A Passing Through Kamen Rider

by thunderclap

Return of the Last Empire

Celestia stood in front of the stained glass window depicting Twilight and her friends defeating Discord, a thoughtful expression etched into her muzzle. She had debated commissioning a new one for Wyatt, Spike, Pinkie and Maud’s battle at the wedding, but she would ask for their input. Her train of thought was interrupted as the sound of the doors opening reaching her ears. She turned to see her sister leading Queen Chrysalis into the hall, the two of them chatting.

“Chrysalis,” Celestia greeted, bowing her head as the changeling stopped in front of her. “I am glad you were able to come considering how busy you’ve been.”

Waving her off, Chrysalis gave her a smile. “I think I can spare a moment of my time considering how helpful you’ve been with my hive’s integration. Thank you for that by the way, though I fear that my drones might get fat off of all the love.”

“It has been our pleasure to assist you,” Luna assured, giving Chrysalis a pat on the shoulder. “And I am sure you can find a way to keep your drones in shape. Perhaps through helping with the G-Project like we just discussed?”

“I don’t see why not.” Chrysalis nodded, running a hand through her mane. “We are allies now after all, aren’t we?”

With a quick laugh, Celestia replied, “Allies is putting it lightly. After your actions at our niece’s wedding, I am glad to count you among my friends.”

“That’s a lot better than I was hoping for,” Chrysalis admitted, gazing up at the window. “So, is the wedding going to get one of those? Going to get the riders to pose for the artist?”

“I was considering that just before you walked in,” Celestia admitted, returning her attention to the windows. “But with Wyatt’s reluctance for the spotlight I thought it was best to ask his permission before I ordered the creation of a new window.”

“Before we can get distracted, perhaps we should inform Chrysalis of the recent developments?” Luna suggested, looking between the two. “If she is going to be privy to the matters of the G-Project, then surely we can trust her with other sensitive matters?”

Celestia bowed her head in agreement and tore her attention away from the windows. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. There’s a reason why Cadance is not here, one that has nothing to do with her honeymoon. The Crystal Empire has finally returned.”

Chrysalis’s muzzle scrunched up and she turned her gaze to the solar princess. “Forgive me if I sound uninformed, but I’ve never heard of this empire. Unless, this is yet another closely guarded secret?”

“Knowledge of the empire has become scarce,” Celestia replied, a distant look crossing her features. “A thousand years ago, the Empire was in the control of a tyrant named King Sombra. My sister and I challenged him for the Empire’s freedom and together, we brought him to his knees.” Her features darkened. “We sealed him in the ice of the tundra; but before we finished the spell, he banished the empire from the world.”

Chrysalis crossed her arms over her chest and quirked a brow. “I’m guessing you’ve sent Cadance to secure the empire. My question is, why her? You started this fight so why send your niece out in your stead? Hell, why not send the riders? I imagine they could knock Sombra around.”

Chuckling weakly, Celestia shook her head. “Due to Cadance’s unique magic, sending her to the empire was a natural fit. You see, the empire’s greatest treasure is the Crystal Heart. It is powered by the collective love of the empire’s citizens and protects them from the harsh tundra. Although, Cadance will not be dealing with Sombra alone; Twilight and her friends will be arriving to offer their aid.”

“Which would include the riders,” Luna added, a hopeful glint in her eyes. “I have no doubt that they will be a match for Sombra. Though, the greed that powers Spike’s abilities might be cause for some concern.”

“He seemed to have his abilities well under control at the wedding,” Chrysalis noted, a skeptical look growing over her features. “Are you planning on keeping him under surveillance?”

“I was speaking in regards to Sombra,” Luna replied, shifting her footing to better look the queen in the eye. “He was a master at dark magic, and it is possible that he might sense the greed in Spike’s medals and attempt something.”

With a nod, an understanding expression slowly crossed Chrysalis’s muzzle. “That does make sense. From what I understand, dark magic preys upon negative emotions. Though, in my experience everything should be taken in moderation. Where would we be if no one had desires?”

“I agree with you in spirit,” Celestia started, looking at the queen with an unsure look. “But if Spike loses control of his greed, I fear he could go on a rampage. Something that my student and her friends might not be able to contain while also combatting Sombra.”

“Alright then, why not just use the Elements of Harmony on him?” Chrysalis asked, gesturing to one of the windows. “They certainly scared off that imposter, surely they can deal with Sombra?”

“Luna and I sealed him away with the elements before, but we believe that the heart is what we need to truly deal with him and keep the empire from being lost once more,” Celestia explained, waving a hand towards the same window.

Chrysalis grunted, looking between the two. “Alright then, that settles that. Now, before I commit any of my drones to your project, I want to see it firsthand. That won’t be too much trouble, will it?”

Luna shook her head, managing a smile. “Not at all, we can show you the lab whenever you like.”

“Then, let's do that now, shall we?” Chrysalis asked, offering a grin. “I’ll even throw in a bit of history you might not know about~”

Celestia quirked a brow, leading the other. two out of the hall. “Oh? I never could say no to a history lesson.”

Chrysalis followed Celestia’s lead, clasping her hands behind her back. “Did you know; changelings used to be regular ponies? It’s quite the story really.” Reaching up, she traced a finger along her horn. “It all started with a pony named Agitha. She oh so loved her insects, dedicated her life to them even.”

“And how did this Agitha give rise to changelings?” Luna questioned, walking at her sister’s side. “Did she employ some kind of magic?”

“Oh no, poor Agitha was just an earth pony,” Chrysalis corrected. Stepping up, she wrapped her arms around their shoulders. “One day, while out hunting a Hell Spider, she came across a very strange being. It wasn’t exactly a pony, what with the flat face and the lack of fur. Seeing that the creature appeared lost, she offered it her home.”

Celestia nearly stopped in her tracks, realization dawning on her. “She found a human.”

“She learned the creature’s name was ‘Shin’,” Chrysalis continued, ignoring the statement. “Over the course of the year, Agitha became rather attached to him. On one of her expeditions, a vicious Bugbear nearly made a meal out of her and that was when she discovered Shin’s true nature.”

It was Luna’s turn to pause, looking Chrysalis in the eyes. “He was a rider, wasn’t he?”

“As it turned out, Shin was some type of grasshopper creature. Agitha watched in awe as he fought off the Bugbear and blurted out her love for him right then and then.” Chrysalis paused, smiling sweetly at her captive audience. “It was from their union that the first changeling was born; Queen Scarab, who would go on to populate her race.”

Celestia and Luna exchanged glances, neither of them seeming to know what to say. “I must admit, I wasn’t expecting to hear that today,” the solar princess stated, giving Chrysalis her full attention.

“The more you know, hm?” Chrysalis asked, giving them both a light shove. “And before you ask, no you can’t meet Shin. Our patriarch didn’t survive the passing of Agitha, as it’s been told he lost the will to live and withered away.”

Luna frowned, staring down at her hooves. “That’s a shame, Shin could be a great ally to us.” Looking up again she asked, “Forgive me if I sound rude, but would you allow our scientists to study your DNA? Your ancestry could aid the G-Project.”

Chrysalis hummed, rubbing her chin. “I dunno... usually there's a whole lot of hubbub around a queen making royal jelly. Which one of you will be doing the courtship, hm?”

Celestia and Luna gaped at her, shellshock crossing over their eyes. Silence reigned among them for several moments, a pin dropping wouldn’t escape them.

“We were thinking more along the lines of you spitting in a tube,” Celestia managed to say, smoothing out her dress. “No jelly necessary, I assure you. If that is alright with you?”

Chrysalis tapped her chin in thought, her brow knitting tightly. “Well, I was curious what would happen if I bred with an alicorn. But, I’m also not one to rush into a lifelong commitment.” After a brief pause, the queen shrugged. “Fine, your way it is.”

“Thank you.” Celestia smiled, silently grateful as the trio slipped into silence. ‘Must she always be so... vulgar? Perhaps it’s a side effect of eating love? No matter; I can deal with a few low-brow jokes. I’m no prude.’

The current headquarters of the G-Project had been built into the crystal mines below the city. Mostly forgotten, they were the perfect location to house such sensitive research. A pair of guards greeted them at the entrance, blocking the way with a set of tower shields.

“Halt!” the stallion on the right commanded, greeting them with a stern face. “State your business.”

“We are here to see the G-Project lab,” Celestia answered, reaching into her dress and presenting a seal bearing the Equestrian symbol. “Sol Invictus decrees it.” Lighting her horn up, a similar glow surrounded the seal before it flashed white. “Now please, stand aside.”

The guards regarded the seal for a moment before nodding and parting to let the trio of royalty through. The three made their way deep into the caverns, Chrysalis letting a sense of content roll over her as the knowledge there would be no secrets within her new alliance truly sank in.

---

Wyatt couldn’t help but have a smile on his face as he sat on a train heading towards some long lost empire. Truth be told, he hadn’t paid it much attention past that there was an ancient threat that needed to be stopped. He knew Twilight would just go over the greater details with the girls again anyway.

“Geez, Wyatt, don’t look so happy will ya?” Spike asked, looking up from his comic. “We’re fighting an evil king, not opening Hearth’swarming presents.”

“Hmm?” Wyatt tore his attention from the window to look at the drake. “Oh, sorry, Spike. My mind wasn’t really on the ancient evil of the week. Probably because between our rider powers and Twi and the girls using the magic of friendship, it should be a snap.”

“And what if that Somber guy shows up?” Spike questioned, sitting up. “I really don’t want to fight a guy who looks like my brother. That’s just... wrong, man.”

Wyatt’s smile threatened to leave him at the mention of that name, a hard look in his eyes. “True, Somber is not someone we can take lightly. But, he did run off the instant the girls showed up with the elements.”

“Yeah, but we don’t have the elements.” Opening his medal case, Spike held up a pink set. “This is about the closest we got, and I can’t use the other medals after using these so... yeah...”

Turning to Twilight, Wyatt arched a brow. “Okay, I must’ve zoned out when this was explained, but why don’t we have the elements with us? Celestia think our punches shoot rainbows now?”

Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed. “No Wyatt. Princess Celestia feels that this is something we can solve without the elements. Cadance is already there and can tell us more. But, if it comes to it yes, you riders can handle it.”

Leaning back in his seat, Wyatt tried not to think about Somber. He sucked in a deep breath, flashing Twilight a big smile. “No sweat, I haven’t been slacking off in my training; I’m ready for anything.”

“How hard could it be?” Dash asked, flashing a grin. “We go in, kick some flank and go home. Easy peasy! We’ll be back before I could finish a nap.”

“That ain’t sayin’ much,” Applejack cut in, tilting her hat back. “Ah’ve seen ya nap a day away before, and more than a few of those had yer lazy flank in one o’ my trees. I got half a mind ta’ start chargin’ ya.”

“Lazy?” Dash repeated, glaring at the farm mare. “I can’t help it if I can get my job done in no time. What am I supposed to do? Hover around like an idiot because I got done early?”

“Yeesh, those two need to get a room,” Wyatt joked, leaning over to whisper into Twilight’s ear. “I mean, you can cut the tension with a knife. I’m surprised they aren’t just making out furiously right now.”

Quirking a brow, Twilight looked between the two mares. “Really? I don’t see it,” she whispered back. “They just look like they’re arguing to me.” Eyeing the two critically, she tapped her chin. “Maybe I should ask Cadance?”

Chuckling, Wyatt put an arm around his girlfriend. “Never change, Twi.” He responded to her growing pout with a grin. “Hey now, don’t be like that. You’re a recovering shut-in after all, things are going to escape your notice at first.” With a quick squeeze he added, “You working up the nerve to confess to me was a big step.”

Twilight nodded, leaning against him. “I can accept that answer.” She rolled her eyes at the sight of Rainbow Dash gagging. “Rainbow, we’re adults, we’re allowed to act like adults.”

“Yeah, but do ya gotta be all sappy about it?” Dash questioned, cringing slightly. “I can only take so much here. Am I right, AJ?” she elbowed AJ in the ribs. “I heard from Daring about how googoo you two were for each other. Try to keep it together, okay?”

A devious smirk worked its way onto Wyatt’s face as he looked into Twilight’s eyes. “Oh, you think that’s sappy? Oh please, Skittles, I can do way better than that.” In an instant, he started to make goo goo eyes at his girlfriend and called her every pet name he could think of.

“Ugh, I think I’m gonna go see what Spearhead and Maud are doing.” Rising out of his seat, Spike stretched his limbs out. “Guy can’t even read a comic in peace anymore.” Putting his hands in his pockets, he promptly walked out of the room.

Spike kept himself stable despite the slight rocking of the train car. A few moments later and he came upon Spearhead and Maud chatting. Though, Spearhead was doing most of the talking while Maud tinkered with the G-1 armor. Spike couldn’t help but size up the stallion as he entered the car the pair were in. Spearhead was about as tall as Shining Armor and his frame was bulky with muscles developed over years of training. Spike almost thought the stallion was an earth pony until he saw his feathery wings twitch on his back. Despite his large frame, Spearhead’s blue mane seemed well taken care of as did his brown fur.

With a sigh of relief, Spike sprawled out on an empty seat and returned his attention to his comic. “Peace and quiet,” he muttered to himself, falling back into the stylized visuals. A few beats passed before he turned his gaze to Maud. “So uh... how’s the tweaking going? Making any headway?”

Maud didn’t bother to look up from her work, continuing to tinker away. “I’ve made some progress. The G-1 suit is based off the notes I provided to the princess. This prototype is just a bit obsolete given the reliance on cybernetics rather than the Memory system that the W driver uses.”

“We all have to start somewhere.” Spearhead grunted, tapping his fingers on the seat. “They worked overtime to get this suit ready. They weren’t exactly happy that the princess wanted to send it out here.”

“I was just being objective,” Maud stated, adjusting the joints on the recently repaired arm. “And despite the tech being more simplistic, it obviously yields good results given your performance against that Apollo Geist character.” Moving the arm around for a bit before she nodded to herself before continuing her work. “My first attempts at solidifying Gaia Memories either resulted in blank duds or explosions. I’m sure the G-Project will make improvements to their designs.”

“Yeah, the nerds are already working on G-2,” Spearhead confirmed, his eyes lingering on the repaired arm. “Said something about making it outta orichalum.”

“Orichalum?” Spike repeated, putting his comic down. “That stuff’s super expensive. Especially if you’re trying to make an entire suit out of it.” He scratched the side of his head, a slight smile on his face. “Sounds like the project’s been getting a good bit of donations.”

“Either that or taxes are about to go up,” Maud noted, examining the armor for a moment. “Dai-Shocker more or less declared war. The princesses are going to pour as many bits as they can into the G-Project.”

With a nod, Spike glanced up at the ceiling. “Yeah, that’s true enough. I just wonder how we’re going to fight them. Just keep waiting for Somber to pop in and attack us? I mean, they can just appear anywhere they want, ya?”

“Clearly we’re going to need to figure out where their base is located,” Maud said, grabbing another tool and working on the helmet. “I think Twilight, the G-Project and I need to put some of our focus on studying their dimensional manipulation.”

“All that stuff really goes over my head.” Standing up again, Spike stretched his limbs out. “I miss when it was just fighting monsters, and not evil versions of my brother.” Swishing his tail, Spike glanced out the window. “I’ve never seen this much snow before,” he spoke, veering off topic.

Spearhead turned to stare out the window himself. “Yeah, I was told that we were going to the tundra, but this is intense.” He ran a hand through his mane as his wings twitched against his back. “Cold winds are awful for flying.”

“Can you even fly with that armor on?” Spike questioned, nudging the leg with his foot. “I mean, this thing has to weigh like a ton.” Staring at it for a moment, he hummed. “Unless, Maud can make you a jetpack or something! Then the weight wouldn’t matter!”

“A jetpack would be impractical,” Maud stated, not looking up from her work. “The flames would have to generate enough force to lift the armor. And considering the proximity to the armor, the flames would compromise the strength of the metal.”

“Geez, way to be a buzzkill, Maud,” Spike muttered, giving her a sideways glance. “You must have been fun to be around growing up.”

“I always made Pinkie laugh at my jokes,” Maud answered, putting her tools away. “And I was the oldest so I had to enforce the rules whenever Father was down in the mine and we were in the field.” Stepping away from the armor, she gestured to it. “I need you to test out the upgrades.”

Spearhead cracked his knuckles and knelt down by the suit. “Alright, mind helping me put this thing on?”

“Not at all. I made sure to memorize the process.” Maud set her tools on the bench, turning back to him. “Let’s begin.”

With a nod, Spearhead grabbed the chestpiece of the armor and began putting it on. With some help from Maud, he was standing in full gear after a few minutes. Taking a stance, he jabbed at the air a few times, making sure to test out his range of motion.

Spearhead settled down after a few moments and gave Maud a thumbs up. “The armor feels better than ever. You do good work, Miss Pie.”

“Thank you.” Maud smoothed out her dress and moved her gaze over Spearhead. “We should be arriving soon, you should stay in your armor.”

With a nod, Spearhead returned to his seat. “Fine by me, I’d rather not take it off just to put it right back on anyway.”

The three fell into a comfortable silence as the train continued to rattle along the rails. Time passed and the locomotive finally ground to a halt. Slipping his belt on, Spike hopped out into the snow.

“Okay! Should have bundled up!” Jumping back into the train, he breathed a small flame on his hands. “Jeez, I thought I’d stay warm, not turn into a dragonsicle!”

“Lucky for you,” Twilight’s voice started, causing him to turn and see she was holding a purple coat. “I had the foresight to pack you some winter gear.” Passing it off to him, she pulled her own coat tighter around her. “Let’s meet up with Shining Armor and get out of the cold.”

Wyatt shuddered as he held his own coat close to him. “Never thought I’d miss the desert,” he said through chattering teeth, walking off the platform. “But here I am. I’d rather hug a cactus than stay out here.”

“It’s not so bad when you get used to it,” Shining Armor called out emerging out of the tundra, wrapped up tightly.

‘Why do I suddenly feel the urge to make a Star Wars reference?’ Wyatt thought, staring at Shining Armor while Twilight greeted him with a hug. Shaking off the thought, he threw on a smile and replied, “Bet it’s easier to adjust when you’re used to living on the top of a mountain.”

Shining Armor ignored Wyatt, focusing on Twilight. “Hey, Twily, I wish we could focus on the pleasantries, but we should hurry to the palace.” Turning back towards where he came, he waved them forward. “There’s something out here; we think it might be the former king. Been trying to get in since we got here.”

“Good thing I’m already suited up,” Spearhead noted, sticking to the back of the group. “So, have you gotten a good look at this former king yet, Shining? Gave him the old one, two punch I hope?”

“He’s not exactly something you can punch,” Shining answered, glancing back at Spearhead. “Every time we’ve seen him he’s had this smoke-like body. Normal magic hasn’t done much either.”

“I wonder if he is flammable?” Maud held up a red memory labeled ‘Heat’. “I haven’t had a chance to use Heat in combat yet.”

“We haven’t tried fire on him,” Shining admitted, cresting a hill so they could finally see the Crystal Empire. “But we’re willing to try anything at this point.”

Wyatt stared out at the empire, taking it all in. It certainly lived up to its name; all the buildings were made of crystal. Not only that everything was arranged in a snowflake design with a tall tower that bore a passing resemblance to the Eiffel Tower. Another thing he couldn’t help but notice was the light blue dome surrounding the entire city.

“Oh my,” Rarity gasped, taking the city in with rapture, “it’s so lovely.” She put a hand to her chest and letting her gaze lock onto the building at the center. “We cannot lose such a marvel to a terrible tyrant.”

“Which is why we’re not gonna let him in!” Rainbow proclaimed, fist pumping. “We’ll knock him back into whatever hole he crawled out of!”

