“Trixie! Look out!”
“Wha?” Trixie stepped back, stunned, warm blood splashing against her armor.
“Are you okay?” Twilight Sparkle said, face contorting in pain. Blood dripped from where the spear had pierced her side, leaving a deep gash across her fellow Rider’s stomach.
“You idiot! What are you doing? Why are you taking blows without your armor? Are you crazy?” It’d happened so quickly. Trixie had barely caught what happened. One minute, the missile had been flying toward her heart. The next, a hoof pulled her to safety.
“Only you can fight, Protean,” Twilight said, her voice pained. “I can’t allow Equestria to fall to this creature, whatever the price. I am their princess. It’s a cost I’m willing to bear. Besides, you’re a Kamen Rider. We stick out for each other.” Then her hooves twisted beneath her, and she slipped to the ground.
“Twilight!” Trixie caught the falling mare, gently lowering her to the marble floor. Twilight’s breathing was irregular, every breath a pained gasp.
Insanity. Why make such a terrible sacrifice when Twilight knew Trixie despised her? It’d been this mare’s cursed mother who’d doom her to a hellish, freakish existence. Dear Shocker, was she crying?
“You idiot!” Trixie fought back a sob. “Idiot.”
“Twilight!” The mare’s friend said, horrified. They gasped as they saw how much blood the mare was losing.
“So, the false princess falls instead? A just punishment for her sins.” Type: Devil said from his throne.
“You aren’t getting away with this.” Trixie’s blood boiled, burning hot like a miniature sun.
“Watch over her. I’m finishing this,” Trixie said, passing over the mare to the yellow mare’s care. “I’m not letting you get away with hurting my friend!” The word tasted strange on Trixie’s tongue, but she couldn’t think of a better description. The mare had risked her life for her, and Protean was eager to repay the favor.
In response, Type: Devil only snorted in amusement, unimpressed with Kamen Rider Protean’s bold declaration. “Come and die then, Kamen Rider.”
“Wait.” A bloody hoof touched Trixie’s arm. She turned to see Twilight grasping at her. In her other hoof was Lux’s sword, extended forward. “Take this. Fight!”
“Thanks, I will.” Trixie’s voice caught as she accepted the proffered blade, a deep line scratching across the floor as Protean swung her new weapon to face their mutual foe. Its weight felt right in her hoof, its balance remarkable.
The creature watched her with indifference, confident this misfit stood no chance of unseating him from either his chair or Destron’s destiny as ruler of the world. He was an indomitable force of inevitability.
To hell with that nonsense! Trixie screamed as she charged, her weapon directed at Type: Devil in a clash that would decide a world.
“Useless!” The monster extended a hoof, dozens of spears shooting from his stone perch. But Protean used her wings to flitter through the projectiles, slashing forward in retaliation. She winced as her blade struck a sudden stone wall, blocking a strike at her opponent’s head. Instincts flaring, she leaped back as spikes shot from the barrier to impale her.
Stupid. Trixie ground her teeth, unsure how she’d bypass Type: Devil’s defenses. Insanely, it seemed he could summon them from thin air in seconds. Never mind. She’d only fight faster.
Her wing blurring as she flew, Protean zipped around her opponent. Spikes shot from the tiled floor but only struck her afterimage as she accelerated even more. She made several faints, making her attack pattern unpredictable.
“Enough.”
A spike of fear stabbed through her heart as dozens of spears shot from the ceiling, only an inch gap between each one. Sparks flew as one slashed across her wing, making her lose her balance. But her hooves were already moving as they touched the floor, darting forward.
Type: Devil howled in pain as Trixie’s blade slashed across the chest. This minor victory cost her, however, smashing through a pillar as Type: Devil backhoofed her across the face.
“Useless.” Type: Devil said, returning to his lounging position. “Your insect bites mean nothing to me.”
“Trixie, you okay?” The orange farmpony asked, helping Trixie to her hooves.
