The two teenagers stood on the bridge. One filled with anguish, the other calm and collected. They stood silent as the sound of rushing water echoed below them. .
“...I have no idea what you’re thinking right now. But I doubt you’d want to make a mistake like that, Flash.” Jet frowned.
“...Why are you here, Jet?” Flash questioned as his arm relaxed, allowing Jet to release him.
“Someone had to keep an eye on you. You didn’t look like you were in the best state of mind earlier.” The ravenette answered. “...I heard bits of what Trail Blazer said to you earlier. Just don’t let it get to you.”
“It’s not that simple.” He shook his head while he dropped his hand.
“And why not? We both know that man isn’t really your father. Just an alternate version of him.”
“Yeah. A version that lost everything he held dear. A version so far gone that he denounced his ideals and played a hand in this inter-dimensional mess we’re in right now.” The musician scoffed sardonically. He crossed his arms and leaned against the railing to overlook the water. “...I never imagined I would hear him reject his own principles like that. Guess it takes losing your family to open your eyes like that.”
“C’mon. Don’t tell me you’re starting to believe him.” The Kamen Rider frowned. “He’s just a shadow trying to reclaim what he lost.”
“Don’t you think I don’t know that?!” Flash snapped. “Of course I realize that! But hearing him speak like that, with his voice….I don’t know!” He pounded his fist against the railing, creating a dull clang. “I know he’s not my dad! He’s just a remnant of another world that lost his family and wants us to replace them! My father is dead and he’s never coming back!”
“So you’re just going to let that counterpart’s words get to you?” Jet questioned back as he leaned on the rail next to him. “
“I’m not even sure anymore.” He sighed. “...as much as I hate to admit it, he did bring up valid points. If I keep fighting, there’s a chance I might face something too much for me to handle. I would be risking my life and risk my mom and sister losing me in the process.”
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I know I made a decision to be a Rider long ago, but now he’s got me questioning everything again! What’s even the right thing anymore?!”
“That’s a hard question to answer properly.” Jet replied as he leaned back into the rail, hands in pockets. “Whether we’re right or wrong, we all make decisions based on our beliefs. I’m not sure about the specifics about your choices, but I assume you started out as a normal teen before being thrust into the responsibility of being a Rider to protect the people.”
“Yeah. But look where that got me. I might have stopped Faust’s initial plans, but now I have a friend that’s dead and even more friends captured by madmen. Some hero I was.”
Jet Stream frowned at his doubt. “Don’t go beating yourself up over this. Sure you made mistakes. But what teenager doesn’t? Sure there are times when we’re put on the spot, thrust into a role we weren’t looking or preparing for. But At the end of the day, we just gotta accept it and do our best. Trust me, I should know.”
“Oh yeah? How?”
“Because I was the same way.” Jet answered, prompting a confused stare from the bluenette. “Remember? I was a Rider fighting Malware since I was sixteen. Heck, I wasn’t even supposed to be Cyburst, initially.”
“You weren’t?” The musician’s eyes were wide in surprise.
“Nope. In the beginning, my dad was selected to be Kamen Rider Cyburst.”
“Your dad?”
“Yep. In fact, he was chosen to be the Rider because he was the one who successfully warded off Malware when he got to Cantelot...despite circumstances.”
“Circumstances? What do you mean?” The bluenette asked in confusion.
“After Malware manifested in Canterlot, before he cut off communications, his attack was broadcasted nationwide. A distress signal was issued and Cyburst Industries picked up on it. From there, they constructed a weapon made to destroy Malware in the form of an antivirus program tailored specifically for him.”
Jet laughed lightly. “The thing was, My dad wasn’t even supposed to be the one to use the weapon. He was just a low level security guard at the time.”
“So what happened?”
“Well, the team arrived in Canterlot, and the damage was worse than they thought. The city was in ruins and most of the populace was wiped out. They weren’t able to save the people, but they were driven to avenge them and destroy Malware. They broke into the city, but by some ironic twist of fate, the one who was supposed to use the weapon was killed by a Gigabyter. Most of the team went down until my dad and a few others were left. He was forced to grab the weapon and continue the mission. Soon, they reached Malware’s location and blasted him with it. At the time, we thought it destroyed him, as there wasn’t anything left. The remaining Gigabyters broke apart once their boss was destroyed. We thought we won. But we didn’t know at the time that his attack in Canterlot was just a scouting mission. A mere test to see how much damage he could do with his capabilities, test out human defenses, and acquire information.”
“Wait, if Malware was destroyed back then? Then why were you fighting him as Cyburst for two years?”
