"I can't believe it, those two monsters fused together!" Twilight Sparkle looks up at the colossal cyborg.
"I saw the Samurai pulling out cards. That's how he controls those monsters!" Sunset Shimmer speculated.
"Ain't he a sore loser!" Rainbow Dash cursed.
"Pedanium Meteor!" The fusion launches a dark fireball at everyone, but Ultraman Trigger gets in the way and shields his friends with his back, taking the pain for himself.
"Go!" Ultraman Trigger shouted.
"C'mon, let's run while we still can!" Applejack hurried her friends. Everyone quickly flees the scene as Ultraman Trigger stands up to face the freaky fusion.
"Trigger, what the heck is that thing?!" Pinkie Pie panicked.
"Zetton… King Joe… they're infamous kaiju weapons!" Trigger realized.
"Kaiju? As in Japanese movie monsters?! You knew what they were all this time?" Pinkie Pie questioned.
"I've only heard of Zetton from other Ultramen, and I fought a modified replica of King Joe once. I've never seen the real deals!" Trigger answered. "This is bad. They're tough opponents for Ultramen, and a fusion of these two makes them twice as dangerous, maybe more!"
"Don't suppose you got any more tricks up your sleeve?"
"Just one more. Circle Arms, to me!"
As Pedanium Zetton approaches, emitting a combination of both monsters' ambient trills and beeps- "Circle Arms!" -a bright light jets from the sky at Mach speed, slashing Pedanium Zetton's shoulder and flies into Ultraman Trigger's hand, revealing a broad purple-bladed sword with a circular red handguard orbiting the purple-marbled grip. "Power Claw!" The blade opens like scissors before Ultraman Trigger performs a ballerina spin, landing hit after hit on the cyborg. After stumbling backwards, Pedanium Zetton shows no damage.
"[You thought that would hurt me? A combination of Zetton bio-engineering and indestructible Pedanium makes an unstoppable monster!]" the Samurai mocks within Pedanium Zetton. "Pedanium Spark!" The cyborg sends red lightning bolts from lightning-shaped shoulder growths at the spinning Ultraman Trigger's feet, tripping him to crash onto an office building.
"Ow!" Ultraman Trigger stands to face the cyborg, but it disappears. Knowing Zetton can teleport, Ultraman Trigger looks around in anticipation for its reappearance.
When he hears a subtle chime behind- "Sky Arrow!" -he opens the Circle Arms at 180°, pulls back spectral bowstrings and shoots an energy arrow at the manifesting Pedanium Zetton. The arrow was fast, but Pedanium Zetton was faster, pulling a red barrier that shatters the shot.
Atop a parking complex, everyone watches Ultraman Trigger sizing up Pedanium Zetton. "Go get 'em, Pinkie!" Rarity whooped.
"Yeah, beat those cards outta him!" Flash Sentry shouted.
"If you have the power to best a dragon, you have the power to best anything!" Torch shouted with a volume overpowering everyone's.
Ultraman Trigger rushes at Pedanium Zetton with his Sky Arrow blades, but Pedanium Zetton miraculously dodges and slashes Ultraman Trigger's face with its electrically-charged pincers, knocking him down. When Ultraman Trigger was about to stand up, Pedanium Zetton forces itself on him and grabs his neck, choking him as its claws dig deep. "[Eh? I thought you were tougher than this! After all, you ruined my chance to roll a card I so desperately wanted!]" the Samurai taunted as his grip becomes tighter and tighter. As it chokes him, the light in his chest starts blinking red, emitting pinging beeps.
Internally, Pinkie Pie is choked down by an invisible force, cupping her hands on her neck. "Trigger… that… sound?"
"My body loses energy rapidly on Earth! When that happens, the Colour Timer on my chest makes that sound! We're running out of time!" Trigger hurriedly explained. "Pinkie Pie, stand up!"
With whatever power Ultraman Trigger has left, he kicks Pedanium Zetton off and sends them both rolling along opposite sides of an intersection. They quickly stand up and recover to face off one last time, the sound of the Colour Timer's beeping filling the air. Ultraman Trigger pumps his fists to the side, and seeing this, Pinkie Pie's friends recognize this move from the Samurai's fight.