“Damn, I can’t just do much against him.” The single slash had cost her, draining her already dwindling strength. She hissed as she flexed her right wing, unsure it’d be capable of flight any longer.
“Then we’ll just have to help!” The pink pony said, bouncing up to Trixie.
“How?” Trixie asked.
“Don’t worry, I gotta plan!” The pink earth pony said with surprising confidence.
“Ya do, Pinkie?” The farmer asked, raising an eyebrow. “Hope it’s a good one.”
“Don’t worry, AJ. The tingling in my left leg tells me the tables are about to turn from an unexpected source!” Pinkie replied.
“What?” Trixie asked, flabbergasted.
But the farmer only nodded, somehow understanding this nonsensical statement. “Good, let’s turn our luck around then.” A smile appeared through the rope as AJ gripped it with her teeth. “Let’s start this rodeo and hogtie this varmint!”
Twilight’s friends are brave but foalish. But Trixie’s mouth quirked into a smile, liking these like-minded foals.
“Let’s go! Spread out!” The three mares ran forward, each attacking from a different direction. While having impossible reality-warping powers, Type: Devil could only keep his attention in one place at a time. And the monster directed his ire only at Trixie, dismissing the other mares as minor nuisances. It was a mistake that would cost him.
More barriers impeded her progress, but Trixie’s blade smashed them to rubble. Those pieces reformed, becoming maces to pummel the Kamen Rider to dust. But this worked to their advantage, distracting Type: Devil from the real threat.
“What?” The monster said in annoyance as a lasso gripped him tight, wrapping around his waist.
“I’m getting off that fake perch you’ve been sitting on! You ain’t deserving of the title of king!” AJ said through the rope gripped in her teeth, pulling with all her might.
“Insect!” A dagger shot from the ebony throne, slashing through the rope holding him and aiming at AJ’s exposed neck. But AJ nimbly leaped back, the farmer showing impressive reflexes.
“Pinkie Headbutt!”
“Gah!” A mass of pink mane dislodged Type: Devil from his seat as she smashed into his chest from the monster’s blind spot.
“Annoying little!” But the monster didn’t get to finish as Trixie pivoted around his false throne, stabbing the creature in the chest.
“You!” Pinkie and Trixie darted back as dozens of spikes from his throne, seeking to impale them both.
“Get off you, faker!” AJ’s powerful hooves smashed Type: Devil’s barrier of needles like they’d been styrofoam, both legs hitting their mark. Time seemed to slow as the monster flew from his seat, crashing to the polished floor below.
“Insect. You will pay…” But the creature stopped, realizing he lay spread eagle across the floor. His single eye widened, flabbergasted that anyone had forced him into such an undignified position. In his mind, Type: Devil was an unstoppable king. Such a thing shouldn’t be possible.
“Liking the taste of dirt, Shinigami?” Trixie said with a cocksure smile behind her helmet.
“I. Aggrhhh!” The monster bellowed incoherently as rage consumed him. A moment later, however, Type: Devil collected himself, pulling himself into a standing position. He lowered into a graceful bow of acknowledgment. “I applaud you for obtaining this insignificant victory. Very well, I shall fight you with my full strength. You will face the terror of Type: Devil!”
The creature extended both hooves. The air shimmered around them, submitting to the creature’s will. Metal formed around each hoof, hardening into a slick ebony sheen. Blades blacker than night shot out from his newly formed gauntlet, cutting through the tile floor like paper as he slid it across the ground.
Fast. Type: Devil dashed around Trixie, his movements a blur as he struck the Kamen Rider’s blind spot. Sparks flew as the twin blades connected, the monster slashing in a spinning circle. Pinkie and AJ tried their best to act as a distraction, but they proved only a minor speed bump. The farmer pony yelped in pain as the monster charged over her, crushing AJ with his tremendous bulk.
“AJ! You aren’t getting away with that, you meanie! Pinkie Kick!” But the kick only made the monster wobble a second, only a minor nuisance. But that hadn’t been the pink earth pony’s intention.
