//------------------------------// // A Link Between Worlds Pt. 2 // Story: A Passing Through Kamen Rider // by thunderclap //------------------------------// Wyatt yawned as he sat in the lobby with the girls. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all the night before, resigning himself to sitting in the chair of his room and finding quiet ways to occupy himself. “I can’t wait to get back to Ponyville, I miss my bed.” “I slept great!” Pinkie chirped, biting into a muffin she had swiped from the complimentary breakfast buffet. “It may not have been a water bed, but it was snuggly and soft.” A sheepish smile escaped her lips at the flat look Applejack gave her. “Right, sorry Wy-Wy.” “No need to apologize,” Wyatt waved off. “I gave up my bed by choice. He then reached over and snagged another muffin she had in front of her. “But I will take this.” Taking a bite, he leaned back in his seat. “You know, Wyatt, you could have bunked with me,” Spike spoke, lounging across from them. “There was more than enough room on my...” He paused, looking down at himself. “I guess not anymore, huh?” Wyatt chuckled, taking another bite of his muffin. “Yeah, even if you were still fun-sized, your snoring would’ve kept me up.” His chuckle turned into a snicker as Spike puffed out his cheeks. The sound of boots drew the attention of the group, revealing to be Link with his trademark clothing on, cloak with hood lowered, pouch, gauntlets, the works. “Hey Spike, Wyatt, Twilight and the rest.” the hylian said. “Huh, so you’re one of those displaced,” Rainbow commented, taking in Link’s appearance. “If it weren’t for the ears you’d look just like Wyatt. That and the hair I guess,” she added, pointing between Link and Wyatt. “Hey, I could just turn into a pony if I wanted too, but I’m not sure if the harmony of this world would affect the mask.” Link said with a shrug. “Saved you some breakfast.” Spike motioned to the table, where they had made Link up a plate. Taking a deep breath, Spike blew a stream of flame over it. “There! All warmed up for ya!” “Ha, thanks Spike.” Link said as he took the breakfast. “Did ya need yer beauty sleep?” Applejack asked with a chuckle, finishing up the last of her pancakes. “Even Rarity beat ya down here and she hogged the bathroom fer two hours.” Rarity huffed, primping her mane. “Some of us like to look nice, Applejack. Natural beauty should be cultivated after all.” Link had to suppress a laugh at Applejack’s comment. “I highly doubt it with a face like this.” Link said as he gestured to his face, the scar, the freshly made claw marks, and the old damaged right ear.”I chose to sleep in because I didn’t have to worry about anything.” “Must be nice,” another male voice cut in. “I haven't slept in in months.” Twilight’s eyes widened and she gasped. “I know that voice.” She shot up from her seat and turned toward its source. She let out a squee of joy. “Shining Armor!” Rushing over, she practically glomped the speaker. “It’s so good to see you!” “Glad to see you too, little sis,” the stallion replied, chuckling and returning her hug. He then turned and his eyes widened when they landed on Spike. “Whoa, Spike, you’ve had a growth spurt since the last time I saw you.” Spike smiled, getting up and joining in on the hug. “Yeah, I know. The last few days have been kinda crazy.” “You’ll have to tell me all about it when we’re done with this meeting.” Shining patted their backs and ended the hug. He turned to the others, waving. “It’s nice to finally meet the Elements of Harmony. Thanks for helping my little sis out of her shell.” Twilight took Shining’s hand, all but dragging him over to the table. “Shining Armor, these are my friends Wyatt, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Girls, this is my big brother, Shining Armor!” “A pleasure,” Rarity said, her eyes roving over Shining Armor. She flashed him a smile before turning to Twilight. “Twilight darling, you never told us you had another brother.” “It never came up...” Twilight replied sheepishly, retaking her seat. “Makes sense to me.” Dash shrugged, putting her hooves up on the table. “I mean, how often does Flutters talk about her brother?” Fluttershy groaned, covering her face with one of her hands. “Can we not bring up Zephyr? I don’t talk about him for a reason.” “As much as I would like to keep the banter up, I do have an official reason to be here.” Shining Armor was a tall, muscular stallion, standing a foot taller than Wyatt. His coat was white, and he sported a two tone blue mane that hung down just past his shoulders. Taking a seat, he took off his helmet, setting it on the table. “I’ve got reports of the largest monster attack occurring yesterday. The princesses sent me here because you could tell me more about them.”  His horn lit up, a small pink dome forming around them. “She also informed me of the riders.” Wyatt coughed, thumping his chest as his sip of juice went down the wrong pipe. After a moment, he quickly recovered and looked up at Shining Armor. “Did that uh, include the identity of that rider the princesses fought alongside with in Ponyville?” “Yes, Wyatt it did.” Shining nodded his head. “Princess thought it was best I know, given my position as captain of the guard. I promise, nopony will find out from me.” He arched a brow at the look Spike and Twilight shared. “What?” “Well uh,” Spike started, taking off his belt and holding it up for Shining to see. “Wyatt’s not exactly the only rider at this table. I helped fight those monsters yesterday too.” Shining stared at the belt before he turned to Twilight, narrowing his eyes. “You let our little brother fight monsters!? Twilight, I thought you were more responsible than that!” A very equine whinny escaped Shining’s throat, ending