"It's the laser beam! She's gonna do the laser beam!" Rainbow Dash cheers excitedly.
Ultraman Trigger crosses his arms at the wrist before sweeping them away, attracting light particles into the Colour Timer. "Zeperion…" With this light gathered, Ultraman Trigger raises his right forearm at Pedanium Zetton and slams his left hand on the elbow, unleashing a white light beam at the monster. "Beeeaaam!"
Pedanium Zetton catches the beam in its pincers, balling up all the light into a massive orb to absorb into its body.
Ultraman Trigger was simply shocked to see this, and fearfully backs away.
"Hehehe…" the Samurai chuckles as red and yellow surges flow through his body, then extends its pincers. "Pedanium Flare!" it unleashes a dark beam surging with red lightning that evaporates surrounding snow and strikes Ultraman Trigger's Colour Timer.
Ultraman Trigger tries to stand his ground against this great attack, but when it ceases, he stands motionless. Pedanium Zetton stares at the still Ultraman Trigger until the light in his eyes flicker off before he falls onto his back, all colours drained from his body.
"She… they…" Rainbow Dash simply stunned seeing this defeat.
"Nooo!" Fluttershy cried.
"Pinkie! You can't die! Get up!" Rarity yelled.
"Yeah, what'll happen to the town, the world?!" Sunset Shimmer screamed.
"This rodeo ain't over!" Applejack roared.
"The world still needs you, Pinkie Pie!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.
"Pinkie Pie! Trigger! Stand up!" they all shrieked.
"[Hahaha! Victory is mine!]" Pedanium Zetton's malicious laugh flood the streets before it's hit in the back by tank artillery. "[Insects!]" It growls at the tanks before picking up the Robot's discarded cannon. "Pedanium Striker!" it unleashes bullet hail on the tanks, tearing them up and the streets they were on.
As Pedanium Zetton is distracted, Rarity creates a diamond bridge leading to Ultraman Trigger's chest, and her friends join her to gather around the Colour Timer. "Pinkie, are you in there!? Can you hear me?! It's me, Rarity!" she screamed as she puts her hands on the dead Colour Timer.
"This can't be the end for Pinkie, can it?" Fluttershy wondered.
"That fusion monster is the most powerful enemy we've faced so far. I'm not sure Pinkie can recover from this." Twilight Sparkle said.
"But she can't croak after all this time! We're this close to savin' the world!" Applejack added.
"She's been through worse the past twenty-four hours! This should be nothing… right?" Rainbow Dash said with some doubt.
"No… no, this can't be it!" Sunset Shimmer said in horror.
"Pinkiiieee! Get up!" Rarity cries on the Colour Timer, letting tears drip onto its facets. She mournfully rests her face on the Colour Timer, letting tears flow onto the crystalline surface. When her tears pool into a facet, the crystal emanates a soft glow. As Pinkie Pie's friends watch the glow, it flashes a bright blue light to zap the Rainbooms inside Ultraman Trigger, leaving behind Flash Sentry, Spike, Ember and Torch.
"Where'd they go?" Ember wondered.
"Something tells me something magical is about to happen." Flash Sentry said with a smile.
"What does that mean?" Torch asked Flash Sentry.
"It means a lightshow's about to start." Spike gave a hopeful, proud look to Torch.
Next thing the Rainbooms knew, they're standing in a dark void. "W-where are we?" Fluttershy whimpered.
"This was in Pinkie Pie's nightmare. We're inside Trigger!" Sunset Shimmer realized.
"Girls? Are you there?"
They turn to the darkness and see a dishevelled Pinkie Pie dragging along Trigger; his body dimmed like a low-battery lantern. "Pinkie, you're okay!" Rarity called to her.
"I can't say the same for Trigger." Pinkie Pie puts him down before her friends. "He took the hit for me, then everything went dark."
"There must be some way we can help." Twilight Sparkle thought.