“Gah!” The creature flew back a step as a blade slashed across his chest, the Rider taking full advantage of Pinkie’s distraction.
“Itchy tail!” Pinkie said, ducking under a slash aimed at her throat. Dang, this mare’s reflexes were unreal! The two fought in coordination to keep their opponent off balance, just staying ahead of his attacks. But summoned barriers blocked them all, Trixie wincing as her weapon smacked hard against stone.
But Trixie kept pressing forward, refusing to give a single inch. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as they intersected. Every blow against Type: Devil’s gauntlets rattled her bones, striking with unbelievable forces. But Protean pushed harder, her blade blurring as it sought her opponent. Sparkles flew as Trixie slipped past a summon barrier, driving her sword into her opponent’s belly.
“Pinkie Punch!” As Type: Devil staggered back, the pink mare delivered a flying punch to the monster’s face. In irritation, the creature swatted at Pinkie but missed. Trixie took full advantage, the blade whirling as she slashed across their opponent’s armor.
“Futile! Nothing but futile!” Trixie rolled as a barrage of daggers flew towards her head, slipping past them. Her blade blocked a blow from Type: Devil’s gauntlet, but the follow-up kick threw the Rider across the room. Stone cracked as her body struck the wall hard, stealing the breath from her.
Before she got properly aligned on her hooves, Protean gasped as ropes formed from the wall. They gripped her tight, the restraints tightening hard enough to strangle her to death. Trixie flailed, struggling to pull herself free.
“Enough diversion. Let’s finish this, Rider. Then, I’ll finish you next, hated Lux.” Type: Devil said, pointing at the still-prone Twilight. Despite the yellow pegasus’s treatment, she still looked in no shape to fight.
“Pinkie Kick!” Another flying kick struck the monster in the back of the skull, interrupting its speech. Trixie’s breath caught as Pinkie received a nasty belt across the head. But the mare still refused to surrender despite the obvious futility of her actions.
“Pinkie!” Trixie watched in horror as the pink mare received blow after blow, yet a smile remained as she received the punishment. Finally, another blow to the chest drove Pinkie to the marble floor.
“Brave, but pointless.” Type: Devil said, stepping his massive boot on Pinkie’s head. He took pleasure in her pained screams as he squished her head harder. Yet, despite all reason, Pinkie kept her smile.
“What are you smiling about, foal? Do you long for death that much?” Type: Devil said, releasing the tension on Pinkie’s head.
“No. My left ear has been tingling, and it’s getting stronger! You’re in for it now!” Pinkie replied through pained breaths, confounding her tormentor.
“What?” Type: Devil said, confused.
“Leave her alone!” An unfamiliar voice said, knocking into Type: Devil at astonishing speed. The rainbow-colored mare landed clear across the room, landing with skillful grace.
“Rainbow?” Twilight said, surprised.
“Sorry I’m late, but I had to drag my sorry carcass across the countryside.” The pegasus winced as her wings flittered, but it turned into a cocky smirk.
“Another body to add to the pile?” Type: Devil asked, amused. Trixie couldn’t help but agree. Despite her boosting, Rainbow seemed in rough shape, her wings bent with a painful-looking sprain. What use was a pegasus without their wings?
“Foals, all of you!” The monster darted forward, his bladed gauntlet poised to impale the unlucky interloper.
But Rainbow seemed more amused than scared, watching the blade fly towards her without emotion.
“What?” Type: Devil cried out in pain as a figure sprung from nowhere. Sparks flew as metal talons connected with the creature’s face. He hissed, clutching at his single eye.
“Oh, by the way, I had backup,” Rainbow said, unleashing a flurry of blows in the creature’s stomach.
“Damn, you, bird.” Type: Devil said, directing his ire at the newest unwanted newcomer. “Why don’t any of you just die already?” Trixie used their opponent’s distraction to pull herself free from the tendrils. They’d lost their strength when their master had lost his concentration.