“I was getting to that. It turned out that Malware broke off a portion of his data and escaped to the cyberworld before his destruction. He took refuge in NewGear City, the place Cyburst Industries was located, and recovered as he built his power back up. While they weren’t aware of it back then, Cyburst Industries took precautions in case of a threat like Malware popped up again.”
“Thus they made the Cyburst Driver and Rider System.” Flash stated in realization.
“Exactly. And because of his accomplishments and bravery, my dad was chosen to be its user. His DNA was locked into it and everything. At least, that’s how it was supposed to be.”
“Supposed to? You don’t mean…”
“...Months later, on the day he was supposed to make his debut to the world as the best means of defense against monsters like Malware, he struck first.” Jet ran a hand down his face. “He ambushed the spot where the premiere took place. And my dad and the scientist that made the Driver were captured by Malware. Immediately, they were fragmented into millions of bits of data and scattered throughout the cyberworld.”
“Holy crap…” Flash whispered in disbelief. He didn’t know what else to say.
“...We were still under attack.” Jet continued. “The leader of it was one of Malware’s Commanders; went by the name Trojan. He grabbed the Driver and tried to destroy it. Then something both incredibly brave and incredibly stupid happened. I ran up to the guy and ripped the Driver out of his hands.
“I didn’t know what I was doing at first. My feet just moved on their own. I just didn’t want that monster to ruin what I had left of my dad. It was completely unintentional, but the Driver responded to my touch. It recognized my DNA, likely because my DNA is very close to my dad’s, being his son and all.”
“So that’s when you first transformed?”
“Yeah. Despite having no idea what I was getting into, I put the Driver on and transformed. Granted, my fighting skills were abysmal back then. It was only through the system’s instructions and armaments that I was able to win that time. Before I knew it, I became NewGear City’s resident Kamen Rider; it’s protector.”
“...why are you telling me all of this, Jet?” Flash asked, wondering if there was a point to his past and how it related to him right now.
“Because, like I said, you and I are similar.” The man shrugged. “Both of us were placed in roles we weren’t ready for at first. But after bearing such responsibility on our shoulders, we grew into them.”
“More like being forced into it.” Flash scoffed. He stared at his reflection below. “...When I first started as a Rider. I was torn between doing what was right and helping my friends, or stay out of it and not worry my mom and sister.”
“And yet you ultimately chose to be a Rider. Why was that?”
“...because I wanted to keep them safe. If I kept being a Rider, then I had the power to protect them and so many others from being used by monsters like Blood Stalk and Faust.”
“And you didn’t care about what anybody thought of you back then? How would they react if they knew you were the Rider?”
“...Not at the time, no.”
“There you go!” Jet clapped his hands. “That’s it right there.”
“What’s it?” Flash looked up in befuddlement.
“Your reason for fighting. It wasn’t directly about shouldering responsibility just because you have ability like your dad’s ideals.”
“Huh? But...my dad said-!”
“Ahp, ahp, ahp, ahp! Stopping you right there.” The ravenette raised his hand. “Forget about what your dad said. Forget about what anyone else said about your choice as a Rider. Because when you get down to the core of the matter, you chose to don the mantle because you wanted to help and protect others. That sole reason is the foundation of your choice. Because that is the type of person you are.”
At first, Flash didn’t know what he meant. But after he let the words sink into his mind and process them, his eyes slowly widened in realization.
Jet saw he made the connection. He smiled and nodded. “Don’t pay any mind to what your dad said. Don’t pay any mind to what anyone else says or thinks about your choices. Just care about what you think is right. In the end, the only person who can make your decisions is you alone. Got it?”
Several moments passed as his words left their impression on Flash. Slowly, the bluenette nodded as a smile grew on his face. “...yeah. I think I do.” He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Thanks Jet. I really needed that pep talk.”
“No problem, man.”
Meanwhile, back in NewGear City…
After making contact with the Canterlot Research Lab and exchanging information, the two groups were able to properly update each other on the situation. So far, the Enigma in Cyburst;s world is functional, despite not being fully powered. On the other hand, the Enigma in Build’s world is only partially operational due to a lack of power, as it failed to completely charge at the dam.
According to the files found in Micro’s computer, even half-charged, the Enigmas are functional. In order to combine the worlds, both devices need to be fully powered. Knowing how persistent Doom and Trail seem to be, they would no doubt strike again to complete their tasks.
However, they had no way of tracking their movements. All they could do is wait for them to make their move first. Sol and the others hoped for Flash to return and get better. The fighter had been surprised to learn that the man behind the red gear armored mask was an alternate version of Flash’s father, one that lost his entire family. He had no idea how to process this revelation. Although, he had an idea of what his friend was going through. If it had been Knuckle Blaze in his place, he’d be just as distraught.
