Right from the moment he woke up, Shining knew today was going to be different. He wasn’t sure why, but he just had that sort of feeling.
Honestly? He was still on that sort of high he’d been on since last week, he was married now! Every morning was a joy, waking up to his still slumbering wife, arms still wrapped around her and occasionally clothes still tossed aside from the previous night’s lovemaking. Alas, as much as he always wanted to, he couldn’t stay wrapped in her arms forever, trapped in that moment. He was the Captain of the Royal Guard and a Prince -a Prince now! That was going to take some getting used to, being Captain had been weird enough- of Equestria meaning he had responsibilities.
“Mhmmmm, come back to bed Shiny…” Cadence murmured as he stole away from her arms. She rolled over onto her chest, tugging the covers closer to her nude form.
He briefly considered taking her up on her offer, but alas the day ahead of him didn’t allow such frivolities. So, he dressed himself, and quickly prepared some blueberry pancakes dashed with whipped cream -his wife’s favorite, obviously! Wife! He’d never thought he’d say that!- before grabbing his armor. Carefully, piece by piece he put it on, with each part being handled delicately like you would a lover.
Leaving a handwritten note behind, he opened the front door of Cadence’s… well, house wouldn’t be the right word. It was more like a classic Prench château really! Guards had been posted around every inch, clad not in gold but in silver with tourmaline detailings.
They saluted as he passed them by, before saluting again as in a flash of light appeared the great warlock himself, Starswirl.
“I assume your new marriage is treating you well, Prince Armor?” Starswirl greeted, like that of a grandfather asking how the lives of his grandchildren were going.
“Incredibly!” Shining said, albeit confused why Starswirl was even here. “I never thought I’d actually be married to Cadence, but… here I am! It’s amazing, it’s like I’m high on cocaine but better. And you know… not needing to arrest myself and oh dear I’m rambling.”
“No, it’s fine. Young love is an incredible thing, it reminds me of the time when…” Starswirl trailed off stroking his beard. Sighing sadly, he said: “...I suppose it doesn’t really matter now does it? In any event, I have something that you and Sunset must undergo. A trial, for the two of you!”
“A trial?” Shining questioned.
“Yes, quite!” Starswirl said with a nod as he took him aside, out of earshot. “A trial. The bond between Red and Blue, as I understand it, is an important one. It must be kept up regularly, as the leader and the second in command must function under any kind of pressure, regularly. So that is why I am sending the two of you on a little retreat, a test of your abilities!”
“But what about…?” Shining pondered, looking towards his, his, guards.
“Don’t you worry none,” Starswirl reassured. “I have an idea of how to handle them. Temporarily, I shall be placing a rising star in charge. I believe he needs the experience, and I know this shall help bring out his full potential.”
“...alright, who did you put in charge?” Shining asked.
“A young lad, Flash Sentry,” Starswirl said and Shining’s brain briefly screeched to a grinding halt. Flash!?! ...well, admittedly the kid wasn’t terrible and he believed in justice and the letter of the law so… “He’s eager, and willing to learn the tools of the trade. He has potential, I just believe he needs that extra push.”
“Well, I can’t exactly argue that he’s a terrible choice, because I do see the spark in him. I’d just wish he’d had a bit of extra tutoring before you put him on the spot.”
“Sometimes,” Starswirl said with a smile. “We rise best to the challenge when put under pressure!”
And so it was, he and Sunset found themselves transported to a strange world perhaps even more fantastical than Equestria itself. Life and energy filled the air, dragons racing through the sky. An endless expanse of blue skies stretched before them, clear as only a fairytale could provide. Mountains raised themselves off in the distance, growing taller than you could ever think possible and the lands were impossibly green. A world of wonder, Starswirl had called it, something only books could dream up.
Starswirl’s portal closed up behind him, folding shut like a book. In his hands, he held a strange device, almost like a magician’s wand but a brilliant burning orange with emerald green highlights. He then tossed it impossibly far, but a twinkle in the distance. “Your task is simple! That item I have just tossed, Ton amour brûlant, has been enchanted with a spell. As soon as you locate it, it shall transport you back home. Be warned, your path is long and treacherous and Ton amour brûlant shall most certainly be guarded! Best wishes to the both of you, I however cannot stay. A wizard goes where he is needed, and Ponyville is now down two Rangers to defend it so I shall be on the team in your stead. Safe travels, and may Faust and the Mystic Mother be with you!”
And just like that, he was gone.
“...well, I’ve always wanted to go hiking, I suppose!” Sunset said, keeping her chin up. “Never was allowed to go camping when I was a filly. One of the many pleasures I’ve missed while under Celestia’s intense schooling!”