with a harsh snort. “I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter,” Twilight replied, withering under Shining’s intense stare. “The girls and I were still recovering from the ritual that Smaug performed on us.” Wyatt cut off Shining Armors response with a hand. “Alright, so how about we just get him up to speed, ya? Because now we’re mentioning people he doesn’t know, and I don’t think Shining Armor appreciates being left in the dark.” He glanced at Shining Armor, who grunted in affirmative. “Right! So, let’s go over things one more time.” The group spent the next half hour recounting their experiences since the dragon migration. A good deal of it was told by Spike, with Wyatt jumping in every now and then. Shining Armor listened with rapt attention, his gaze firmly locked on the table in front of him. “I’m still not happy that you’re fighting monsters, Spike,” Shining said, his voice bereft of tone. “And I know for a fact that Mom and Dad would have a fit if they found out about you doing this.” Spike winced at the mention of them, holding back a shudder at the thought of them discovering his new responsibilities. “However, at the moment I have my job to do.” He pushed away from the table, walked over to Spike’s chair and pulled the drake into a noogie. “Be glad I’m sworn to keep all info on riders top secret, otherwise Mom’d have your scales,” he concluded, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Gah! Come on, Shiny!” Spike grumbled, wriggling out of the stallion’s grasp. “I’m not tiny anymore,” he complained, fixing his spines. “I’m a kamen rider.” Spike puffed his chest out, pointing at himself with a thumb. “I got an image to uphold, ya know?” Shining chuckled, grabbing his helmet and returning it to its proper resting place. “Last time I checked, you’re always going to be my little brother, that means it’s my job to mess with you.” Clearing his throat, he put on an air of authority. “Now, an attack like this can’t exactly be taken lightly. Baltimare is one of Equestria’s biggest cities and the Princesses have to act quickly to ensure the public doesn't panic. Which is why she’s going to make a statement on the riders.” “Do you have any idea what she’s going to say?” Wyatt asked, an uneasy feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. “I’m not going to have to start making public appearances as Decade, am I?” “The princesses are going to make the riders an official part of Equestria’s national defense,” Shining explained, gesturing with a hand. “The way things look, the monster attacks are just going to increase. Princess Celestia has already began to move resources around, and transferring personnel. I don’t know the full plan yet but yes, she’d like you and most likely Spike to appear with her.” Wyatt frowned, not sure how to feel about the idea. He knew he couldn’t say no, but he had no experience having media attention on him. He took a deep breath, pushing his thoughts away for the moment. “Alright, I’ll be ready for her to tell me to come. So, if I’m going to be part of Equestria’s national defense, does that mean I’m going to be working for you?” “From what I gathered from Princess Celestia, it’ll be more of a support network,” Shining Armor elaborated, reaching into his armor and passing Wyatt what looked like a badge. “If all goes well, you’ll have authority over any law enforcement in emergency situations. We’re also going to looking into establishing a nation wide communication system, which will hopefully alert you in time to any monster attacks.” Wyatt nodded and pocketed the badge. “Okay, I’ll be sure to use this badge responsibly. I look forward to that communication system by the way.” Wyatt flashed the stallion a smile. “I can’t keep stumbling onto monster attacks forever.” Link raised his hand slightly. “I know this isn’t any of my business but there’s something I’m concerned about, what if they get smart and attack more than one place at the same time? The two riders here won’t be able to cover them all.” He asked. Shining turned to Link, a stony expression overtaking his face. “The princesses have already thought of that. Our top researchers are currently looking into developing weapons that can counteract the monsters that have been appearing.” Link nodded in response. “The princesses have taken to calling it the G-Project.” Wyatt choked on another sip of juice, coughing up a storm as he took in the news. Once he recovered, he gave everyone a weak smile. “Well, I look forward to hearing more about this project from them.” ‘I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing. I think. Having G3 around as backup would be nice.’ “The project is still in its infancy,” Shining said, shaking his head. “At the moment, they’ll only be able to share concepts with you.” Pausing, he looked back at Link. “I don’t think I got your name, Mr...?” “Link.” The hylian said as he extended a hand in greeting. Shining took the Hylian’s hand and gave it a shake. “Nice to meet you. I take it you’re in a similar situation to Wyatt?” “Depends on what you mean, both of us being Displaced or…?” Link paused to wait for the stallion to confirm what he meant. “Yes, both of you being from another world,” Shining elaborated. “Then yes, I am.” Link said. Shining nodded in understanding. “Princess Celestia told me about Wyatt meeting people from other worlds. Imagine my surprise in learning that there are other versions of me running around.” “That’s how the multiverse works, you just never know what you’ll find.” Link said with a grin. Shining chuckled, shaking his head. “If you run into a girl version of me, Twi, let me know. That’d be interesting to see.” Shifting in his seat, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, we’ve