But after hearing how Gizmo was the one who provided Flash assistance, Sol just snapped angrily. After everything he had done to them, Gizmo had the gall to actually be helpful for a change? It didn’t make sense to the fighter. Quite frankly, he didn’t even want to understand his reasoning. The words he spoke, the hatred they held, none of it passed over Code Breaker.
It took several moments for Sol to finally calm down, begrudgingly. After they exchanged information, they had been left on standby until Build and Cyburst could track down Trail and stop him.
Seeing as they had no other option but to wait on Build’s end, Heart had the brilliant idea to show them around NewGear City. After all, it wasn’t every day they’d get to see an alternate world. Rainbow Dash and Sunset were completely ecstatic to see the technological and sci-fi marvels. Applejack was also pretty curious.
Their jaws simply dropped when they saw all of the functional hardlight roads, hovercraft vehicles, and even people wearing jetpacks to travel through the air. They were also surprised to see random sights that were commonplace in their own world, such as hot dog and ice cream stands.
After a couple hours, Heart and a reluctant Code had taken the girls and quiet Sol to a local restaurant. The eatery was so clean that it looked like you could eat off of the tabletops. In fact some people did just that.
Once they were seated, they were to place their orders via holographic selection screens. There were even text boxes to input any additions or dietary restrictions.
The moment they placed their orders, their food materialized right before their eyes in mere seconds. It was like watching their meals be made by a 3D printer. The moment they took their first bite, their taste buds were greatly stimulated.
“This place is just...awesome…!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she bit into her burger.
“Is that what you describe everything?” Code Breaker scowled. Seriously, he heard her say the same thing for every little thing that got her and her friends excited about their world.
“How does this even work?” Sunset asked after she tentatively chewed her food. Despite the show of how it appeared, it tasted like the real thing!
“The menus simply took the orders we set in and programmed them through the data fields. Our meals were made to our inputted specifications and materialized in the physical world upon their completion.” Heart answered.
“I dunno know about y’all. But I feel like this is cheatin’ outta hardworking cooks and chefs.” Applejack replied.
“Oh, don’t worry. Places like these are more for fast food type of lunches. For those that want a quick, yet tasty meal during their busy schedule. There are other restaurants that have actual chefs due to their unique skill sets that machines and computers just can’t replicate.”
“Sounds good and all, but is now really the time for us to be stuffing our faces?” Sol snapped as he shoveled his beef bowl into his mouth.
“Whaddaya mean, Sol?” Applejack questioned as she ate her risotto.
“I’m saying that while we’re waiting here twiddling our thumbs, Doom and Trail could be planning their next attack. Heck, they’re probably on their way to attack right now!”
“Well, until we get an alert, we’re still in the dark on their location.” Code answered.
“Then why aren’t we preparing to fight them instead? In case you guys forgot, but my gear does squat against those Gigabyter things.”
“We’ll get you outfitted with proper equipment as soon as we return to the lab. Just be patient, Sol.” Heart tried to reason.
“Why didn’t we do it when we were already in the lab?” Sol inquired as he finished his meal. “We’d at least be better prepared.”
“Well getting mad won’t help the situation at all.” Code responded as he took a sip of his coffee. “It’ll just make you riled up and unfocused.”
“And just how would you know?” Sol asked with narrowed eyes. The man finished his drink and stared at the teen.
“...Let me ask you this. Have you ever experienced rage so intense that it blinds you to everything else? That it leaves a void in your being and won’t stop gnawing at you until it’s satisfied?”
The fighter’s eyes widened. Code’s response hit the nail on the head. For the longest time, ever since his dad’s death, that was exactly how he felt. The hacker noted his change in expression and nodded.
“H-how…?”
“Because I’ve been in the same place.” Code answered the unfinished question. He pulled out his phone and scrolled to an image that depicted him and another person that resembled him, albeit a few years older. He also wore a white version of Code’s fedora with a black stripe around it. “It was a few years ago, after Canterlot’s destruction. My brother, Hard Drive, and I...we hacked into Cyburst Industries’ mainframe.”
“Wait...you’re an actual hacker?!” Sol gawked.
“Yeah. Why do you think I’m called Kamen Rider Hacker? It’s not just a name.”
“So he seriously hacked your company?” Sunset questioned Heart, who nodded.
“Oh yeah. I gave him hell after I found out it was him.”
“Anyway, we hacked into the mainframe and found the blueprints for the Cyburst Driver. I thought we were going to steal them and sell them to the highest bidder, but Hard...he saw potential in them. We copied the files and went to build and improve the design. Instead of the chips, we developed the battle apps to enable weapons and combat features. After months of hard work, we almost finished it.”