"Why don't we use our Geodes?" Sunset Shimmer suggested. "Trigger used Pinkie's to restore himself before. Maybe if we use all of ours, it'll jumpstart him!"
"All of ours? Isn't Pinkie's Geode still outta magic?" Rainbow Dash wondered.
"Before Trigger went down, he gave me this." Pinkie Pie presents them a translucent figment of her Geode. "It's the last piece of magic from my Geode. I think it's his way of apologizing for taking it away."
"Is it enough?" Rarity asked.
"One way to find out." Pinkie Pie puts the figment in her real Geode, giving it a smidgen of colour. Then, everyone holds hands in a circle gathered around Trigger. "Let's light him up, ladies!" Pinkie Pie declares, and their Geodes' magic beams strike Trigger's chest one-by-one, illuminating him in a rainbow of colours.
When Trigger's eyes light up, he sits up and stares at them. "Pinkie, everyone… you saved me."
"And now we're even." Pinkie Pie smiles.
"Trigger, we gotta do something about the monster!" Applejack hurried.
"I'm not sure what I can do. If I—" suddenly, a rainbow-patterned Hyper Key emerges from his chest and flies into Pinkie Pie's hand.
"What's this?" Pinkie Pie wondered.
"I think this Hyper Key contains our magic!" Rarity speculated.
"Maybe this is just what we need to defeat Pedanium Zetton." Trigger added.
Pinkie Pie inserts the Hyper Key into the Sparklence. "Boot Up! Equestrium!"
"What do I say for this?" Pinkie Pie asked Trigger.
"Up to you. It's your magic, after all." Trigger answered.
"Up to us, eh?" Pinkie Pie side-eyes her friends. "Everyone, follow my lead."
"We're right behind you, Pinkie." Rarity nodded.
Pinkie Pie raises the Sparklence. "Unite our smiles, light of friendship!" they all shouted.
"Ultraman Trigger!" Pinkie Pie pulls the trigger, showering everyone in rainbow sparkles.
"Ultraman Trigger! Friendship Type!"
After Pedanium Zetton decimates another fleet of tanks, rainbow lights shoot from Ultraman Trigger's chest. "Let's book it!" Flash Sentry shouted before jumps off Ultraman Trigger's chest with the dogs.
The rainbow lights swirl around Ultraman Trigger as he magically tilts up and restore his colours, filling his silver skin with multicoloured streaks, surrounding his Colour Timer with the Rainbooms' seven Geodes. "[Impossible! How did you restore your power?!]" Pedanium Zetton screamed in bewilderment.
"In this world, there's a magic that triumphs over all, a magic used by a whole lotta people as one: the Magic of Friendship!" Pinkie Pie's voice shouted.
"[Shut up!]" Pedanium Zetton angrily tosses a building at Ultraman Trigger.
"Magic!" Ultraman Trigger punches Twilight Sparkle's Geode and telekinetically catches the building.
"Pedanium Striker!"
Pedanium Zetton rapid-fires at Ultraman Trigger, who punches Rarity's Geode- "Generosity!" –bringing a massive diamond shield to block the attack. Bullets strike the shield to no affect, and when Ultraman Trigger approaches, he chops the cannon in half with the edge.
"Pedanium Spark!"
After kicking Ultraman Trigger miles away, Pedanium Zetton unleashes a red lightning storm. Ultraman Trigger punches Rainbow Dash and Applejack's Geodes- "Loyalty! Honesty!" -dashing between the arcs to punch Pedanium Zetton's face.
When Pedanium Zetton stumbles, it teleports in the air behind Ultraman Trigger. "Kindness!" Ultraman Trigger punches Fluttershy's Geode, bringing flocks of geese to peck Pedanium Zetton's face.
"[Aaah! Birds! Birds! I can't see!]"
"Empathy!" Turning to Pedanium Zetton, Ultraman Trigger slams it back down before gripping its antennae.
With Sunset Shimmer's power, Ultraman Trigger enters the mind of Pedanium Zetton, viewing a void of red vortexes, and suffering in the middle of it all is Zetton and King Joe, both clutching their heads painfully. "I know you're both in there!" Sunset Shimmer's voice echoes through this space. "Even after everything, we're still here for you, all of us! We're keeping that promise to help cure you, but you need to help us first. All you need to do is fight for control!"