gotten off topic. I’ll talk to the princesses and get Spike his own badge.” “Thanks, Shining, I promise not to let that badge go to my head,” Spike spoke up, a grin on his muzzle. “Is that all you had to talk to us about? I was actually hoping to go clothes shopping while we were here. I actually need those now.” “Yeah, that’s all I needed to tell you guys,” Shining replied, getting up from his seat. “I’ll be in town a few more days to deal with clean up, and to knock some skulls. Even if they couldn’t have dealt with those monsters, the response time of the city guard was pathetic. I swear, this city has the laziest barracks in the country.” A smile crept on his face and he focused on Twilight. “I do have one more thing before I get out of your hair.” Reaching into his armor again, he pulled out a pink envelope. “We wanted to be the ones to tell you before anyone else.” Offering her the envelope, his smile grew. Twilight took the envelope, carefully opening it and pulling out a card. Her eyes scanned it for a few seconds before she jumped out of her chair. “What?!” she shrieked, looking at him with a gobsmacked look. “You’re getting married?!” Ignoring Twilight’s outburst, Spike took the letter from her. “Whose ‘Mi Amore Cadenza?” “I’ll give you a hint,” Shining said, a sly smirk on his face. “She’s pink, has wings and used to visit our house a lot.” “Cadance?!” Twilight gasped, her eyes going wide. “You never told me you and Cadance were dating!” A pout formed on Twilight’s face. “Why am I only finding out about this now, Shining Armor?” she asked, using the same firm tone she used to corral Spike and Wyatt. Shining held his hands up, chuckling. “Cadance and I have kinda been keeping our relationship on the downlow. If we didn’t, some of the more princess-crazed ponies would swarm us. Remember all the groupies that tried to follow her when she foalsat you?” Twilight’s stern expression softened and she nodded. “Yeah, I remember. I just wish you’d have told me! I would have come up to visit. I haven’t seen Cadance since before I left Canterlot.” “We didn’t want to take any chances,” Shining replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I know she’s looking forward to seeing you at the wedding.” A warm smile grew across his face. “She’s been going on and on about catching up with you now that you’ve saved Equestria twice.” The three siblings continued to chat for a while, happily moving on from one topic to the next about the wedding. Eventually, Shining Armor stood up, bidding everyone farewell and exiting the hotel to return to his duties. “We still have the day ahead of us, so why don’t we take a walk around town?” Wyatt suggested, hopping to his feet. “Spike needs some clothes, and I need to keep myself occupied so I don’t zonk out. Anyone got ideas for what to do?” “There’s a natural history museum,” Twilight suggested. “I read a tourist guide last night that says they’re hosting Pre-Equestrian artifacts this week.” “So, stuff before the tribes united?” Wyatt asked, giving the matter some thought. “I actually want to go see that.” He turned to Twilight, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Maybe they have something on Agito and Kuuga?” “I wouldn’t count on it, but we could be in for a surprise,” Twilight said, rising up from her own seat. “I’ll go too. We can can take Spike to a clothing store and head there afterward. Everypony else who wants to come can go with us or meet us there.” “Think It’d be best I come too just incase more of those undead decide to start anything.” Link said as he got up from his seat, he pulled his red cloak and hood out of his pouch, it grew to its original size before putting it on. “I believe I’ll go to the museum as well,” Rarity said, pushing away from the table. “Some of those artifacts could provide inspiration for a new fashion line. Besides, if Spikey Wikey insists on buying clothes, somepony should make sure he looks nice.” Spike was about to open his mouth to object that he knew how to dress himself before clamping it tightly shut. He’d have to be an t idiot to pass up getting attention from Rarity. After a moment, he gave the mare a smile. “Happy to have your expert opinion.” “Ya’ll have fun.” Applejack nodded, adjusting her hat. “Ah got some family in town. Think Ah’ll drop in and say howdy.” “Where don’t you have family?” Dash teased, nudging the mare in the side. “I’ll pass on the museum too, they’re not my style.” Pinkie Pie and Flutterhsy both chimed in their plans, and the group split apart. After talking Rarity down from a higher class clothing shop, the museum group landed on a middle of the road apparel store. In the end, Spike decided on a pair of bell bottoms and a t-shirt that matched his colors. At Twilight’s behest, they stopped in a collectible shop, and bought Spike a book style coin case for his medals. He tried it out, finding that the slots fit his medals fit them perfectly. He nodded in agreement, the group buying the case before making their way to the museum. “So, you really don’t have any ideas about the centipede medal?” Twilight asked, browsing through Spike’s current medal collection. “Must have been one of the ones Spike’s father made.” Pulling the sole purple medal from the case, she held it up to the sky. “When we get back to Ponyville, I’ll see about running a few tests on these medals.” “All I can tell you is that it causes hallucinations,” Wyatt said, glancing at the centipede medal with distaste. “Other than that, it’s not a medal I’ve ever seen. There were a few unused sound effects in the OOO driver toy. Maybe it’s one of those?” Twilight nodded, putting the medal away and handing the collection back to Spike. “Then it looks like we’re on our own with this one.” She turned to