//------------------------------// // Rampage of Ultra // Story: ULTRA LIVE! Sunset Shimmer // by Cojo5536 //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash was the best. Rainbow Dash was awesome. Rainbow Dash was #1. That was a fact; a definitive truth in Rainbow Dash’s life, and there was nothing nobody could say against it. Even if people said her ego was swelling like her head, it was just because they were jealous. But Rainbow Dash started to feel less awesome in the recent days, and she did not like it one bit. It all started with Applejack’s nickname getting posted. The cowgirl then told her that Applebloom thought Sunset might have had something to do with it. Of course, they had their doubts, but Rainbow Dash was beginning to suspect it might be true. Then the pictures and videos of their slumber party - which all came from Sunset’s phone - showed up on Anon-A-Miss profile page. It was all the proof they needed that Sunset was behind the profile and was using it to humiliate them with all their secrets. They all decided to cut her out of their lives. Even while she shed crocodile tears they did not turn back as they walked away, leaving her alone in the hallway. That should have been the end of it; Sunset was never their friend so they pretty much ignored her. Then the monsters began to appear, like out of a Godzilla movie, and along with them Ultraman Ginga showed up. However, what concerned Rainbow Dash were not the monsters or the silver giant, but what was going on with her friends. First, Fluttershy decided Sunset was no longer guilty, then Pinkie Pie followed, then Rarity. Rainbow Dash thought that Applejack would not be swayed, but the blonde cowgirl had also decided that Sunset Shimmer was innocent and that all the evidence that pointed to her being Anon-A-Miss was circumstantial. Her friends all kept telling her that they were wrong, that Sunset Shimmer was not Anon-A-Miss, but Rainbow Dash stubbornly did not want to listen. No matter what they said, only Sunset could’ve posted those pictures and she somehow got her hands on all those secrets to post online, humiliating more of their student body. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash could not convince them that Sunset Shimmer was playing some kind of con. Why wouldn’t anyone listen to her? Rainbow Dash even suspected that Sunset was somehow involved with the monster attacks. Finally, she was proven right when she saw Sunset transform into a monster. Then Sunset Shimmer turned into Ultraman Ginga. It wasn’t fair. Sunset Shimmer did not deserve that power. She had divided people, destroyed friends, bullied people, humiliated them, and ruled the school with an iron fist. How was it fair for Sunset Shimmer, the villain, to be Ultraman Ginga, the goddamn hero!? She was deceiving everyone again. It was time for a real hero to step up and expose for the fraud she was. *////* The black Ultraman threw a punch, but Ginga slightly shifted his head out of the way, then rolled underneath a roundhouse kick. When Ginga stood back up and turned around, the enemy Ultra was already on him, delivering a left hook to his head, then a right jab. Ginga caught the jab in his right hand, then the left overhand with his left hand, then crossed Mebius’ arms across his chest. “Damn, I can’t see who’s inside,” Sunset said. Suddenly she felt Mebius Dark kick Ginga in the side, forcing her to release the black Ultra. Mebius then followed up with a right hook into a straight left punch, knocking Ginga back. “SUNSET! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE! YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO KEEP UP THIS FIGHT!” Taro urged. “Yeah, right! I’ll get right on that as soon as I have an opening!” Sunset snapped. Her entire body was screaming, now feeling like she was the only thing holding Ginga together. There was no time to dwell, though.The black Ultraman was preparing for another attack. *////* “She’s going to run out of time if this keeps up!” Fluttershy shrieked in panic. “TARO, PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!” Pinkie pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO!? I CAN’T BECOME BIG SO I CANNOT WIN AGAINST THAT ULTRA!” Taro yelled, panicked. “WE DON’T NEED YA TO WIN! WE JUST NEED AN OPENING FOR SUNSET TO CHANGE BACK!” Applejack growled. “Can’t you just, I don’t know, freeze the other guy with your Psychokinesis!?” Wallflower threw out, hoping beyond hope that would work. “DO YOU THINK THAT THOUGHT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME!? IF I HAD THAT KIND OF POWER, DON’T YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE USED IT!?” Taro snapped. While this argument continued, Rarity continued to watch the Ultras battle with wide, terrified eyes. Suddenly, “GIRLS, SOMETHING’S HAPPENING!” The Gang dropped their infighting to look at the two giants to find the black Ultraman was raising his hands over his head, causing an infinity symbol to arc between them. Then he moved his hands into a cross shape, firing a beam from his right hand. It struck true, sending Ginga to the ground, where he lay, unmoving. “SUNSET!” The Gang cried, their friend having lost a fight for the first time. *////* Ginga lay on the ground as his color timer stopped flashing and became a dull grey color. As soon as it did, he was unable to maintain his gigantic physical form and vanished in sparkles of light. Once he was gone, Sunset Shimmer was left behind as she lay injured at the bottom of a crater. Slowly the redhead at the bottom cracked an eye open to the night sky. She could hear sirens blaring as emergency services went to work on finding any survivors and treating any wounded. “I...I never thought I would see the bottom of another crater when I became a good girl,” Sunset gasped out. She attempted to move her limbs to crawl out, but found her body unresponsive. “No, this is actually worse than back then. I can’t even move,” she sobbed out. Her body hurt all over. “We’ve got another one down here!” “Quick, get her on a stretcher!” “We need to get her out of there first!” Sunset began to lose consciousness as she saw men in white uniforms come into the crater. She felt strong arms gently lift her up before she finally passed out. She still had the Ginga Spark clutched in her hand. *////* Back on Icarus’ rooftop, Rainbow Dash smugly paraded her victory in front of the bat-faced alien, “You know, you don’t need to thank me. For beating Sunset, I mean.” Icarus, however, was regretting his decision to give the girl a Dark Dummy Spark, “Yes, yes, what do you want? A cookie? You still haven’t proven anything.” “Yes, actually, I would like- HEY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVEN’T PROVEN ANYTHING!?” “You