//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Questions, A Sirening Disaster, plus Overcoming Trauma // Story: MLP: Chaos is Evolution // by Garebel //------------------------------// -Ponyville Library- A few days had passed, since Fake Wrath's end. Spike told her what happened in the Mirror World as well as Garebel & Dragquazard/Darth Keeper's surprising relation. Needless to say, She was surprised at the new info though more concerned over the fact that Garebel had a Survive Rekka card, too. Garebel had actually explained that his Survive card was actually part of a trio of cards he has, but rarely used. Right now, Garebel was in a different room, looking over the deck, Lady Orihime sent him. As it turned out, She actually gave him the deck as a means of conquering his Trauma. He was angry at this, but accepted it. Before he crashed, the last time his trauma was brought up in front of him, he had pulled a rocket launcher and fired it. No one was harmed, thankfully, but he knew he had to stop it or at least slow it down. Thankfully, Twilight had a empty room for him to do this in. Soon his eyes glowed white, before falling unconscious, his mind and spirit elsewhere. -???- Garebel open his eyes and looked around. The room he was in now, was a large room with blue carpet, and a complex looking machine in the middle. Looking over himself, he was in his original form as a human with green eyes, long pants, a short sleeve shirt with a dragon on it, and a black trench coat without the sleeves. Looking around, he soon spots another human and walked to them. "It's been a while...Curien..." Garebel spoke, almost spatting out the last word. The other human turned around, revealing to be a middle-aged man with glasses. "Ahh, Garebel. You're here. Excellent. I had gone out of my way to create a few artificial...'Mutants' to help you out. Though I was unaware of your past. If I had changed my research in a different direction..." Dr. Roy Curien mused the last bit out. "If you did, you might have a lesser chance of saving Daniel! 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions', as the saying goes. I was angry when I thought about you finding ways to destory mankind using your research. But when Daniel explained about what happened, almost 21 years after your death...I started to view 'them' as byproducts of your research. I'm assuming the research somehow made you insane?" Garebel ask Curien who sighed. "Not the Research itself, but the slow progress, several researchers who were helping me, abandoning the research altogether, and Daniel's deteriorating health...I've gone insane. Anyway, I'm guessing She told you about this?" Dr. Curien asked Garebel, who nodded. “Yeah, Lady Orihime told me why She sent y’all to me. Honestly, my reactions are way too extreme for my friends. Anyway, how are you going to do my therapy?” Garebel asked Dr. Curien, who smiled. “The ‘trauma’ will be targets on a shooting range, and you’ll be using any weapon you like.” He explained causing Garebel to smile, too. “I like the sound of that!” Garebel said, before following Dr. Curien. -Ponyville Library- Twilight was getting annoyed. Spike had already left to make sure Celestia is aware of Garebel being a Mirror Rider, and went to take care of the paperwork, regarding such a thing. Celestia only became aware of what was happening if only due to Spike becoming Dragon Knight. Twilight later explained to Garebel, that Celestia can become Wrath, but only after the entire thing ended. Her annoyance right now was coming from Rarity and Applejack. She had the idea of inviting the two since they were here due to a storm coming in, for a sleepover. Now though, Twilight was having second thoughts, since the duo were arguing with each other. However, Twilight heard somethings from them. Using a spell to make a loud sound, Twilight startled the arguing mares, and turned to Rarity. "What do you mean by Rainbow Dash deciding not to go to any of the Wonderbolts' exams!? I thought that Rainbow Dash was the kind to jump up at any chance to even meet with them?" She asked Rarity, who blinked at the sudden question, but shrugged. "I don't know really, but the last time I saw Rainbow Dash at such a event, she looked in one direction and suddenly got spooked by something, deciding to hoof it away, instead. Now that I think about it, the event was fairly close to Cloudsdale..." She mused out loud. Twilight frowned, remembering about a group that Celestia used to allow to take care of 'dangerous' ponies before learning what they really did and ordered the entire thing be shut down, but went rogue instead. She shook her head, deciding to dwell on it later, before turning to look at Applejack. "And what do you mean with Rarity disappearing constantly?" Twilight asked. "Ah don't know why but sometimes, she jumps at random, says she has to go & work on her dresses. Ah'm able to tell that's not the full story now, but ah haven't been able to ask her the truth, which maybe ah should." Applejack turned to Rarity, who frowned. Rarity was about to make a retort when she suddenly jumped, and ran in the opposite