Link, giving him a warm smile. “You’ve been pretty quiet since this morning. Everything alright?” “Yea. everything's alright. It’s just Wyatt’s been here the longest, I’m pretty much a stranger here since you guys talk about things that happened before I arrived.” Link explained as he placed his hands behind his head. “Plus the fact I’d rather not get too attached to you guys as it would end up being long distance kind of friendship, no offense...” “Not like it would be too hard to stay in touch,” Wyatt said, pulling out Link’s token from his pocket. “Which reminds me, I have to give you mine. After saving Spike and me, there’s no way I won’t return the favor if you need help.” “True, although I don’t usually take allies with me when Celest- I mean when my world’s Celestia sends me out on missions to inspect anomalies she’s has sensed, and when she does, it’s a zelda boss that’s wreaking havoc or some other goal.” The hylian explained. “I think we’d really trounce any zelda boss we’d be thrown against,” Wyatt commented, a hint of pride in his voice. “Rider’s fight some crazy stuff, and most hit with forces in the tons. That’s on top of all the individual powers, like all the stuff the medals let Spike do.” “Those monsters are a lot smarter than their original counterparts, you can thank a certain twin witches for the trouble they’ve caused me.” Link growled, indicating it was a sore topic. “I think we could be a big help to you, even with smart monsters,” Wyatt replied with a shrug. A smirk wormed its way onto his face. “But if you want to play lone wolf, that’s fine.” “We’ll see in the unforeseen future, if I ever come across any that have altered their tactics to the point I can’t beat them.” Link nodded as he held out a hand. “Promise.” “Oh Lady Rarity! I didn’t think I’d run into you here.” Rarity froze in place, her eye twitching. The group turned to see a white, blonde maned stallion in a rather nice black suit. “After what happened at the gala, I’ve been meaning to catch up with you.” Reaching out, he took her hand and kissed it. “My behavior was absolutely atrocious.” Rarity blinked, an astonished look overtaking her features. After a moment, she frowned at him. “Atrocious is putting it mildly. You used me as a living shield over some dirt.” “And I am truly ashamed!” he stood up, an apologetic look on his face. “That night is one of my greatest shames! Please!” Grasping her hands, he looked deep into her eyes. “Allow me to make it up to you!” Rarity fixed a hard look right into his eyes. “And what did you have in mind, Blueblood? My friends and I were just heading to the museum, so I’m afraid whatever you’re planning will have to wait.” “Then how about dinner this evening?” Blueblood asked, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. “I’ve already placed a reservation at this lovely restaurant by the inner harbor. I can have my carriage come pick you up where ever you’re staying.” Link covered his mouth with the back of his hand as he leaned toward Wyatt. “Should I get a bird to spy on Blueblood?” the hylian whispered to him. “Do you have any plans?” Rarity asked, sucking in a deep breath. “I would feel more comfortable seeing how you behave around my friends before agreeing to go anywhere with you alone.” “How about this.” Blueblood released her hands, glancing between everyone. “I’ll cover everything at the museum for everypony, heck, I’ll even throw in purchases at the gift shop.” Smiling he looked back at Rarity. “How does that sound?” Rarity nodded. “I suppose I can give you a second chance. But no funny business,” she added, wagging a finger at him. “Of course!” Blueblood smiled, giving her a bow. “I shall make today, a day you’ll always remember, my dear sweet Lady Rarity.” “I will hold you to that,” Rarity said, smoothing out her dress. “Now, let’s be off, my friends and I are looking forward to the exhibit.” Taking point, she didn’t waste anymore time with words until they reached their destination. They climbed the stone steps into the museum, entering into a grand entryway. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a large display of a recreation of a T-Rex. The entryway was circular, several signs above the doorways to display the exhibits contained within. “Now that, is one of the animals in the purple set,” Wyatt whispered to Twilight, gesturing to the T-Rex. “Pterodactyl, triceratops and tyrannosaurus.” “Smaug did say they were long gone animals,” Twilight whispered back, nodding as she examined the fossil. “Doesn’t get much further gone than sixty-five-million years.” “Would Smaug be a copper colored dragon or is this a different dragon?” Link asked curiously. “Smaug is Spike’s grandpa,” Wyatt clarified, pointing at the fuming dragon. Smoke poured from Spike’s nostrils as he watched Blueblood hold hands with Rarity and examine exhibits together. “Has purple scales like Spike.” “Oh, it’s just I find it weird how he shares the same name as the one from the Lord Of The Rings series, that’s all.” Link commented as he looked over at Spike, he began to wonder if he should calm the drake down or let fate handle it. “I’ve learned to stop finding things to be weird,” Wyatt replied, giving a noncommittal shrug. “Between gaining superpowers, waking up in magical, talking ponyland, rider monsters attacking on a weekly basis, and the eternal walking enigma that is one Pinkamena Diane Pie, questions only lead to migraines.” Link chuckled in amusement at the mention of the party pony herself. “Poor Spike,” Twilight said, frowning as she watched her little brother. “Seems he can’t catch a break with Rarity. I think I’m going to get him some gems and the newest Power Ponies comic on the way back to the hotel. He looks like he’ll need them.” “Even with the