“...I’m guessing something happened just before that happened?” Sol asked.
“Yeah. When we were about 90% done with the Driver, we were attacked by one of Malware’s Virus Generals. It came to his attention that we had been developing our own Driver. I later learned that he somehow traced our steps from our hacking job, even when we made sure to erase our tracks.
“That general had the power to digitize human consciousness into data chips. Back then...I was terrified. I had no idea how to deal with monsters like them. Before I realized it, my brother shoved the Driver in my hands while he held the virus off. I ran away. But when I returned later, after finding help, I found my brother’s body on the ground.
“I thought that he was dead. I didn’t learn until much later that his mind was just turned into a data chip. But since I didn’t know back then...I was a mess of grief and anger. I swore revenge against malware and all of his Virus Generals. So I completed the Hack Driver and became Kamen Rider Hacker.”
“...whoa…” Sol replied, unable to think of anything else to say.
“Yeah...whoa.” Code shrugged.
“...why are you even telling me this?” The fighter finally asked.
“Because...I got the feeling that you have your own share of animosity towards someone. I might not know what happened to you, but I’m sure Blood Stalk had something to do with it.”
“...It’s because of him that my father is dead.” He answered.
“I’m sorry. I know that you’re mad, but let me give you some advice. Don’t let that rage consume you. If you do, it will blind you to everything and get in your way, even vengeance. People may say revenge isn’t the right answer, but they don’t know the pain of having something precious ripped away from them.
“In fact, it was only because I was able to get past my anger that I was able to exact vengeance against Malware.”
“So...what am I supposed to do?” Sol wondered.
“Don’t forget the anger you feel towards Blood Stalk. But don’t let it overwhelm you. When the time comes, keep a cool head and make him pay.”
“...got it. Thank you...Code.”
“No problem. When you do fight him again...give him hell.” Code raised his glass in a toast that Sol met with a clink of his glass.
Meanwhile, the girls were off to the side, staring at the exchange in silence. Rainbow was the first to break it. “Do you girls get the feeling like they completely forgot that we’re here too?”
“Eeyup.” Applejack nodded.
“I’m more concerned on how their talk about revenge and murder being okay.” Sunset noted.
Meanwhile…
“I see...how magnificent!” Doom exclaimed as he obtained the results from the analysis.
“Did you find anything more about those energy readings?” The former pilot asked with folded arms.
“If you mean finding out that these girls are the answer to our problems, then correct!”
“Pardon?”
“The energy sources that these girls utilized. They possess a type of energy I have never seen before on either of these worlds. Astounding, really. The amount of energy per unit volume from these unique sources that the girls had are unprecedented! Why, with just three of these sources, we would be able to fully power one of the Enigmas.” His response made Trail’s eyes widen.
“Truly?” Such a thing was possible? That means their goal...is much closer than before.
“Yes! I thank you for capturing those three girls, Trail.” Doom pulled up the surveillance feed of Sunset, Rainbow, and Applejack. “It just made our job easier. With their powers in our grasp, we can fully power the Enigma stationed on this world!”
The survivor smiled before he realized something. If the girls were here, then what would they use to power the Enigma on Doom Raizer’s Earth? That world is not as advanced as his, and it would make things more difficult to power the Enigma there.
Then he remembered something else. There weren’t just three girls who had those powers. There had been a fourth. That bespectacled girl that suspiciously reminded him of the Sparkle Family before Canterlot fell to ruin. It might have been a far cry from the amount they need, but just having one would shorten the time amount needed to charge the device.
“...Right. We have our next course of action.” Trail decided as he walked towards the portal. “I’ll retrieve the remaining source in Canterlot to power its Enigma.
“And I shall retrieve the sources here to power up the one here. I look forward to your progress, partner.” Doom replied as he made haste to track the girls down.
The former pilot nodded before setting foot into the vibrant Canterlot once more, palming a handheld device.
Canterlot Research and Development Center…
Twilight Sparkle was at the super computer, decrypting the files they obtained from Heart and Code regarding the Cyburst Driver technology and the Gigabyters. Seeing as they had no leads on tracking down Trail or Doom, the bespectacled girl decided to use her time to decipher the files and find a means to fight the Gigabyters.
After Flash and Jet had left, her parents chose to escort Misty and Scootaloo back home whilst processing what they had learned. Her friends had gone out while Sandalwood and Micro tried to follow Jet to look for Flash. She was the only one left in the lab.
Truthfully, however, she wanted nothing more than to work on finding her friends and bring them back home. But without the Enigma, they have no way of accessing the other world. Furthermore, Flash and Jet were still gone...wherever they went. It wasn’t like she could consult the Riders in person.