direction. Applejack, not having her lasso, tackled "Oh naw! nahwt until ya explayn what is a-goin' on!" Applejack yelled out, neither one noticing an object flew out of Rarity's mane and bonking Twilight on the head. "Ow!" Twilight spoke out on instinct. Glancing around, Twilight soon spotted the object in question...and froze. It was a different color and has a different symbol on it, but Twilight recognized all the same. Using her magic, she lifted up the object, and trotted up to the duo. "Applejack, please let go of Rarity." She spoke out. Applejack frowned, but let go of Rarity, who rushed to the window and started panicking. Looking over the object, Twilight hazarded a guess and spoke up. "'Siren'..." Twilight spoke to Rarity, who bristled, before turning around, her skin paling at what she saw. Twilight was carrying HER Advent Deck with her magic! -???- Garebel exited a room, looking tired, but pleased. "Feel better?" Dr. Curien asked, walking up to Garebel. "Much, though the room is a mess, now." Garebel commented, causing Dr. Curien to snicker at this. "Don't worry, I got a LIVING cleaning staff now, though I might need to raise their pay grade if any of them are willing to clean this up..." Dr. Curien muttered to himself, before looking at Garebel. "Anyway, most of the Types are wanting to challenge you. They actually want to test your strength. Magician is not one of them, though." He told Garebel, frowning. Garebel only laughed at this. "Being beaten 3 different times might have that effect." Garebel explained after calming down. Dr. Curien blinked as Garebel walked past him. "Still alive after 3 deaths? Looks like the Magician really is my masterpiece..." He muttered to himself, before going after Garebel to make sure he was going in the right way. -Ponyville Library- Rarity stared at Twilight, unable to think a way out of this mess, plus the Contract Beast could be running amuck. Rarity was therefore surprised when Twilight turned to Applejack. “Applejack, please don’t repeat ANYTHING you hear from this in front of anypony unless Me, Garebel, Spike, Rarity, OR Princess Celestia tells you they’re in on it.” Twilight stated, her voice taking a stern tone. “What!? but why shouldn’t ay repeat any ov this here conversation?” Applejack spoke out in confusion. “Because Celestia declared such info should not be at all known to the public. We’re talking mass panic, hysteria…bad things are going to happen if this is public knowledge!” Twilight explained to Applejack who paled at this. “S-so, are ya a-sayin' Equestria will fall apart!? Ok! Naw repeating evuurr frawum me!” She said, sacred at the new info. “Wait, Twilight? How did you know? Are you a rider, too?” Rarity asked in confusion and worry. “No, I’m not but Spike is Dragon Knight.” Twilight explained, causing Rarity to blink. “Spike!? No offense, but I thought Prince Blueblood was Dragon Knight. Part of the reason for me going to the Gaia was to ask him if he was Dragon Knight.” Rarity admitted. Twilight sighed. “Is he a Rider? Yes. Dragon Knight? No.” Twilight said. “Then which Rider was Prince Blueblood?” Rarity asked Twilight who sweated nervously, knowing Rarity would not like the answer. “He is…” -???- Garebel was currently fighting an animated flying gargoyle, who was currently hounding him. Garebel quickly turned around, aiming an SAA that he hadn’t use on his trauma in the gargoyle and firing a couple of rounds into the gargoyle’s chest. A few chips of stone flew off, but damage wasn’t the goal. While only a few seconds, Garebel used them to recharge his gun and put on more distance between them, while the gargoyle recoiled from the shots. The duo was about to continue when… “WHAT!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? HIM?!” Rarity’s voice echoed out, shocking both the Gargoyle & Garebel. Meeting the other’s eyes, they stared awkwardly at each other before Garebel sighed. “Okay, I’m so going to check in and figured out what the heck happened, after we’re all done here.” He spoke, the gargoyle nodding. ”Agreed…” The gargoyle spoke in a screeching tone. The duo were motionless for a while, before Garebel ran off, & the gargoyle chased after him. -Ponyville Library- Rarity’s eyes were wide with shock. Blueblood was Kamen Rider Strike!? She started to angrily rant about this, while Twilight and Applejack sweated in disbelief. “Hey, Twilight, ah’m just curious but how done y'all ayn' the princess learn about this here whowwl thing?” Applejack asked Twilight, who sweatdropped. “Well, you see…” Twilight start before explaining what had happened to lead up them learning about this. (Flashback, Canterlot Library) Twilight sighed as she approached the table where her mentor was sitting at, frowning. “Haven’t found Spike yet?” Princess Celestia asked Twilight who shook her head. “No luck of my own, either.” She stated, solemnly. “Spike, where did you go?” Twilight muttered to herself, before a loud crash was heard. Sharing a look, Princess Celestia and Twilight ran to the source, where a dragon themed warrior, Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, was fighting a warrior clad in purple armor with a cobra theme, Kamen Rider Strike, who started to retreat. “Get back here, you turd! You will pay for that!”