Twilight nodded, looking between her group of friends. “You’re right, we can handle this like everything else we’ve come across.” With a slight smile, she motioned them forward. “Now let’s keep going, I think Wyatt’s going to start a friction fire in his coat with all the shivering he’s doing.”

A furious cry echoed over the tundra, drowning out the howling wind. “That’s the king!” Shining Armor ran to the back of the group, lighting his horn. “Get to the city, now! I’ll hold him back!”

Summoning his driver and card case, Wyatt rushed to Shining Armor’s side. “I’ll help you.” With a few practiced motions, he was standing in his Decade armor. He opened his card case again and glanced through his options. “Hmm, let’s try this.”

“Displaced Ride: Link!” the Decadriver called out, Wyatt’s armor shifting and changing. Green dominated the new armor with brown breaking it up on the gauntlets and boots. The helmet’s eyes were a deep blue with a portion of the helmet hanging down to the neck like the hero’s hat. The chestpiece resembled a tunic while white on the legs gave the impression of leggings. With another motion, Wyatt slipped another card into his driver. “Attack Ride: Fire Arrow!” In an instant, a large, basic looking bow appeared in Wyatt’s hands, an arrow with a blazing tip knocked and ready to go.

“Didn’t I just say get to the city?!” Shining Armor hissed, glaring under his goggles. “If you’re going to be here, you’re going to follow my orders, got that?!”

“You just got done saying that normal magic hasn’t done much,” Wyatt argued, his focus locked onto the spot where the howl had come from. “So I’m going to do what I came here to do and help put a stop to Sombra.”

Another cry echoed across the wind and a billowing smoke cloud crested the hills. Before Shining Armor could say anything else, the cloud solidified slightly and a black unicorn head with sickly green eyes and a curved red horn stared at the pair with a vicious snarl. Releasing a mirthless laugh, it rushed at them like a tidal wave.

Wyatt remained calm, bringing his bow up and firing at the horn of the smoky unicorn. Shifting his body, the unicorn let the arrow pass harmlessly through the smoke cloud. A blast of magic sent Wyatt tumbling back.

“Get to the Faust damned city!” Shining Armor commanded, his horn shimmering. He fired another spell at the cloud, pointedly ignoring Wyatt.

“What?!” Wyatt called back, picking himself up and firing more arrows while circling the former king. “Can’t hear you! Wind’s too loud!” His attack was interrupted when he was lifted off his feet and dragged backwards. “Gah!” he cried, looking back to see Maud picking him up. “What are you doing, Maud?!”

“He said get to the city and you’re being obstinate,” Maud replied, carrying him like a sack of potatoes. “We can figure out how to handle the king when we’re in the city.”

“I can’t just let him fight the king by himself!” Wyatt argued, forcing himself free. “That’s not what a hero would do!”

“And would a hero blindly fight instead of stopping to think of the best course of action?” Maud countered, her normally even look hardening slightly. “I understand what you’re trying to do but fire clearly isn’t working. Shining Armor will be fine and we have a duty to focus on.”

After a quick glance back at Shining Armor, Wyatt groaned and started to run towards the shielded city. “If he gets hurt, Maud, I’m blaming you. Got it?”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Maud replied, her usual stone-faced expression returning as she dashed after Wyatt. The two quickly found their stride despite the snowy terrain and the city grew ever closer.

Passing through the barrier, Wyatt felt his spirits lift. A wave of positivity washed over him, driving off his dower mood. “That’s different,” he muttered, cancelling his transformation. “You see the others?”

Maud passed through the barrier a moment after him, taking in her surroundings. “They have to be around here somewhere,” she stated, a bit of inflection creeping into her monotone. “They’re probably making their way towards the palace.” With a wave to Wyatt, she began walking down one of the crystal streets.

Wyatt nodded and walked by Maud’s side. Despite the wave of positive emotion, there was an odd silence that hung over the city. Almost like someone was about to say something only to decide against it. The streets were empty, though Wyatt occasionally spotted a pair of eyes that darted back into the darkness of a home.

“Yeesh, this place is kinda creepy,” Wyatt noted, his eyes drifting between buildings. “Hey guys,” he called out, looking from house to house. “You don’t have to hide! We’re not going to hurt you!”

“I don’t think it’s us they’re hiding from,” Maud said, her eyes remaining forward. “Their former tyrant is knocking on their door, of course they’re scared.” Walking ahead, Maud placed her driver around her waist. “We’ll have to be ready; he might find his way in.”

“Yeah,” Wyatt agreed, catching his breath. Taking his cardcase off his belt, he started to look through his cards. “Fire doesn’t do much against him, but maybe I’ve got something here that’ll be a better fit.”

“Wyatt!” Twilight called, catching his attention. Dashing over to him, she practically jumped into his arms. “I was worried when I didn’t see you behind me.” Wrapping her arms around him, she nuzzled his neck. “Are you alright?”

Wyatt returned the gesture, kissing the top of her head. “I’m perfectly fine, Twi. Just found out that this really won’t be as simple as punching Sombra in the face. Also, he isn’t flammable.”

“I could have told you that,” Twilight replied, poking his chest. Glancing around, a frown tugged at her lips. “Where’s Shining Armor? He did come with you, didn’t he?”

“Shining Armor elected to hold Sombra off,” Maud explained, stopping in her tracks. “He should be here shortly. Did you find Princess Cadance?”

“Yes, she’s in the palace,” Twilight replied, ending the hug, but taking one of Wyatt’s hands in hers. “It’s the tower at the center of the empire. We should hurry, she’s been holding up the barrier by herself for days.”

“Then lead the way,” Maud encouraged, nodding at Twilight.

With a nod of her own, Twilight led them in the direction she had come from. Her hand never left Wyatt’s as they traversed the empty streets. They found the others in the throne room with Cadance. She sat upon the throne, giving them a weak smile.

“It’s good to see you again, Wyatt,” she greeted, doing her best to straighten up. “The two of you look adorable.” Smiling, she slumped back in her seat. “Did Shiny return with you?”

“He said to let him hold off Sombra,” Wyatt explained, a small frown on his face. “He promised to be right behind us.” Seeing her deflate, he continued. “He was right behind me though, I doubt he’ll be out there for long.”

“That sounds just like Shiny,” Cadance replied with a sigh, straightening her posture slightly again. “Thank you all for coming here. We’ve been holding Sombra off for days and we need to find a way to combat him soon,” she cringed, sparks flickering from her horn. “Or else my magic will fail and he’ll overtake us.”

Twilight frowned, bring her hand to her chin. “The best course of action would be to ask the crystal ponies. One of them is bound to know something that could help.” Nodding, she glanced between the group. “We should all break into pairs and ask around the city. We’ll meet up at the plaza in an hour.”

Rainbow saluted and took to the air. “You got it, Egghead!” Before Twilight could object to the name, Dash raced out of the room with Fluttershy in tow and towards the city. Following her example, everyone else grabbed a partner and rushed out of the palace.

“Looks like it’s you and me.” Wyatt smiled, raising his hand and kissing hers. “Shall we, milady?”

“It seems that way,” Twilight agreed, a soft smile on her face from the gesture. “Come on, we can’t just let the others do all the work.” Tugging him along, the pair made their way out of the castle.

---

Blud sat at a cafe of a world Dai-Shocker had yet to try conquering. In his experience, utter subjugation caused all passion and flair to leave cooking. He was in his usual disguise, not wanting to draw attention and be confused for a prince. It had been some time since he had been needed by Somber, leaving him to his own devices. Stirring sugar into his coffee, Blud considered if he should steal something just for thrills.

“No, wouldn’t be a challenge,” Blud muttered to himself, shaking off the thought. “No one could stand up to me here.” Drumming his fingers, he continued to wrack his brain. He glanced around the cafe, taking in various mares. “Hmm, I haven’t been on a date since I tricked that lovely Rarity,” he grumbled, taking a sip of his drink. With a sigh, a hand reached up to fuss with his mane. “What good is time off if I don’t know what to do with it?” With another sip of his drink, he mulled over his thoughts.

“Then it’s a good thing Somber has a job for you.” Midnight’s voice cut into his moping. The young woman took a seat, placing a case on the table. “Your Gunner. I finished the upgrades you asked for.”

“Well, always nice to see a beautiful and intelligent lady,” Blud mused, straightening his mane out. “Certainly better than the pink psychopath.” Placing a hand on the case, he continued. “By the way, how are your Shadowbolts?”

“They’re doing just fine, Blud,” she replied, leaning back in her seat. “Now, if you’re done hitting on me, let’s get down to business.”

Blud smiled, drumming his fingers on the case. “I don’t think I could tire of hitting on a beauty like you. But if you’d rather just give me my work, I cannot press my luck. Especially if I want to keep asking for favors.” He punctuated the statement with one last tap on the case.

“The Crystal Empire in our current target has returned,” she informed, crossing her arms. “Somber wants you to retrieve the Crystal Heart. We’ll be deploying a distraction, so you merely have to worry about getting the Heart.”

With a roll of his eyes, Blud slid the case onto his lap. “Oh joy, so a job lacking any teeth to it. I might as well do this one in my sleep.”

“They can’t all be good,” Midnight responded, adjusting her glasses. “You have your orders, Somber expects them to be followed.” Leaning forward, she added “If you happen to crosspaths with King Sombra, you’re under order to end him.”

“Hmm, you’d think our Great Leader would oppose suicide,” Blud joked, rising from his seat. “But I don’t think I’ll be sloppy enough to run into that glorified smoke cloud. I’ll be in and out before I can even notice the cold.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Midnight gave him a last nod before she shimmered out of existence.

Blud pulled a few bits out of his pocket, leaving his payment for his drink. A dine and dash was far too pedestrian for his tastes. Besides that, he wasn’t one to screw over the working class. He slipped out of the cafe, finding a nearby alley and letting a dimensional ripple carry him to his abode so he could change into his woolen overcoat for his job.