“Twilight?” Spike called out, snapping her out of her focus. She turned to see him, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity standing by with concern etched on their features. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just trying to find something to help.”
“Twilight, darling. You’ve been at this for hours. Maybe it’s time you took a break.” Rarity offered.
“Yeah. It’s no good working on an empty stomach. Which is why I brought a cupcake platter!” Pinkie cheered as she whipped out a plate covered in an assortment of cupcakes.
“Thanks. I’ll have some later. I just need to decrypt these files first.” She turned back to the computer. Her friends looked at once another before turning to Twilight.
“Twilight. You need a break. I know it must have been bad back at the dam, but-” Spike was cut off.
“You didn’t experience what I did.” She retorted without turning around. “I...I couldn’t do anything. I just stood there. If Sunset hadn’t pushed me aside, I would’ve been taken too. What’s worse is that he plans to use our friends as a power source to fuel the Enigma, and we can’t do anything to stop it!” Her voice cracked towards the end. She tried to stifle a sob that nearly escaped her throat.
She wanted to help. To do something. Anything. But she had no idea where to begin. All she could do was try to work with what they had. But it was still slow progress. Before she could continue, she felt three pairs of arms wrap themselves around her, and something furry nuzzle her leg.
“Twilight...it’s going to be okay.” Fluttershy spoke first.
“Indeed, darling.” Rarity added. “We know you’re stressed. We all are. But working yourself ragged like this won’t do anyone any good. Believe us, Applejack learned that lesson that hard way.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. Before you know it, Flash and Sol will join up here safe and sound and kick butt!” Pinkie voiced her own encouragement.
“Everything’s going to be okay, Twilight. We’re all here ready to help however we can.”
“That’s right.” The puppy nodded. “We got your back.”
The bespectacled girl was touched by their kind, helpful words. She raised her hands to grasp their arms in turn, nodding in acceptance. “Thank you…”
However, the touching moment came to an abrupt end when the Smash Alert went off. The screen popped open to reveal the different sightings across town. There were more sightings than last time. Much more.
When Trail Blazer first stepped foot into the shadow of his former home once more, he immediately summoned hordes of Gigabyters to attack multiple locations at once. He realized that too few would allow them to be dispatched by the Riders easily. However, if he were to summon a force greater than they could handle, then that Sparkle girl should be drawn out to provide assistance...that is, unless she’s perfectly fine with several civilians dying due to her inactivity.
Truth be told, Trail had grown numb to Canterlot. Despite the name and eerily familiar layout, everything was vastly outdated than what he was used to. Furthermore, the very city was the place where his family and friends perished.
However, when the worlds became one, he would find it acceptable to call it home once more. He kept monitoring the progress of his expendable soldiers, noting how their readings seemed to vanish at a steady rate near the bridge. It was likely that it was Cyburst’s doing. After speaking with his son before, he was sure he shattered Flash’s will to keep fighting.
One Rider he can handle. Furthermore, the bridge was quite a ways away from his current location. Speaking of locations, he saw that another group of Gigabyters were being destroyed, but at a slower rate. He grinned. He found his target.
Previously, he noticed while these strange powers did well against the Gigabyters, they were not as effective as Cyburst’s powers. So it was natural to assume that this slower rate of destruction was a result of said power.
He raised his Nebulasteam Gun into the air and pulled the trigger, sending him to his desired location.
NewGear City...
The moment the group returned to the lab, their time of waiting was cut short.
Two mass Gigabyter readings appeared near two different power plants in town. Fortunately, the numbers weren’t as significant as previously. So the Riders decided to split off to handle the situation. Code would take care of the horde on the east side while Sol and Heart would fight off the West. While the Dragonic Rider’s weapons admittedly wouldn’t do much, he would act as Heart’s back up.
Rainbow was adamant about joining them, but was immediately denied by Code and Heart to make sure that they wouldn’t interfere. If Trail had gone through the trouble of kidnapping them, then it would be risky to leave them out in the open as targets. Thus they were instructed to remain in the lab. Sunset had been the voice of reason to convince her friends to stay back.
That didn’t mean they had to like it.
“This sucks!” Rainbow complained for the umpteenth time.
“Doesn’t matter how many times ya say it Rainbow Dash, ain’t gunna change nothing.” Applejack reminded her as she lifted her hat from her eyes.
“How can you be fine with this? We should be out there helping Code or Heart! I mean, even Sol got to go, and his weapons can’t do squat to these guys!”
“We’re here because we’re a target.” Sunset answered as she perused through the files and articles on the computer. “We go out there, and there’s a good chance Doom Raizer or Trail will capture us.”
“But we have magic, they don’t.”
