just lined up and everyone’s glowing,” Midnight pointed out as she chuckled. “That would do it,” Alex replied with a smile as each of them were surrounded in a bright white light before they each were blinded by the sudden flash from whatever was happening. As the light faded Alex found himself no longer on the moon, but also no longer with Luna and Midnight. It was at this point he looked at himself as he realised he had somehow changed back to looking like an Alicorn as he looked at his wrist to see that it didn’t seem to be damaged as he quickly pressed it again as her reverted back to his human form before going invisible to any civilians nearby. He then looked around as he saw that he was in what looked like a small town as he found himself outside of a large building, it had white exterior walls with large pink stain glass windows, along with this surrounding the building was wooden beams along with wooden fencing between the posts. “Well… this is different,” Alex replied walking towards one of the windows as he looked inside the room to see a myriad of ponies of all colours, ages and sizes, each of them looking up to what looked to be a second floor. All but one pony, a Unicorn who had purple skin, purple eyes and a three tone purple, pink and blue mane and tail who he swore was looking his way, a look of confusion plastered over her face. However before Alex could ponder this further many of the ponies walked backwards in shock, some of them fainting, from a scene Alex currently was unable to see. He then walked towards the window phasing through it before looking where the ponies had been to see that Nightmare Moon was standing above everyone on the second floor looking down to them. Nightmare Moon only smiled, to everyone else it would have seemed creepy off putting, but to Alex he knew what they were up to, they had been asked to do something and with a gesture of her arm was gesturing for him to make his way towards something outside. Alex simply nodded back to her before walking back through the wall back towards where Nightmare Moon had told him to go. A place he soon knew was the Everfree Forest. As Alex traveled through the Everfree, he found certain things that had remained unchanged from when he left it one thousand years ago, certain features on the land which were early notable, the clearest being a small river that used be only a mile out from the castle he used to call home. It was at this point he heard something in the distance moving deeper into the forest which he quickly decided to check on even though it was taking him away from where he was supposed to be heading. As he got closer he found a small clearing as he looked around him before he saw a humanoid figure that had black hair and was wearing a black denim jacket that had ripped at the sleeves along with some blue jeans both covered in mud. Alex was almost going to approach the figure before he saw a large Timberwolf appear from the nearby bushes as Alex heard the humanoid figure ask shakily, “w-who’s there?” before he seemed to collapse as the figures head hit the ground. The Timberwolf then looked to Alex seemingly smiling at him as she placed the figure onto her back before beginning carry him away. Alex both surprised by the fact he was no longer the only remaining member of his kind in the world, decided it would be best to follow them and ensure that he safely regained consciousness before he finished what he had came here to do. -2 hours later- As Alex followed the Omega back, to find that she had took the other human into cave as he thought to himself, I better make sure that he’s fine, I should have enough time to do that before I need to get back to the castle. With that also remained invisible as he stood by the entrance of the cave as he saw the Omega place the other human on the ground as the pup that had been with her lay next to the human it’s head resting on his leg. This left Alex wondering Just what is going on here? as he just stood in one place keeping an eye on the human as he waited for him to wake back up. -1 hour later- -Unknown POV- As Dillon slowly began to regain consciousness he started to feel something wet touch his cheek as he tried to get it away from my face however, it kept on persisting despite his efforts. He then opened my eyes to see the same wolf pup from before looking him in the face as he rapidly backed away from it in surprise only to bump into something furry again. He could only sigh as he looked at the pup before he asked it “your mother’s behind me isn’t she” as the puppy gave me some sort nodded to say yes. Dillon then frowned before he started to scoot away from her before she bit into the hem of his shirt holding him in place. He tried to set himself free but right when he reached for neck of his shirt, the Omega growled at him as he put his hands back to his sides. It was then he felt something small pierce the side of neck before his arms started to somehow slowly turn into wood as Dillon stared at it in shock as he shouted out “what the!” However before he could finish what he was going to say his skin turned back to normal as he felt something strange near the bottom of his back as he realised that he now had a tail before I shouted, “what did you do to me!”