---

Wyatt, the girls, and Cadance were gathered around a tabletop map of the city. While the citizens had offered them no info; their memories seeming to suffer some strange block. The city library on the other hand, that had been left relatively untouched and had given them ideas. Unsurprisingly, it had been Twilight who had found the helpful book on the empire’s history.

“And you think this ‘Crystal Faire’ will stop Sombra?” Cadance asked, leaning on the table for support. “This might be our only chance to save the empire. We can’t afford to makes mistakes.”

Summoning his driver, Wyatt gave Twilight a determined look. “Alright, just like at Cadance’s wedding; give me a list of tasks and my Kabuto form will take care of the rest. So, come on boss lady; pass out some tasks!”

With a quick flash from her horn, Twilight had a scroll and quill in her hands. “I think I can manage that. Give me a minute and we can start preparing the greatest Crystal Faire in history!” Scribbling away, she gave furtive glances at everyone, muttering softly to herself.

While she was writing, Wyatt quickly transformed into his Kabuto armor and had his Clock Up card at the ready.

With the group all working together, the faire was set up quickly. Wyatt had elected to take a good bit of the work and he finished it in the blink of an eye, literally. Drawn in by all the commotion, the crystal ponies began to gather around. Like magic, a few of them flashed looking far more peppy than they had before. Everyone took this as a good sign and split up to run different events. Wyatt stuck close to Twilight, who was looking over the history book to ensure their efforts kept in line with a traditional Crystal Faire.

“Everything seems to be going off without a hitch!” Twilight declared, looking at Wyatt with a grin. “This will be the easiest test I’ve ever taken! And here I thought I wasn’t prepared!”

Taking her hand, Wyatt led Twilight around the fairgrounds. “As if there was ever any doubt. You’re the smartest mare in Equestria. Plus, you’re dating the strongest rider in Equestria.” He flashed her a cheesy grin and flexed an arm for her. “You’ll show Celestia that you’re ready for the next level. Whatever that means. You think she’ll reveal an ancient artifact that gives you double rainbow lasers?” he joked, pretending he was putting on her element and making ‘pew, pew’ sounds as they walked.

Twilight giggled at his antics, swatting his side with her tail. “Will you stop that? We have to be serious here, Wyatt.” Still, she couldn’t keep from smiling. “I don’t need any artifacts, just passing the test will be reward enough.”

Wyatt couldn’t help but return her smile, watching Pinkie cry out desperately for a flugelhorn from a stand Dash was manning from the corner of his eye. “We’re on a good start, Twi. Besides, a positive attitude helps.”

The pair continued to make their way around the fair, seeing crystal ponies all brighten up and enjoy the festivities. Almost all of them had undergone the change from earlier; smiles and excited chattering were abound in the crowd. It was almost too good to be true how well things were going. As soon as Wyatt thought that, a dimensional ripple formed at the heart of the fair. After a hauntingly quiet moment, two figures stepped through

Wyatt starred at one of them, his mind coming to a screeching halt. All rational thought left his mind at the sight of Adolf Hitler; fused with a starfish. Most of the monster was made up of a pinkish orange outfit of sorts that was made up of the starfish body stretched across the humanoid figure with grey skin poking out from under it. At the center of its chest was a large, black swastika that seemed to be goading Wyatt into a fight.

“Twilight...” Wyatt muttered, his voice cracking slightly. “The universe truly hates me. What have I done to deserve the hell that is Starfish Hitler?”

Twilight regarded Wyatt curiously for a moment before shaking it off. “I have no idea what that means, but you have to go and fight tha-” her sentence gave way to a shriek as several humans in SS uniforms appeared around Starfish Hitler, one of them firing his weapon at the pair.

Reacting quickly, Wyatt grabbed his girlfriend by the shoulders and dove to the ground. A lump formed in his throat as something grazed his back. “God, that was close. You didn’t get hit did you?”

With a shake of her head, Twilight flashed him a grateful smile. “No, as always, you saved the day. Now, go get that monster, strongest rider.”

“You have no idea how utterly bizarre that monster is, Twilight, no idea at all.” Summoning his card case, he pulled his Decade card out. “Stay safe alright?” he asked, conjuring his belt. “Henshin!” Placing the card in his belt, he assumed his rider form.

With a few quick motions of his hands, Wyatt turned his card case into its sword form and charged at the group. The uniformed men opened fire again and Wyatt deflected most of them with some swordwork that Flash Fire had drilled into him. SS look alikes stumbled forward, their guns yanked out of their hands by a purple glow. Turning his head, he saw Twilight’s horn glowing and she gave him a quick wink as she pulled the guns towards her.

“God, I love that mare,” Wyatt said to himself, punching the closest soldier to him in the face. “At least these idiots aren’t shouting yee.” The other soldiers scrambled, surrounding Wyatt and attempting to attack him. He almost felt bad for them as he dealt with all of them in a few quick blows. “The power creep is real I tell ya.”

His mirth was shattered not a moment later, a torso sized starfish latching onto his back. It exploded, sending him tumbling into a wall. “For G.O.D!” Starfish Hitler shouted, snapping a salute before firing a few shots from his crop.

“Goddammit seventies Japan,” Wyatt groaned, rolling forward away from the wall to avoid the shots from the monster. He spotted the other monster, whom he recognized as Ambassador Hell, had called a squad of Combatmen, and begun terrorizing the faire goers. Anger and determination filled Wyatt as he returned to his feet and pulled a card from his case. “You bastards aren’t going to hurt anyone.”

“Attack Ride: Illusion!” his driver called out, several copies of him forming. The copies went out and charged the Combatmen while the original set his sights on Ambassador Hell.

“Hey, you guys got started without me?!” Spike admonished, jump kicking a combatman. “Geez, I thought we were tight like that.” Having assumed TaToBa, Spike used the tiger and grasshopper medal in conjunction, hopping around the battlefield while bringing his claws down on any enemy unlucky enough to get too close to one of the crystal ponies.

“Sorry, ‘bout that, OOO,” Wyatt and his clones replied in tandem. “But couldn’t exactly ask them to put their rampage on hold for you.”

Ambassador Hell cracked his whip, striking Wyatt in the face. “So, you are the one who calls himself Decade? You’re a pitiful successor, boy.”

Before the ambassador could retract his whip, Wyatt grabbed it and pulled the man towards him to deliver a kick to his chest. “Try saying that after I’m done kicking you right in the hellhole.”

“Your pitiful attacks pale in comparison to the might of Dai-Shocker!” Hell’s form shifted, his face becoming reptilian with yellow eyes that glowed for a moment. He moved his whip to his left hand while his right morphed into a wicked looking scythe. With a roar, Ambassador Hell slashed Wyatt across the chest with his scythe arm.

Wyatt hissed, backpedaling away from the kaijin. Glancing around, he took in his surroundings. Empty stalls fill his vision, the happy murmur of the crowd now replaced by the sounds of battle. “Okay Snek, let’s try this.” Reaching into his card cass, he retrieved the Magic Eyes card.

“Displaced Ride: Magic Eyes Mage!” Wyatt’s armor shifted and he was left standing in blue robes that parted at his legs to give him free range of motion with black boots that had golden highlights. The robes split at the chest to show more of the black bodysuit and a large golden necklace shaped into two diamond shapes stacked vertically with light blue gems resting at their centers. A hood partially obscured his helmet though it obviously had reptilian features. The most visible part of the helmet were circular purple eyes that glowed softly from within the shadows of the hood. In his left hand was a long staff that ended in a red orb.

“Now, let’s reenact Star Wars, shall we?” Wyatt asked, increasing his grip on his staff. “We can meme it up all day, Hell Man.”

“I am tired of your endless prattling,” Hell replied, his voice laced with an odd distortion. He cracked his whip, aiming it at Wyatt’s left wrist.

A gust of green wind knocked the whip off course, making it strike a stall to Wyatt’s left. Maud jumped between the pair, having assumed CycloneXMetal. “Then maybe you’d prefer a more quiet opponent?”

Ambassador Hell didn’t respond, raising his scythe arm up and charging at Maud. She brought her own staff up, pushing his scythe to the side and delivering a kick to his chest. Pressing the advantage, Maud brought her staff up and caught Ambassador Hell in his bottom jaw.

“Oh that had to hurt.” Spike winced, swiping at Starfish Hitler’s chest. Jumping back before the kaijin could retaliate, he landed on a nearby roof. “Out of all the monsters we’ve fought so far, you’re out and out the weirdest.”

Starfish Hitler replied by tossing one of the torso-sized starfish at Spike’s head. Spike roundhouse kicked it back, laughing as it exploded in Starfish Hitler’s face. His laugh died down, eyes latching onto a figure jumping between rooftops. He’d recognize the top hat from anywhere. A growl unbiddenly escaped Spike’s throat and his pupils contracted sharply beneath his helmet.

Spike completely ignored the monster as it tried firing at him again. He let the grasshopper medal shift his armor and he leapt to where Twilight was watching the battle unfold. “Lupin’s heading to the palace!” Wasting no time, he grabbed Twilight, following after the thief.

“Gah!” Twilight cried, struggling for a moment in Spike’s grasp before settling down once his words sank in. “What?! Why would Lupin be heading there?!”

“I dunno! Maybe he knows something we don’t?” Spike grit his teeth, taking as deep a breath as he could. Memories of his defeat at Lupin’s hands rushed through his mind, his rage building with each one.

“Spike,” Twilight’s voice pulled the drake from his brooding. “Maybe you should tell the others? I don’t know if you can take on Lupin by yourself.”

“They need to keep the crystal ponies safe,” Spike responded, jumping from a rooftop and landing on one of the palace’s balconies. “I can handle Lupin, okay?”

Gripping tightly onto Spike’s armor, Twilight gave him a hard look. “I’m going hold you to that. If anything happens to you, I’m going to make your recovery miserable.” Pulling away, Twilight got down onto her hooves. “We should make sure Cadance is alright first.”