haven’t finished the job. She’s still alive,” Icarus reminded. “And even then, Ultraman Ginga has been active for longer, while you have only just appeared on the scene. To put it in a way that your sports addicted brain can understand: you are the new rookie, while Sunset is the old crowd favorite. And your victory can hardly be called a fair one. Ginga was already running out of time and energy. If he had been at full strength, you wouldn’t have won. Face it: you won on a technicality.” “Fine then! Get me a monster, and I’ll kick its ass too!” Rainbow demanded, irritated that the alien was talking down to her. “YOU DIDN’T EVEN LISTEN TO ANY OF MY OTHER POINTS, GRRR! FINE! YOU’LL GET A MONSTER, TOMORROW! NOW GET LOST! GO PLAY IN TRAFFIC, OR KICK PUPPIES, OR WHATEVER IT IS YOU DO!” Icarus screeched, the prideful girl already driving him insane. Rainbow continued glaring at the alien across from her, while Icarus matched it in intensity. “Fine,” she growled, before walking to the roof access. When Icarus had heard the door open and close, he hissed and rubbed his head, “Lord, please help me have the strength to deal with this girl.” The response he received, was not from who he was asking. “Having fun?” The fish-eyed Alien Metron said from his perch, right next to Icarus. The alien did not even have a face to announce to Icarus that he was greatly enjoying his discomfort. “I think I made a terrible mistake.” “Look at the bright side: you’ve found a person who is 110 percent committed and motivated to destroying Ginga.” “That’s all well and good, but she’s demanding for a monster to fight!” “Just let me take care of that. I have my eye on someone. She’d do nicely.” “So, what? We’ll just keep throwing monsters at her to make her look like a hero?” “Look at it this way: the more people we have using Dark Dummy Sparks, the closer our master is to restoring his power. Then, when he’s back to full strength, you can take care of her. Problem solved.” “Nothing. Would please me more. Than to personally shove that mouthy brat’s head up her own anus! Would be fitting, given that it seems her brain has already taken up residence there.” “Then we are in agreement, she gets her days of fame, you get your revenge.” “I will reserve my right to complain every step of the way, though. And make sure she struggles. I may not be allowed to kill her yet, but I will be damned if she gets a free ride for her behavior.” Metron chuckled evilly, “Of course.” Then, in a flash he had turned into his transportation ball form and flown away. *////* Sunset Shimmer stood alone in the middle of a colossal battlefield as Ultras, gigantic alien lifeforms, and monsters battled before her eyes. It was like a massive battle royal between all parties involved. She actually spotted Taro as he struck down two monsters before he was swarmed by aliens. She could feel the heat coming from the flames surrounding her and fear as she did not want to get crushed under gigantic feet. She ran, trying to avoid being squashed, but every avenue of escape was blocked by a gigantic foot. Then she saw a colossal figure that towered over the battlefield, with evil red eyes and a Dark Spark in hand. She watched in horror as a wave of darkness swept across the battlefield, consuming all the Ultras, aliens and monsters, shrinking them down and stripping them of their consciousness. Taro was the last and Sunset finally screamed. “NOOOOOOOO!!!” *////* Meanwhile, the Ginga Gang had arrived at the hospital. Trixie was the one who had called them to come. The ‘children’s hospital’ that she said she was performing was actually the children’s ward in Canterlot General Hospital. Trixie just went to grab some peanut butter crackers from  a vending machine when she saw Sunset Shimmer being wheeled in. She was injured as she had been in a fight and lost. While the Gang waited for Trixie in front of Sunset’s room, they discussed what had happened. “I thought you said that she would be trapped inside Ginga when her timer ran out,” Fluttershy said to Taro. “She should have been, remember though, not all Utras are created equal. Ultraseven, for example, was not bound by three minutes, only by his energy. In addition, he could recharge his energy by taking a soak inside the sun,” Taro replied, “Ultraman Ginga must have an ability to force an abort from his transformation, at the cost of being unable to heal the host.” Trixie stepped out of Sunset’s room, holding the Ginga Spark. After some coaxing, the magician had managed to gently pry the device from Sunset’s hand. It needed to be kept safe as much as Sunset. “How is she?” Rarity asked worriedly. “Not good,” Trixie frowned. “She’s hurt really bad and she’s not waking up.” Pinkie meanwhile, was looking sadly at the Ginga Spark. “It looks so… dim now.” “Well, after what happened, it probably needs time to recharge,” Lightning Dust assumed, “But I’m more thinking about that other Ultraman. Who is he? In both ways.” “His name is Ultraman Mebius, my star pupil,” Taro informed the girls. “I don’t know who’s in control of him right now, but the Mebius I know was a young Ultra who wanted to honor the legacy of the Ultra Brothers. That black-hearted human that controls him now deeply insults both me and my student. Though, I should be thankful they only used the Mebium Shoot, Mebius has far more powerful attacks.” Applejack knew she would regret asking, yet she did so anyway, “Like what?” “Mebius Dynamite, based on my Ultra Dynamite, he can set himself on fire and self destruct on an opponent, then reconstruct himself, at a cost to his time. If Ginga was hit by that attack, Sunset likely would not be with us now,” Taro explained. “But enough about that, we need to find out who is using Mebius and what their grudge is against Sunset.” “You’ve got a long list then,” Lightning Dust deadpanned. “There’s a lot of kids that are mad at Sunset and can’t forgive her for what she’s done. The whole Anon-A-Miss thing just gave them an excuse to be open about it.” “Then a personal grudge, perhaps?” Wallflower suggested. Fluttershy thought about it and then gasped in realization. “Rainbow.” The Gang turned to the shy member with questioning looks. “Care to repeat, darling?” Rarity asked. “Rainbow Dash is Ultraman Mebius,” Fluttershy repeated. “What? How did you come to that conclusion?” Trixie asked. “No, no, that’s the only possibility,” Wallflower answered, “Icarus showed up and took Rainbow while Sunset was busy fighting Gomora. Dammit, how did we not think of that!?” “To be fair, there were more important things going on at the time,” Applejack reminded in her country drawl. “That might be true, but if Rainbow is Mebius, we are in way bigger trouble than any Dummy Spark user before,” Lightning Dust said. “What do you mean?” Wallflower asked. Lightning Dust then stood up to pace, and began a speech that surprised the rest of the Gang with the intelligence on display. “What do we know about Rainbow? Well for one, she’s athletic, working on several sports at the same time, including several black belts in martial arts. So she can fight, even without Mebius as a crutch. Second, she’s attention driven, I remember a time in middle school where she made herself look like a complete idiot because, and I’m quoting her here, ‘everyone stopped looking at me.’ Third, Icarus could have just given her another monster, but instead, she was specifically given an Ultraman Spark Doll. Did I miss anything?” The Gang shook their heads, prompting Lightning to keep talking. “With all of this, I think we are looking at a Single White Female scheme here. A plot to kill Sunset, and by extension Ginga, and replace them with this black Ultraman Mebius.” Shaking off her surprise, Rarity asked, “But how? Mebius is not exactly very popular right now for what he did to Ginga.” “Do you think I didn’t think of that, Princess?” Lightning Dust snapped, then resumed, “Never underestimate an attention whore. Rainbow’s probably roped Icarus and Metron into giving her monsters to fight to build her reputation with the crowd.” “Oh. Oh, no. This is bad,”  Trixie gasped, eyes widening, “This is like a worse version of Rarity and Trenderhoof, because Rainbow could do repeat performances as long as Sunset stays here.” “Exactly! Which means we need to get Sunset and Ginga back on their feet as fast as possible,” Lightning Dust said, planting a fist into the palm of her left hand. “But how? Our world doesn’t have anything that can heal someone quickly, or can recharge the Ginga Spark ,” Fluttershy said with worry. “There might be a place,” Applejack spoke up, causing the Gang to look at her, questioningly. “We might not have ever been there, but if anyplace has what we need to get them up and running, it would be in Equestria.” “What?” Taro gasped. Taking a page out of Lightning Dust’s book, Applejack stood up and began her own speech. “Listen to me. Taro said that Ultras get power from light, and he just told us that his buddy Ultraseven could take a dip in the sun to recharge. Now, where can we find a goddess that can control the sun?” “Applejack,” Rarity gasped, “Are you suggesting, that we contact Twilight, convince her to open the portal, go to Equestria, get an audience with Princess Celestia on the remote chance that she can recharge the Ginga Spark, then, I don’t know how, heal Sunset in time to face Rainbow again?” Applejack paused, then simply replied, “Yes.” The rest of the Gang seemed reluctant about the plan. On one hand, they were not keen to put their trust in someone they had never met, especially one that Sunset had shown open fear of. On the other hand, they had no other options, and it was worth a shot anyway. Lightning Dust sighed, “I don’t like it, but I guess we can’t really be choosy right now. Wallflower, write the message to Twilight.” Wallflower nodded, then opened Sunset’s journal and began to write their message. Hopefully, Twilight got to it quickly. Once she finished, she closed the journal. Now, they needed to wait for an answer or for Twilight’s arrival. “Should we confront Rainbow Dash about it?” Rarity asked. “I don’t think it’ll be a smart move,” Wallflower said, politely rejecting the idea.  “If we do, she might feel threatened and...” “Squish us?” Pinkie gulped. Wallflower shrugged. “Or worse,” Lightning Dust grimaced. Rainbow Dash was her rival and now she had power that dwarfed them all, except for Ginga but Sunset was currently out of commission. “But we have to do something,” Applejack scowled. She hated being helpless. “Some of us should stay with Sunset,” Taro advised. “Rainbow Dash may not be in her right mind and might come here to finish the job.” “Um…” Fluttershy began, “Just to clarify, if Princess Celestia can’t help, what do we do then?” “Well, let’s just hope Rainbow doesn’t get too mad about what people are saying about her online,” Applejack remarked with a tense grimace. “Yeah, I wouldn’t count on that,” Lightning Dust said bluntly. If there was something Rainbow treasured, it was her reputation. *////* Rainbow Dash was back in her bedroom, lying on her bed. Normally, she would be chilling out while reading a Daring Do book. It was something she enjoyed as much as winning, but right now she was feeling too good, a feeling that paled in comparison to any victory or Daring Do book she had ever read. She held up the Dark Dummy Spark and Mebius Spark Doll. To an outsider, she looked like a kid playing with her toys, but these were not toys; these were power. Rainbow Dash turned over to look at the trophies she had on a shelf her dad had put up and the medals that hung underneath. She had earned each one, but winning sporting events just was not enough anymore. No, Rainbow Dash wanted more. She wanted to be admired by everyone. She wanted to be a hero. And now with the Mebius Spark Doll and Dark Dummy Spark, she would be the hero this city needed. No, wait. Not just this city, but the entire world. Sunset did not deserve to be a hero. That right belonged only to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash checked online for any news on her debut. When she found a video of her debut as Mebius Dark, she immediately clicked on it. She saw herself in action and grinned. It showed how easily she beat Ginga and Sunset Shimmer. Then she read the comments and  what she found infuriated her: “BBC: Big Black Coward” “OMG! He just shot Ginga out of nowhere!” “Seriously, is he trying to copy Ginga? The colors aren’t even right!” “Black Ultraman is L053R! Ginga FTW!” On and on it went, condemning her actions as Mebius Dark and still praising Ginga. With a frustrated growl, she angrily threw her phone away and it landed facedown on the carpet. They did not see her as hero, well then she would have to make them see her as one. However, how was Rainbow Dash supposed to be a hero if she did not have a monster to fight? *////* In another teenager’s bedroom which had movie posters and a bookshelf full of DVD’s, a girl named Juniper Montage was watching a movie on her television. The movie starred a beautiful actress, someone she envied so much. She wanted to be famous, she wanted to be adored, she wanted to be loved. Unfortunately, for her, she just wasn’t all that impressive. She was just so plain to look at with her green hair in pigtails and her glasses. She wanted to be an actress and had gone to audition after audition, but she always failed to make the cut. Even if she did manage to be part of the show, she never