//------------------------------// // Q: Quarrel Over / My Decision // Story: Kamen Rider Unicorn // by Michael_Ravencroft //------------------------------// Rarity and Sunny Flare were very relaxed, both girls were neck deep in a mud bath, letting their bodies soak in the mineral enriched goo. Thanks to Rarity being a frequent patron of the Canterlot Beauty and Relaxation Spa, the owners, Aloe and Lotus, often gave the aspiring fashionista a large discount, and even more so today when she arrived with her romantic interest, announcing to them that for today, it was all on the house. “I liked hanging out with the girls on that yacht, but this, this is really relaxing,” said Sunny in bliss. “Oh, Darling, believe me, I know. I’m glad you had fun on your trip,” said Rarity. Sunny looked to Rarity with a bit of concern. “Of course, I freaked out a little with what happened here and seeing…” Sunny glanced about the room to make sure that they were alone. “…Sunset get hurt so bad. We were all afraid for Twilight, that girl finally got someone good for her and then…” Rarity shuddered. “Trust me, Sunny, we were all scared out of our collective minds on that day. The only thing that kept us focused was the danger that those two Sirens were going to level the city. But, in the end, it all worked out, they are no longer evil and are quite the lovely ladies to get to know, and of course, those two finally kissed!” Rarity gave a little squeal of delight at the recanting of her two friends’ romantic gesture. “No way?! Who kissed who first?! Was it Sunset or Twilight?!” “Twilight, my dear! It was so romantic, a kiss of promise to return from the field of battle, triumphant in the defeat of evil, and awaiting the love of a fair young maiden!” Rarity gushed. Sunny’s smile broadened at hearing that. “I really am happy for her, like I said, we used to treat her like crap back at CPA, hearing that she not only has good friends like you, but now a girlfriend who cares about her, protects her, and is as smart as her, transferring to CHS was the best thing for her.” “Agreed, but do not make light of the changes you and Dean Cadance have been able to instigate. Thanks to you two, and your friends, CPA is on its way to being just as socially reputable as it is athletically and academically,” said Rarity. Sunny Flare felt her face heat up as she listened to Rarity, she always knew how to lift her spirits. “I’m glad I finally got to be with you, Rarity. I mean…I…” Sunny hesitated. “Why can’t I say it, I’m such a damn coward…” “Darling, don’t worry about it. It should be said naturally, and without any forcing. I know you care about me, and I you. When you say it, it will be because you feel it is the right time, and when that day comes,” Rarity leaned out of the mud bath to stare at her girlfriend, the thick mud clinging to her alabaster skin, “I’ll return it in kind.” Sunny leaned out as well and reached out for Rarity’s hand, but the moment she did, the door to their room burst open, revealing the visage of someone that Sunny Flare had never hoped to see again. “M-M-MOTHER?!” Abacus Cinch glared down at her daughter, her eyes following her arm and hand as it rested on the hand of the girl in the bath adjacent hers. Her face scrunched in disgust at what she was seeing. “Honestly, where did I go wrong?” Sunny Flare immediately retracted her hand back into the mud, sinking into it as low as it would allow, then cursing when it only came up to her chin. “I did everything right, didn’t I? I gave you the talk, I know full well you know that nothing can come of this kind of relationship! How can you build a family, when the other person doesn’t even have the necessary equipment?!” Cinch spat with venom. Rarity watched her girlfriend wince in fear, promptly stood out of the bath, and fixed Cinch with her own piercing glare. “Ahem, to answer your question, there’s adoption, donors, and Twilight was just regaling me about some experimental method that was being worked on for two women to conceive a child. So, despite the fact that I do not have the ‘necessary equipment’, as you say, there many options open for a family to be had. I don’t know how you found us, but if all you’re here to do is harass us I’ll have to call the police!” Cinch smirked wickedly. “Oh, those simpletons, they won’t be arriving for a while. That is, if those twins can learn how to dial with their chins.” Rarity glanced behind Cinch and gasped when she saw Aloe and Lotus on the floor, writhing in pain as their arms and legs looked broken. “What…What have you done?!” “Considering what I’m going to do to the both of you?” < INJURY! > “Far less.” Cinch pressed the Memory into her arm, and immediately transformed into the Injury Dopant. Sunny and Rarity jumped out of the mud tubs and moved as far back into the room as they could. Thankfully the mud was very clingy and preserved some amount of their modesty in this terrifying situation. “Such an ungrateful daughter, you need some discipline!” Injury stated. The Dopant lunged for Sunny, but both girls dodged to the sides as Injury smashed into hair dryer chairs. Sunny and Rarity were mad dashing for the door, but Injury quickly recovered, ripping the chair from the floor and throwing in their direction. Rarity and Sunny came to a sliding stop as the chair smashed against the door, barring them exit for the time being. Injury’s gaze fell on Rarity, she quickly rushed across the room and grabbed the fashionista by the neck and thrust her against the wall, holding her there as she squeezed her throat to keep her from thrashing around too much. “Hmmm, I seem to recall my daughter mentioning you were a seamstress, you love fashion and are quite talented with your hands.” The Dopant reached down with her left claw and wrapped it around Rarity’s right hand. She squeezed only has hard as she needed to keep a firm grip on it, Rarity glanced down at her hand as she watched the Dopant’s hand glow with bright yellow light, and then after a second released her hand which created skull mark that lingered for a few seconds. Injury reached over and grabbed her other hand, implementing the same light and the released it. Sunny Flare rushed over to the Dopant that was her mother and pounded on her back as she yelled, “LEAVE HER ALONE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” “Teaching this little seductress, a lesson. that there is a price to pay for her deviant ways and her corruption of your morals!” Injury raised her left hand and the yellow light reappeared once again. “Break! Tear!” All at once, the room echoed with the sickening sound of multiple bones snapping at once. Rarity released an ear piercing scream of pain as her hands erupted with pain, feeling every small bone that made up their structure snap and crack all at once, but it was more than