“Sorry, but Griffons don’t die until our enemies are vulture food! And I’ve been hunting for your sorry carcass, Doctor Shinigami.” The mechanical griffon said, entering a fighting pose. While half-dead on her claws, she seemed ready to rumble.
“Gilda? Quite a reunion of failures. Shall I show you why you were discarded?” Type: Devil swung a hoof, daggers flying in every which direction. Unprepared, Rainbow took a nasty gash across her eye. Blood seeped from the wound, matting her rainbow-colored hair crimson.
“Rainbow! Bastard!” The griffon swatted the blades from the air, driven by a primal urge for vengeance. They entered a dance, her mechanical claw slashing apart any obstacles thrown her way. Trixie joined the fray, attacking from the opposite direction the monster’s single eye was looking.
Beyond furious, Type: Devil blew them all back with a wave of darkness. The griffon landed hard against the marble floor, wincing as she struggled to her talons. Trixie fared somewhat better, but her optimism for victory was fading. Whatever they threw against the monster never seemed enough.
“Why must you keep coming? Don’t you realize victory is impossible?!” Type: Devil said, breathing hard as he raged.
“Because, as long as tyranny exists, someone will always appear to stand against it. You’ve lost from the start.” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Never! And I’ll show you why! Here is where hope dies!” Everypony gasped as Type: Devil thrust his bladed gauntlet forward, impaling the griffon right through.
“Gilda!” Rainbow said, breathless. She stood stock, still horrified.
“And there falls one of your best.” Type: Devil said, voice mocking. He pulled his blade free, tossing the body of the griffon aside. “Your hope dwindles.”
“Hey, jerkface!” A raspy voice said, drawing everypony’s attention. With her mechanical claw, Gilda scrapped her way forward towards their enemy. “You’re forgetting one thing, Shinigami!”
“What?”
“I fixed the latch on my cannon arm.” Before the creature could react, Gilda thrust a cannon into Type: Devil’s stomach. The nauseating stench of roasting fish filled the room as the creature’s insides got cooked. While it hadn’t pierced through, the blast had left an ugly scorched patch.
“Ha! Got you, you bastard!” Gilda said, flopping to the floor with a content smile. That cannon blast must have cost her remaining energy.
“Impossible. I can’t be defeated!” Pained gasps escaped Type: Devil lips, staggering back. “I’m a perfection! I am Shocker’s dream!”
“And that dream ends here.” Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, said.
“Twilight, no,” The yellow pegasus said, terrified for her charge as the stubborn mare fought to get to her hooves.
“No, I must. I’m seeing this through. Trixie, are you ready? Henshin!”
On shaky hooves, Kamen Rider Protean repeated the motion, ready to unleash everything she had. Together, they charged as one.
“Never!” Spears shot out from the marble floor, hoping to impale both Riders. But Twilight slid under them while Trixie slashed them to pieces. Energy gathered in her sword, Trixie channeling her wrath and pain for everything Shocker and Destron had caused to her and everyone else. Twilight’s hoof exploded in blinding light, radiant with her righteous cause to bring hope to the world’s citizens. While they fought for opposite reasons, their hearts were united in a common cause.
“Rider Slash!”
“Photonic Rider Punch!”
Another spike shot from the floor in desperation to save the creature from destruction. But a cyan hoof smashed it before it struck Twilight’s heart.
“Go! Get him!” Rainbow said, shaking the dust from her extended hoof.
“Gah!” Both of Type: Devil’s gauntlets shattered under the might of the unified attack, failing to protect their wearer from a mortal wound. The blow sent the monster flying back into the ruined remains of the Shocker General’s false throne.
“No. It can’t be.” The creature said through a strangled gasp. “So, I fall as well. Great Leader, I’m sorry! Your dream died.” Type: Devil collapsed, exploding in a massive fireball.
A weak laugh escaped Trixie’s lips, and she fell backward. “We won!”
“Yes, we did!” Twilight said, leaping into the air. She winced as she bounced hard against the ground.