“Princess Celestia.” Shining corrected out of habit.
“I’ll call her Princess again when I feel I’m worthy to do that,” Sunset sighed, rubbing the back of her head with her hand, running her fingers through her mane. “Until then… She’s just my ex-teacher and I’m her horrible failure of a student. How the mighty shall fall! But maybe one day, I’ll be worthy of her love again. Until then…”
“I’m sure she’s proud of you again already,” Shining reassured.
“...keep telling me that, and maybe I’ll start to believe it!” Sunset scoffed, rather bitterly before looking towards the deep forest ahead of them. Grabbing a stick, she melded it into a proper hiking tool with her magic. “Now let’s get moving, it looks like paradise now sure, but who knows what happens after darkness falls?”
The two strode across the fields and into the forest, not really sure what to expect. For that matter, they didn’t know what was currently going on back home. They had no doubt Starswirl and the rest of their team could handle any threats, but… it just felt wrong leaving them behind like that.
Best not to think about it!
“...so, you didn’t have a great childhood did you?” Shining said. “No camping trips, nothing like Nightmare Night apparently either, given what Robert and Vapor said to me.”
“Nah, wasn’t really my thing! Believe it or not, before I was, well, all this,” Sunset said, gesturing to herself in an exaggerated manner. “I wasn’t the ball of fun I am today! I was focused on my studies, I wanted to be like Starswirl, or Celestia. A truly great sorceress. Too much ambition, too little free-wheeling! Maybe if I’d made actual friends at the time, I wouldn’t have grown up to be such a power hungry brat. Hindsight’s 2020 right?”
Again, another bitter laugh, and Shining suddenly felt the urge to give the mare a hug. And he did, clutching her in a side hug.
“...don’t tell my wife I did that, okay?” Shining asked, flushing a beet red.
“Hahahah, oh if I had my way we’d be doing more than ‘just’ hugging!” Sunset laughed. “Like, loving, touching, squeezing. The whole deal, the whole nine yards. Because good grief you two are… wow, you got blessed.”
“Can… can you not do that?” Shining asked.
“Sorry. Force of habit,” Sunset admitted.
“What is it with you and sex, anyways?” Shining had to ask. He had his own theories, but it would be nice to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.
“Sex is fun? Who doesn’t like sex?” Sunset remarked, strange bubbles in the air as they walked through the mystical forest. “I mean, you like sex. You’re ought to, given who you married. It’s not exactly Forelock Hooves levels of deduction. Me, I guess I’m just making up for years spent in a convent basically. Alas, spending too much time with your nose in a book does wonders for your social life!”
“...I just hope my little sister doesn’t turn out like you,” Shining said with a laugh. “As fun as you are, I’m not entirely sure I’m behind the idea of my sister flirting with anyone and everyone. Not that I’m sure she would, given she’s just only recently learning how to make friends but you get my point!”
“Well, it’s a short walk from friendship to casually banging to romance!” Sunset laughed but shrugged. “But yeah, I get your point. You’re a good brother Shining Armor. I haven’t met your sister only but a few times, but she looks up to you. Like, probably even more than she does to Celestia, which it must be said, is saying quite a bit! It’s actually a shame you can’t tell her who you moonlight as, like she’d be over the moon!”
“Secret identities and all!” Shining said. “...though I’m beginning to feel ours are the worst kept secrets in the world. Like, someone’s bound to have seen us change, and you do know how ponies in this town love to talk…”
“You want to threaten them or something?” Sunset grinned. “Because I hear that works wonders!”
“Heavens no! That’d be an abuse of power!” Shining glared back at her.
“...I swear, you’re way too easy to tease,” Sunset laughed.
“For a bonding mission, we’re doing more bitching at each other than actually bonding!” Shining observed.
“...I’m pretty sure that’s par for the course really!” Sunset teased. “Heard of the Red Oni, Blue Oni thing? Well, meet the Red Ranger, Blue Ranger thing.”
“I… actually haven’t.” Shining admitted.
“...oh, right, I’m not surprised. You don’t spend as much time with your head stuck in a book as I ever did. Or still do actually, when you’re under house arrest, one has nothing but time…” Sunset sighed.
“For what it’s worth, I am sorry that is how you’ve been treated,” Shining apologized. “I shall endeavor to correct that mistake! Grievous error on all of our parts really, I think you’ve paid for your crimes.”
“...maybe,” Sunset shrugged, again running a hand through her mane nervously.