that, she could feel it, the muscles weren’t responding no matter how much she tried to make them flinch, the only thing that seemed intact were the nerves, and every single one was blaring with pain that radiated up her arms. Sunny Flare glanced down at her lover’s hands, gasped, and went wide eyed when she saw that the fingers and palm were grossly disfigured due to the multiple bone fractures that the skin tried to contain, the porcelain white skin around her hands was becoming red, black, and blue in stark contrast to the rest of her skin color. “Now you’ll never sew or draw, or even write again. Not even a skilled surgeon will be able to fix that kind of ligament, muscle, and bone damage. And even if they could, you’d never be able to hold a needle or pen without violently shaking. Sorry to say, your career is over.” Injury released Rarity, letting her fall unceremoniously to the floor as she passed out from the shock. Sunny Flare rushed to Rarity’s side, despite the proximity of her mother. “Now, Sunny, you’ll come with me and once I’m done taking care of some unfinished business, we’ll leave this city.” Sunny Flare’s eyes were red and puffy with tears, but even so she looked up and glared angrily, and defiantly at her mother. “How dare you…! HOW DARE YOU TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HER! YOU-YOU MONSTER! I’LL NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITH YOU! I’D RATHER DIE!” Injury’s eyes shined brighter, while the skull didn’t allow for facial expression, the glowing lights in the sockets did. “Young lady, I can simply knock you out and drag you out of here or break your legs and arms. It’s up to you how much pain you want to endure. Or maybe I should just remove all temptation from your life?!” Suddenly, several energy bolts were fired, destroying the blocked door, and afterwards, several more shots were loosed that forced Injury to fall back from the constant barrage. Trigger had entered the room, but now in his super form, SWAT. Trigger quickly pressed the 4 digit on the rifle and hit “Enter”. /#\ SUPPRESSOR! /#\ A large bundle of light formed at the muzzle of the Chrome Ultimatum, Trigger aimed and fired bundle. It flew through the air and in a matter of seconds spread out and wove itself into a giant net that fell on the Dopant. Arcs of blue electricity began to discharge from the light net, forcing the Dopant to one knee as she tried to struggle against it. Trigger took a moment to assess the situation, he gulped once when he saw the mud stained girls but was more concerned with the state of one who was unconscious. “She hurt her, I think she passed out from the shock!” Sunny stated. “We’ll take her out of here, we need to get you two to the PhoenEXE Corp. building, you’ll be safe there!” Trigger, carefully, knelt down and lifted Rarity, with Sunny Flare taking up the other side. “Miss, I would suggest finding a towel for both of you right now, while she’s down, and hurry!” Sunny did just that, only now realizing that the only thing barely preserving their modesty was a layer of dark brown mud that had clung to their bodies. Once she had wrapped a towel around Rarity, and then herself, Trigger and Sunny carried Rarity outside. But it wasn’t long before Injury burst out of the Spa from the opposite wall, her violet eyes fixated on Trigger and her two targets. “You just don’t know when to quit, Mr. Armor,” said Injury. Before she could get any closer, a streak of blue-green light descended upon them and Injury found herself being slashed from all directions before being kicked away, slamming into a parked car and leaving a body sized impression. When the Dopant looked to see who had attacked her, she growled. Standing with a gleaming golden sword, and mechanical wings that released streams of sparkling blue-green light, was Kamen Rider Nasca in her final form, Star Chaser. Nasca turned around and looked over Sunny, and then Rarity, noticing the state of her hands. Nasca’s wings flared with greater intensity as she pointed her sword at Rarity and asked, “Did you do that to her?!” Injury ripped herself from the car, giving it a kick for good measure. “And if I did?” “I’m going to freakin’–!!!” “NASCA!” Trigger shouted, gaining the speedster Rider’s attention. “Take this one to PhoenEXE Corp. I’ll take her!” Nasca looked back to the Dopant and then back to them. “Dammit listen to me! You’re faster than any ambulance, she needs treatment and PhoenEXE Corp. has it! Get her there now!” Nasca – Rainbow Dash – knew this, but she was more than powerful enough to defeat this Dopant now, but then again, Rarity might not have the time for her to finish it, even if she was superfast. With a growl, Nasca sped over to Trigger and took Rarity into her arms. “I can’t take her, she can’t hold onto me with her broken hands, I’ll need both of mine just to keep her from falling off!” “Take her and go, and I’ll worry about her,” said Trigger as he nodded towards Sunny Flare. With an understanding nod, Nasca unfurled her wings and in the blink of an eyes shot off towards downtown. “No more messing around!” |<^>| 1-2-3-4-5-6, ENGAGE! |<^>| }<^>{ TRIGGER! MAXIMUM DRIVE! }<^>{ “Magna Enforcer!” Six rings of light appeared around the muzzle of the Chrome Ultimatum, and once formed, Trigger fired the beam as passed through all six, magnified until it was a giant, column sized beam that roared towards Injury. The Dopant was unprepared as the beam washed over her, inside she could feel the power of this attack chipping away at her own power, bit by bit the Gaia Memory inside her was about to fracture and shatter. But something inside Injury wouldn’t let her give in, she wouldn’t stop, not until those who ruined her career, her life, were punished for their transgressions. In a burst of light, an explosion went off. Trigger ceased his attack, waiting to see Abacus Cinch sprawled on the ground. However, when the dust settled, Trigger saw something worse. Injury was still standing, only now the white bone color of the exoskeletal armor had changed to a dark, shiny gold color, the eyes were now bright red instead of violet. Along the knuckles were spikes and the skull now had long curved horns. “What the heck…?!” Injury looked upon herself and – metaphorically – smiled at the result of her transformation. Deciding to not stick around and find out what did happen. Trigger slung his weapon onto his back, picked up Sunny Flare, and ran her to his bike. “We’re out of here!” Trigger revved the engine peeled away as fast as he could. ***________________________________*** A couple of hours had passed since the attack, Rarity was rushed into the medical lab at PhoenEXE Corp. where she was immediately placed into the ICU. After getting Sunny some spare clothes, she patiently waited outside the ICU, with Cadance and Twilight