The monsters look to each other and stand strong, letting out loud roars shaking their prison.
"Laughter!" Ultraman Trigger winds back a free hand for a magical pie to manifest in their hand, then slams it into Pedanium Zetton's face, exploding into fireworks and confetti.
Pedanium Zetton growls, but seizes as the monsters within resist. "[No! obey me!]"
"It's over, Samurai! As long as we're here, as long as friendship and smiles exist, we'll blast evil away!" Pinkie Pie declared. "We're gonna defeat you with Laughter!"
"Honesty!"
"Kindness!"
"Empathy!"
"Generosity!"
"Loyalty!"
"Magic!"
"And this Trigger they found!" Trigger declares as a Sparklence blaster manifests in Ultraman Trigger's hand aimed at Pedanium Zetton, gathering light particles into the barrel, charging it with rainbow magic.
"Equestrium Beeeaaam!" everyone's voices shout before pulling the trigger, unleashing a rainbow laser striking Pedanium Zetton's chest.
Pedanium Zetton tries to absorb the beam, but the power was too much. "[Nooo! You're breaking my toys!]" Pedanium Zetton whines before exploding, ending its threat.
"What was that? I've never seen such power before!" Torch wondered as he, Flash Sentry, Spike, and Ember watch from a street corner.
Flash Sentry snaps a picture of Ultraman Trigger posing victoriously by the explosion. "That's the Magic of Friendship at work." He smiled at Ultraman Trigger.
Ultraman Trigger dissipates into eight light orbs flying down to the street, materializing the Rainbooms, now ponied-up, wearing black trousers, and white uniform jackets with stripes down the centre in their signature colours, grey collar and shoulders, long black sleeves, and Geodes pinned on their left breast. "Woo! Yeah! We did it!" Pinkie Pie cheered before Rarity hugs her from behind.
"Huh, this is new." Fluttershy hummed as she looks at her uniform.
Twilight Sparkle looks at her right shoulder, seeing the text "GUTS-Select" embroidered. "GUTS-Select? What's that?" she wondered.
"A bit too official to my tastes." Applejack noted as she zips her jacket open to air it out.
"I like it! They make us look like super-sleek super spies!" Rainbow Dash commented positively as she karate-kicks the air.
"New digs aside, we were amazing in there! It's like we're piloting a giant robot!" Sunset Shimmer added.
"I wouldn't mind if we went fer 'nother go!" Applejack added.
"Actually, I think I had enough excitement for this holiday." Fluttershy peeped.
"Oh, I agree. I so wished to spend this holiday relaxing, but what can you do when duty calls?" Rarity shrugs.
As they converse, Flash Sentry and the dogs arrive and rush to the Rainbooms' side. Before meeting them, Flash Sentry looks down and finds the cards the Samurai used to create Pedanium Zetton. "Cards… just like last time." He whispered to himself as he discreetly picks them up.
"Thank you, Rainbooms." Trigger appears to the heroes. "Now that my power has returned, I want to properly introduce myself." he bursts into a flash, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When they lower their arms, they see before them a silver-skinned young man with black bowl-cut hair and a kind face, wearing the same uniform the Rainbooms are, but with a red stripe, a triangular badge reading "GUTS-Select", and the Sparklence holstered on his right hip.
"My name is Manaka Kengo, space explorer of the Terrestrial Peacable Union's defence force GUTS-Select. I'm from Earth, just in another universe." The man happily introduces himself to the surprised crowd. "It's a pleasure to protect the smiles with you!"
"You turned into a real boy!" Pinkie Pie pointed in surprise.
"Boy? Oh, I'm flattered, but I'm actually thirty-two." Kengo giggled.
"This isn't an alien disguise, is it?" Flash Sentry asked Kengo cautiously.
"This is my truth: I'm both darkness and light, Ultraman and human. I was destined by an ultra-ancient legacy to become the hope for all mankind: Ultraman Trigger." Kengo confirmed.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Manaka Kengo." Pinkie Pie extends her hand, but Kengo instead hugs her really tight.