“Which is why they want to abduct us. They almost got Twilight earlier, remember? They want us for something. That’s why they went to the trouble of splitting us between worlds. Without the others, we can’t fully pony up and use our full power against them.”
“...Fine. I get it.” Rainbow finally relented.
“Still, Ah’m kinda worried. What if they find a way in here?” Applejack voiced her concerns.
“You mean like right now?” A new voice called out from behind them. The girls jumped onto their feet and spun to the source, revealing himself to be Doom Raizer. “Hello little batteries. Have you right where I want you.”
“Huh? Batteries?”
“How did you even get in here?!”
“You’d be amazed by the wonders of teleportation technology.” He brandished his Nebulasteam Gun. “Truly, an amazing piece of work, one that is the first step to bringing forth my perfect world.”
“Do you even know the risks your insane plan has?!” Sunset snapped.
“Bah! Of course I do! I took every precaution. Every calculation! Every variable has been accounted for! Why do you think I went through the trouble of killing my alternate self here?” Doom snapped offended.
“Well all we know is that you’re a freaking lunatic that needs to be stopped!” Rainbow yelled as she and Applejack got ready to fight.
“Oh, isn’t that adorable. You girls think you can stop the inevitable.” He chuckled. “No no...what will happen is that I will abduct you to fully power the Enigma. Even if I have to beat you three into the ground.”
He shook an unknown bottle before inserting it into his weapon.
“GEAR REMOCON!”
He then raised his Nebulasteam Gun and shouted out.
“Kaiser!”
Once he pulled the trigger, a mass of steam exuded and covered his body before dispersing into his blue, geared form.
“FUNKY!”
“REMOTE CONTROL GEAR!”
The girls were suddenly overcome by a sense of dread. This presence...somehow it reminded them too much of Blood Stalk and Night Rogue.
“Now then…” He chuckled in a sinister manner. “Who’s first?”
Canterlot...
“Just how many of these things are there?!” Pinkie cried as she tossed another cupcake at a virus before it exploded. When the Smash readings first appeared, they immediately contacted Flash and Jet to combat them. Unfortunately, they were preoccupied dealing with the Gigabyters in their vicinity, leaving the other sectors defenseless.
It certainly didn’t help that the police had been trying to contact Flash and Sol whilst defending the populace. Left with no other choice, the girls decided to join the fray. As Twilight noted earlier, for some odd reason, their magic had some effect on these viruses.
At the very least, they could try to thin out the horde while protecting the people. Unfortunately for Pinkie, this also meant that the ‘Make Twilight feel better Cupcakes’ remained uneaten.
...At least she was making good use of her cupcake platter in this case.
While Fluttershy and Spike handled the evacuations, Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight held off the Gigabyters. The fashionista used her shields to round up the viruses and then box them in for a Pinkie dessert explosion or simply cut them to pieces.
Additionally, due to the nature of her shields, she was able to refract and disperse any lasers that the Gigabyters shot out. Twilight used her telekinetic magic to lift debris or help hold off the Gigabyters. Eventually, all of the viruses had been defeated.
“Are you girls okay?” Spike called as he and Fluttershy returned.
“I think so, darling.” Rarity replied as she brushed away the dirt from her outfit. “A little dirty, but fine.”
“Was that the last of them?” Twilight asked her friends. But before they could respond, a lone figure dropped down behind them. They all turned to see the scarred Trail Blazer rise on his feet.
“...aw man! The boss is here!” The puppy whined.
“Why are you here, Trail?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “And give us back our friends!”
“Apologies Miss Sparkle.” He shook his head. “Can’t do that. Not while we’re so close to the two worlds combining.”
“Think about what you’re doing!” The intellectual pleaded. “What you’re doing has the risk of both worlds imploding! Even if the fused Earth remains intact, billions of people would be cancelled out! Either one would live while the alternate dies, or both would disappear! Can’t you see that what you’re doing is practically genocide?!”
“I don’t care.” Trail replied swiftly, stunning the five. His eyes were as empty as ever, driven by a single goal. “I don’t care how many millions of people have to die. I’ve come this far already. I don’t care who I have to kill, or what I have to do to make my family whole again.”
“...You’re insane…” Pinkie whispered in horror.
“No...I just have nothing left to lose, but everything to gain.” He whipped out a Fullbottle and his Nebulasteam Gun.
“GEAR ENGINE!”
He then raised his weapon and shouted out.
“Kaiser!”
Once he pulled the trigger, a mass of steam exuded and covered his body before dispersing into his red, geared form.
“FUNKY!”
“ENGINE GEAR!”
The armored Trail Blazer stood tall whilst cracking his knuckles. “Let us begin for the end.”