trying to provide comfort to the still distraught Sunny. Sunset, meanwhile, was seething in anger. Cinch had hurt Rarity in the cruelest way possible, forget the pain of the injury itself, even with months of rehab, Rarity’s hands would never be the same after damage like that, her visions, her creations, would never leave the confines of her mind’s eye. It took everything Sunset had not to just transform now and use the Kindness Memory to heal her, but for now, she needed to be treated. Another hour had passed and soon one the doctor emerged from the ICU, making everyone turn their heads in her direction. Sunny Flare immediately walked up to the doctor and asked, “How is she?” “We’ve stabilized her, the shock that was induced from the severe trauma she sustained made her pass out. But she has a steady heartbeat, and has no internal injuries or concussion, so she’ll wake up soon. I’m more concerned about the state of her hands, I’ve…I’ve never seen such…” “Damage…” Sunset stated. “More than that, the damage was…precise, every bone was fractured jaggedly, the ligaments, muscles, and the nerves for basic motor function have been torn, the only thing working are the pain receptors from what our test show, she can still feel their pain. We had to give a good dose of pain medication to keep that at bay,” said the doctor. Sunny spoke next, as much as she tried, she couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice, “What can you do to fix them?! She wants – no – is going to be a fashion designer, she needs her hands to sew and draw! That’s her life, tell us you can fix them?!” “We administered one of PhoenEXE Corp.’s recent breakthrough technologies. Nanotech. Millions of microscopic robots have been injected into the damaged area of your friend’s hands, and each one is methodically piecing them back together. We’ve also given her a stimulant that increases cellular regeneration, so both combined should heal the injuries, but it may take some rehab time to get them to work properly.” Starlight nodded, “Thank you, please continue your work, this girl is to have a full recovery, no matter what.” The doctor nodded and went back inside. “How could this have gotten so bad…” she whispered. Sunset slammed her fist into the wall, “I’m going to make Cinch pay for this!” “That might be easier said than done,” said Shining Armor as he continued to lean against the opposite wall, his arms crossed and a hard look of contemplation present on his face. “What do mean, son?” Night Light asked. Shining looked up and saw the expectant faces of his family. “I hit her with my strongest attack, and then…she just changed.” Starlight’s head shot up as a serious expression befell her. “What do you mean, ‘changed’?” “She was colored all bone white, but after the attack, she was like a dark golden color, with spikes and horns, and red eyes, like she evolved or powered up or something,” said Shining. “I hate to admit it, but I going to need Unicorn and Nasca’s help on this one, this is a first.” No kidding, thought Sunset, a Dopant evolving into a powered-up version of itself…that can’t be good. “I’m…I’m going to do a check with the security and make sure we’re secured…Excuse me.” Starlight walked off, making Sunset eye her with a hint of suspicion. “For now, let’s get some rest, we’ve all been through a lot today,” said Velvet. Sunset walked up to Twilight and gave her hug, which served to reassure Twilight that everything was fine, and secondly to whisper into her ear, “I’m going to follow Starlight, we may never get a chance like this again to verify if she’s…you-know-who.” Twilight flinched but then returned the hug as she whispered back, “Be careful.” Both girls separated, and Sunset planted a kiss on her lover’s forehead before heading down the same hallway as Starlight did. Sunset managed to catch up to Starlight, keeping a few feet behind her to allow her target some breathing room, and for Sunset to observe Starlight. The CEO of PhoenEXE Corp. seemed to be fuming as she held her cellphone close to her head, and then even more so as she stopped at a wall. Sunset looked around and noticed that there was no surveillance in this dead-end hall. No other doorways or connecting corridors. Starlight placed her hand against a wall and a green square lit up that scanned her hand like a copier. In less than a few seconds the wall split open, Sunset figured it was some kind of biometric scanner, which meant that even if she knew where it was, getting in it wouldn’t work unless Starlight was with her, which only left the fiery redhead one option. “Hey, Starlight!” Sunset called out. Starlight noticeably flinched as she turned and watched Sunset approach her. Despite Starlight’s recovery back to her calm and cool state, Sunset could tell that she was definitely panicked by the fact that Sunset had caught her. “Uh, uh, oh, Sunset! What, uh, what are you doing here?” “I just came back to thank you for keeping my friends, and girlfriend, safe from that monster Cinch.” Sunset nonchalantly looked at the secret elevator. “Wow, secret elevator, guess you have some more high-tech stuff down below, huh?” Starlight’s jaw clinched, Sunset Shimmer was a very intelligent girl, same can be said of Twilight Sparkle. The only difference between them was that Sunset was much more intuitive, Starlight knew that there was no way she could explain this away. I can trust her…she’s…we’re friends…I think, I hope. “Sunset…there’s something I need to confess to you, but I would like you to hear me out completely before passing judgement, please?” Starlight asked. Sunset could see where this was probably going, she couldn’t let this chance slip by, and truthfully, she had wished to know what was driving Starlight to create these T1 Gaia Memories. And truthfully, she had no right to judge her as completely evil until she at least knew Starlight’s motives. “Alright, I’ll listen.” Starlight nodded and entered the elevator, motioning for Sunset to enter. Sunset stood at Starlight’s right side as the doors closed and the machine began to its descent. They rode in silence for a good two minutes, Sunset just watched the display indicate how many levels down they were going. “You know a lot about magic, Sunset. Have you ever found it in this world?” Starlight asked. Sunset raised an eyebrow. “It wasn’t here, so far as I know. Or rather, it was, but it’s so faint that it might as well be nonexistent. I…in my hubris and quest for power and recognition…brought back a very powerful magical artifact from my world and into this one. As a result, my friends and I have some connection to that magic, and I can feel it more in this world.” Starlight nodded. “I discovered something akin to magic, right here underneath Canterlot City a few years back. Rather, I would say it was a vein that connected to