had a starring role. She wanted - needed to be a star, so her life could mean something, and she knew just who to blame: her idiot uncle. Canter Zoom seemed to always be the one to ensure that she never got a part in any of his movies. It did not matter if she memorized the scripts and knew the lines by heart, he always casted some celebrity to star in his films. He needed big time celebrities, not someone nobody had heard about. He wasn’t shooting low budget films with a no-name cast. The only time she was allowed to be involved was behind the scenes, running errands for her uncle. Even worse, whenever she would confront her uncle about her problems, he would either give her a generic excuse, or deflect by giving her more work. THEN, there was his habit of hiring notoriously difficult actors/actresses, making filming even more of a nightmare than it already was. None of that mattered though, she would get even with that idiot. She did not know how yet, but she knew she would. As though in answer, Juniper’s window began emitting a bright light, glaring off the television, and ruining her viewing. “Grr, what is that!” Juniper snapped and stomped her way over to the window. The last coherent thought that ran through her mind was of the scream she emitted at the creature lunging through the window. *////* Wallflower Blush was jolted awake by the sound of her phone vibrating. Grumbling, she looked around. The Gang had fallen asleep in the hospital’s waiting room, which would make her phone vibrating odd, given that she turned it… Suddenly Wallflower was wide awake. “GIRLS! GIRLS! WAKE UP! TWILIGHT RESPONDED!” A nurse walking by shushed the green girl who blushed and quickly apologized. The Gang awoke with a bleary-eyed start and began groaning. “Wallflower, please, it’s too early to…” Lightning Dust began, but then Wallflower words caught up with her brain, “SHE DID!? WHAT’D SHE SAY!?” “Hold on!” Wallflower demanded, digging out Sunset’s journal from her bag. She began flipping through the pages until she came to the one where the message had appeared: “‘Meet me at the portal’,” Wallflower read. “‘And bring the Ginga Spark’.” “That’s it?” Applejack asked. “That’s all she wrote,” said Wallflower, shrugging. “Guess it’s too important that it’s something she needs to tell us in-person.” “Then what are we waiting for?” Lightning Dust asked impatiently. “Let’s go!” “Now, hold on,” Trixie interrupted. “Should Trixie remind you that Sunset is in the hospital and completely helpless? We can’t all go lest she be unprotected.” “Trixie is correct,” said Rarity. “A couple of us should stay to keep guard and watch over her.” “Then I’ll stay,” Applejack volunteered. “I know I might not be tough enough to fight some aliens, but if Rainbow comes waltzing in then I’ll be able to take her down.” “Same here,” offered Lightning Dust. “Alright, so we have our guards,” said Taro. “Let us go meet with Princess Twilight.” *////* Sunset found herself someplace else. It was not the battlefield of the Dark Spark War, but it was no less terrifying. It was Canterlot High, or what was left of it. It had been reduced to rubble. The statue where the portal to Equestria was located was also shattered to piece. However, what truly horrified the girl were the bodies strewn about among the rubbles. It was all of her friends. “It’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it?” Sunset whirled around when she heard the familiar voice and saw someone she wished she never saw it again. It was a face that she had only seen in her nightmares since that night - the night of the Fall Formal. “You.” It was Demon Sunset. She was as she remembered her, with crimson skin, pointed ears, black eyes and hair made out of fire. She hovered off the ground with the aid of draconic wings and wore black boots with a black, red and yellow dress. “It’s been a long time, me,” Demon Sunset greeted. Sunset groaned. “Of course, I’d see you in my nightmares,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “I’m part of you, Sunset. Always have been, always will be. You can try to forget me, but I’ll always be in your subconscious, reminding you of what you threw away,” Demon Sunset hovered around Sunset Shimmer. “What? A lifetime of loneliness?” Sunset scoffed. “Power, ambition, and everything Celestia owed us,” Demon Sunset reminded. “And then you threw it all away for ‘friendship’.” Demon Sunset stuck her tongue out in disgust. “I was made to realize what was important.” “Oh, of course, your friends are important. Tell me, wasn’t it those same friends who abandoned you?” Demon Sunset reminded and Sunset clenched her fists. “That-” “They didn’t even let you defend yourself.  They wouldn’t even listen. They just turned their backs on you and left you.” Yes, it had been painful. “But they’re back now. They’re with me.” “Only because of your power, Sunset. If these monsters hadn’t appeared, if you hadn’t touched the Ginga Spark, would they still be with you?” *////* The Ginga Gang, sans Applejack and Lightning Dust, arrived at Canterlot High to greet Princess Twilight Sparkle. When they arrived, Wallflower wrote a quick message in the journal, telling her that they had arrived. Once the message was sent, it only took a few seconds for Princess Twilight to step out of the portal. This time, she was clad in more weather-appropriate attire. “So, the portal can alter clothing too,” Twilight studied the winter jacket she wore which was one she had been wearing before. “Twilight!” the girls greeted and the princess returned the greeting, but she had a serious expression. “How’s Sunset?” Twilight asked. “She’s hurt badly,” Fluttershy answered. “Right now she’s at the hospital. Applejack and Lightning Dust remained behind to protect her.” “Alright then,” Twilight Sparkle said. “You said she got hurt by a black Ultraman. Was it someone using a Spark Doll?” Everyone was silent and from the silence Twilight came to a conclusion. “It was someone you know.” “...Yes,” Rarity said regretfully. “Who is it?” Twilight demanded. “We think it might be Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie Pie answered. “Rainbow hurt Sunset!?” Twilight yelled. “Look, we know you’re upset,” Wallflower interrupted. “But we can’t worry about Rainbow Dash right now.” Twilight forced herself to calm down. “Right, you’re right.” Twilight remembered what she came for. “Did you bring it?” “Here,” Trixie held up the Ginga Spark. Twilight Sparkle took it and noted its dim appearance. “Can your Celestia recharge it?” “Princess Celestia should be able to,” Twilight Sparkle answered. “And she actually wanted to come here herself so she can check up on Sunset Shimmer, but I managed to convince her otherwise.” “So she’s waiting on