growth spurt, isn’t she still old for him?” Wyatt asked, watching Spike closely. “I mean, he’s like what, 14 at most?” “Oh trust me, I know there’s no reasonable way that things would work out with Rarity for him,” Twilight agreed, giving a nod. “But this is his first real crush, those never turn out well in the best of circumstances. He just wound up falling for somepony he shouldn’t have.” “Uh.. Twilight? Considering the Spikes I’ve seen so far, I’d be careful if I were you... I mean nothing dangerous, just be careful with how he’d react. ” Link whispered to the purple pony. “Marvelous isn’t it?” Blueblood asked, gazing up at a painting of Mistmane. “Giving up all that beauty to help another? She truly was a selfless mare. Some ponies may say she’s a myth but I like to believe at least some part of her tale was real.” Turning to Rarity, he offered her a smile. “What about you, Lady Rarity? Do you believe in Mistmane?” Rarity looked up at the painting, a warmth spreading in her chest as she met the mare’s eyes. “I’ve always loved the tale of Mistmane. It taught me an important lesson: beauty isn’t just about making yourself look good, true beauty comes from taking a part of yourself and sharing it with others. She inspired me to go into fashion; to give ponies the looks of their dreams. So yes, I’d like to believe in at least part of her tale.” “You might as well be her in the flesh.” Blueblood winked, lifting her hand up and placing another kiss on it. “I imagine, centuries from now mothers will be telling the legend of Rarity; the most generous pony that ever lived.” Rarity giggled, looking away from the painting to give Blueblood a good natured smirk. “I highly doubt that, all of my greatest accomplishments have been an ensemble effort with my friends. But nice try at stroking my ego.” Blueblood tsked. “Now, now Lady Rarity, I’m merely stating facts. You should take pride in your status, why you haven’t capitalized on it truly does escape me.” Stepping back from the painting, he let out a soft sound of acknowledgement. “Ah, we’re close to the three tribes exhibit, shall we take a gander?” Holding his arm out, he never lost his smile. She took his arm, meeting his smile with a sigh. “I have considered using my position as an element to further my career, but I ultimately decided against it. I want to move forward on the merit of my talent, not my status.” “I can respect that, more than you know.” As they walked down the adjacent hall, the two were greeted by ponyquins of pre-unification ponies of all walks of life. The three tribes were depicted in various scenes, showing what life had been like in the pony homeland. “You know, it was around this time that the first riders were active.” Rarity quirked a brow, looking up at Blueblood. “Your aunt has told you about the riders?” “Hm?” Blueblood asked, glancing down at her. “Ah yes, Celestia told me all about them. Such valiant fellows no?” They exited the hallway, stepping into a large room with various display cases. One such case showed off various stylized belt buckles, each bearing a strange face and possessing a gemstone. Blueblood’s answer didn’t sit well with Rarity, causing her to scrutinize the stallion for a few moments before turning her attention to the belt buckles. She leaned in toward the case, narrowing her eyes and drinking in every detail. “These belts are something else, they’re unlike any other Pre-Equestrian clothing that I’ve studied.” Stepping up to it, Blueblood placed his hands on the case. “These belts are what allowed the Gurongi to assume their monster forms,” Blueblood explained, gazing down at them. “To think Celestia would allow them to be displayed, considering who was busted out of Tartarus.” “The Gurongi?” Rarity gasped, taking a step back from the case. “You’re right, I can’t believe Princess Celestia would let them be displayed like this.” Rarity’s eyes widened in realization. “Unless of course she doesn’t know these are part of the exhibit. You should send a message to her right away so she can safeguard them.” “Tempting, very, very tempting,” Blueblood replied, tapping his fingers on the case. “But, I’m afraid I have a deadline to meet, and I don’t have time for a self-imposed challenge.” “Deadline? Challenge?” Rarity repeated, regarding the stallion as if he had grown a second head. “Blueblood, what the blazes are you going on about?” Blueblood gave an exaggerated sigh, shooting Rarity an apologetic look. “I do wish we could have kept the deception going, beauty such as yours should be savored.” Stepping away from the case, he reached into his suit, retrieving what looked like the hilt of a cutlass. “But I’m afraid I must put business before pleasure.” Holding the device up, he  pressed a button on the front, holding it for a few seconds. “Henshin!” He released the button, sweeping the device out in front of the room, gathering the attention of the rest of the museum goers. The sound of shattering glass filled the air, holographic jewels of various colors appearing throughout the room, all the while the device played a catchy jazz tune. “Lupin!” The device cried, the jewels converging on Blueblood, playing a jazz outro. He struck a pose, the jewels forming into a costume. The dominant color was red, a  leather-like material making up the bulk of the suit. Around his shoulders was a long, black cape, the article of clothing hanging down to Blueblood’s knees. Around his waist was a golden belt buckle with a purple, oval gem in the center of it. The chest had a golden buckle as well, a purple, green, yellow and blue gem of varying sizes arranged in a square. The helmet had a black top hat, golden trim all around the edges, including eyebrows that extended past the edges of the helmet for a few