that power. It was as if I found a font of infinite knowledge and power, and it was here that I built PhoenEXE Corporation headquarters, to continue studying and adapting that energy.” Suddenly, the elevator’s walls showed [Camera On]. The walls began to display the outside image of where the elevator was descending, and all-around Sunset could see a vast cavern that seemed to stretch on for miles in different directions. At the center of this vast cavern, was a giant mountain of emerald rock that pulsated. Wires and tubing were connected at the base of the mountain, leading to computers and other machinery where scientists in lab coats were running tests on it. “That emerald mountain is the vein, the Memories of the Earth. I gained knowledge from it Sunset Shimmer, I was already a prodigy at a young age, but when I touched that, I was opened up to other possibilities, other worlds. It told me how to create devices that could harness these memories, devices that were called Gaia Memories.” The elevator stopped and then opened up to reveal the full width and height of the cavern. To say it was vast would be an understatement the far end was sectioned off, with a walkway that went right past the mountain, down below there was a security door that led into the next section, which Sunset was certain was where the Gaia Memories were created. “A few months ago, I received a vision that the Earth would give birth to twenty-six Gaia Memories, ones more powerful than the others, ones that were destroyed in another world and yet reborn in this one.” “The Emerald Pillar,” said Sunset. “Correct.” Starlight led Sunset down the walkway, stopping before the Emerald Mountain to gaze upon it. “Those Memories were different from the ones I created here, they had a kind of sentience to them, seeking their perfect compatible hosts.” Starlight reached into her pocket and pulled out the Equal Memory. “Much like this one did.” Sunset’s eyes widened, there it was, there was the proof that she needed. All of this was one thing, but this was the concrete proof that she was Kamen Rider Equal. Sunset wanted to transform so bad right now, to expose her for the evil person she was to Shining Armor and the whole city, because of her, Rarity was hurt badly, and yet… “Tell me, Starlight Glimmer…” Starlight winced at hearing her full name, she could already sense the tension in Sunset’s voice. “Are you the one who created the devices that turn people into monsters?” Starlight, reluctantly, nodded. “They’re called Dopants. There are two types, T1 Gaia Memories are the ones that I have created here in this facility and distribute to…less than savory individuals. The others, the T2s like my Equal Memory, seek out their own hosts, and those I have no control over.” “So, you sell them to criminals?” Sunset asked. “Not always, some we just give away.” Starlight turned to Sunset, her eyes gentle and seeking understanding. “Sunset, I make no excuses for what I’ve done, I knew exactly what those people were going to do with them, but understand, I needed the data from each of them, compiling it for…” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “For what?” “Later…I had everything in place, to send them to jail as soon as the data I collected was done, I even accounted for collateral damage and casualty rates…My plan was to defeat each one after their data was collected, and also hunt down those who had the T2s. Then everything changed when Kamen Rider Unicorn appeared. It worked out, actually, letting her take down the Dopants, she always seemed to be drawn to whatever crisis they caused, and was subsequently collecting the T2s, I figured it would be easier to get them from her, but recently…I’ve had to reassess myself,” said Starlight. “Because of how she got stronger?” Sunset asked with a slight amount of pride. “That, and the thrashing I and my associates received at the hands of those two girls…” ~***~ The Luna Dopant created multiple copies of each of his comrades, flooding the rooftop with an army of Dopants and Equals. Weather and Ocean were not impressed. The IceAge and Heat Dopant’s released streams of subzero ice blasts and red-hot flames at the T2 holders. Weather and Ocean created a barrier of wind and water, the flames were hissing at as they struck against the barrier, while the ice blasts were working to freeze the water, but the constantly moving warm winds prevented the ice from forming completely. Bird flew overhead, her wings glowing as she flapped them, throwing a cascade of feathers on the two targets like arrows. The feathers exploded upon impact, shrouding them in a cloud of dust. The copies all ceased their attacks and waited to see what happened. Two lightning bolts shot into the air, they performed a double helix before smashing together, and from there, firing off multiple smaller bolts that blossomed in every direction. The smaller bolts pierced through every copy that was around them, dispelling them with ease, unfortunately, the bolts managed to find their marks, hitting the originals. IceAge and Heat were sent flying back, skidding across the roof until they stopped at the edge. Bird tried to maneuver around the attacks, and managed to do so, but was eventually caught in a multidirectional attack that struck her, exploded, and had her going into freefall until she landed next to her teammates. Ocean glanced about and sent a dense water blasts to a vacant area. Turns out the area was not so vacant as the blasts struck the Luna Dopant again and again, causing sparks to fly from his body as he rolled across the rooftop to the edge. Ocean formed her water blade and lunged for Luna, prepared to end him. However, Equal got between them and blocked her attack with her Staff. The two were locked in place as sparks flew off from the point of contact on the Staff. “Heh, the big bad villain is protecting her mooks,” Ocean mocked. “They are my associates, and I would rather not have to look for new ones!” They are those who are loyal to me, I will not let them fall! Starlight thought. | LESS THAN: > | The water blade began to dissolve, causing Ocean to back way as she lobbed many hydro blasts at her. The Reduction Field was working, but for some reason, the blasts were making it through, causing damage. Minor damage, but damage all the same, which shouldn’t be possible. Heat pointed her hands behind her and released a blast of flames that propelled her across the roof back to Weather, once she was in range, she pointed her hands in different directions and fired. The jet blasts made her spin at rapid speeds as she threw a spin kick at Weather. The elements wielding Dopant created a barrier of wind and water that attacked as a shield to buffer against the hard kick. Heat tried once again, but this time, Weather caught her by the leg, and brought Heat