“You’re a better mare than when we started out,” Shining said, reassuringly. “I don’t actually distrust you like I did when we first started. Strange how facing danger together changes a relationship.”
“Yes, strange indeed!” Sunset grinned before their laughter filled the forest.
“And just for the record?” Shining corrected her. “I actually do put my nose in a book from time to time.”
“Comic books hardly count!” Sunset snorted.
“‘Cuse you, but the Mysterious Adventures of the Mare Do Well is just as riveting as anything Daring Do goes though!” Shining replied. “I was on the edge of my seat with the last issue! Imagine, the Metropolitan Marvel broken!”
And then something roared in the background, Shining and Sunset stopping in their tracks.
“...and if I don’t shut up, I might be the broken one…” Shining whispered, lighting up his horn and scanning the forest. Something was moving about in the undergrowth, going unseen in the darkened thickets. One hand was ready to go for his blade, and with a flick of the wrist he could easily summon his morpher.
“...yeah, here’s the stuff they don’t put in the travel brochure,” Sunset mused. “Come to Paradise, where you most certainly won’t get eaten alive!”
She cracked a grin.
“Bet that would do wonders for the tourist industry!”
She wondered how the rest of her team was getting along. Surely they were doing better… right?
For the record, Flash Sentry was in, just a bit, over his head. Not one single member of the guard listened to him! He tried barking orders but…
“Face front!” he said, not all too confidently. “Till Prince Armor gets back from his super secret mission, I am your Captain and your commanding officer!”
“Secret mission?” one of his fellow guards mocked. “More like an all exclusive love getaway! He’s lapsing in his duties, with him and the Princess of Love and their little concubines sneaking off for a sexication!”
“P-Prince Armor would never do that!” Flash stuttered out, only encouraging more laughter. “He is a loyal countryman! He would never leave his fellow troops, his nation, high and dry!”
“You don’t sound like you believe that,” said the mocking guard, named Platinum Sabaton. He was from a rich family, probably shoved off to boot camp because he’d been an embarrassment somehow. “Where’s that confidence, Sentry? If you truly believed your own words, you’d sound sure of them!”
“That’s it, several laps around the base, march!” Flash spat out, though not really with the force required to make them listen.
“Then you should join us!” another guard, Steeltoe commented. “You’re not our captain, you’re just someone picked in his stead while Shining sexes up his wife!”
“That’s enough!” Flash barked, suddenly finding his confidence. “I can handle slights against my own character, but not against our precious captain! Sabaton, Steeltoe, five laps around the base! Now march! Move those hooves!”
He blew his whistle sharply several times to emphasize his point. Flash took a hint of pride at the looks on Steel and Platinum’s faces.
Grumbling the two walked off, and Flash nodded to himself, assured in the fact that -maybe- he had this.
“...wow,” said an older guard, going grey in his mane. Flash recognized him as one of those who’d been tasked with guarding Sunset’s home. But he swore he’d seen him somewhere else before. He just wasn’t sure where. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Sentry.”
“I… I guess they just touched a nerve, I suppose…” Flash murmured. “I’m really not sure what came over me!”
“Agh, the new recruits have yet to really have an ounce of respect drilled into them, it’s rare you see them listen at first,” the older guard admitted. “Wet around the ears! Give them time, and proper marches, and they learn but at this stage…”
“You’re Colossal Pillar, Prince Armor’s predecessor!” Flash realized in a gasp, snapping his fingers in recognition as it finally hit him. “Oh my Mystic Mother, like wow! You’re a legend! I… I need to shake your hand!”
After that was over and done with, Flash was beaming and whispering: “...I’ll never wash this hand again…”
“Walk with me kid,” Colossal said striding towards a nearby vending machine. Slotting some coins in, he waited till two drinks tumbled out. Popping one open, he began drinking. “You’ve got potential, both me and Starswirl recognize this.”
“You… you and Starswirl? Wha…?” Flash whispered. “You’re joking!”
“I never joke,” Colossal said. “I helped him set this whole thing up. Shining’s off, in actuality, to give two Rangers proper training, help them forge their bond a bit more.”
“...he only gets even more amazing…” Flash whispered. “Training the Power Rangers!”
“Stick with me kid, focus!” Colossal said, snapping his fingers. “Yes, yes I know it’s amazing but your mind needs to be in the here and now, not focusing on whatever Shining’s doing. That’s the only way you’re going to earn their respect.”
“...the other guards, right…” Flash sighed.