inches. The eyes were red, with a purple jewel resting between them. Rarity’s horn lit up, creating a flash of light she hoped would blind Lupin long enough for her to exit the room and find Wyatt, Spike and Link. She wasted no time, turning on her hooves and running for the door. “A courageous effort, but a wasted one.” Lupin clicked his tongue, raising his transformation device and bringing it down on the glass case. “I do hope those undead didn’t tire them out too badly. I’d hate for this to be a boring job.” Rarity rushed along the halls, breathing heavily as she tore through the halls. Luckily, she managed to find her friends among the gem exhibit. “Wyatt, Spike,” she panted out, putting a hand to her chest as she struggled to control her breathing. “Blueblood’s a rider, he’s stealing Gurongi artifacts right now!” “I had a feeling something was going to go wrong.” He sighed, a look of annoyance crossing his face. Wyatt ducked behind a pillar, summoning his driver and booker, placing them on his waist. “Henshin!” he proclaimed, donning his armor. Pulling out a familiar pair of cards, slotting one into his belt. “Kamen Ride: Kabuto!” the driver called out, his armor shifting into the crimson armor. Wyatt slotted the next card, taking off down the hall at max speed. He reached the Pre-Equestrian artifacts in record time, moving in to catch the transformed Blueblood off guard. Link’s boots took on a shine as metal gold spread across them, he quickly dashed behind Wyatt,  moving twice as fast as his normal speed to catch up with the transformed human. “Don’t worry, Rarity.” Spike slapped his belt on, opening up his medal case. “I’ll kick his flank for ya.” Grabbing a trio of coins, he tossed the case to Twilight. Slotting them in, he ran the scanner over them. “Henshin!” “Mukade! Tora! Wani!” The upper part of his symbol now displayed a purple centipede. The eyes were yellow, and  the helmet sported a purple centipede etched onto it, the top extending past his head, along with several of the legs. ‘I’m gonna kick his flank into next week!’ Spike thought to himself as he ran after the pair of high speed Displaced. ‘How dare he use Rarity like that! We’ll see how his prissiness likes rotting in a jail cell!’ He moved as fast as he could, wishing that one of his medals could give him super speed. He ignored that thought, rushing down the halls to enter the Pre-Equestrian exhibit. Lupin lifted the last of the Gurongi belts out of the case, gazing at it for a moment. “What crude devices. No wonder it turned them into monsters. Some ponies just have no taste.” “As if you’re one to talk about taste,” Wyatt said, zipping past Lupin and swiping the belts from his hand. “Who let you walk out of your house with gold eyebrows on that helmet?” Link was next to get behind the armored stallion. “Or where you even found a rider’s belt in the first place.” the hylian questioned, both sword and shield drawn and at the ready. “Oh, you mean the Lupin Gunner?” Lupin asked, holding up his transformation device. “It really is an interesting story.” He pressed the button from before, getting a cry of ‘Break!’ from the gunner. He spun around around using the Gunner as a pair of brass knuckles, punching Link’s shield and sending him sliding back across the room. “Alas, we don’t have the time.” “I think you’ll have plenty of time to tell it once you’re settled in your jail cell,” Wyatt retorted, drawing his kunai and rushing in to slash at Lupin’s chest. Lupin took the slash to the chest, taking a step back. “I’m afraid, my dear human, that you are quite outmatched!” Lunging forward, Lupin slammed the Lupin Gunner into Wyatt’s chest, sending him back into a wall. “You’re the one that’s outmatched!” Spike roared, leaping at Lupin and swinging both of his arm claws at his opponent’s head. As soon as he landed he crouched down and kicked at Lupin’s legs, the energy crocodile forming and chomping down on one. Lupin laughed, stumbling backwards. “Now this is what I love! A challenge! I was so worried those undead had tired you both out. Good to see that I was wrong.” Reaching down to the pouch on his leg, he retrieved a tiny golden car, which sported what looked like a pocket knife from the back. “Time to get serious boys, no holding back now.” Inserting the car into the back of the Lupin Gunner, the blade sprang up, growing in size and adding a foot long blade to the top of the weapon. “No holding back?” Link said as he ran toward Lupin. “Oh, you wouldn’t want me to hold back!” he leaped into the air to perform a Jump Attack and try to cut down Lupin from behind. Wyatt pried himself off the wall, glaring at Lupin. “Alright, I’ll show you not holding back,” he growled, pulling out a pair of cards. “Kamen Ride: Kuuga!” Wyatt’s armor shifted, the rush of power from his photo session filling him once more. He then slotted the next card in. “Form Ride: Dragon!” Wyatt’s armor changed from red to blue. In his hands was a long, blue polearm, gold portions at the ends. Lupin chuckled, throwing his hand back and trapping Link in a film strip. “Please, if you’re going to attack me, don’t make yourself so wide open.” Turning back to Spike and Wyatt, he leveled his weapon at them. “I will be leaving here with those belts, gentlecolts.” “Yeah, you’re not getting these back,” Wyatt said, patting the belts that he had secured to his own. “But I know these shiny cuffs I’m sure you’ll love.” Wyatt charged forward, sweeping at Lupin’s legs with his staff. Lupin leapt up, kicking Wyatt in the face. He pressed the button on the front of the Lupin Gunner, firing several shots into Wyatt’s chest. “Of course, I don’t expect you to just hand them over, there’s no fun in that.” Wyatt cried out in pain, falling to a knee. Spike capitalized