Spike took a quick glance out at the city. “Her barrier’s still up, so that’s a good sign.” Turning back, Spike entered the palace and found himself in a guest room of sorts. Much like the bedrooms of Canterlot Castle, there was a canopy bed and other refineries. There was one big difference, the decorations here seemed archaic. Not that they were in bad condition, just outdated. “Not a bad place to vacation. I wonder how nice the walls taste...”

“Spike, I can’t believe I have to say this, but do not eat the castle,” Twilight replied, walking past him and to the door. She pulled it open and started to walk down the halls in search of a staircase. A part of Twilight wanted to ignore the tapestries on the wall, but her inner historian squealed in delight at the rich details and crafting techniques on display.

“I’m not going to eat the castle,” Spike grumbled, jogging after her. Eyes darting from corner to corner, he extended his claws. “Maybe I should take the lead, just in case Lupin jumps out of hiding or something?”

Twilight slowed down, letting Spike walk in front of her. “That makes sense. I’ll keep an eye out for him as well.” Scrunching her muzzle up in thought, she scratched her chin. “If he was hopping from rooftops like you said, then he’s likely come in through another balcony.”

Spike muttered to himself, only paying vague attention to Twilight. ‘We’re inside now, not enough room for grasshopper. Flying’s out... Maybe some of those new medals? I haven’t tried out bee and ant yet...’ He could feel his medals shifting around in their container, his senses drowning out all other sounds except the soft clinking of them against each other. ‘Might be my only option, he shrugged off just about everything else we threw at him last time.’

With a nod, Spike stowed his claws and opened his medal container. Shifting his driver, he pulled out the current medals, tossing them back to Twilight. Pulling out three new medals, he slotted them in, passing the scanner over them.

“Mukade! Hachi! Ari!’ the belt sang, projecting images of the chosen medals in front of Spike. “Mukachiri! Chirichiri! Mukachiri! Chirichiri!’ Spike’s armor glowed for a moment before settling into its new form. The helmet was the same centipede form he had used before with its blank yellow eyes. The symbol on his chest had a yellow bee in its center with wings that extended out to form armor on the shoulders. In his left hand was a shield that was made up of honeycomb designs while his right wrist had a bee-like device attached to it with a sharp, metal stinger extending past his hand. On either side of the stinger were short metal wings, while at the other end was a square grey segment that stood out from the yellow of the armor. The legs were black and grey, the armor on his knees resembling an ant’s head with black segments extending down to his feet.

“What do you think? Wasn’t expecting a combo to be honest.” Spike raised his shield arm, studying it. With a thought, the hexagons expanded, turning the shield from a buckler into a tower shield. “Wonder if Flash Fire can teach me to fight with a shield...”

“I thought your belt only chanted like that when you used three medals of the same color” Twilight noted, taking in the new form. “But that shield does look effective.” She knelt down, examining the ant legs. “Hmm, this might’ve been a good choice. Ants are able to lift over fifty times their own body mass; hopefully that translates into you having increased kicking power.”

“I’m ready to kick Lupin’s ass.” Reducing the shield back to its original size, Spike started to walk again. With his shield at the ready, he kept his stinger arm up, poised to strike. “I’ll teach him to hurt my friends.” A growl emitted from Spike’s throat, his tail lashing from side to side.

Twilight couldn’t help but worry as she watched Spike’s display of aggression. Images of him in the hospital after his last fight dominated her mind. Clenching her fists at her sides, feelings of helplessness overtook her. ‘I’m a failure of a big sister. I can’t even help my brother in a fight like this. No.’ Twilight’s gaze hardened, blood starting to leak down her fingers. ‘I don’t care if I’m not a rider, I won’t let Spike, Wyatt or anypony else fight alone. What good is having a talent for magic if you don’t use it to help others?’

The two eventually found a staircase, heading down several floors so they could retrace their steps to the throne room. Spike continued to scan the halls as they passed by them, not finding any trace of Lupin. His own thoughts raced, trying to form a battle strategy for when he ran into the enemy rider.

“Hello?” Cadance’s voice carried down the hall. “Is somepony there? S-Shiny? Is that you?”

“No, it’s us!” Twilight called out, stepping towards the source of the voice. “We saw Lupin heading toward the castle and wanted to make sure you’re okay!”

“Oh, Twilight... I'm just so tired...” Cadance's voice trailed off, a loud thud echoing off the walls.

“That might’ve been Lupin!” Spike cried, running toward the source of the sound. “You’re not getting away this time!” he boomed, his voice echoing off the walls.

“Spike, wait!” Twilight ran after him, her heart pounding. ‘Cadance can’t defend herself and keep the barrier up. Oh Faust, please let her be okay.’

When Spike entered the throne room, he was greeted by Cadance sprawled out on the ground in front of her throne... And a large rectangular opening in the middle of the floor. He rushed around the opening, kneeling down next to Cadance.

“Don’t touch her neck, might be hurt,” he muttered, examining the fallen alicorn. His worry was quickly replaced with relief, when a soft snore emanated from Cadance. Satisfied that she was safe, Spike turned to the opening. Inside was a staircase leading down into darkness. “Pretty obvious that’s where Lupin went.”

Twilight stepped up to the opening, peering down into the darkness. “Looks like it goes down pretty far. We need to hurry.” Looking up, she watched Spike place Cadance back in her throne. “Without the barrier, Sombra can just waltz right in.”

“Lupin’s a thief, right?” Spike started, starting his way down the staircase. “And he stole artifacts back in Manehattan. So, if he wasn’t going after Cadance, then I bet there’s something pretty important down there.” Looking over his shoulder, he fixed the blank eyes of his helmet on Twilight. “Twi, I’m going to distract him; I need you to focus on getting whatever he’s trying to steal. It might help us defeat Sombra.”

“But what is he after?” Lighting her horn up, Twilight conjured up a magelight. “What's so important to risk a confrontation with Sombra?” She began to walk down the stairs, her hoof steps echoing throughout the room.

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Spike replied, his weapons at the ready. “I’m willing to bet those monsters out there were just meant to distract us.”

Half-way down, it clicked in Twilight’s mind. “Spike, that’s it! Lupin must be trying to find the Crystal Heart!”

“You mean that thing you talked about before we set up the fair?” Spike questioned, not looking back at her. It then clicked in his head. “Dai-Shocker’s trying to keep us from beating Sombra!” He started bolting down the stairs, never losing his footing despite his reckless abandon.

“Spike! Stop!” Twilight groaned, running after him. “Take a moment and breathe! You’re letting your anger take over!”

“There isn’t a moment to breathe!” Spike called back, not slowing down. “I’m not going to let Lupin ruin the Crystal Empire!” He blinked, finding himself frozen in place. “Twilight! Let me go!”

“Spike, you need to collect yourself.” Twilight caught up to him, her chest heaving. “From my readings off Smaug’s scroll, I know drake’s your age experience heightened aggression. You need to deal with it before you do something you regret.”

A growl rumbled in Spike’s chest. “Stopping Lupin wouldn’t be something I regret. Let me go, Twilight, we need to save the empire.”

“Not with you acting like this.” Twilight stepped around him, gazing into his eyes. “I'm worried, Spike. You might go too far.”

“So I’m not allowed to be mad!” Spike spat, struggling against her magic. “He tricked Rarity and put me and my friend into the hospital. Of course I’m mad, Twilight. And what I want to do is stop him!”

“I’m not saying you’re not allowed to be mad.” Twilight looked away, struggling to articulate her point. “I'm afraid that... That you’ll kill him.” She choked back a sob, hugging herself. “I've never seen you this angry before, Spike, and I don’t think you know how to handle it.”

“I wasn’t going to kill him,” Spike retorted, stopping his struggling. “Twilight, do you know why I’m angry? I’ve been your assistant since I could form full sentences. My whole purpose in life entirely depended on you. Now I’ve got my own purpose. Something I’ve decided. And Lupin made me fail in that purpose. How would you feel if Discord had beaten you and you had to take him on again? Would you keep your cool?” Despite the helmet, Twilight could tell there was determination in his gaze just from his tone.

“Spike,” Twilight started, struggling to articulate her point. “I never meant to make you feel like you had to be my assistant. You’ve always been my brother first, that has and will never change.”

Despite the situation, Spike managed a quick chuckle. “I’d say this is a hugworthy moment, but I still can’t move.” He stumbled a bit, Twilight’s hold vanishing. “I stand corrected.” Pulling her into a hug, he rested his head on her shoulder. “I love you, Twi.”

“Love you too, Spike,” Twilight told him, wrapping her arms around his chest. “Now, go bring that awful thief in, we’ve got an empire to save.”

Ending the hug, Spike continued down the stairs. Not that he’d admit it to Twilight, but his head did feel much clearer. The last thing he wanted was to fight Lupin sloppily. He wanted to be at his best to take down the thief.

---

“I am getting so tired of looking at your face.” Wyatt kicked Starfish Hitler in the face, glaring from under his helmet. “I think it’s time to get rid of you.” Recalling his card case, he drew out his final attack card.

“Final Attack Ride: M-M-Magic Eyes!” his driver called out, a brilliant glow forming at the end of his staff. Wyatt slammed the butt of his staff down, a series of fireballs, ice spikes and arcs of electricity were sent right towards the offending monster.

Starfish Hitler cried out in pain, the attack washing over him. The elemental energies ravaged his body before finally causing him to explode in a massive fireball. Once the flames died down, Wyatt was reverted into his Decade form. Taking advantage of the moment of calm, he noticed that the barrier around the city was gone.

Ambassador Hell growled, guarding against an assault from Maud and Spearhead. “You pathetic riders will fall! Lord Somber will crush this world under his hoof and plant Dai-Shocker’s flag in your corpse.”

“Not gonna happen,” Spearhead retorted, sweeping Hell’s legs out from under him and slamming his elbow into his stomach as he fell. “Equestria isn’t going to roll over and die! We’ll rise up like the sun!”

Hell tumbled away, crashing against a stall. His whip, lost in the tussle, landed at the hooves of a very familiar stallion. Shining Armor took a staggering step forward, black crystals sprouted all around him. Face contorted in pain, purple smoke poured off of his left eye, the other squeezed shut in pain.