around, slamming the fiery Dopant into the roof hard enough to make her gasp. Weather raised her left hand to fire a lightning bolt, but her hand was quickly hit with an ice blast, incasing it in solid ice. Weather glanced behind her and saw IceAge ready to go again, but Weather superheated her hand, shattering the ice like fragile glass. Weather summoned heat and lightning into her hands and fired both in a twin helix blast that converged on IceAge, exploding and sending the Dopant flying off the rooftop. Bird managed to regain consciousness and hurriedly dove down and caught IceAge, hoisting him up into the air. Weather narrowed her eyes as she summoned another lightning bolt, but a beam of red light struck her in the back, causing sparks to fly off her body. “You really are persistent, aren’t you?” Weather inquired in annoyance. Equal had shifted into Greater Than, granting her increased attacking power. “I’ve honestly had all I can stand of this battle!” Equal moved her namesake Memory into the right hip port and slammed down on the button. >} EQUAL! MAXIMUM DRIVE! {< The rogue Kamen Rider jumped into the air, her right foot glowing a bright crimson red as she flipped around and dove down into a flying Rider Kick. Weather didn’t even bother to move as Equal approached her, she merely gathered all of the elemental forces she commanded, condensed them into her right fist, and just before Equal got close, dashed out and met Equal’s kick with her fist. An explosion went off that bathed the rooftop in crimson light, blinding everyone for a moment. Once the light faded, the other Dopants were shocked to see their leader on the ground, her armor damaged, the eye piece of her helmet had been shattered, allowing Starlight’s violet eyes to behold the visage of Ocean and Weather. “Face it, honey, you’re no match against us,” said Weather. “These Gaia Memories aren’t the only thing we’re packin’ that’s making us stronger. You ain’t got a snowball’s chance in hell,” added Ocean. “We killed Unicorn and made her sidekick and that cop Rider turn tail and run. What chance do you think you have?” Weather asked in a mocking tone. Equal looked to Luna, and Luna nodded. The yellow Dopant clapped his hands together, and soon the entire roof was filled with hundreds, upon thousands of balloon animals. Equal, Bird, IceAge, Heat, and Luna, all made their escape. ~***~ “I should’ve been able to defeat them…but I couldn’t…had it not been for Unicorn, the entire city, and everyone in it would have been killed,” said Starlight as she scowled at the thought. Starlight had noticed that during their entire story, Sunset had remained quiet, it unnerved her, she did respect for this girl standing next to her, and for what she was going to do for her. “Sunset, I know you must see me as a villain, but believe me, I have a reason for all of this.” Sunset took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she calmed herself. “You trust me enough to tell me all of this. I’m pretty sure I know why, but I want to hear it from you. Why divulge all of this to me?” Starlight turned to face Sunset, “Because I want you to know that I never wanted any harm to come to you! When I learned about my counterpart, and steadily, through our interactions, I began to grow attached to you all. When I found out about that woman, I tried to stop the deal from going through, even ordering the retrieval of the Memory, but she hurt my associate, and got away.” Sunset moved closer to Starlight. “You’re the one who called Shining Armor and told him to get us here. Tell me something, are you protecting us because I’m the only one who can grant you a chance to see Sunburst again? And having my friends hurt or killed because of your actions would make me forbid you from ever reuniting with him?” Starlight opened her mouth to deny that claim, but she couldn’t, she was already this far in, what was one more inch? “The selfish part of me says yes, but the part of that genuinely cares about you all says no. I consider you and Twilight my friends, I haven’t met many who can stand on equal footing with me as far as intelligence, and here you two are.” Starlight moved closer to Sunset and rested a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, and I promise I will take down that Dopant, Unicorn or no Unicorn, I’ll make her pay for what she did!” Sunset took another deep breath and sighed. She gently removed Starlight’s hand and stood back. “If we’re being honest, then I have to be honest too.” Sunset reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the Unicorn Memory. “Starlight Glimmer, Kamen Rider Equal. I am Kamen Rider Unicorn.” Starlight stood stunned as she looked at the object in Sunset Shimmer’s hand, the Unicorn Memory. All these months, all this time, the girl beneath the armor who had been combatting the Dopants, who had stood against her, was the very girl whom she had come to call – or had hoped to regard as – a friend. Starlight took a step back, shaking her head as she did so, as if to try and dispel the notion that this was true. Sunset only looked upon her with a solemn and sad expression, she could tell that Starlight was in disbelief of this situation, but it could not go untold for so long. “Now that you know who I am, what do want to do now?” “Please tell me this is a joke…? That you just picked that up off the street, please tell this is a joke?” Starlight almost begged. Sunset shook her head. “No, it’s not a joke, I am Kamen Rider Unicorn, and you are Kamen Rider Equal.” Sunset lowered the Gaia Memory, and stared directly at Starlight. “Why are you doing all of this, Starlight? You’ve seen the pony version of yourself, I’m sure she’s told you her story, so you must know that whatever plan you’re embarking on will not end well for you or anyone!” Starlight struck the railing with her right hand, “You don’t know what I’m planning! And yes, she did tell me, and I understand, but it’s not the same, her Sunburst is–!” Starlight cut herself off, she then took a deep breath and calmed herself down. “Just know, I have my reasons, they aren’t just for my benefit. If this works – no – when it works, the world will be all the better for it. The only real question is…what happens now?” Sunset looked around the chasm, and then at the emerald mountain next to them. “Two things can happen right now, I can transform into my final form and tear this place apart and subsequently end the Dopant threat here and now, and we fight it out, you call on your Dopant henchmen, I fight them, and it all ends with all of us beaten up, probably bloody, and everything in here smashed.” Starlight’s jaw clenched a little. “Or, I just let this go for the time being as I need to deal with the crisis that is Cinch. And for that I’d like your assistance. I assume you were sincere in your wanting