“We chose you, out of all the other candidates because we saw the potential in you. Your love for justice, the law. They’re admirable qualities perfect for the next generation of guards, even if in a year we’re at peace again. You are the ideal guard!” Colossal said poking his protege in the chest. “Don’t prove us wrong eh?”
“YES SIR!” Flash’s hand shot up on instinct, saluting the older stallion.
“Good, there’s hope for you yet, now…” Colossal’s eyes widened before he shoved the young guard to the ground. “DUCK KID!”
And then, the vending machine spouted arms and legs before twin horns erupted from it, a new Dimensional Beast born and ready to wreak havoc. It cackled, red eyes glowing as it marched forwards, shooting coins like bullets. Flash grabbed his shield, battered by tiny silver coins. It was even dented, and then the beast fired an actual can like a shotgun at him. His helmet went flying, and the can beaned him in the head.
“...oh mamma mia, anyone see the number of that chariot that hit me…?” Flash groaned out, before he was slammed into a wall by Colossal, chains of magic holding him in place. “WHAT THE?”
Then he saw the look in the elder unicorn’s eyes, or the lack of it. His eyes were totally blank, devoid of emotion. It was like he was a slave to someone else’s whims. No, not someone, Flash realized getting angry. Something. The Dimensional Beast, it must have… Oh god, how many ponies had drunk from that one machine?
...apparently quite a few, given the zombified minions beginning to gather. Oh crap.
Eventually, Flash managed to break himself free from Colossal’s chains, socking him across the face. Muttering apologies, he worked out his situation. It wasn’t a good one.
Grabbing his shield, Flash honestly wasn’t sure what he could do. It wasn’t like he could harm his fellow pony, they were just brainwashed. It wasn’t like they were those reverser things! “Oh boy, you’ve really stepped in it this time, eh Sentry? Like, wow! Not what I expected to be dealing with when I woke up this morning. Okay, how would Shining… woah!”
He dodged a slash from the Vending Machine Beast’s claws, and without his shield he suspected he would have been ripped open. “Okay, focus Sentry! They’re not your main problem here! It’s that thing!”
What he wouldn’t give to have Ranger powers!
“...so what would Prince Shining, okay still getting used to that, do here? Think, Sentry, think!”
He had to keep these guys away from everyone else, Mystic Mother only knew what that Beast would have them do. Gripping his sword, he sliced down two trees, blocking the ‘zombies’ paths.
The dimensional beast just slashed through the obstruction with his massive claws.
“...right.” Flash said before he was forced to hold his shield up as once again the monster shot cans at him like missles. He imagined he only had a minute or so before the cans smashed his shield to pieces. And then, like an angel came the Yellow Owl Ranger, teleporting in before smashing through the cans with a flurry of punches.
Colossal tried to rush her, only to be gently thrown to the ground.
“Sorry we’re late,” she said, helping him up. “You alright, Captain Sentry?”
“Yeah, though the Captain title is something I’m going to have to get used to,” Flash admitted. “Not that I’ll be keeping it after today, imagine! Me being the first Captain of the Guard who got practically his whole squad brainwashed!”
“Eh, happens to the best of us,” the Yellow Ranger said as White and Black arrived soon afterwards. “I for one, am tired of the monsters with this as their gimmick. Really sick and tired!”
Grumbling more to herself, the Yellow Ranger turned to Flash. “You, get out of here. It’s too dangerous.”
“No,” Flash stated firmly. “He got my mentor under his thrall. I’m going to get him back.”
Shoving his shield forwards, he blocked a huge number of coins that otherwise would have ripped into skin drawing blood. But the problem was, there were way too many ponies under the Vending Machine Beast’s sway to worry about. They couldn’t even get to their master!
“Nice sentiment, but…” the Yellow Ranger said. “But you’ve got to get to hornhead first!”
“...anyone got a plan?” the White Ranger asked. “I’d shoot the guy, but I’m too worried about hitting one of his minions! ...oh, why couldn’t he just use reversers like all the rest?”
“I’ve got a plan, it’s something I’ve never tried before, but…” the Yellow Ranger trailed off. “It’s worth a shot. I’ve got a horn under his helmet, so I’ve got magic right?”
And just like that, after a few moments of agonizing painful nothing, they found themselves on the other side of town…
Gray allowed himself a rare smile as he overlooked Canterlot. All was going according to plan. The Rangers could never harm innocent civilians.
Today would be a surefire victory, all of his calculations pointed towards it.
Now, he had to soften them up for the final blow. Snapping his fingers, reversers swarmed past him and down into the streets below.
“...well, that was…” The Yellow Ranger said. “Well, guess that proves us kirins are related to unicorns! Oh, if Queen Rain Shine could see me now!”