on Lupin’s distraction, headbutting the back of the other rider’s skull. There was a strange distortion in the air and before anyone could question it, Link fell through the small shift in reality and was now top of Lupin. Link quickly attempted to keep the armored stallion pinned down, Wyatt noticed that the hylian was wearing golden gauntlets with a red ruby in the back of the hand. “Well, aren’t you full of surprises, hmm?” Lupin asked, elbowing Link in the nose. Pushing the dazed Hylian off, Lupin quickly got to his feet. He wobbled slightly, shaking his head. “Quiet the potent headhutt you have there, drake. Unfortunately for you, I’ve had more than enough experience with hallucinogens.” Grabbing Wyatt, he heaved him into Link, unleashing a barrage of shots. Due to the sudden shift in weight, Link went stumbling back into a wall. “Son of a Flying Pot.” Link hissed under his breath, poor Wyatt had taken most of the blunt of the attack. The hylian reached into his pouch to pull out a blue rod of some kind. With a swing, he threw out an energy ball toward one of the statues. Upon contact, the stature rumbled, coming to life. With another flick of the rod, the statue ran toward Lupin in an attempt to bear hug him. With the statue distracting the transformed stallion, Link helped Wyatt back to his feet. Lupin clicked his tongue, raising his sword against the statue. “I do so hate damaging priceless goods, but there’s an exception for everything.” With a few quick movements of his arm, the statue was nothing more than rubble. Wyatt groaned, using his weapon to brace himself for a moment. “Okay, looks like I’m going to need to sacrifice some speed for power.” He pulled out another card and put it in his driver. “Form Ride: Titan!” Wyatt’s armor and weapon shifted. His armor became bulkier, turning silver with purple highlights. His pole turned into a large sword that resembled a claymore. He made his way towards Lupin, bringing down his sword as hard as he could on the rider’s head. Lupin raised his own blade, the two weapons clashing above Lupin’s head. “Neat trick, you might as well be the poster boy for revolving fashion,” Lupin taunted, pushing Wyatt back. He held his hand out, trapping the rider in a film strip. “I always did prefer silent movies.” “You bastard!” Wyatt roared from within his prison, struggling uselessly against the strip. His eyes widened in horror, noticing that the Gurongi belts did not make it with him into the strip. Lupin laughed, grabbing the belts off the ground. Clipping them to his own, he turned to the remaining heroes.“Now.” Glancing between Link and Spike, he grinned under his helmet. “Where were we?” “Vul Kun!” Link commanded. A sword suddenly materialized from behind Lupin and spun to attack him. From Wyatt’s point of view, a strange floating sword had appeared. It was large, easily being taller than the hylian summoning it. Several eyes shone from the guard and pommel area, with a large eye in the middle of a golden triangle that was shining, being held by a tree-like design in a green-hued metal. “Hey!” Spike boomed, clenching his fist at Lupin. “Let my friend go or else!” Lupin grunted as the sword caught him in the side. “I think I’ll take the ‘or else’, my good dragon.” Lupin leapt away from the sword, switching to gunner mode and getting a few shots off at Link. Spike growled, his pupils contracting into slits beneath his helmet. “Don’t you ignore me.” He reached into his medal case, pulling out a trio of black medals. He pulled out the coins he was using and slotted in the black ones before running the scanner over them. “Ebi! Kani! Sasori! Bikaso! Bi-Ka-So~!” Three black rings appeared around Spike’s belt, his armor glowing and shifting. The icon on his chest was the first thing to change, displaying a shrimp at the top, a crab in the center and a scorpion on the bottom. The helmet was next, becoming triangular with curled legs framing the face of the helmet. A shrimp head served as a crest, complete with antennae that extended out above Spike’s head. The eyes flashed for a moment and turned a soft shade of blue. The arms morphed to have crab claws replace his hands. Lastly, The greaves changed to have the body of a scorpion on the kneepads, the stinger moving down along the legs and ending in pointy tipped boots. The entire ensemble was black, except for a few portions beneath the armor that were a soft gray. “Vul Kun, assist Spike, but be careful not to damage the area!” Link mentally commanded as he was quickly rising his sword to block Lupin’s shots. “By your order!” The sword replied in the same mental link, the big blade floated on over to Spike, ready to defend him. Spike crouched down, moving in to attack Lupin with his claws open wide. He jumped up, his claws pinching down on Lupin’s arm. The other rider grunted, swinging his arm around in an attempt to throw Spike off. When that did nothing, Lupin pulled out his Gunner and fired a few shots at Spike’s face. Just as the shots struck the drake, his armor expanded, becoming heavier and resembling a crab shell before reverting to normal once Lupin stopped firing. Vul Kun reacted by trying to hit Lupin, using the side of its body in an attempt to disorient him. Lupin turned his Gunner on the sword, firing to stop it mid-flight. It was forced to move away, moving behind Spike and looking for an opening to attack Lupin again. Spike pulled his head back, a large bubble emerging from the head portion of his helmet. He released Lupin from his claws, jumping back as if to get away from the bubble. “Blowing a bubble?” Lupin asked with a chuckle. “What’s next, are you going to fingerpaint at me?” Without a thought, He swiped at the bubble, causing it to pop. As soon as it did, Lupin