“Shining!” Spearhead shouted, rushing up to the pained stallion. “Come on buddy, what’s wrong with you?” Despite the clear danger, Spearhead placed his hands on Shining’s shoulders.

With a scream of rage, Shining blasted Spearhead back with a sickly purple bolt of magic. “This body is mine.” He cringed as if struck, holding his head. “No! Get out! Get out! Get out!” All around him, spires of black crystal surged from the ground. The sky darkened, taking on an apocalyptic orange color.

“This isn’t good,” Maud commented, looking between the sky and Shining Armor. “We need to find a way to drive Sombra out of him.”

“No way in hell we can let another Somber come about,” Wyatt agreed, staring at the ailing stallion. “How the hell do we do that? We don’t have the Elements or Spike around.”

“Maybe our best bet is to restrain him until we can figure something out?” Spearhead suggested, slowly pulling himself to his feet. “We can’t fight Shining Armor, his body couldn’t take our attacks.”

“Shouldn’t we do something about the snake guy first?” Pinkie chimed in.

Maud thought for a moment. “Spearhead, you and I will keep fighting Ambassador Hell. Wyatt, there has to be something in your cards that can restrain Shining Armor.”

“Hopefully...” Wyatt grumbled, calling forth his card case, frantically flipping through it.

While Wyatt was distracted by his search, Shining fired a sickly looking beam at the human’s chest. “Die!” Shining growled, his teeth lengthening into fangs. “Nothing will... keep me... from my throne!”

With a groan, Wyatt pulled himself from the snack cart he had crashed into. “See, I’m not sure if that first part was Sombra or Shining,” he joked, wheezing. “I was hoping you wouldn’t be the stereotypical older brother. But, I didn’t get that lucky.”

Wyatt was forced to dodge more bolts of magic while he looked through his card case. Everywhere the magic struck, spires of crystal rose up and threatened to impale him. Despite the pressure, an idea struck him. He grabbed a pair of cards and slotted one into his belt. His armor shifted into the Link form once more as a bolt of magic struck where his foot had been a moment before. Wasting no time, Wyatt slotted the second card to his belt.

“Attack Ride: Ice Arrows!” The plain bow from before settled into his hands, only this time the arrow’s tip had frost dancing around it. Before Shining could fire another bolt of magic, Wyatt drew his arm back and shot an arrow right between the corrupted stallion’s hooves.

Shining Armor hissed, the ice creeping up his legs to hold him in place. “Release me!” he demanded, firing another bolt at Wyatt.

Wyatt leaned back, letting the bolt crash into the snack cart he had fallen into earlier. With a quick motion, he knocked another arrow and fired it at the ice on Shining’s legs, causing it to creep towards his arms. “Sorry, but you’ve gotta ask nicely,” he admonished, twirling an arrow in his hand. “I think I can safely call you restrained. Now to figure out how to get you out of Shining’s head.” Wyatt frowned, no answers coming to him after a long pause.

‘Ugh, I’ve got no idea what to do with this evil bastard,’ Wyatt thought, watching Shining struggle against the ice. ‘Why can’t I have a UniSaPo card?’ A word stuck out to him and he glanced down at his card case. ‘Wait a second, evil… ’ Trailing off in his head, he slotted a card into his belt.

“Attack Ride: Master Sword!” The bow and arrow faded from existence and was replaced by a longsword with a faintly glowing blade and a blue hilt.

“Meet the blade that repels evil, Sombra,” Wyatt said, placing the flat of the blade on Shining’s forehead. The blade took on a bright glow, burning at Shining’s fur. The stallion screamed in agony, blasting Wyatt with another wave of dark magic.

Crystals formed all over the green armor and Wyatt could swear he heard the metal creaking from the strain. Planting his feet firmly, Wyatt kept the blade where it was. “Get. The. Hell. Out,” he commanded, pressing the blade down harder.

The corrupted stallion threw his head back and roared in pain, blindly firing dark magic in every direction. “I’ll tear your soul to shreds!” he roared, the ice around his right arm breaking so he could grab Wyatt’s arm.

“The only thing you’re doing is going up in smoke!” Wyatt shot back, not budging his arm an inch. “You best find another host because you can’t have this one!”

The corrupted stallion instantly cut off his magic, looking at Wyatt with a sick grin. “An excellent idea.” Shining Armor’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body went limp. Smoke started to pour from his mouth and nostrils and rushed towards Wyatt.

“Oh, that is very, very bad!” Wyatt held up his sword, warding off Sombra’s form. “I’ve already nearly become a monster, once was enough for me!”

The sword’s glow increased as Sombra cascaded around Wyatt. Sombra’s form shrank and his features appeared to leer at the rider.

“Come on, try it.” Wyatt tightened his grip on his weapon, brandishing it in front of him. “You won’t hurt the ponies of this city again, you got that you LOST reject?”

Sombra’s form faltered for a moment and he recoiled from the blade. “You putrid, naked ape!” Sombra roared, keeping his distance from Wyatt. “You would try and deny me what is mine!?”

“Trying and succeeding,” Wyatt retorted, charging towards Sombra. Pulling another card from his belt, he aimed the blade at Sombra’s horn.

“Attack Ride: Sword Beam!” The glow around the sword intensified for a moment before firing out as a beam. Golden fire spread across Sombra’s gaseous body, burning it to cinders.

A grin spread across Wyatt’s face and he had to stop himself from fistpumping. Keeping his sword at the ready, he stared at the falling ash. “Is it over?” he asked under his breath. Tension mounted as silence hung in the air. After a few moments, Wyatt released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding and let his sword hang at his side. “I think I got rid of him, guys!”

The celebration was short lived as a green bolt of magic struck him in the chest and sent him flying into a wall. Before he could try and tear himself from the wall, crystals spread along his body and kept him fused to the wall.

“Fool!” Sombra laughed, a sick, bone chilling laugh that made Wyatt shudder. “You think a mere blade can stop me?!”

“Was seriously hoping for that, yeah,” Wyatt admitted, struggling against the crystal as it crept towards his neck. Despite his efforts, his movements were too restricted to allow him to free himself. “Even if I don’t stop you, Twilight will.”

“Twilight,” Sombra repeated, swirling around Wyatt. “That was my former host’s sister, yes? Such confidence in a simple unicorn.” Leaning in, he snorted in Wyatt’s face. “She is your beloved, is she not? Perhaps she will make the better host?”

Narrowing his eyes beneath his helmet and he grit his teeth. “Touch her and I’ll make you regret it.”

“You amuse me.” Sombra grinned, showing off his fangs. “As if you could stop me, ape.” Turning his attention from Wyatt, he watched Maud and Spearhead push Hell back. “I shall make all of your powers my own. The solar whore will cry in agony as I burn her cities, the lunar harlot will beg for mercy as I crack her moon, and that pink bitch in my castle will wish she never left her little village.”

Wyatt chuckled, continuing his struggle against the crystal. “There’s no way you can take my powers. My driver only works for me. Even if you could though, that simple unicorn you threatened isn’t so simple. She’ll save this empire, count on it.”

“I think I shall start... with you!” Sombra barrelled forward, slamming into Spearhead’s back. His body slipped between the armor’s panels, seeping into the circuity beneath.

“That’s not good,” Wyatt muttered, recoiling as Spearhead threw his head back and screamed in agony.

The blue lines on G-1’s armor turned purple, the eyes becoming pitch black. Spearhead struggled to move, only to find the armor moving on it’s own. “He’s got control of the armor! I can’t do anything!”

“Maud! Forget about Hell and get me out of here!” Wyatt commanded, increasing his struggles to get free.

Maud didn’t respond verbally, instead throwing her staff at the center of the crystal mass. The staff punctured the gem, causing a spiderweb of cracks to form along its surface.

With a burst of effort, Wyatt freed himself from the crystal. “Okay, that sucked ass.” Reaching down, he grabbed Maud’s staff and tossed it back to her. “So, Sombra’s taken over Spear’s armor. Not a good thing.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious,” Maud replied, spinning on her hoof to avoid an attack from Sombra and slamming her staff into the small of his back.

Spearhead let out a cry of pain but the armor didn’t falter. Wyatt quickly joined the fray and the two riders squared off against the corrupted suit.

---

Spike frowned, reaching the bottom of the stairwell. They had managed to catch up with Lupin, though the state they found the thieving rider in was more than a little worrying. Lupin stood stock still in front of a door, his eyes glowing a worrying green color.

Not wasting a moment, Spike reached over and grabbed Lupin’s gunner. After a few tugs, the stallion’s iron grip gave way and his armor disappeared. “Looks like Lupin tripped a trap of some kind.”

“I can see that.”

“On the bright side, he’s easier to restrain,” Spike said, waving his hand in front of the stallion’s face to no response. He stopped toying with Lupin, glancing around the small room. “Only question is, how do we avoid tripping it ourselves?”

Glancing around, Twilight looked for any sort of clues. “He is staring at the door; maybe it has something to do with that?” Stepping up to it, she lit her horn up. “You keep an eye on him, I’ll figure this out.”

Before she could do anything, Spike flicked her horn and caused the aura to die out in a fizzle of sparks. “Hold on, what if examining the door with magic is how Lupin got himself in the trap?” He stepped over to the door, examining the frame. “It doesn’t look like he-”

Spike found himself back in Smaug’s lair, standing on his elders outstretched hands. Twilight was nowhere to be seen, nor was his belt or any of his medals.

“Wh-what am I doing here?” Spike asked himself, his eyes widening in realization. “Grandpa! I’ve got to hurry back to the Crystal Empire! Can you help me?”

“You will leave when I permit, half-breed,” Smaug snapped, glaring down at Spike. “I was wrong, welp, you shame me and the rest of our clan. Perhaps it would have been best if your egg had shattered, so you would not have dishonored your mother so.”

Falling to his knees, Spike gaped up at the elder dragon in horror and disbelief. “What are you saying? How did I dishonor the clan?”