the other side of the mirror?” Taro asked. “Yes, and she wishes to speak to you about the situation in this world and how Sunset got involved,” answered Twilight. “You especially, Taro.” “Well, it was only a matter of time if Sunset Shimmer is so important to Princess Celestia.” “I’m going too,” said Wallflower. She had met and befriended Taro first. “The rest of us need to stay here and keep a lookout for trouble,” said Rarity. “Then take it,” Wallflower handed the journal to the fashionista. “At the first sign of trouble, call us.” “Have any of you tried calling Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked. “She hasn’t answered our calls or replied to our texts,” Fluttershy answered. “I doubt she’d talk to any of us.” “Going to her house is also a huge no-no. We might make her go Ultra,” Pinkie Pie added fearfully. “Look, I know it’s scary, but you’re her friends. Maybe she’ll listen to you,” Twilight advised. “If she truly is being influenced by dark forces, then the Magic of Friendship is the only way to bring here back. It’s risky, I know, but it’s worth it.” “We’ll be back,” said Wallflower as she entered the portal after Twilight with Taro perched on her shoulder. Wallflower tumbled out of the mirror and into Twilight’s library. The first thing she noted was that she no longer had arms or hands. Instead, she had hooves. Her body had also become equine with hind legs that ended in hooves as well. Her mane was in the same style as her hair and she still had freckles on her cheeks. She was also wearing her sweater, but not pants. If she could see her flank, she would see her cutie mark which was a flowerpot. “Easy there, Wallflower Blush,” Twilight said as she stood in front of the earth pony. Yes, Wallflower Blush was an earth pony and she looked at Twilight whose true form was a purple alicorn, a pony with a unicorn horn and pegasus wings. “Twilight...?” Wallflower asked as she stood up on her hooves, still trying to get used to the sensation and change to her body. “Whoa, this is weird.” She noticed she wasn’t wearing any pants and yelled, sitting down and pulling her sweater down to cover her lower half. “Where are my pants!?” “Relax, Wallflower,” Taro said. He had not changed at all. “I don’t think there are any nudity taboos here.” Wallflower Blush blushed and stood back up. She soon noticed that there was another presence. It was a white alicorn who was slimmer and taller with a ethereal mane that was rainbow-colored. She wore a golden collar, golden hoof shoes and also a gold crown. “Welcome to Equestria, Wallflower Blush and Ultraman Taro,” the white alicorn greeted. “Wallflower Blush, Ultraman Taro, meet Princess Celestia,” Twilight Sparkle introduced *////* Juniper Montage came downstairs to speak to her uncle. She lived with him as he was her legal guardian. Her uncle was on the phone and it sounded like a very important conversation. Whatever it was about, it had to wait. They really needed to talk about her starring in his next film. Today, she was not taking ‘no’ for an answer. She waited until he ended the call before she spoke. “Uncle.” “Oh, Juniper. Do you need something?” “It’s about your next project. You’re going to make a Daring Do movie, right?” Canter Zoom knew what his niece was going to ask. “Juniper...” “And  Daring Do is my favorite book series and I know I could play a great Daring Do!” “Juniper, you’re just not experienced or old enough to take a role like this. I’m sorry,” Canter Zoom reasonably answer. It was the same thing again and Juniper hated hearing it. “Alright, then who’ll be playing Daring Do then?” Juniper asked. “Chestnut Magnifico. I just finished negotiating with her agent-” “Chestnut Magnifico!? That diva!? What does she know!?” “Juniper Montage, don’t you raise your voice at me like that, young lady,” Canter Zoom scolded. “And Chestnut Magnifico is a talented actress who will be able to play Daring Do. I just need to get A.K. Yearling’s approval.” Juniper did not hear anything anymore. Her dad was going to cast some diva who likely never even read a single Daring Do book or heard of A.K. Yearling. Well, then she just had to show her uncle her acting ability. She took out the Dark Dummy Spark and Golza Spark Doll, showing them while glaring at her uncle dangerously. “Juniper, what are those?” Canter Zoom asked. They looked like  toys but something in his gut told him they were anything but. “Get your camera ready, Uncle, coz your niece is going to star in a new ‘Creature Feature’!” Juniper declared. DARK LIVE! GOLZA! *////* Rainbow Dash was still waiting in her room when she heard a furious knock on her door. She got out of bed and pulled the door open. “What is it, Mom?” Rainbow Dash asked, annoyed. “You need to come down! You need to see the news!” Windy Whistles yelled. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes but it seemed urgent so she followed her mom downstairs. Her dad, Bow Hothoof was sitting in his armchair, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. His eyes were glued on the screen. Rainbow Dash watched the TV as well and saw Golza going on a rampage. “Are you seeing this?” Bow Hothoof pointed. “It’s another one of those monster and it looks really close by!” “Close by, huh?” Rainbow Dash smirked and she went for the front door, grabbing her jacket. “Rainbow, where are you going?” Windy Whistles asked as Rainbow Dash stepped out of the house. Once outside, Rainbow Dash took out her Dark Dummy Spark and Ultraman  Mebius Spark Doll. “Finally, I’ll show them what a real hero looks like!” DARK LIVE! MEBIUS DARK! *////* Golza roared as it went on a rampage. Panicking, Canter Zoom fled from his house as the monster started to chase him down. It was quite a shock for him when his niece was engulfed by a dark aura. When the ground shook and he heard a roar, he went out to check and saw a gigantic monster standing in their backyard. When it saw him, it looked pissed so he decided to hightail it out of there. Golza stomped after Canter Zoom when Mebius Dark suddenly came out of nowhere and delivered a flying kick that knocked Golza back. Raising his fists, Mebius Dark decided to celebrate his victory prematurely. “Ah, yeah!” Rainbow Dash cheered from within Mebius Dark. Aiming Golza with a determined glare, she went into action. She would destroy this monster and show everyone she was a true hero. “GET OUT OF MY WAY!” Juniper screamed from within Golza and she willed her monster to attack Mebius Dark. He took its charge head on as Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. “When I beat you, everyone will see that I’m the hero they need!” Juniper heard this and became angered. Somebody else was trying to steal her fame. “I’LL DESTROY YOU!” And