. Dragon Knight yelled out, his voice distorted to hide whoever was under the armor. Strike had used his Final Vent on Siren, making Dragon Knight believe Siren was killed, when really she was sent to an alternative dimension. Dragon Knight pulled out a card and slotted it into the Dragvisor on his arm. “SWORD VENT” the visor yelled out before a curved sword appeared in Dragon Knight’s hand and charging at Strike. “Why can’t you leave me alone!?” Strike yelled out, blocking the sword swing with a staff tipped with a cobra’s head. He was about to pull out a card of his own, when their bodies were pushed away from each other via a golden wall that Celestia had summoned. Turning around, they saw two balls of flame rushing towards them, so fast that they couldn’t say a word before they were hit. The duo were blasted towards a wall, impacting against it, before they fell to the ground. The armor were wearing started to spark, before the Advent Decks they had in their belts detached causing the armor they wearing to disappear, revealing who they were, shocking both Twilight & Celestia. “SPIKE!” “NEPHEW!” They both yelled out, rushing to their sides. (End Flashback) -Ponyville Library- Applejack blinked in surprise at the new info, before speaking up. “Please tell me that there Prince Blueblood didn’t done kept his callous attitude…”. Applejack asked Twilight who nodded. “Granted, it took a LONG lecture plus a threat about disowning him from Celestia to change it. Though he started acting differently a few days before Nightmare Moon descended from the moon. I’m still wondering why, even now…”. Twilight explained. -Mirror World Canterlot, Soldier Training Grounds- Blueblood/Kamen Rider Strike slashed at what looked to be a sliver humanoid robot multiple times before turning around, letting the robot explode behind him. Dismissing his Veno Saber, a sword with the blade resembling the end of a rattlesnake’s tail, he looked around. The debris surrounding him were remains of a full platoon of robots like the one he just destroyed. Suddenly clapping was resounded behind him, prompting him to pull out his Veno Visor staff and took a ready stance. Upon seeing who was clapping though, he put his Visor away & sighed. “Geez, I can’t believe that I didn’t see you there…’Thrust’.” He said to the newcomer, Kamen Rider Thrust, a Rhino themed Mirror Rider. While most of the Mirror Riders can be mistaken for their counterparts by Garebel, Thrust could not be the victim of such a mistake. Especially since his armor is the color of Bronze, & not Silver. Thrust walked to Strike, and kneeled before him. “Forgive me, my liege. I saw you entered the mirror, and wanted to make sure you were okay. After what happened back then…” Thrust spoke, shivering along with Strike. “I won’t let a repeat of THAT happen again.” He spoke, remember the day that he had dishonored the Royal Family. “Don’t! I forgive you. I can’t believe me and my…’father’…were poor rulers & it took a death from the Gokaigers then a dressing down from my ‘current’ Auntie to realize that.” Strike said, spitting out at the word father. “Sorry about that…Damaras…” He apologized, using the name Thrust had in his past life. “Even so, I still couldn’t forgive myself for not stopping you…Prince Warz…” Thrust said also using the name Strike had in his past life. Strike sighed. “Progress on the ‘gift’ projects?” Strike asked putting emphasis on the word gift to clue in Thrust in what he meant. “Princess Celestia’s own Flagship has reached 90% completion, Princess Luna’s Flagship will take a month more to finish, but Mi Amore Cadenza‘s own Flagship is ready to be given to her as her coronation gift.” Thrust reported. “Perfect, but I’m guessing there’s something else you need to report?” Strike commented, knowing that Thrust wouldn’t follow him if it wasn’t worrisome. “Yes, my liege……Garebel’s on this World now.” Thrust explained, causing Strike to freeze up. Garebel had joined the Gokaigers a period of time after GokaiSilver had joined them. He had helped them out while the Gokaigers were fighting him, by using a different method to change his size to alongside Gokai-Oh and GoZyuJin. He shivered, remembering the robot he was piloting being decimated by them, and he was unable to escape it leading to his demise. “……does he know……?” Strike asked Thrust, who shook his head. “No, apparently he crashed near Ponyville. I only learned about his presence, when Twilight’s assistant Spike/Kamen Rider Dragon Knight arrived to deliver the paper regarding Garebel being a Rider, know as both Akashi, a ‘Gamer’ Rider, and Quaser, a Mirror Rider.” Thrust explained, causing Strike to relax a bit. “Good. Still, we need to be careful. I don’t want to die again, and I doubt you or my marefriend want to die, again.” Strike explained before walking off, headed to his room. “Indeed, though I will sacrifice myself to save you or the rest of your now Royal Family, nonetheless.” Thrust explained before following after Strike.