. “I made you apart of the pack and gave you the ability to become one of us,” she said in Dillon’s head which freaked him out even more. “What?!” Dillon shouted again as he tried to get her to release him from her grasp before he felt her moving, turning him around to face something else. Dillon then managed to see a giant shadow looming over them as his eyes began to get used to the dark. The thing he saw made his eyes go wide as he realised that what was casting the shadow was a castle, which from what he could see was in ruins as the Omega let him go before saying calmly, “go in there you will know what to do.” As she said this Dillon looked at her in confusion as he asked her “why are you doing this Omega?” The Omega then looked to him before she replied calmly, “no not Omega I’m mom”. As she said this Dillon reeled back in surprise as he said “wait what!”. “I’m your mom now because I made you apart of the pack you’re the same age as him” she said as she gestured to the pup from before as Dillon replied in confusion, “uhhhhh okay”. Dillon then composed himself as he looked to the castle but as he turned back around to ask her a question. However once he did this he found that both her and the pup we’re gone as Dillon deadpanned as he muttered to himself, “of course.” Dillon then started walk towards the castle before he heard someone or something behind him once again before he groaned to himself, “oh c’mon why are people always behind me!” He then rapidly turned around only to see that nothing was there as he muttered “yeah I might be going crazy.” Dillon then felt like something was touching his shoulder behind him before he turned still to find nothing, however he was sure he felt something at that moment. “What the fuck!!!” Dillon said as he looked frantically around him still seeing nothing to begin before he noticed a footprint in the dirt near the nearway leading away from him and towards the ruins in the distance. “God dang it” Dillon said as he walked towards the direction the footprints are leading as he went towards the ruins that he had seen previously. As he got closer he heard three words that he couldn’t make out before he saw a figure in the distance that had red lines running down it’s back as he heard the figure shout “Henshin!” before a black and red hooded jacket floated behind it attaching to the figures back as the words “Kaigan: Shade! Let’s Go! Kakugo! Akuma-tekina Shade!” before the figure lowered its hood as Dillon noticed that the figures head was bare with no hair and what looked to be a completely black helmet. “What the,” Dillon said as the figure heard him as the figure turned around to see no one as Dillon was hiding behind one of the broken pillars next to the door. Dillon then heard the figure sigh before he heard the word “Eye! Kaigan! Robin Hood!” before a green jacket with yellow highlights flew next to him before Dillon noticed the figure had no face, but just two glowing green eyes. As Dillon looked at the figure he started to back away in fear as his eyes turned to pin pricks. The jacket then suddenly moved towards the figures back before the orange jacket he wore before dissipated as the one that was beside him previously attached to its back as the sound of flying arrows was heard along with the words “Hello! Arrow! Mori de Aou!” The figure then turned to Dillon as a large red and black bow appeared in his hands from what appeared to be flickering red and black flames. The figure then turned towards Dillon before the figure said with an almost creepy distorted voice, “I know you’re there kid,” before the pillar Dillon had been behind before broke apart as an arrow made of light struck it. “Ahhhhhhhh,” Dillon screamed in fear as he fell on his butt as the figure walked towards him as he tried to back away before realizing he was against a wall. “Take my advise kid, if you’re not willing to pick up your own powers and defend yourself go back to that cave, I don’t need to be watching over more of the living.” “What are you..even talking about!” Dillon shouted ”I don’t even know where I am!”