"Same to you, Pinkie." He said before letting go.
"Wow, you're a tight hugger." Pinkie Pie commented as she rubs her shoulders.
"Well, you should already know that the first time we met. Hehe." Kengo chuckled.
"First time we- ooh… it's the crushing thing, wasn't it?" Pinkie Pie realized.
"Yeah, sorry. Forgot my own strength then." Kengo nervously chuckled.
"Eh, bygones be bygones." Pinkie Pie softly giggles before getting a phone call from Maud Pie. "Hey, Maud. Wassup?"
"Thank goodness. Did your friends come back from your adventure? I assume that giant is your doing."
Pinkie Pie turns to Kengo smiling at her. "Let's just say, we made a new friend today."
"And… how are you feeling?"
"All smiles!"
"That's good to hear. In case you want to meet, we're evacuated to the amphitheatre west of school. I can't wait to see you."
"I'll see you soon, sis. Love you!" Pinkie Pie ends the call.
Further down the street, three dark orbs crash into the road, and two dissolve away to reveal two young women wearing purple Japanese school uniforms with pleated black skirts; one with dark grey skin, yellow eyes, and a black hime-cut, and another with golden skin, blue eyes, and long, messy light brown hair.
"Ojou…" the grey-skinned woman called to the golden woman.
"What… happened?" the golden woman wondered when they look up at the Rainbooms.
"Hey, are you okay?" Sunset Shimmer called to them.
"We are, thanks to you." the grey-skinned woman said with a voice as soft as Fluttershy's.
"We made a Pinkie Pie promise after all! And Pinkie Pie promises are never to be broken!" Pinkie Pie said.
"What're your names?" Twilight Sparkle asked them as she helps them up.
"I'm Clara! I was the killer robot. Nice to meet'cha!" The golden woman introduces herself with Pinkie Pie energy before gesturing to her friend. "This is my friend, Ze—"
The third ball bursts to reveal the third occupant of Pedanium Zetto; everyone assuming to be the Samurai. "Everyone, stand back!" Kengo cautioned them as they back away.
The Samurai stands without his armour, and his face is a familiar one, down to the smart black suit and red-streaked hair: Juggler. "Ugh, what time is it?" he tiredly rubs his eyes.
"Juggler? You're behind this all along?!" Pinkie Pie said in surprise. "We trusted you! I gave you an autograph!"
"Who are you? How do you know my n—" he asked them when a crackling golden portal manifests behind them. When the portal opens, the cards Flash Sentry held are pulled inside like a vacuum.
"The golden field…" Kengo muttered in horror.
"No… not again." the woman that was Zetton muttered in horror.
"I'm not going ba—" the Samurai screamed before a massive gilded hand reaches from the portal and grabs Clara, her friend, and the Samurai in a tight grip.
"Hey, let 'em go! This is our win!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
When Kengo fires a blast from his Sparklence, the portal shoots a single bullet to toss it out of his hand. "[This is not the end, little cuties! I'll return with more toys, and leave with even more!]" a woman's voice cackled as the golden hand retracts into the portal.
"No! Not the shelf! Don't put us back!" Clara tearfully pleaded before the portal closes.
Everyone was just in shock again, having failed to save more lives. "I… I thought this'd be a happy ending… we just saved them." Sunset Shimmer winces.
"But at least you saved one life, and that's enough." Spike gestures to Torch.
"You all are the bravest creatures I ever had the pleasure of meeting, not even the biggest dragons have the courage you bear." Torch told them. "I have no doubt that if you meet that parasite again, you can save those two."
"Thanks, Torch. I really needed that." Pinkie Pie pets him.
"Please stop that." Torch demanded before Pinkie Pie reaches the back of his neck. "No, wait, actually don't. Keep it there." Torch insisted as he starts stamping his foot.
Then, Furlong arrives at the scene in a black S.U.V. "Afternoon, Rainbooms. Thanks for taking care of the dragon problem. I see he won't be an issue now." He greeted them as he leaves the vehicle. "When you didn't report after he attacked town, we assumed the worst." He told them before looking at Kengo. "Who's this?"