thus, the two titanic terrors began their battle, uncaring of the destruction they would cause. *////* Taro and Wallflower both gave Celestia a quick explanation of what was happening in their world. Taro told Celestia about the Dark Spark War and how the Spark Dolls, himself and Ginga Spark ended up on Wallflower’s world. He also told her that the Dark Giant responsible for turning them all into Spark Dolls was likely at large and was sending agents to make people use the Spark Dolls to turn into monsters. Wallflower also added that Sunset Shimmer was using the Ginga Spark to become Ultraman Ginga to fight the monsters and turning them back into Spark Dolls before claiming them so they would not fall into the wrong hands. After hearing their explanation, Celestia spoke. “And why is Sunset Shimmer able to use this ‘Ginga Spark’?” Celestia asked as she studied the strange device. She could sense a strange power from it. It was not magic but it was still otherworldly. All she could sense from it was some kind of light but it was pretty dim right now, like it was low on power. There was nothing evil or dark about it, but Celestia could not help but be suspicious. Honestly, it just sounded so surreal. A war that spanned across many universes involving silver giants, monsters and aliens, only ending when a much larger threat turned all the warriors into dolls. However, looking at Taro, she knew he had no reason to lie. In fact, he sounded completely sincere. Honestly, she was glad that Sunset had gained such loyal companions, but she was still worried for her former student and how she risked her life fighting these monstrous threats. She had even even gotten hurt. Princess Celestia had every reason to go through the mirror to drag Sunset Shimmer back, but if she did then the other world would be threatened by the Dark Giant. Only Sunset could fight this threat. “I don’t know the true answer to that,” Taro answered honestly. “But I would assume that the Ginga Spark sensed something within Sunset, something that allowed her to use its power and not others.” “She has always had potential,” Celestia confessed. “Maybe this was something she was destined for.” Sunset Shimmer used to act so entitled, that being Princess Celestia’s pupil meant she was special and deserved to be given everything. It was good to hear she had changed for the better. “So, can you recharge the Ginga Spark?” Wallflower asked. Celestia smiled. “I will certainly try, my little pony,” Celestia said. She would try for Sunset Shimmer. Celestia gripped the Ginga Spark with her magic and stood on the balcony. She then focused as she gazed at the sky. A ray of pure sunlight beamed down on Princess Celestia as she focused the energy into the Ginga Spark. Before Wallflower, Taro and Twilight’s eyes, the Ginga Spark began to shine again. “It is done,” said Celestia as she finished recharging the Ginga Spark. “Now, take me to Sunset Shimmer so I may give this to her.” Suddenly, the Ginga Spark flew out of the grip of Celestia’s magic. Wallflower and Twilight Sparkle ducked as the Ginga Spark flew at them. Taro ended up being knocked out of the air as the Ginga Spark flew past him and headed straight for the library. It kept going before entering the mirror portal. “Where is it going!?” Twilight Sparkle shouted. “Back to Sunset,” Taro answered. Twilight’s journal began to vibrate and the Princess of Friendship opened it up. It was a message from the girls. Mebius Dark was back and fighting a monster. “It looks like Mebius just appeared and is fighting a new monster,” Twilight Sparkle read. “Guess we now know why the Ginga Spark went right back,” Wallflower deadpanned. *////* “If these monsters hadn’t appeared, if you hadn’t touched the Ginga Spark, would they still be with you?” When Sunset Shimmer was unable to answer, the demon showed Sunset Shimmer all of her memories since Anon-A-Miss started. She showed Sunset how her friends accused her. “It was you all along! You're "Anon-a-Miss"!” “We trusted you, Sunset! We thought you were our friend!” “How could you do this? After all we've been through together?” “No, wait, you guys—I didn't do this! I could never hurt any of you!” “But none of them wanted to listen to you. They just turned their backs on you and left, and then all the other students treated you horribly. You were once more the girl everyone loves to hate,” Demon Sunset cruelly reminded. “Stop it!” Sunset snapped. “My friends came back! They came back!” “Only because you’re useful! Like back after the Fall Formal, they just looked after you because Princess Twilight asked them to. Did they even try to include you in the band? Did they ever ask? No, it was only after you beat the Sirens, and even after that they never really trusted you.” “But we did it together!” “‘And at the first sign of trouble, when it looked like you were behind it, they left you. They’re only sticking with you now because you can fight the monsters, but what happens after? Do you really think they’ll stay once everything is back to normal, or will they throw you away again without a second thought.” Sunset could not refute the demon’s words. Her friends had abandoned her once and, as much as she wanted to deny, they could do it again. She had done terrible things, and while they said they had forgiven her, they were still hurt by what she had done. They had never forgotten. Anon-A-Miss was just an excuse; they had wanted to be rid of her for a long time now. “Sunset Shimmer, you and I both know that I am telling the truth. I’m the only one you can trust because I know who you really are. We are one in the same. You can trust me,” Demon Sunset held her hand out to Sunset. *////* Meanwhile, in front of the portal, the rest of the Ginga Gang were waiting for Wallflower and Taro to come back. They were all watching a live stream of the fight between Mebius Dark and Golza on their phones when the Ginga Spark suddenly shot out of the portal like a rocket and kept flying. “WHOA!” Pinkie Pie yelled, shocked when the Ginga Spark suddenly flew past them. The Ginga Spark continued to fly toward the hospital. When it reached Sunset’s room, the Ginga Spark easily phased through the surface. Lightning Dust and Applejack both saw the Ginga Spark as it hovered over Sunset Shimmer and began to bathe her in its light. The two girls watched puzzled but could see that the Ginga Spark was not doing Sunset any harm. *////* Full of despair and feeling broken, Sunset was about to take Demon Sunset’s hand when a pillar of light burst out from the ground between them, repelling the demonic entity. Sunset’s eyes widened in surprise as Ultraman Ginga emerged from the pillar in human-size. “Ginga.” “You!? What are you doing here!?” Demon