. The figure just groaned again before pulling his bow back as an arrow was shot past Dillon’s head before he saw the arrow strike the strange figure that had almost a completely black suit apart from a large belt that had a large eye on it and two large blue circles were it eyes would be, however seconds after the creature broke apart as what Dillon assumed to be blood that was coloured black burst from its body. As Dillon saw this he was terrified as he then said “I don’t get it what do you people want me to know!” “Kid… you’re standing on a battlefield,” the figure said calmly before he continued to say “for now call me Shade, I’ll explain what I can after I deal with these Gamma,” before firing off a volley of shots that struck three more creature that appeared around them sending them sprawling to the ground. As this happened a bit of black blood landed on Dillon’s face as he just shook in fear as he whispered “I’m so confused”. “Dammit… Kid can you fight, if not get out of here!” Shade ordered as he kicked one of the creatures away from him before an arrow impaled  the Gam ma along with two other behind it. “I don’t why i’m here i don’t know why I got sent in this world so it’s not my fault I’m here and people kept on telling me to come here because I would get my answers here! But you know what fine if my destiny here is to die then I’ll gladly take it!” Dillon shouted as a light came from his bag as it covered the area he was in. As the light disappeared it showed Dillon in black ranger suit “what the?” While he wasn’t paying attention a Gamma jumped from above from one of the pillars preparing to attack before it got a kick to the face from Dillon launching it through a wall. Shade then grabbed a new object from seemingly nowhere before pressing the side as the number five appeared in front of it as his previous jacket dissipated as he removed the previous object from the device on his midsection. The device then shouted out “Eye! Kaigan! Billy The Kid!” was heard as a jacket that looked like your stereotypical cowboy outfit appeared in front of him, it was almost completely brown apart from on the shoulders that were covered in a pattern that resembled that of a cow’s hide. As a few seconds later that attached to his back just like the previous one, before a different tune played “Hyakupatsu! Hyakuchū! Zukyūn! Bakyūn!” during which time the bow disappeared and was replaced with two green and black pistols that appeared from a silver band on his right arm. Shade immediately began to fire at the oncoming Gamma around them as each bullet struck a target flawlessly. As Dillon was fighting the Gamma around him he jumped up into the air before taking out his blaster and shooting them before he landed on his feet as kicked one to the ground shooting it in the head before shoving his blaster below a Gamma’s chin and shooting it in the head as well before he threw it against one behind shade knocking it down. Both of them then turned towards the last remaining Gamma before Shade attached both of the pistols together forming a rifle before pulling the handle on the device on his midsection once before raising his rifle before the words “Omega Impact” were heard before the barrel of the rifle glowed in a black and red light before he fired as the shot destroyed the remaining Gamma. “Hmm” Dillon just grunted as he said in his head “why don’t I feel any emotion is it because I became Dillon?” As he glanced to Shade through the visor of his helmet as he sat down against a wall. Shade then looked towards Dillon before he suddenly began to walk away from him not saying anything. Dillon then stood up as he walked towards his bag picking it up as then looked to Shade again before saying ”Shade….....thanks for showing me what I truly am.” “And that would be?” Shade asked as he looked back over his shoulder towards Dillon. “A Displaced and being who gets sent across the multiverse into a universe where they hold the ability of a character they became where there either the guardian of that world or it’s destroyer, you made me realise this when we were fighting.” “Where did you hear about that?” Shade asked. Dillon just chuckled he started jumping to the top of the castle ruins as he saw a strange light from one of the intact buildings in the distance as he stayed silent. -Shade’s Pov- As Dillon jumped off Shade could only smile under his helmet as he thought, that kid may just be able to make it… with some guidance.” He then looked to one of the upper buildings on the what he remembered to be the Everfree Castle, which was now falling apart with many vines embedded into the castle as it was unclear whether the vines were damaging the building or supporting it. It was at this moment Shade changed into to his Alicorn from under his suit as his horn and wings appeared visible under his suit as he flew up to a window from which a bright light had flashed. As Shade reached the top building he untransformed as he stood on one of the rafters as he looked down to see Dillon fighting Nightmare Moon and along with that harming her, which Alex decided he couldn’t