to help Rarity and Twilight, can I count on you that you’ll help her?” “Of course,” said Starlight, “I will help her, I give you my word on that. Although, I assume that you’ll use your power in some fashion to heal her completely later on.” Sunset smirked. “I will, but right now what you’re doing will ensure that the damage isn’t bad, it’ll make it easier to heal. Now, I need to know why you looked so freaked when Shining Armor said she had changed.” Starlight took a deep breath, her mind still processing the gravity of this situation. But she did manage to gather her thoughts to explain. “It sounds as if the Injury Memory has evolved or leveled up.” Sunset shuddered. “Yeah, let’s just stick with evolved, gaming references bring back certain memories.” The CEO of PhoenEXE Corp. looked at Sunset with confusion, but then remembered the Tirek Incident and understood what she meant. “Anyway, I have data that shows that a person’s emotions and resolve can forcibly make a Gaia Memory enter a new stage of power, Shining Armor’s description of what happened confirms that.” “So Cinch has that much hatred and resolve to see her vengeance that she forced it to evolve…” Sunset didn’t like that, she knew the woman was driven and her priorities were misplaced, and yes, she was a bit of a bitch, but she never saw her as so far gone that it would cause a change like that. “Shining Armor said he hit her with his SWAT Max Driver attack, and she survived it. Does this mean she’s immune to Memory Breaks now?” Starlight cupped her chin and thought for a moment. “Not necessarily, we just need a stronger attack, yours or Nasca’s attacks should – aaaaaaand I just realized that Rainbow Dash is Nasca.” Sunset nodded, no point in denying it. “So, we just need to corner her.” “We also need to know what kind of power she has, if it’s gotten stronger then we need to be sharp,” said Starlight. The CEO let a small smile grace her lips. “We’re quite a team together, Sunset.” Sunset glanced back at her…frienemy. “Don’t think that this lets you off the hook. I’m sure Cinch will find another way to get at us…oh crap!” Starlight’s eyes widened. “What?!” “There’s two others she may go after as well, why didn’t I think about them before?!” “Who?!” ***________________________________*** Night had descended on Canterlot, and in the sleepy suburbs, there were two women who were less than sleepy. In the large two-story house, lived the two sisters in charge of Canterlot High School. Some may have found it strange that the sisters lived together instead of on their own, but they have always had a close bond with each other, and it was more economical for them to pool their income to afford the house that close to their work. With their combined income, there was less stress when it came to utilities, but there was the occasional stress of just two sisters living under the same roof. For one, Celestia was sitting in her office space, going over documents on the curriculum and budget proposals for the upcoming events, field trips, dances, and graduation for the new senior class. Celestia paused for a moment, realizing that this would be Sunset and her friends’ senior year, and soon they would no longer be CHS students, but alumni. Celestia admitted the school was going to be little less magical without those seven there. That’s not to say that she would miss all the magical incidents, gods know she’d rather have those be done with, but she would miss what those seven brought to the school. Especially Sunset, the former bully and queen bee of the school, now reformed and looked up to by her fellow students. Celestia decided to take a break and walked into the kitchen, she wore yellow, silk pajama bottoms and matching top, her long tri-colored hair was tied into a ponytail to keep it from getting in the way of her paperwork. Celestia made a slight detour as she looked across into the living room, seeing her little sister sitting on the couch. Luna was also wearing a pony tail, but her night wear consisted of a loose tank top and pajama shorts. Luna was a night owl, and because of that spent most of her time online, gaming with her clans, guilds, and teams depending what game she was playing. Right now, Luna’s face as scrunched up into a look of determination as her fingers danced across the controller like a woman possessed. “I wonder what the students would think if they saw their strict, rule keeper Vice Principle, sitting on the couch in her underwear, playing video games?” Celestia asked. “Please, sister, do not put that image in their heads. The last thing I need is horny teen boys – and girls – seeing me that way,” said Luna. Celestia sat next to Luna and sighed. “When did I become the less fun Tia?” “I’d say somewhere between dating Sombra in college and living under the same roof together,” said Luna as she made her game avatar duck behind a wall. The elder sister scoffed. “Please, Sombra wasn’t that bad.” Luna’s avatar brought out a rocket launcher and fired it down the hall, taking out four enemies via an environmental kill. “He’s in prison.” “He wasn’t always like that, he was kind and caring, and troubled, losing his high school sweetheart really hurt him. Radiant Hope, that was her name,” said Celestia with a bit of sadness. “Even you acted out quite a lot back in the day…Nightmare Moon.” Luna’s finger slipped on the joystick and caused her avatar to be exposed, which was then subjected to a barrage of bullets, with an annoyed grunt, Luna turned to her big sister and said, “I was going through a phase, Tia, especially after mother and father died…I make no excuses for my actions back then, but I’ve tried to be a better woman.” Celestia leaned over and draped her arm over Luna’s shoulders, bringing her into a half hug. Luna smiled and leaned into the hug, she then smirked and said, “Tia?” “Yes, Lulu?” “Marry me?” Celestia rolled her eyes, “Don’t ruin the moment with incest jokes. You’ve no idea the things I hear the students say about us.” “Oh, I do,” said Luna with a mischievous grin, “and I am willing to affirm to them all should I be asked. “You wouldn’t dare!” Suddenly, the front wall of their house was blown away, the force that it generated was enough to send both sisters flying from the couch and slide into the kitchen, the couch itself was wedged into the archway of the kitchen. Celestia and Luna managed to slowly get back to their feet to see what it was that had done that. To their horror, the Injury Dopant walked through the hole it had made. The golden Dopant’s eyes shined once they were laid on both sisters. “Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, I’ve been meaning to have a nice long chat with you both,” said Injury. “What in – who or what are you?!” Celestia asked. “Come now, you don’t at least recognize the voice of the person whose reputation you helped ruin?” Luna’s eyes widened and then narrowed she made the realization, “Abacus Cinch!” Injury raised her left index finger and said, “Correct Ms. Luna, and here’s your prize.” The Dopant fired a gold beam that struck Luna in the shoulder, at first nothing happened, but then Luna cried out in pain as her arm went limp and she fell to her knees in pain. Celestia rushed to her sister’s side and noticed that her shoulder bone was at an odd angle. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!” “Merely dislocated it, a simple injury that can be remedied if popped back into place, but I doubt you have the necessary knowledge to do such a thing,” said Injury. Luna gritted her teeth as she felt the disconnect inside her body, it was painful and almost made her retch, but she couldn’t let that happen, not with this monster before them. The last thing she needed to be to her sister was a burden. “What reason do you have to assault our home?!” The Dopant’s eyes shined brighter. “‘What reason’, you ask? How about the loss of the Friendship Games, my reputation as an educator, my rights a parent?! All of this I attribute to your accursed school and those girls! Your school infected them, corrupted them, even my own daughter is dating a girl from your school just to spite me!” Celestia narrowed her gaze at Injury. “All of those are you own doing, Abacus! You blackmailed your brightest student into doing something she didn’t want to do and forced her to unleash a power that very nearly tore the fabric of reality! You oppressed your own daughter because you didn’t like what she was trying to do for the good of her peers, and because of her orientation! There is no one to blame here, other than yourself!” Injury glared at Celestia as her left hand began to glow. “You speak boldly, I wonder how well you’ll speak with a broken jaw bone!” The Dopant fired its beam, but at the last second, a flash of turquoise light went off inside the house, and the beam itself struck the back of the kitchen, its original targets having vanished completely. Another flash went off and Injury was struck in the chest by a powerful punch that sent it skidding backwards outside the house. Once outside, Injury noticed that Kamen Trigger was outside, along with SCU police, and Kamen Rider Nasca who was hovering in the air with her sword drawn. Injury looked forward and watched as Kamen Rider Unicorn walked out, her armor having been changed to that of Ace High. “Wondered how long it would take before you interfered,” said Injury. “I can tell that appealing to your sensibilities would be a waste of time, right?” Unicorn asked. “Obviously.” “Then let’s take this elsewhere!” Unicorn’s horn shined with magical power as she, Trigger, and Nasca all teleported far away in a flash. When the second flash went off, all four found themselves teleported to the old industrial district. “No people to hurt, it’s just you and us now,” said Unicorn. Injury chuckled at that statement. “Oh, there are people to hurt, they’re standing around me right now. Field of Detriment!” Suddenly, Injury projected an energy field around her, the field expanded until it was at least twenty feet wide and thirty in height. All three Riders backed away from the field, not sure what this new power was going to do. “What’s wrong? Certainly, the brave and heroic Riders aren’t afraid of one monster, are you?” Unicorn was about to attack, but then watched as an insect crawled about the ground and towards the field. The moment it crossed into it, the bug’s legs snapped, wings tore, and its head was twisted around. “DO NOT TOUCH THAT FIELD!” Injury lunged for them, dashing across the battlefield. Unicorn quickly backed away, teleporting to random spots so as to confuse Injury. The Dopant switched targets and jumped straight up, trying to catch Nasca. The speedster Rider flew up higher, getting out of range of the Dopant. However, Injury concentrated and fired multiple beams of light straight up from her Field of Detriment. Nasca was forced to maneuver, weaving around blasts to avoid a fatal blow. Trigger began firing at Injury, but each shot only shattered the moment it entered the field. “Such an impatient lad, if you wanted your lumps so bad then here!” Trigger began running around, dodging the blasts that came his way and firing his blaster at the ones that got too close. Unicorn disengaged her Ace High form, perching on a rooftop as the moon shined above. “Enough is enough.” Unicorn took out her Shining Memory and the Phoenix Ascender. < SHINING! > \^/ PHOENIX! \^/ {\^/} AAAAAASCEEEEENNNNSIONNNNNN!!! {\^/} A magic circle appeared behind Unicorn, and from it flaming wings flared out and then wrapped around her. In a flash of gold and red light, the flames dispersed into feathers of the same colors, revealing Unicorn’s final form, Unicorn Day Dreamer. The disks on her back rose up and began spinning, fiery wings unfurled from the disks and Unicorn took flight as she aimed directly for the Dopant. Injury cocked back her fist, and the two met fist to fist as a shockwave roared out from the impact. Unicorn grunted as she felt the strain of the Field of Detriment try to break her. Her bones ached, and her skin felt like a thousand claws were raking across her. Even her internal organs were in pain. However, Injury seemed shaken by the fact that Unicorn was able to penetrate her field and was still able to attack. A fact that was driven home when Unicorn broke off and struck Injury in the chest with an airborne roundhouse kick. The Dopant was sent flying into the side of a warehouse, creating a large hole. Unicorn landed on the ground but went to one knee as pain wracked her body. Nasca and Trigger were about to rush over, but Unicorn held up a hand, signaling them to stop. “You two can’t get in close like that, it’ll do worse to you.” “You don’t look much better,” said Trigger. “Have to agree with Trig here,” replied Nasca. Unicorn summoned her Halo Blade, she then took out the Kindness Memory and inserted it into the weapon. )O( KINDNESS! AWAKEN! )O( A yellow light enveloped Unicorn, immediately all the aches and pains she was feeling evaporated in an instant. Unicorn concentrated and expanded the field of sparkling light, granting her a shield of healing energy. Injury managed to tear herself free from the hole and began stomping towards her. Unicorn took out the Generosity Memory and briefly glanced to it. )O( GENEROSITY! AWAKEN! )O( The blade transformed and became a brilliant diamond blade. When Injury got in close, their healing and injuring fields clashed, canceling both out. Unicorn dashed forward and slashed at Injury, causing sparks to fly from the cut and making her stumble forward, catching herself before falling. Injury looked down at her chest and saw a gash in her exoskeletal