Sunset shrieked at the Ultra. “You can’t have her! She’s mine!” Ginga stared silently, but then, he spoke, “No.” The demon’s eyes went wild, “WHAT!” “No. She does not belong to you. She belongs only to herself, and you, are not welcome here,” Ginga replied with finality. He then raised a glowing fist, and surged forward with a supercharged haymaker, that launched the demon out of Sunset’s mind, permanently. Sunset was shocked by this display of power, though, the first words to the Ultra were decidedly off topic, “Ginga… You spoke.” Ginga, fortunately, took Sunset’s comment in good humor, “Hm, yes, I suppose that would come as a shock to you.” “But… How-?” “Never believe anything a vile creature like your demon says. While you were in the hospital, your friends set about getting you on your feet again, managing to rope in the aid of Princess Celestia. Through her sun magic, I was recharged, and regained my voice and mind. You no longer need to become a monster to summon me. Now, while you might have more questions, we are, unfortunately, out of time. Rainbow Dash, who you will remember as the black Ultraman, is currently fighting a monster called Golza, in an attempt to replace us. The city needs you, Sunset. They need us, Ultraman Ginga.” Sunset seemed unsure. This was all happening so fast, and now she needed to fight again? However, she could not afford to doubt herself now. Those people needed her right now. Her friends needed her. With that final thought, all doubt was cast aside, and the face that once held uncertainty, now turned hard with determination, “Then let’s go, Ginga!” Ginga smiled and shrunk into his Spark Doll form as the Ginga Spark appeared in Sunset’s hand. Taking of the Ginga Spark Doll, Sunset touched the foot to the tip of the device. *////* Back in the real world, Sunset woke up got out of bed and took hold of the Ginga Spark as it hovered over her. She felt a very familiar warmth from the device, like the warmth Princess Celestia gave off. “Sunset, are you OK?” Applejack asked. “I’m fine,” Sunset answered, smiling at Applejack and Lightning Dust. The aches and sores Sunset had gotten from her last fight with Mebius Dark seemed to fade. She opened her eyes and smiled at her friends who stood agape as they surrounded her. “Thank you,” Sunset said gratefully. “Thanks for staying with me and for looking after me.” “Shucks, Sunset. You’re family,” Applejack answered. “And this time I really mean it. We won’t turn our back on you again.” “So, there’s a monster attack, right?” Sunset asked. “Yeah, and Rainbow Dash is fighting that monster and causing a huge mess,” Lightning Dust added as she showed Sunset the fight being shown online. It was a live stream and Mebius Dark was fighting Golza without showing any restraint or any thought of the damage she was causing. “They need to be stopped,” Sunset resolved as she opened up the Ginga Spark and summoned Ginga’s Spark Doll. “Here we go, Ginga.” She took hold of Ginga’s Spark Doll then spun her arms around before tapping the sole of Ginga’s foot with the tip of the Ginga Spark. ULTRA LIVE! ULTRAMAN GINGA! Ginga’s face appeared on the Ginga Spark as Sunset raised the device high above her head. “GINGAAAAAAAAAA!!!” A bright light engulfed Sunset then a pillar of light shot through the ceiling of the hospital room. *////* The black Ultraman and monster were in the middle of their wrestling match when Ginga performed a perfect three-point landing as she got between Mebius Dark and Golza, breaking the two apart. He rose to full height, his body shining before the shine faded, revealing his true colors to them. “Ladies and gentlemen, he’s back! Ultraman Ginga is back!” a reporter on scene informed  the viewers at home. Inside Ginga, Sunset smiled at the Ginga Spark. “Alright, Ginga! Together, let’s do this!” “Sunset!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she willed Mebius Dark to throw a punch, but Ginga caught the fist before burying his own fist into Mebius Dark’s stomach. He then delivered a series of fast and hard punches into Mebius Dark’s stomach before flipping the black Ultraman onto his back. Ginga turned around in time to see Golza coming at him and landed a kick into the monster’s chest, driving it back. Roaring angrily, the opening on Golza’s neck glowed purple as it charged up its attack before firing its Ultrasonic Ray from its forehead. Using his hands, Ginga created his light shield and then redirected the beam into the sky. Then Ginga charged forward and struck Golza in the throat, causing it to choke briefly. He then grasped Golza by its mouth and horn then lifted it up before throwing it. Mebius Dark was getting back up but was knocked down by 68,000 tons of monstrous weight. “Rainbow Dash,” Sunset spoke to her friend who was within Mebius Dark. “You want to be a hero, you want to be admired, but right now you’re going about it all wrong.” “What do you know!?” Rainbow Dash snapped back. “I know because you’re just like how I was, only thinking about yourself!” Sunset shouted. Mebius Dark threw Golza off himself and then got up, breaking into a run. “You don’t deserve to be called the hero! I’ll expose the fraud you are then everyone will know I’m the real hero!” Rainbow Dash shouted. Ginga sidestepped a punch from Mebius Dark. “Rainbow, please listen to me! That Dark Dummy Spark is messing with your head!” Sunset pleaded, but Rainbow Dash wasn’t listening. Mebius Dark threw a punch and Ginga blocked it. Mebius Dark followed up with a right hook and Ginga ducked before delivering an uppercut that sent Mebius Dark staggering. Meaanwhile, there was a crowd watching from a safe distance. “GINGA, BEAT HIM!” “YEAH, YOU CAN DO IT, GINGA!” “YOU’RE STRONGER THAN HIM!” “GINGA! GINGA! GINGA!” Rainbow Dash heard the cheers for Ginga and growled. These idiots didn’t realize that the giant hero they worshipped was Anon-A-Miss. She glared at them and decided to teach them a lesson. Mebius Dark summoned the mebius strips of energy as he charged up his attack. He took aim and fired the Mebium Shoot beam at the crowd. Ginga threw himself in front of the people and Mebius Dark’s beam hit him in the back. There was smoke rising from the contact point. Ginga turned around and glared at Mebius Dark. “Rainbow, you could’ve killed them!” “No, no it’s not my fault! It’s your fault!” Sunset Shimmer’s eyes narrowed and then she attacked Mebius Dark. “Ginga Fireball!” Ginga launched flaming meteors at Mebius Dark and they exploded on impact. “Fuck! Damn you, Sunset!” But Sunset was not done yet, and neither was Ginga. “Ginga Thunderbolt!” The Ginga Thunderbolt struck Mebius Dark violently. “Ginga Saber!” In response, Mebius Dark formed the Mebium Blade. Both Ultras clashed, sparks