Her voice turned bitter towards the end, though she tried to hide it well enough Flash supposed. He wouldn’t press, it wasn’t his secret to tell. Okay, yeah he’d always been curious about who lurked beneath the helmets but he wasn’t going to actually think about their identities too hard.
“...out of the frying pan, into the fire though,” she went on as from the rooftops came familiar insectoid forms. Chittering, the reversers leaped into the streets ready for battle. The Yellow Ranger charged up her gauntlet, Flash had forgotten what it had been called. The Bird Bomber or something like that. “Good! At least they’re something I can hit!”
Smashing through the bug-like creatures, she was like a hurricane. Flash pulled out his sword, and fought back to back with the White Ranger who… was eating noodles? Yeah, even as she sliced apart the insectoids, her faceplate had retracted just enough to allow her to slurp up the noodles.
“Is this really the time?” he had to ask.
“Of course it’s the time!” the swan-themed heroine exclaimed. “It’s always the time for Godly Ramen!”
“...fair enough,” Flash conceded, though why that voice sounded so familiar nagged at him. “The recipe really is that good!”
“Preach it!” the White Ranger said tossing the empty cup into a nearby trash can. Then, she dunked said trash can over a reverser’s head. She uttered: “...you pretty much belong in there anyways.”
Flash just settled for striking another down with his sword. Going into a flying tackle, he slammed another of the bugs through a storefront window, flowers flying everywhere. He bashed the monster upside the head with his shield before whirling on his hoof to block a sword slash from another reverser. Kneeing it in the stomach, he slammed his shield into the monster’s head.
“...where’s a can of Raid when you need it?” the guard mused to himself. Nearby, the Yellow Ranger had grabbed another reverser in a chokehold and slammed the bug into the pavement, before whirling around to kick another in the stomach.
Flash spun, slicing down another reverser. He was panting and sweating, already exhausted. “Is this what the Rangers have to put up with, day in and day out? Mystic Mother, their suits must stink! ...well, they’re certainly more fit than I am!”
He could see they would easily get overwhelmed unless he didn’t do something. And then he saw the whistle hanging around his neck. Of course!
He blew, and guards came running, and Flash barked orders. “Box those bugs in, get them out of here! The Rangers need to save their strength for the real threat!”
With pikes, his fellow Royal Guards began pushing the reversers away. Flash held the whistle in his hands with no small amount of awe. Did he do that? Did he just save the Power Rangers’ bacon?
“Oh wow…” He thought to himself actually feeling kinda faint. “I can’t believe I did that… Colossus, watch me! I will help the Rangers save the city!”
Back with Sunset and Shining, they had problems with their own.
“...and here I was dismissing the wolves in the nightdresses…” Sunset uttered with storybook monsters on every side, with fangs and claws.
They were easily cut down, turning into scraps of paper on defeat but the storybook facade had faded away, replaced with a world of apparently rotting pages chewed away by woodlice. Trees were now beginning to die all around them, the fantasy replaced by a nightmare.
“...what’s that old story from Arthurian myth, something something about a Fisher King?” Shining mused before he snapped his finger in memory. “Oh wait! Now I remember. In Arthurian legend, the Fisher King is the last in a long bloodline charged with keeping the Holy Grail. As within, so without. Light begets plenty, darkness begets famine. The land of the Fisher King always reflects what kind of ruler he is. If he’s a bad one…”
He gestured out to the land before him which was rapidly beginning to turn back to normal.
“We’re basically dealing with something similar. We had to remove the infection, cut it out and lo and behold…”
“Prosperity returns!” Sunset realized before they looked upwards to an impossibly tall mountain where something twinkled at the top. Ton amour brûlant, no doubt! It seemed to be about the only brilliant thing about the mountain, as it seemed to be falling under the same curse that the rest of the land had found itself under. This blight threatened to destroy their only way home.
“...you think this is part of the test?” Sunset wondered.
“Doubtful,” Shining shook his head. “I don’t think Starswirl would knowingly put a world in danger. This is just plain bad luck!”
“From recovering an ancient artifact to dealing with a plague! Man, talk about a booby prize…” Sunset grumbled.
Sharing a nod, both Rangers morphed in flashes of light taking to the skies…
Speaking of false kings, the new Dimensional Beast threatened to summon the wendigos the longer he kept this up. With his ‘subjects’ under his control, the more pain and suffering he caused, the more the ideals of friendship fell away.
Not that Gray knew any of this, of course, as he’d never bothered to study Equestria’s legends.