grunted as he was blown back with a surprising force. Using Lupin’s moment of distraction, the floating sword let loose a small blast of dark magic aimed at him. Lupin took the blast to the chest, hissing and grabbing the spot where the attack had struck him. “Well, that’s the first real hit you’ve given me.” “You’re about to get a lot more,” Spike told him, spinning on his heel and kicking at Lupin’s chest. The tip of his boot extended out, shooting towards Lupin on a chain. Lupin allowed the chain to wrap around his arm and with a heave, pulled Spike off his feet. Spike remained calm, positioning himself with his free leg outstretched and kicked Lupin in the neck. “Looks like Spike can handle him now.” Link commented to Wyatt. “Good for him,” Wyatt deadpanned, beating his fists against the filmstrip he was trapped in. Taking out a blue mirror, Link looked through it, causing the same small distortion from before, Wyatt found Link inside the film with him. “Look through the mirror and I’ll help ya out of here.” the hylian said. “Good, I owe Lupin there a few punches to the face,” Wyatt grumbled, looking into the hand mirror. Reality was shifted once more, warping the two to the outside world. Wyatt brandished his sword, charging at Lupin. He jumped as high as he possibly could, bringing his sword down on the villain’s head. “Enough of this!” Lupin pressed the button on his Gunner once more, holding it for a few seconds. “Ultimate!” it cried, once more playing a catchy jazz tune. Spinning around, Lupin slashed his blade in a sweeping arch. “Lupin Slash!” The blade released a multicolored energy blade, striking each of them and sending them flying across the room. Spike’s armor turned heavy again, only to crack and strain against the attack. After a moment, Wyatt’s armor dissipated, leaving him looking bloodied and beaten. Spike staggered forward, ignoring the pain in his chest. “I’m not... going to let you leave...” he hissed, raising his arms once more. “I’ll teach you to mess with Rarity...” He took another step forward, only for Lupin to punch him hard enough into the wall to crack it. His transformation cut out and the kani medal ejected from his driver, sailing across the room. Wyatt groaned, his eyes fluttering as darkness creeped into the corners of his vision. He tried to stand up, only to fall over each time. He beat his fist against the floor, hissing in pain as he brought himself to one knee and glared daggers at Lupin. “I’m not done yet!” He hissed, trying to rise to his feet. “I… I’ll find a way to beat you!” He tried to turn back into Decade, only for the handles of his driver to refuse to move. He growled in frustration, continuing in vain in an attempt to get it to work. “When you know you’re beaten, you should bow out gracefully,” Lupin replied, lowering his weapon. Casually walking over to the discarded kani medal, he tossed it into the air. “What eye catching little trinkets. You should keep a better eye on these.” Catching the falling coin, he flipped it onto Spike’s prone body. “You might lose them.” With a flick of his cape, Lupin turned, making his way out of the room. “No!” Wyatt roared, trying to jump to his feet only to fall flat on his face. He cried out in frustration, succumbing to the darkness creeping into his vision and passed out. Weakly reaching into his pouch, Link pulled out his hookshot, taking aim at the retreating form of Lupin. However due to his blurry vision, he wasn’t able to have a clear shot. “H-hylia damnit.” Link cursed under his breath, the world fading to black. “What a mess,” Shining Armor grumbled, watching a few unicorn guard members pouring over every trace of ‘Lupin’. His eyes locked onto the cracked wall, where he knew his little brother had been slumped. “First monsters attack, and now Blueblood’s put my little brother in the hospital.” He snorted, his mind set on taking the belt away from the drake. Shining nodded to himself, deciding to demand it from Twilight as soon as he was done with the preliminary investigation. He stepped over to the case that Lupin had stolen from, lighting up his horn to do a quick scan of it. “I should have taken it from him this morning.” He snorted, a frown overtaking his face. “I knew something like this would happen,” he muttered. A slight bit of movement off to the side caught his eye. Drawing his sword, he stepped closer. “If anypony’s there, come out now! This place is off limits.” Moving behind one of the statues, he prepared to strike, only to see nothing. “I’m letting things get to me...” “You know, I could help with that.” Shining Armor froze, noting the voice had come from behind him. Only that wasn’t the part that bothered him. It was his own voice that had spoken. Shining spun around, ready to point his sword at the throat of whoever was taunting him. He faltered for a moment, almost believing he was staring in a mirror. The rational part of his mind caught up to him and he quickly realized he was staring at another version of himself. Though, something felt very wrong about the look his counterpart was giving him. It was a cross between a smirk and the appraising look in one’s eye when considering whether or not to wear a certain outfit. Needless to say, Shining didn’t lower his sword. “Just relax,” his doppleganger spoke, horn glowing a deep purple. “I’ll take it from here.” With that, he zapped Shining Armor in the chest. “Just take a load off, you could use a vacation.” Shining’s eyes fluttered, trying to call out to the other guards only to find no sound would escape his throat. He collapsed to the floor, his sword falling from his hand with a weak clatter. The last thing he saw before succumbing to the spell was his doppleganger kneeling down and undoing the buckles on his armor.