allow as he jumped off the rafters making himself visible as he did. -Dillon’s POV- As Dillon landed on the floor he walked towards the mare as climbed through the broken wall as he saw her on the floor as he kicked her over seeing her face as she said “ how dare you-how dare you do this to nightmare moon!!” . Dillon just scoffed as he said “never heard of ya” as he raised his sword about to shove it through her stomach, however before he was able to do so something struck his hand knocking his sword backward and out of his grip into the darkness behind him. “Who else is in here” Dillon asked with an emotionless tone. Seconds later a humanoid figure appeared from seemingly nowhere directly in front of Dillon, the figure had black hair along with bright blue eyes, and was wearing some black tracksuit bottoms, along with a red t-shirt  that was visible below and open black and red hooded jacket which that was open as he saw a familiar object around the figure’s waist. “Who are you”. “Maybe this will remind you,” the voice replied as he pulled out a small red object as he hit the side as an familiar sound was heard from the figure… the same sound he’d heard from Shade earlier as a jacket flew from the device on his waist towards him knocking him back away from both the figure and Nightmare Moon before the jacket attached to the figures back as the hood was pulled away revealing the crimson eyes of Shades suit that Dillon not realised seemed to have red running down the eyes, “ring any bells yet?” “What are you doing here Shade,” Dillon Said still holding the emotionless tone. “What do you think I’m doing?” Shade replied as he rested his sword against his shoulder as Nightmare Moon looked at the figure that had just saved her. “A...Alex… what are you,” two shaky voices that seemed to be coming from Nightmare Moon said at the same time. “Don’t worry Luna, Midnight… I’ll get this straightened out,” Shade replied calmly. “...........” Dillon said nothing as he picked up his sword sheathing it before Dillon asked Shade “who are you really?” . “I am the same as I told you before, my name is Shade to those I don’t know…. Can I ask yours?” “You can call me Dillon….but I’ll tell you my original name when I trust you enough but for now just call me Dillon okay ” . “Okay then Dillon, but why hide your old name?” Shade replied. “I choose to hide it because I don’t want anyone I meet with malicious intent to……”Dillon paused as he sighed. “It’s complicated”. “But with the guy that sent me here in this world he said I can keep my old name and keep my current one”. “And you’re sure you can believe him?” “I still remember my old name so yeah I sure ”. “Well at least you still have that,” Shade replied as he turned to Nightmare Moon as he knelt down next to her as she began to shake before Shade wrapped his arms around her before a tear fell from her eyes before separating into two figure one a large women that looked to have dull blue hair while the other was very small and was shaking as she almost instantly grabbed hold of Shade and began crying into his chest. Dillon just stayed silent as his pupils turned back to normal before he took off his helmet as his suit disappeared his street clothes returning, before he just turned around and climbed out of a nearby window. -Alex/Shade’s POV- As soon as Dillon left Alex ran over to Luna and Midnight as he asked them, “You both okay?” It was at this moment Midnight ran over and grabbed hold of Alex tightly crying into his chest as he just rubbed the back of her neck slowly allowing her to calm down. Luna then smiled at him pulling him into a hug before she said “You took your time finding us, but from what I saw just then, you had good reasons to be so.” “Yeah… that kid seems to have been in the same position that Jack said the other Displaced were,” Alex admitted. “So he was torn away from his family, with no way to send a message back to them?” “That’s what I believe,” Alex admitted before he added “But I was wondering… why did you change back to Nightmare Moon?” “We’re not sure ourselves,” Midnight admitted, “we landed in a room above where you saw us.” “And then my sister asked us to bring this ‘Twilight Sparkle’ mare here and act evil, but we don’t know why,” Luna admitted. “I see Celestia had little faith in me getting you back to normal on the moon,” Alex sighed. “Looks that way,” Midnight admitted as they heard a group of voices outside. “I wonder if this group contains this ‘Twilight’ person?” Alex muttered to himself as he saw Midnight turn into her Eyecon form and fly into Luna’s chest as they reverted back into Nightmare Moon as she said “whatever happens only intervene, if something happens.” “Got it,” Alex replied as he transformed back into Kamen Rider Shade along with taking on his Alicorn form below his transformation