exploding as their blades crossed. The two struggled with each other for a moment, but Ginga buried his knee into Mebius Dark’s stomach, knocking him back. “Ginga Slash!” Multiple light blades fired from Ginga’s forehead crystal, bombarding and exploding on impact once they connected to Mebius Dark, knocking him down. Golza managed to catch its second wind and got back up. It had been watching the two Ultras going at it, waiting for its chance to strike. Inside Golza, Juniper growled as she knew all eyes were on Ginga and not on her. “I’M THE STAR!!!” Juniper screamed. With a roar, Golza charged at Ginga like an angry rhino. Ginga pivoted on his heel when Golza got close enough and delivered a roundhouse that collided with Golza’s face, stunning it. Ginga then punched Golza several times in the face, chest and stomach before finishing off the combo with an uppercut. Golza staggered and Ginga grabbed it around the waist. “Going up!” Sunset yelled. Ginga took off with Golza as Juniper screamed inside her monster. Then Ginga came right back down and dropped Golza, causing the ground to shake. Ginga hovered above the two gigantic beings. Inside him, Sunset crosses both her arms in front of herself as she ponied up, a golden aura flaring from her body as she accessed another one of Ginga’s attacks. In the real world, Ginga’s Zenshin Crystals glowed bright pink. He mimicked Sunset’s movements then pulled his fists back to his sides. “GINGA CELESTIA SUNSHINE!” Shooting both his fists forward, Ginga delivered a bright and massive blast of energy that engulfed both Mebius Dark and Golza. Mebius Dark was just recovering when he was blinded by the bright light that enveloped him. Inside the gigantic lifeforms, Rainbow Dash and Juniper screamed as they felt the light overwhelm them. Mebius Dark and Golza were completely vaporized but then they reverted to Spark Dolls that entered Ginga’s Color Timer. *////* In the crater that was once Mebius Dark, a rainbow-haired girl stirred. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and saw Ginga tower over her. She climbed back to her feet, fists clenched and an angry look on her face. “First, the school. Then, my friends. Then, my band. Now MY ULTRAMAN! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP TAKING THINGS FROM ME!?” Rainbow Dash screamed at Ginga. “Looks like you lost,” said Icarus. “That’s not good.” “C’mon, give me another one!” Rainbow Dash demanded. “This time give me a stronger one so I’ll beat her!” “Hm hm hm, sorry, but no,” Icarus sneered. “You’ve proven how unworthy you are of the power, so why don’t you just die?” He pointed his fingers at Rainbow Dash to deliver his lethal ‘Ray of Decay’. However, before he could fire, Ginga suddenly shrank down to human size and stood in front of the alien to deliver a punch to his face. Icarus stumbled back, surprised, as Ginga glowered at him. “You’re seriously going to protect her, after what she did?” Icarus pointed at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. “Yes,” Ginga/Sunset Shimmer answered without hesitation. “Whatever,” Icarus spat in disgust before he teleported away. Ginga turned to look at Rainbow Dash who started screaming at him. “Why!? Why are you so strong!? Why are you the hero!? You don’t deserve it!” Rainbow screamed at Ginga as she began to furiously pound his chest. “It’s not fair! It’s not fair!” Angry and frustrated tears began to fall from her eyes. “It’s not fair...” *////* Meanwhile, in another crater where Golza had fallen, Juniper Montage regained consciousness. “Ugh...my head hurts...” “Juniper!” she heard Canter Zoom call out. “...Uncle?” Canter Zoom appeared from the rim of the crater and made his way down to Juniper, “Oh Juniper, are you okay?” “Uncle, what happened? How did I get here?” Juniper questioned, confused. “You turned into a monster, but it’s okay now, Ginga saved you.” The reminder of her anger before that creature attacked her suddenly came back full force, “So, what? Are you going to punish me again by snubbing my next audition?” Canter Zoom’s eyes widened, “You… You thought I was punishing you?” “Well obviously! Why else are you at every audition I’ve done, if not to make sure I never get an acting job!” Juniper snapped. Suddenly, tears started forming in her uncle’s eyes, “Juniper, I am so sorry.” “What?” “It was never my intention to make you feel like I hated you. I was trying to protect you. Those… Divas, as you called them, they started around your age, and they don’t know how to handle their fame, so they become absolute monsters because of it. When they grow older, they are the ones most likely to destroy themselves with drugs, alcohol, and scandals. I didn’t want to watch you tear yourself apart like they usually do.” Now it was Juniper’s turn to tear up, “But, why did you never say that!? Why couldn’t you just tell me this!?” “Because I was too cowardly to be honest with you. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings by making that assumption,” Canter Zoom sighed, “Now I see that I hurt you regardless of my intentions. Juniper, can you forgive me?” Juniper was now openly crying, “Oh, uncle, of course I forgive you.” The two hugged, finally taking their first step towards recovery. “You’re grounded, by the way,” Canter Zoom said. Juniper merely laughed, and replied, “Fair enough.” *////* “Well, it was a good plan while it lasted,” Metron said, “Though, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you swear that you would kill Rainbow Dash” “I was,” Icarus growled out while nursing a black eye, “But that Sunset Shimmer is such a goody two-shoes that she stopped me before I could rot her.” “What was up with that anyway? After everything that girl put Sunset through, I would have gladly been rid of her in Sunset’s place.” “I bet it’s Ginga. Ultras are always in the way of us aliens.” “It’s more likely that pretty pony princess Twilight Sparkle!” a new, harsh, feminine voice interrupted the aliens’ musings. The pair would deny to their dying breath that they had been startled by the newcomer’s appearance, but they did stumble into attack ready stances. “Who are you!? And how did you find us!?” Metron demanded. “Oh, puh-lease, like two aliens like you are hard to spot. Now, take me to your boss,” the woman demanded. “Hm, hm, hm, let me have a think about that. How about NO!” Icarus sniped back, “Now get lost before you rot!” “What, like you did to Sunset? Or Rainbow?” That infuriated Icarus, “Okay, who the hell are you lady!?” “The only one who hates Sunset Shimmer more than you two or your boss,” the woman stepped out of the shadows she was hiding in, revealing a far more wild looking Sunset, with sharper eyes, and hair styled to resemble fire. “Herself.”