"A new friend of ours." Pinkie Pie slings her arm around Kengo's shoulder.
Twilight Sparkle steps up to face Furlong with a concerned look. "Furlong, about Juggler, he—"
"Agent Bravo was recovered at eleven-hundred hours, one hour before Torch attacked Canterlot." Furlong informed them.
"But… huh?" Pinkie Pie was just confused.
"A cowboy dropped off Agent Bravo at Hayes'. He suffered from hypothermia and frostbite, but he'll survive. When embedded agents attempted to question the stranger, he left without another word."
"A cowboy… Crimson…" Pinkie Pie realized, and with that she smiles, knowing Juggler's friend did care after all.
"Now that your mission's over, I'll take Bravo's phone back." He extends his hand to Twilight Sparkle, who gladly returns the device. "As always, the city of Canterlot owes you a great debt." Furlong said before returning to his S.U.V.
"Hey, are we gonna get any more missions after this? Like going into space, or something?" Rainbow Dash caught up to Furlong as he sits in the driver's seat.
"Perhaps in the future, but for now enjoy your holiday. You deserve it." He smiled before closing the door and driving away.
"So, if that wasn't Juggler, then who was that?" Applejack wondered.
"Another version of him, perhaps, captured by the true mastermind of this scheme." Kengo deduces.
"Ultraman Decker! Miracle Type!" Suddenly, a young man's voice echoes from the sky, and a nebula cloud spontaneously manifests high above, raining down blue light ribbons. Every ruin, every wrecked road, and every debris it touches reverses to the state before their destruction, fixing the city instantly, finishing off with reconstructing Sugarcube Corner where Ultraman Trigger first fell on Pinkie Pie, triggering this string of events.
"Did you do that?" Rarity asked Kengo.
"No, but I have a good idea of did." Kengo answered as he smiles at the nebula.
When the nebula retracts, another Ultraman descends, one with a blue body, a nebula-printed chestplate and a massive forehead horn containing a nebula pattern. "Kengo-san!"
"Kanata!" Kengo shouted as the other Ultraman lands before them.
"Kengo, you know him?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Rainbooms, this is Ultraman Decker, my junior back home. His real name is Asumi Kanata." Kengo introduced them to him.
"It means to look to tomorrow, into the beyond!" Ultraman Decker energetically extends his fist to them.
"He's a human like me, chosen by the light to fight for the Earth." Kengo added.
"Nice to meet you, mister Decker!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
"Kengo, please come home with me! Everyone's so worried for you! Yuna, Akito, even Ignis and Haruki were looking for you!"
Kengo looks at his new friends, then back to Ultraman Decker. "Tell them I'll return soon. I wanna stay here to get to know my new friends. I owe them that much after everything that happened."
"I see, but I can't go back empty-handed, y'know?"
Kengo looks at Ember and Torch. "Take these two back to their world. After everything they've been through, they need rest."
"Will do!" Ultraman Decker gave a thumbs-up before laying his hand flat before them.
"I guess this is goodbye." Ember told Spike.
"If you see the other me, tell him I said hi." Spike requested.
"Sure thing, little pal." Ember pets Spike.
"Farewell, humans. I bid you good luck on your future adventures." Torch addresses them. The dogs jump atop Ultraman Decker's hand before he closes it, then flies up high beyond the horizon.
After waving goodbye, the Rainbooms turn to Kengo. "So, we were gonna have a sleepover at Rarity's. Wanna hang out?" Pinkie Pie offered.
"I'll make hot cocoa for everyone!" Rarity offered.
"That'd be great! Thank you!" Kengo bows gratefully. "We can exchange adventures with each other! It'll be so exciting!"
"Let's take one more photo to cap off this adventure!" Flash Sentry suggested. He puts down the tripod and screws on Lil Flash before putting it on a timer, then rushes to his friends all grouping together.
"Ready? One, two…" Kengo counted down.
"Smile, smile!" they all shouted before the flash goes off, capturing their smiles.
THE END