“You know quite well what you have done.” Smaug snorted, covering Spike in a cloud of smoke. “As elder, I hereby banish you from our clan. Your name will be revoked from our memories; as if you never existed. No dragon will ever acknowledge you; you will die alone and unwanted.”

The world seemed to slip away from Spike and everything contracted around him. He collapsed and tears streamed down his face as his worst fear just came true. “Y-you can’t do that, grandpa! I just found you, I don’t want to lose you!”

Smaug didn’t respond, dropping Spike to the cavern floor with no care. Before Spike even hit the ground, Smaug turned his back and curled up on his hoard. Spike didn’t even react to the fall, continuing his pleas to the elder dragon. No answer came to him and the only other sounds in the cave were his own words echoing off the walls.

Spike’s heart pounded in his chest and he could feel a stabbing pain shoot through his body.

“Spike!”

With a start, Spike jumped back, jabbing at the air in panic. A moment passed, his mind clearing enough to realize his stinger was only a few inches from Twilight’s right eye. “T-Twilight? W-what happened? Where's Grandpa!?”

“We were caught in some kind of spell induced hallucination,” Twilight explained, lowering his stinger and pulling him into a hug. “Whatever you saw, it wasn’t real. No matter what you saw, it wasn’t real.”

Returning the hug, Spike somehow managed to control his strength to avoid hurting her. “It felt so real though.” He shuddered as he recalled the look on his grandfather’s face. “Grandpa told me that I was a failure... that my egg should have been smashed...”

“It was just your worst fears made manifest.” Grabbing the sides of his helmet, Twilight
made him look deeply into her eyes. “Believe me Spike, your grandfather would never say that to you. He loves you.”

“Y-yeah,” Spike spoke, not just to agree but to reassure himself of the fact. “He totally loves me.” Taking a breath, Spike stepped back from the door. “Guess Sombra booby trapped the place, huh?”

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t get your warning in time,” Twilight apologized, turning to the door. “But, at least we were able to beat it.” Looking back at Blud, she winced. “Can’t say the same for him though.”

“What do we do with him?” Spike questioned, giving him a hard look. “Leave him there?”

“I’d use magic to restrain him, but that might snap him out of it,” Twilight offered. “I think we should come back later to arrest him.” Turning to the door, she waved him over. “Come on, we don’t have any time to waste.”

With a quick nod, Spike tore himself away from Lupin and strode over to the door. “It’s still closed, and that defense mechanism is still in place. Magic doesn’t work,” he glanced back at Lupin for a split second, “and brute force doesn’t either. Almost feels like one of those obvious traps I’d put in an O&O campaign to misdirect from the actual path,” he thought aloud, rubbing his neck.

A sudden growl made Spike backpedal from the previously quiet Lupin. “You’ve taken everything from me, Dawnbreaker. If you wish for my life, you’re sadly mistaken. I’m not weak anymore, you sorry excuse for family! I’ll carve my name into your hide!”

“Dawnbreaker?” Twilight questioned, glancing at the stallion. “Who-” she stopped, noticing that he was still under the effects of the spell. “Who in the world could Dawnbreaker be?”

“Sounds like a weapon made for Celestia,” Spike noted, studying the stallion while he tightened his grip on the gunner. Pausing he turned to Twilight. “Or... Celestia’s version of Nightmare Moon.”

Twilight shuddered for a moment, trying not to imagine what such a thing would look like. “You’re right, it does sound like that.” Quickly recovering, she returned her attention to Lupin. “So he’s had to deal with an evil version of his aunt, no wonder he turned out this way.” Glancing back at the door, she lit her horn. “Come on, we have to figure out how to get past this door.”

“Like I said, magic and brute force just seem to activate the wards on it,” Spike reiterated. “Doesn’t exactly leave a lot of options. I could try it if you want, just be ready to snap me out of the trance again.” Drawing his right arm back, the silver square at the back of the stinger extended out, the blade itself retracting slightly into the socket. “Ready?”

Lighting her horn up, Twilight nodded. “Ready, let’s pry this door open.”

Thrusting his arm forward, the stinger shot forward on contact with the wall. The blade sank into the crack of the door, a spiderweb of cracks forming on the surface of the crystal. With a heave of effort, Spike moved his arm like a lever and tried to force the door open. “Hey, trying using that dark magic Princess Celestia showed you!”

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.” Taking a deep breath, a sickly green aura surrounded Twilight’s horn. After a moment of letting it build, she fired it at the top of the door. Under the stain of both, it shuttered, giving way and revealing another room. And of course, more stairs leading further into the darkness.

“How far down are we gonna go?” Spike questioned, retracting his stinger.

“Far enough,” Lupin replied, kicking Spike in the back. Snatching his gunner away from the staggered drake, he fired a few shots at their feet.

“Just our luck you’d snap out of the spell at the worst possible moment,” Twilight grumbled, putting a shield between them. “Just when we were close to getting the heart.” Nodding at Spike, she shoved the shield at Lupin and took off up the stairs.

Just as Lupin moved to fire on Twilight, Spike stabbed Lupin’s arm with the stinger. “Oh no, you and I have a score to settle.” Drawing it back, he froze at the sight of blood.

Grunting, Lupin pressed a hand to his wound. “Look at you, seems you’ve improved since our last meeting.” Spinning on his heel, he kicked Spike while he was distracted. “But you’re still too green if a little blood freezes you up.” Wasting not a moment, Lupin resumed his rider form. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” Slipping by the dragon, he took off after Twilight.

“No!” Spike roared, taking a leaping tackle at Lupin. “You’re not gonna touch a hair on her head!” His effort was rewarded with a kick that sent him tumbling down that stairs.

“Stay out of the way, boy,” Lupin chided, firing a round at Spike’s head. “The grown ups have business to attend to.”

“No!” Spike croaked, returning to his feet. “I’m not going to let Twilight fail her test. Even if that means you put me in the hospital again.” Bringing his shield up, he squared up to Lupin.

Lupin scoffed, proceeding to follow Twilight up the stairs. “I really don’t have time to play superhero with you. I have appointments to keep, we all can’t stay in the nest like you.”

Growling, Spike fired his stinger directly into Lupin’s back. “Don’t walk away from me. And I’m not playing at anything. You’re not stealing that heart and dooming this place to die!”

Lupin stumbled, whipping around to face Spike. “Drake, you’re getting on my last nerve!”

“Then what are you going to do about it?” Spike taunted, retracting his stinger and readying it to strike again.

Raising his Gunner, Lupin fired a dozen rounds at Spike, backing up along the stairs. “You truly are a nuisance, you know that?”

Spike expanded his shield and blocked the oncoming shots. Once his shield was back to normal, he fired his stinger again and used it to sweep Lupin’s legs out from under him. “I’m more than that, I’m a Kamen Rider!”

Snorting, Lupin threw his arm out and sent a filmstrip at Spike. “Like I said, a child playing at being a superhero.”
“I’d rather be a superhero than a thief!” Spike shot back, leaping over the strip. “Or did Dawnbreaker steal your morals too?”

Switching his gunner to its dagger mode, Lupin let out a low growl from his throat. “Do not speak her name to me, boy!” Leaping towards Spike, he slashed at his chest. “You don’t know a damn thing about me!”

“I know you’re willing to condemn this place to die!” Spike retorted, swinging his shield to deflect the slash and firing his stinger at Lupin’s stomach. “That you’ve hurt my friends and stolen more than I can imagine!”

“Oh be quiet!” leaning back, Lupin snapped, meeting the stinger with his Gunner. “What’s one old relic hm? You wouldn’t even miss it!”

“You heartless bastard!” Spike roared, bashing his shield into Lupin’s helmet. “I keep telling you that the heart is what keeps the empire alive! How. Many. Times. Do. You. Need. It. Spelled. Out?!” He punctuated each word with a shield bash. “What about that don’t you get!?”

Lupin didn’t respond, catching Spike’s shield on another bash and rapidly slashed at his chest. Kicking Spike back down the stairs, Lupin resumed his run.

Growling, Spike quickly picked himself back up and used his stinger to sweep Lupin’s legs again. “I’ll pick myself up every time you knock me down, Lupin!”

“We’ll see about that,” Lupin stated, returning his weapon to gunner mode and pressing the button on front. Energy built up around the muzzle and he slowly aimed it at Spike’s chest. Pulling the trigger, he unleashed the energy into the drake.

Thinking fast, Spike grabbed the scanner off his belt and passed it over the medals. Multicolored rings formed in front of him and he fired his stinger through them. As the stinger passed through each ring, it more than doubled in size and met Lupin’s blast headon.

The resulting blast sent them both reeling. Spike lost his footing, falling off the stairs and into the abyss. Sparks rose up from Lupin’s suit, his body seizing up. A few moments later and he straightened up, returning to tracking Twilight.

“Damn drake,” Lupin muttered, taking the steps slowly. “A pox on his family!”

---

Taking the steps two at a time, Twilight ran along the staircase with her chest heaving.The staircase just seemed to go on and on; with no end in sight.

“This is impossible!” Twilight huffed, slowing slightly to conserve her energy. “I should’ve reached the top of the castle by now!” A long groan escaped her lips as the realization that Sombra enchanted the stairs dawned on her. “Faust damnit!”

Stopping dead in her tracks, Twilight caught her breath and tried to formulate a plan. Countering the enchantment would be virtually impossible unless she could identify the spell. “Come on think.. If you were a crazy dictator, how would you boobytrap stairs?” After a brief moment her eyes lit up. “An enchantment to make intruders run around in a loop!” Putting a hand to her chin, she returned to thinking. “But how to counter that?”

It came to her like a sudden revelation. If the stairs wouldn’t get her to the top... Maybe the underside would? Lighting her horn up, she cast a quick anti gravity spell. The spell quickly took effect, sending her under the stairs and letting her slide beneath it quickly. Twilight let out a whoop of joy, finally feeling like she was making progress. Her joy quickly evaporated when she spotted Spike falling through the aether. Acting quickly, she lit her horn again and brought the drake to her side.