and his Chronos Parka Ghost as his form. However all sound from the transformation was muffled as Nightmare Moon placed a shield around him that made it so nobody around them could hear the transformation taking place. As soon as it finished Shade followed the path Dillon had as he climbed onto the rotting rafters in the main hall, the same ones he remembered the guards hanging from one-thousand years ago. He then looked down as he remained invisible to everyone as he saw five ponies walk out the room as one familiar pony remained, the purple unicorn who he had seen in earlier, who was sat crossed leg in front of five spherical stones as the horn on her head ignited in a pale pink glow as she lowered it towards the five objects. As she sat their Nightmare Moon slowly moved towards the front of her, her body looking like a faint mist of blue magic, which surround the five objects hiding them inside it as the mist began to spin around making it look similar to that of a tornado. It was then the pony opened her eyes as she noticed what was happening in front of her as she gasped which somehow alerted the five ponies that had gone outside shout in unison, “Twilight!” However before they could get to her the pony now known to be Twilight shouted out “the Elements!” As she jumped into the magically formed tornado as both her and the storm disappeared and Alex phased through a nearby wall floating on the other side of the wall. He then saw a flash in the highest standing tower as he quickly flew towards it and as soon as he had phased through the wall that was both Twilight and Nightmare Moon were charging towards each other. However as soon as Twilight got close to Nightmare Moon she teleported towards the five stones before lowering her head igniting her horn once again. During this time Nightmare Moon reverted back into her mist like state as she stood back in front of Twilight before a few seconds later a spark ignited from Twilight’s horn between the five spherical objects which in turn sent her flying backwards as the spark flickered between the five stones. Nightmare Moon then looked towards the objects on the ground as she looked to say something but Alex found that he was unable to her her for some reason, however a few seconds later the sparks ceased seeming to have done nothing as Nightmare Moon stamped her feet down before the five objects shattered into shards. Twilight just looked on in shock at this, which confused Shade as he wondered just what made those stones so important. It was at this point her heard a group of voices approaching below him. Voices that seemed to be getting closer to them. Shade then looked down to Twilight as he saw her look back towards where the voices were coming from and turn back to Nightmare Moon once again as the five ponies from before stood beside her. As soon as Shade saw this he decided that something must be happening soon as he moved over the remaining rafters to stand just above Nightmare Moon, his hand ready to pause time if the need should arise. It was at this moment a familiar light shone from the six mares, a bright rainbow coloured beam of light as Shade realised that those stones that Twilight had been trying to use were in fact the Elements of Harmony as he paused time before jumping off the rafters landing on the ground silently. He then waited out of sight of the mares, still unsure if Twilight was able to see him earlier as he resumed time as he waited only a few seconds before pausing it again. It was during this time he walked over to Nightmare Moon pushing her out of the way of the Elements blast, unpausing and pausing time as he went as the beam from the elements struck the ground beside Nightmare Moon, knocking up a cloud of dirt that obscured her. As the dust cloud dispersed, Shade saw from his perch on the shadow covered rafters that Nightmare Moon had reverted back into both Luna and Midnight, who both were pretending to be unconscious. It was then that he smiled and prepared to leave as light flooded the room and Celestia appeared between Luna, Midnight and the other mares. She began talking to Twilight, then walked up to both Midnight and Luna. “But this makes no sense,” Twilight said. “It will in due time. A friend helped with this. However, I do not know his name or even what he looks like,” Celestia replied. With that, Shade simply smiled one last time. He walked towards a nearby broken window, only to stop as he heard Twilight say, “What is that creature above us doing and why was he both here and back in the town before?” Shade froze in shock at hearing this before he turned back to see Twilight’s horn ignite. She shot the beam he was standing on and as he fell to the ground he locked eyes. He landed hard and looked up as Twilight stood over him, readying her horn for another blast.