Trail turned his sights towards Fluttershy. He appeared right before her from a cloud of mist. With a swift strike to her solar plexus, she was knocked out cold.
“FLUTTERSHY!” Her friends cried out. Angered, Spike pounced on the man, trying to bite through his armor. Unfazed, Trail picked up the puppy and hurled him into a wall. A sickening crack resounded upon impact. Spike collapsed to the ground in a pained whimper.
Sunset was the first to fall. Her powers had no combat capabilities, making her an easy target for Doom. She tried to run, but the armored man was faster. He grabbed her by the scruff of her jacket and flung her to the side of the room. She crashed through a workbench, scattering its contents.
Before she could pull herself back up, Doom was already upon her and grabbed her in a sleeper hold. She struggled to break free, only for her movements to grow weaker with each passing moment. Soon enough, she lost consciousness.
After Fluttershy and Spike fell, Pinkie grew enraged and started chucking confections like there was no tomorrow. Trail dodged one of them, only to pale when the splattered cupcake immediately exploded.
Her power was turning sweets into bombs?!
That was dangerous. He had to take her out quickly. He vanished into mist and appeared behind the party planner. He wrenched her arm and twisted it, forcing her to drop her confections before picking her up and dropping into a suplex. Pinkie’s head slammed to the ground and knocked her out cold. Her body fell limp, and he tossed it next to the fallen Fluttershy.
“You’re toast!” Rainbow roared as she zoomed across the room and slammed her fist into Doom’s face, knocking him off his feet. The athlete then winced from the sharp impact. Her hand was bright red from the poorly planned punch on her part. Instead she picked up some sort of metal rod to use as a makeshift bat. The moment the rod slammed into Doom, he was frazzled by a concussive burst of energy, one that Rainbow also felt from the tremor in her arms.
“Whoa! Was this some kinda experimental weapon? Nice!” Grinning from ear to ear, she sped towards Doom and whacked him in the back of his legs, knocking him over. She repeated the process by zooming around the room, beating the man again and again. But doing so allowed him to analyze her movements and react accordingly. Annoyed by this repetitive abuse, he acted.
“Come here!” Just before Rainbow could slam into him again, Doom stepped to the side at the last moment, grabbed the rod, then grabbed her by the face. He ripped the bar away then hoisted her into the air before slamming her back to the ground head first. He repeatedly slammed her to the floor until she lost consciousness.
As soon as he took down Pinkie Pie, Trail jumped to the side to avoid a pair of spinning diamond shields. They grinded across the ground like buzz saws, trying to reach him. The controller was a visibly incensed Rarity. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Trail raised his gun and shot off a burst of energy.
Rarity manifested a shield to block it. But doing so blocked her line of sight. She didn’t notice Trail vanish and reappear behind her until it was too late. The armored man pistol whipped her on the back of her head, taking her out of the fight.
Upon seeing her friends fall so easily, Applejack growled as she hefted up a table and hurled it at Doom. The man broke it to pieces with an empowered punch. She charged again with her arms raised.
She swung punch after punch to try and knock him out with one blow. But Doom proved to have a handle on martial arts, given his displayed fighting capability. He weaved through the blows. Soon enough, he grabbed both of the farm girl’s outstretched arms before crossing them downwards, leaving her head wide open.
He slammed his head into hers, stunning her long enough for his follow up attack. He rammed his gear shoulder into her.
“FUNKY DRIVE!”
A blue energy gear ground against her before launching her across the room. She crashed into the wall, leaving a sizable crater before peeling off and dropping to the floor in a motionless heap.
The mad scientist smiled widely beneath his helmet.
“You monster!” Twilight yelled as she pushed her magic to its apex, raising upturned concrete, and non-grounded items from the ground and throwing them at the target of her ire. Trail displayed superb physical ability by weaving through the thrown objects and blasting the rest to rubble as he continued his advance towards her.
Recalling how easily her friends had fallen, Twilight made a barrier of debris by orbiting the fragments around her in an attempt to protect herself from his sneak attacks.
Unfortunately, she had not accounted for Trail using brute force. He blasted the area around her before the red gear on his shoulder started to glow.
“FUNKY DRIVE!”
A massive red energy gear appeared and shot towards it. Its rapid rotations allowed it to easily crush her makeshift barrier before striking her dead on. She screamed in agony from the energy feedback before she was tossed into the air. She hit the ground hard into a roll before coming to a stop. Her head throbbed, her ears rang, and her body screamed in agony. She willed herself to stand back up, only to be greeted by Trail’s emotionless visage.
“I told you. I will do whatever it takes to reach my goal.” He told her before raising his leg and stomping on her head.
All she knew next was darkness.