“Twilight, stop it. You’re still hurt.” Fluttershy admonished, her tone surprisingly stern for such a timid creature.
“Sorry.” The princess replied, hunching over sheepishly. She undid her transformation and allowed her friend to further treat her wounds.
“Gilda!” The rainbow-color mare said, running over to the fallen griffon. In her excitement of victory, Trixie had forgotten about her. Remarkably, despite the hole in her sternum, Gilda still lived.
“Ha! Think I could get killed that easily?” Gilda said with a wheezing laugh. But the damage was terrible, the stinging stench of burnt circuitry filling the hall. Rainbow grabbed her claw, screaming for a medic.
“What does it take to kill her?” Trixie asked, marveling.
“The extreme cyberization from Shocker’s experiments saved her. Only ten percent of her body is organic anymore.” Twilight replied.
“Oh.” Already, the griffon had Trixie’s sympathy. It pleased her that Shocker’s evil experiments had once again bitten them back hard in the flank.
Then the reality of her situation struck her. They had vanquished Destron and Shocker for good. While remnants still existed, their leadership structure was kaput. She’d done it. Trixie had avenged herself. So why did she feel so empty inside? Shouldn’t she be happy?
Soon, medical personnel arrived, flocking to the injured. Trixie watched the ordeal from a corner with a detached air, though she was glad nopony had died. The yellow mare, Fluttershy, cried as she hugged her bear friend, who hugged her back with a ferocious squeeze. A palish purple mare clutched at her head, grumbling to herself why she’d bothered helping in this fight.
When some EMTs rushed over to assess her injuries, Trixie scared them away with a snarl. She kept to herself, brooding as she wondered what she’d do with herself now. With Twilight Velvet dead and Shocker and Destron finished, no targets remained for her considerable wrath. And after spending the majority of her adult life trapped in a sewer as a puddle of goo, she possessed few skills. Trixie had to admit she’d lost her purpose.
She watched as they loaded Twilight Sparkle onto a stretcher, and a sudden thought occurred to Trixie. With Lux’s sword in hoof, Trixie rushed over.
“Hey, you forgot this,” Trixie said, pushing the blade forward. She hated owing anypony anything. But her eyes widened as her fellow Rider pushed back the weapon.
“Keep it.” Twilight gave a warm smile. “Consider it as a present from a friend.”
“Isn’t it made for you, though?” Trixie asked, baffled.
“It’s fine. I’ll make another one. Besides, I designed it to be adaptive. It’s taken a shining to you.”
“Why do I even need it?” Trixie gave a snort. “Everything’s finished.”
“Maybe.” Twilight’s expression became distant, thoughtful. “But you still might need it.” Did the princess suspect something? Wasn’t Destron finished for good? “Besides, it suits Equestria’s newest knight.”
“What?” Trixie took a step back, bumping into AJ by accident.
“Equestria needs a protector. It’ll need you if another crisis happens,” Twilight said, her expression serious.
“Suits you well, Trixie!” AJ said, slapping Trixie on the back.
“Oh my gosh!” The pink mare said, bouncing on her tail, somehow. “We’ll need to have a super-duper knighting party! Right after the Equestria is saved from Destron party, of course!”
“But I don’t want to be your knight!” It sounded stupid to Trixie’s ear. Why were ponies assuming she was a hero? Trixie was as selfish as ponies got! Yet, she couldn’t deny it came with a certain appeal. It pitted her against more Shocker flunkies. It gave her a renewed purpose. “Does it at least pay well? And no experimentation or doctors.”
“We’ll take care of you, Trixie. I promise as a Kamen Rider and princess.” Twilight said, crossing her heart with a weak hoof.
“Okay.” Trixie said, relenting. Besides, what was the alternative? Return to the sewers?
Everypony cheered, and Trixie accepted unwanted hugs and hoof shakes. Why was everypony treating her like a friend? Still, a smile creased her lips. For being the wretched Twilight Velvet’s daughter, Twilight Sparkle wasn’t that bad. This could work.