armor. “Impossible!” Unicorn turned around and took an aggressive stance. “Nothing’s impossible, when you have friends! But you have pushed everyone away from you! Your colleagues!” Unicorn teleported to Injury, and slashed at her back, causing more sparks to fly. “Your family!” Another slash struck her across the right side. “Even those who would look to you for guidance!” Unicorn teleported a few feet away and pointed her Halo Blade at Injury. “It’s time to restore harmony!” The empowered heroine tapped on the wings once, causing the eyes to shine purple. }\^/{ GENEROSITY! MAXIMUM DRIVE! }\^/{ Unicorn held her sword before her with both hands. Three rings made up of ten diamond shorts swords appeared around Unicorn. The Kamen Rider’s horn shined, and the sword rings spun at such a rapid pace that they blurred into sparkling rings of light. This is for you, Rarity! “DIAMOND DAZZLER!” Unicorn swing once with her sword, launching the first ring. The ring sailed towards Injury, disoriented from the previous attacks, she was unable to defend as the ring struck her in the chest, releasing sparks as it acted like a buzz saw that went right through her, leaving a bright white gash. Unicorn slashed a second time, launching the next ring as it too hit its mark and left another white gash, forming an X. Unicorn launched the third and final ring and this one cleaved right down the middle, forming a six-pointed star. “Harmony restored.” The Injury Dopant fell backwards and then exploded as sparkling diamond dust descended upon the battlefield. After the explosion, the only thing left was Abacus Cinch, now lying on the ground groaning in discomfort, and the shattered remnants of the Injury Memory. “You can take it from here officer, there are some stops I need to make first.” Unicorn’s wings flared and before long she zoomed off into the night sky and headed towards the city. ***________________________________*** Sunset stood outside the recovery room where Sunny Flare was excitedly hugging her girlfriend, Rarity. During the night, Kamen Rider Unicorn had made a stop to PhoenEXE Corp. and used her power to heal Rarity’s hands as well as Vice Principal Luna’s dislocated arm. She also stopped by Canterlot General Hospital where Aloe and Lotus were being tended to and healed them. Rarity was crying tears of joy alongside her girlfriend, elated that her dream was not lost, that she could still be the fashionista that she always wanted to be, and is. Starlight Glimmer walked until she was standing beside Sunset, the older version of their Equestrian friend (relatively) looked in the same direction as Sunset and smiled. “I hear all the damage is completely undone, as if it had been erased. She has full use of her hands, I’m glad.” Starlight turned her attention to Sunset. “So, what happens between us?” Sunset sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I know what I should do is transform and tear your facility from the ground up and expose everything that’s going on.” She then glanced up at Starlight. “But what I want to do is understand the why. To what end are you planning? If you truly care this much about the people of this city, then why continue to create the Gaia Memories? Why create Dopants from criminals? Where are you going with all of this?” Starlight grimaced a little, a pensive, painfilled expression befell her face. “I wish to, I think you and Twilight Sparkle may be the only ones who can truly understand what I want to do, what I’m going to achieve. Despite what it may appear, we are both on the side of life, and I want to believe that we can still work together in that pursuit.” Starlight held out her hand to Sunset. “You needn’t do more than what you’re doing now, I create the Dopants, and you defeat them. The only difference is that you will have the financial and tech support of my company to assist in whatever you need to recover the T2s and defeat those using the T1s. What do you say, Sunset?” Sunset looked up at Starlight, who had a spark of hope in her eyes. Had they met earlier, maybe she could’ve steered Starlight away from this path she was on, and they could’ve been friends. That was wishful thinking, if the old Sunset met Starlight, Sunset had no doubt that her old self would have gone along with her plan, whatever it was. “Once upon a time, when I was an entitled brat and prideful, I would’ve taken up that offer in a heartbeat, not even thinking about the people that I would hurt in the process, and somehow I see myself betraying you before it was over…” It hurt to speak the truth, but that’s exactly what would’ve happened. “That’s not me anymore, so I can see that at the end of this, you’ll be the one in pain, and something tells me you are indeed in pain, Starlight. I don’t want to be your enemy, neither of us want that, but I can’t just let you continue to do these things.” Starlight retracted her hand and smiled sadly. “I figured as much, when I learned of your past, I could tell that you have reached a place that I can’t.” Sunset reached out and placed her hands on Starlight’s shoulders. “You can too, you just need to stop, destroy it all, and end all of this!” Starlight gently wrapped her hands around Sunset’s wrists and pulled her hands away from her as she backed up. “I can’t, when this is all said and done, you’ll understand. And, I do understand if you want to cancel my request to visit your world.” Starlight began walking away. “I won’t take that away.” Starlight turned on her heel and looked back at Sunset with shock. “I made a promise that I’d let you see your best friend again, and I keep my promises.” Starlight’s eyes began to water as she turned away from Sunset. “G-Good, it’s-it’s not good business to go back on your word.” Sunset watched as Starlight walked off, either to cry or plan her next move, or both. Twilight walked up behind Sunset and hugged her from behind as she rested her head against her girlfriend’s shoulder. “You heard all that, right?” “Yes.” “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” “I know I trust you.” Sunset looked over her should and said, “That’s not the kind of answer I was hoping for.” Twilight looked up with her eyes. “I know, but it’s that trust that’s the only thing keeping me from reporting her to Shining Armor, well, that, and the fact that I’d have to explain how I found out, and thereby expose the secret of Unicorn and Nasca, and incriminate myself in the creation of your items and weapons. Oh, and let’s not forget, I’d also be the biggest disappointment of a little sister in all of history.” Sunset chuckled patted Twilight’s hands. “You’re not.” The fiery haired girl gave a sly smirk and said, “You could place those a little higher, I wouldn’t mind.” Twilight groaned. “We’re having a moment, don’t ruin it.” “Prude.” “Pervert.” “And proud of it~”