Hacker, Heart, and Sol returned to the lab after destroying all of the Gugabyters at their respective locations. Surprisingly, neither party found any trace of Doom Raizer or Trail Blazer around. Such a thing set off alarm bells within the Riders, so they chose to rush back to the lab to continue their search.
But when they returned, they were shocked to find the lab in ruins. “The hell happened here?!” Code wondered aloud. Tables were upturned, walls were caved in, and there were craters in the floor.
“I happened…” Doom called out from the corner of the room. The three turned upward to find Doom Raizer sitting on an elevated platform. Around him were Gigabyters carrying the unconscious forms of…
“Sunset! Rainbow! Applejack!” Sol yelled in a mix of anger and horror.
“Put them down!” Hacker yelled while he and Heart aimed their weapons at him. “Then I’ll beat you into a bloody pulp!”
“Hm...tempting. But I refuse.” Doom hummed before rising to his feet. The Gigabyters shifted so they held the girls as shields between Doom and the blasters. “I’m so close to my goal after all. With my intellect and Trail’s initiative and hard work, it was only a matter of time. No matter what you kids would have done, the result was a forgone conclusion.”
“You mean killing billions just because you’re a technophile?!” Code growled.
“Of course. You have no idea how glorious your world is. All these advancements, all this technology. Why, with my own intellect, it can be accelerated even further!”
“They don’t need your messed up insanity!” Sol snapped.
“Bah! What do uncultured swine like you know!” He scoffed. “Either way, you’re too late. The time to activate Enigma...is now! Enjoy your remaining time in these separate worlds while you can. But three fifteen tomorrow, my dream will finally come to fruition!” Before they could hound on him, Doom and the girls vanished into steam.
“Finally...it will finally happen.” Trail said with relief as his Gigabyters hoisted the four girls up for transport. He had everything he needed for his dream to come true. But before they could leave the vicinity…
“Stop right there!” Cyburst yelled out.
The former pilot growled as he turned to see not only Cybust, but his son in that orange and purple armor.
“G-girls!” He gasped upon seeing his friends captive before turning to the man in red. “Let them go!” Both Riders brandished their respective blasters and shot at Trail. However, the man easily deflected each blast. Unfortunately, one of them ricocheted wrong and struck the Gigabyter holding Twilight, destroying it and causing her to drop on the floor.
Trail tried to grab her again, but a series of blasts stopped him from doing so. Build and Cyburst stood between the man and Twilight. After staring at Flash for several seconds, the Kaiser sighed.
“So this is what you chose. But it doesn’t matter....wait until 3:15 tomorrow...everything will be fine.” Without another word, Trail, the girls, and the Gigabyters vanished in a cloud of steam.
“Wait!” Build called out too late. He was already gone.
“F-Flash…?” A soft voice cracked out through pain. The two teens looked over to see the purple puppy crawl his way over.
“Spike!” The two-toned Rider was immediately on him, gingerly carrying him to avoid aggravating his injuries. “Are you okay? What happened?!”
“T-Trail got us by surprise...he...he took us out so easily. But forget me...how’s Twilight?”
“She’ll be okay.” Cyburst answered whilst carrying the girl. “She’ll need her injuries treated though.”
“Huu...what a disaster.” Gizmo mused as he viewed the sight from the top of a nearby building. His eyes trailed up to the mirror image of the Earth in the skies. “Even after all your hard work, things have escalated this far. We’re practically in the end game now. Are you really up for this Sentry?”
He gazed at the armored teenager below as he and Cyburst evacuated the Sparkle girl and her dog. He then broke out into a chuckle.
“...Well, knowing you, you’d probably fix everything in the last minute. At that climactic final moment. Show me that you’re up for this. And if you are…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red, trigger-like device. He tossed it up and down in his hand. “...maybe you’ll be ready to take on an even greater challenge.”
Later…
After abducting the girls, Doom had placed them in a series of pods that were hooked up to the Enigma. While he wasn’t entirely certain about the nature of their powers, he learned that they responded to a certain frequency. All it took was a matter of replicating that frequency to forcefully jump start them.
“Excellent. We’re finally at the final stage. You ready, Trail?” Doom asked the man through the screen. The man back in Canterlot nodded. He stood by a similar set of pods with three girls inside them. Likewise, they were hooked up to the Enigma.
“I have been ready for years.”
“Then pull the switch!” At the same time, both pulled the levers to their respective devices. The machines glowed to life as the pods glowed a variety of colors. The geodes around the girls’ necks sparkled erratically as their energy was being siphoned through the system and into the Enigmas.
“It’s working...it’s working! Hahaha! Perfect world! Here we go!” Doom cackled.
Simultaneously, the giant mechanical hands started to come to life.
To be Continued...