He did know he was in a duel against the Black Ranger though.
“Call off your monster,” he thundered.
“And why,” Gray answered drolly. “...would I do that?”
“Because,” the Black Ranger said, slashing at him again. “You’re not going to like the alternative.”
Flash watched their duel from the streets below, seeing the two match blades on a rooftop.
“Man…” Flash said sliding back against a wall in exhaustion. “I wish that was me. But here I am, the screw-up who got pretty much his entire squad brainwashed because he failed to notice a vending machine was actually a dimensional beast!”
“Is that really your fault?” a voice asked and Flash looked up in shock.
“S-Starswirl?” Flash stammered out. “I-I’m sorry, but… I failed you. I’m not the stallion you must have thought I was. Look around, actually can’t you feel the weather getting colder? Because of my foolishness, I’m about to bring the wendigos down upon us!”
“What’s that phrase that the young ones like to use today…? Oh yes, grow up!” Starswirl said before pulling him upwards with a hand. “Buck up young stallion. None of this is your fault. It’s only Gray’s. Wiser men than you have been fooled by monsters, your entire squad failed to notice that a certain vending machine was a dimensional beast. I failed to notice, if anything I am the stallion you should lay the blame at. I was so busy with other matters that I failed to notice a new dimensional bug.”
“You couldn’t have possibly noticed, like you said you had your hands tied with other matters!” Flash argued.
“But I should have noticed,” Starswirl said humbly. “But I suppose it doesn’t matter whose fault it is does it?”
“No… No, it doesn’t. We have to stop this situation from getting any more out of control!” Flash agreed.
“Agreed,” Starswirl nodded before looking him directly in the eye. “So, I ask, what will you do about it?”
At the top of the mountain, Sunset and Shining found themselves a rotting temple and on a plinth, was the item they’d been searching for. The thing Starswirl had called Ton amour brûlant.
Sunset reached out for it, only to hear a roar. Both she and Shining were blown through a wall by a massive fireball. From out of the gloom came a familiar shape, roaring in rage. Impossibly tall but pure white like a heavenly weapon, Titanus the Ultrazord. Except… something was drastically wrong.
His eyes were normally a friendly, warm shade of red. Now though, they burned a bloody crimson. Dark vines covered his body, like an infection. It seemed whatever blight had came on this land had now infected the mightiest of dinosaurs.
“...you gotta be kidding me.” Sunset groaned. Clearly, Titanus had been intended as part of the original test, but Starswirl hadn’t predicted for this to happen! It had all gone horribly wrong. “See, Faust hates me!”
“This… could be a problem,” Shining admitted. “I know purification spells, but… Well, I need to prepare them properly!”
“Then I’ll guard you!” Sunset said, throwing up a shield all around them. Titanus continued blasting, fireballs reigning down on the two Rangers but all the while Shining began to draw a runic circle.
It seemed to be going pretty well, at least up until the moment when a howl split the air. One last wolf leaped out of the shadows, dressed in a hooded cloak. Little Red Riding Hood herself.
“...you know, any other time, I’d think that’s kinda metal, but today…?” Sunset grumbled. “I am sick to death of wolves!”
The wolf began slashing into the shield, and cracks began to show.
“I’m not going to be able to keep this shield up much longer!” Sunset called.
“Do you trust me?” Shining asked.
“Of course I trust you,” Sunset said. “You’re my partner.”
“Then I need you to finish the purification spell,” Shining ordered.
“Wha… why me?” Sunset asked.
“You’ve read plenty of books, more than me actually!” Shining replied even as the corrupted Titanus continued bombarding them. “I know you know what this spell is!”
“But what are you going to do?” Sunset asked.
“Buy you some time! I am a Captain of the Royal Guard, and a Prince of Equestria, and as such, it is my duty to defend my subjects,” Shining said as he drew his blade. “And that includes you. We may not have started on the best of terms, but from one Ranger to another? We stick together.”
With that he charged out of the shield, the Red Riding Hood-themed wolf slashing at him with massive claws. Shining dodged a slash, before whirling around with a runic sigil glowing in his palm.
A fireball from Titanus ripped through the air, coming his way. The sigil in his palm glowed, and it split in half destroying the ruins around him. But Shining was left unharmed, and went back to work on dealing with the real monster. Blocking the wolf’s claws with his sword, he kneed the monster in the chest before spinning away. Leaping upwards, his sword glowed with blue flame as Shining called out: “BURNING REIGN!”
Slashing downwards, he burned the monster away in a flash of fire, leaving only embers. And it was then Sunset finished the spell, and slammed her hand into the earth as a wave of pure cleansing energy washed out from the runic sigils, glowing white.
Titanus, along with the rest of the infected lands were caught up in the wave and cleansed of all darkness. The vines and wood-rot were replaced by green as far as the eye could see, and Titanus glowed white before fading away. In Sunset’s hand appeared only a small book, reading: Zyuren Kyouruu Fantasy with a familiar zord on the cover.
“...why am I not surprised?” she wondered aloud before tossing the book aside, having had enough of this fairytale world.
Walking up to Shining, the two looked at the item which had been the cause of so much misery for them.
“Together?” she asked.
“Together.” Shining said with a nod before they reached out and grabbed Ton amour brûlant as the world went white...
Back in ‘our’ world, the fight against the Vending Machine Beast was still ongoing. But it was about to come to an end, as the Rangers and Flash fought their way to him.
“Look at you, you’re exhausted!” Gray laughed, and it was true, because after fighting their way past reversers and other minions, the group was beyond tired. “I can calculate that in just a few swift strokes, the end will come for you.”
“Bottom of the ninth boys,” the Yellow Ranger said. “Anyone got any last ditch crazy plans?”
“...good thing we excel at crazy,” the White Ranger said. “Just give me a minute to stop and catch my breath!”
“I calculate a 0000.3% chance of you actually succeeding,” Gray said. “Lay down your swords, and I promise the end will come swiftly.”
“Yeah, well… Never tell me the odds,” Flash said, before tossing his sword directly at the Dimensional Beast. It spun over and over even as it flew directly towards the monster. “One: evil rascals... Two: shall feel Equestria’s love... Three: It's already decided, so there's no point in arguing!”
His sword struck straight and true, hitting the monster in the actual dimensional bug that had latched onto it. Gray roared in rage, and slashed at Flash only for his blade to meet another’s.
“Surprise!” the Blue Ranger said before whirling around and running Gray through with his blade.’
“You did a good job, Captain Sentry,” said he to Flash. “But we’ll take it from here.”
“Thank you Rangers!” Flash said frantically, barely able to believe his ears. A Ranger, an actual Power Ranger, thanking him of all ponies! Yep, he could officially die happy now.
The robot sparked, before deciding it was best to retreat and repair himself. Oh well, it wasn’t like the other Rangers would be able to stand against the Beast once he grew. And grew he did, only to meet the Falcon and Swallow zords’ lasers.
Shining and Sunset had leaped into their cockpits, keeping the monster off balance with laser fire.
It spewed out coins to try and knock the two little jets out of the air, but the zords only climbed higher. Then, from out of the clouds they came again, around for another pass. Launching missiles at the monster, it’s hide was peppered in explosions.
Swooping low, the swallow zord’s wings slashed into the monster’s legs.
“...we can’t have this battle, not here anyways!” Sunset’s voice crackled over Shining’s comms. “Follow my lead!”
She fired a cable at the monster, and Shining soon mirrored her motion before they pulled the monster out of Canterlot, dragging it behind their jets. The cables creaked and groaned, but otherwise showed no signs of breaking away. Until they did, Sunset and Shining deliberately snapping them as the monster tumbled into a forest below.
The Vending Machine Beast pulled itself up into the foothills before eyeing Canterlot, nestled precariously on the side of a mountain. It advanced, only for Sunset and Shining to spot where it was going.
“No, I don’t think so…” Shining said as he and Sunset fired another set of missiles at the monster. It staggered back, falling on its rear with a mighty crash! The falcon and swallow soared high above his head, even as the beast’s horns crackled with electricity.
Realizing what was about to happen, the zords flew even as the skies crackled with light. Electricity erupted from the dimensional beast’s twin horns, attempting to rip them from the skies.
A screech split the sky, and a boulder was dropped upon the massive monster’s feet. The Owl Zord soared on by, tilting itself in a salute with the Condor and Swan soon joining it. The other rangers had gathered their strength and now all five were in the air.
As the vending machine beast danced around in pain, clutching its foot, the zords combined. Swooping back up into the clouds, as ever the falcon zord sent out a signal for the others to converge on its location, it’s wings retracting into its body. The condor and swan zords wings folded up into their bodies even as their tail fins turned a full 180 degrees. Their cockpits began to move upwards, metal clanking as the massive parts shifted and twisted. Finally, the owl and the swallow began to detach parts with their cockpits folding up into their bodies, accompanied by hisses of steam. Now the massive jet rocketed towards it’s target, all five Rangers in a huge shared cockpit.
The beast was peppered with laserfire, even as demonic lightning danced all around the Phoenix Flier. The massive jet screeched out a warning, flying closer and rocketing overhead as it came around for another pass. The painted ‘eyes’ on its nose seemed to narrow as it narrowed in on it’s target.
Tilting on its side, the massive jet sliced through the air avoiding another thunderbolt. Firing lasers again, the Rangers watched as the Dimensional Beast roared in pain. Its eyes narrowed in anger and it rushed the Phoenix Flier, attempting to grab it and rip it out of the skies. The jet pulled upwards, way out of the monster’s grip.
Circling back downwards, the jet rocketed past the beast before flying around Mount Canter with missiles at the ready. And then the beast struck, launching soda cans like rockets at his target.
The jet was forced to turn, even as it fired. The missile missed the dimensional beast by a mile, an explosion erupting behind it. And the beast slashed at the air, and knocked the Phoenix Flier out of the skies. It collided with Mount Canter, smashing through it and then into the foothills, its body smoking.
The jet’s engines tried to cough and wheeze back to life, even as the Vending Machine Beast approached. It pulled them out of the ground, and began to squeeze. Metal creaked and groaned as the insides of the cockpit sparked. Finally, the engines roared back to life and the dimensional beast got a face full of flame as the Phoenix Flier rocketed away.
The rangers, inside their jet heard the roar of rage and saw the beast spit out coins from its mouth. The many, and I do mean many coins slashed through the air, and it was doubtful the Flier’s armor would survive another bashing. And then the coin barrage hit, driving the Flier once again to ground. Inside a mountain of coins it lay, and inside the mountain the Rangers now in very deep trouble.
“...Death by coins,” Shining sighed. “What a dignified way to go!”
And then, lightning from heaven. Starswirl summoned the bolt from the blue and at once, healing magic passed over the Flier’s systems. And it erupted from the mountain, before shifting forms and then the Sky Strike Megazord stood at the ready.
The mecha marched forwards, firing its fists like rockets. Upcutting the Vending Machine Beast, the fists returned to their rightful place locking themselves back in with hisses of steam. More barrages of coins came as soon as the beast regained its footing. But this time, the rangers were ready, summoning the mecha’s shield. Like a knight, it stood its ground against the battering.
And then, it surged forwards on hisses of steam, propelled forwards by miniature rockets on the mecha’s back.
Slamming into the beast, it watched it topple to the ground through emotionless optics. The beast was swift to recover, slashing at the mecha, the Megazord sidestepping its claws. And then came the lightning, and the megazord staggered from the shocks.
“Rerouting systems… engaging firewalls!” Robert said pressing a few buttons on his control panel. And finally the lightning was no longer a worry, simply bouncing off the mecha. And then out came a frail, the massive weapon spun around in truly intimidating fashion. And the mecha continued spinning it, before it wrapped the chains around the dimensional beast’s arm. With a tug, the megazord pulled it forwards and socked the creature across the jaw.
Releasing the monster, the Megazord exchanged its frail for a naginata, the lance-like weapon gripped in both hands. Thrusted forwards again and again, it nipped at the Vending Machine Beast’s hide. Slashing downwards, the mecha struck like, ironically, lightning.
Tossing the massive weapon aside, it was time to go for the final blow. Summoning the sword, it crackled with flames, the fire licking at the blade.
“Blazing Final Strike!” cried the rangers as down came the blade, slicing straight through the monster’s hide and cutting it in two. Or… at least that was the intent as the monster spat more coins knocking the blade out of the mecha’s hands. And up came the mecha’s shield as the battery continued.
And then the mecha split apart, reforming behind the monster as the Phoenix Flier once more. The massive craft soared upwards, before down it came in a loop and blazing like the sun. And up went the monster in an explosion. Victory was theirs.
Starswirl smiled at the Rangers.
“I see all went well!” he said to Sunset and Shining.
“...yeah, it did actually, though…” here she leaned in to whisper about what they had encountered in that other realm.
“I… see, this does not bode well,” said Starswirl, once again stroking his beard. “Though, thankfully I know an order of knights who might be able to help. Looks like this old man must bundle up for a trip up north!”
“...do you have any idea what he’s talking about?” Sunset asked of her friend.
“Not a clue!” Shining laughed, and eventually when he returned to his home for the night he found Cadence waiting for him. Though, devoid of any real royal regalia. Or anything else actually.
“...I think my knight’s earned his royal reward, hmm?” Cadence licked her lips.
Shining knew he’d be sore in the morning. A true tragedy indeed!