“Spike!” she cried, undoing his transformation to check his condition. “Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Spike assured, wincing as she felt over him. “Maybe a little sore, but otherwise I’m fine. So uh... why are we upside down?”

“Sombra enchanted the stairs so I used an anti-gravity spell to bypass it,” she quickly explained, putting her arm around his shoulders. “But, sore is much better than your last encounter with Lupin.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Taking a moment to relax, Spike leaned on Twilight. “Next time you get a test, Twi, make sure it’s a paper one.”

Giggling, Twilight gave his forehead a kiss. “That’s something you’ll have to take up with Princess Celestia.” Stroking his spines, she savored the brief respite.

Their moment was short lived as they slid to a stop in front of a door. Standing up, Twilight tested the door and found she could open it. The room before them was wide open, with no real walls. In the center floated a heart shaped crystal, slowly turning in the air.

“Yes!” Twilight cheered, helping Spike towards the heart. “We can finally save the empire!” Lighting her horn up, she removed the artifact from its resting place. A dark magic pulse spread through the room, black crystals erupting around them in a circular shape.

Reacting quickly, Twilight pushed Spike and the heart away just as the crystal spires tightened around her. “Spike! Leave me behind, get the heart to the center of the city!”

“What?!” Spike shouted, nearly tripping over his own tail. “I can’t just leave you!” Reaching out, he placed his hand on one of the crystal spikes. This proved to be a terrible idea, as a jolt of black magic passed through him. All of his darkest feelings and thoughts bubbled to the surface.

‘You like Rarity? Just take her,’ it whispered, purring in his ear. ‘You’re a dragon, take what you want.’ The dark magic centered around his belt, enhancing the power of his medals.

Twilight grabbed Spike’s belt, pulling the buckle off and shoving him away. A cry of pain tore out of her throat, a similar jolt shooting through her. ‘You’re going to fail your test,’ A part of her whispered. ‘You can’t retrieve the heart like this. Celestia will expel you as her student.’

“That stuff is the worst!” Spike hissed, one of his pupils contracting. “No wonder Sombra lost his mind!”

Twilight didn’t answer him, dark magic still running along her body.

His hands shaking, Spike reached into his medal container, pulling out his pink set. “You guys are linked to the Elements right? Well, we need your help.” Clutching them tight, he ran over to the edge of the room, peering down at the city.

Black crystals jutted out of the ground like angry mountains, casting long shadows under the orange sky. The crystal ponies long since retreated to their homes and other places of safety. He let out a cry of surprise, a wave of crystals erupting out next to the palace. He hopped onto a branch of crystal, silently praying that he wouldn’t fall. Peering over the crystal he was on, Spike tried to find another spot he could safely jump to.

---

Wyatt panted, his energy starting to wane. Trying to fight Sombra without hurting Spearhead was proving to be a difficult task. He could tell Maud was having the same problem. Neither of them wanted to go all out and risk critically injuring their ally.

The G-1 armor itself had taken quite the beating, more than a few sections broken and sparking. Sombra was relentless, taking everything they gave and dishes out even more in return.

Wyatt had summoned the Hylian Shield to stave off most of the possessed suit’s attacks. At this point, his strategy was to hold out until Twilight could figure out where the Crystal Heart she had talked about was. “Come on, Twi, hurry the hell up,” he muttered, bracing himself as another fist slammed into the shield.

“Your lover has no chance to retrieve the heart,” Sombra said, the armor’s eyes glowing brightly. “By now I’m sure she’s sprung the trap in the hall door and has succumb to her worst fears.”

Managing a grin, Wyatt pushed back against the fist that collided with his shield. “You shouldn’t underestimate Twilight; she’s dealt with badder villains than you, Smokey. You’re nothing but hot air!”

With a feral growl, Sombra let loose a flurry of blows against Wyatt. He was able to block most of them, but the tyrant managed to sneak in a few hits. Wyatt grunted, his stance wavering for a split second under the force of the assault. Grinning, Sombra flung Wyatt into one of the crystal spikes.

“See, ape? You stand no chance against me!” Sombra’s gaze moved up towards the palace. “The heart!” Abandoning Wyatt and Maud, Sombra summoned another crystal spire, surging upwards.

“I don’t think so, Puff the Magic Jackass,” Wyatt hissed, pulling himself off the crystal spike and grabbing a card from his case.

“Form Ride: Goron!” Wyatt’s armor doubled in size, changing to a mix of brown and black. Black beads hung around his neck and his armor was made of interlinking platemail. The gauntlets were large and shaped like mittens. The green hat remained on the armor, but was joined by spiky white hair beneath it.

“Sorry about the fall, Spearhead!” Wyatt called out, rearing back and giving the spire a heavy punch.

---

“M-Maud...” Shining Armor pulled himself to his hooves, using a crystal shard to steady himself. “I-I have to get to Cadance... please...” He took a step forward, falling back to his knees.

Maud instantly turned her attention to Shining Armor and helped him brace himself. “I can get you to the palace. Sombra seems to be focused on Wyatt right now.” Putting her arm around him, she tensed up, running towards the palace. “Hold on.” With a heave, she leapt up onto one of the building’s balconies.

Hissing through his teeth, Shining stumbled through the doorway. “Painful, but effective,” he muttered, pointing Maud toward the closest staircase. “I have to make sure Cadance is okay...”

“She might look dainty, but she still has some earth pony hardiness in her,” Maud offered, helping him through the halls as quickly as she thought he could manage. “I’m sure she’s just exhausted.”

“I can’t let that monster win...” Shining grit his teeth, ignoring the sick feeling that coursed through his body. Fighting back the urge to vomit, he pushed away from Maud when they reached the throne room. “Cadance!” Finding a burst of energy, Shining raced over to her prone form, gingerly lifting her up.

A moment passed, and the princess slowly began to stir. She looked up into Shining’s eyes, offering him a tired smile. “Sorry for scaring you, just needed a little power nap.” Her smile dimmed a little as she processed his current state. “You look like crap, Shiny.”

“It’s been one of those days,” Shining replied, managing a smile as he helped her up. “I’ll tell you all about it once the empire is saved.” Nodding at Maud, he led Cadance over to one of the windows.

Wyatt was doing his best to keep Sombra busy, only to be sandbagged completely. Movement above caught their attention. Spike hopped between crystal branches, barely dodging as the previous branch sprouted a sharp growth. Clutched close to his chest was a blue crystal, shaped like a heart.

Cadance felt a slight tugging in her chest, telling her to go to the heart. The only issue, she didn’t trust her wings to get her off the ground. Turning to her husband, she asked, “Shiny, can you get me airborn? I need to help Spike.”

“I can try.” Shining took a breath, gripping Cadance around the waist. “Here we go...” Summoning the last of his reserves, he managed to lift her over his head. “Caddy, no matter what happens... I love you.” Drawing his arms back, he took one step forward and threw her as hard as he could.

Once she cleared the balcony, Cadance spread her wings out to glide and corrected her course to intercept Spike’s fall. A small smile tugged at her lips, Shining’s words sticking with her. “Shiny, you dork; everything’s gonna be fine,” she said under her breath.

Catching Spike nearly knocked her out of the sky, but her wings held long enough for her to reach the ground. “Thank you, Spike,” she praised, taking the heart from him. Lighting her horn, she levitated it into place.

Noticing the commotion, some of the citizens left their safe havens to gaze at the heart in awe. Their eyes seemed to flash, recognition dawning on them.

“The Crystal Heart, the Crystal Princess, they’ve returned,” the librarian said, her voice full of reverence.

Straightening herself, Cadance flared her wings out. “The Crystal heart has returned!” Her eyes narrowed, registering Sombra charging towards the heart. “Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not!”

More and more of the crystal ponies left their homes, each of them closing their eyes and starting to glow. The glow slipped down from their bodies, pooling at their hooves, giving the street a green glow. Before long, the entire city was glowing, the heart becoming the epicenter of the pooling energy.

Drawing in the positive energy, the heart paused its spinning, only to unleash its built up power in a burst of light. A sudden idea striking him, Spike held his pink medals into the alcove that contained the heart. The light emitted intensified before taking on a rainbow hue.

Sombra skidded to a halt as the wave hit him, a surge of agony rushing through him. Wisps of shadow poured off the G-1 armor, its eyes returning to their original red. Sombra’s torso pulled itself from Spear’s back, trying to shield himself. It was a futile gesture, the wave continued to bore into him and caused his shadowy form to glow. The light around him intensified, obscuring him from view. Moments passed for what seemed like an eternity and Sombra’s shouts started to shift in pitch, becoming higher.

“W-what's happening to him?” Spike took a few steps closer, trying not to think of what mixing the heart and medals might have done.

As if to answer him, the light around Sombra receded, revealing a diminutive form. A young unicorn stood in the dictator’s place, looking lost and very much afraid.

“Okay, wasn’t expecting that,” Wyatt said, hobbling closer to the unicorn and undoing his transformation. “But uh, the day is still saved.” Realizing the child didn’t have any clothes, Wyatt slipped his shirt off and draped it over him. “There you go, little guy,” he said softly, patting the colt’s head. “That should protect you from the cold for now.”

The colt flinched back from Wyatt’s touch, staring up at him with frightened eyes.

“There’s no need to be scared,” Wyatt assured him, holding his hands up to show he wouldn’t touch him. “I’m one of the good guys.”

“Good guy?” the colt asked, his voice quiet and small. He was a far cry from the screaming psychopath he had been minutes before.

Flashing the colt a smile, Wyatt nodded. “That’s right. I save people from monsters and nasty things. I’m Wyatt.” Holding his hand out, he knelt to the colts level. “Can you tell me your name?”

Looking down, the colt paused to think for a moment. “It’s Sombra,” he finally answered, looking up at Wyatt.

“Nice to meet you, Sombra. Do you want to stick with me? I can keep you safe.”

Nodding, Sombra hesitantly took Wyatt’s hand with one of his.

Rising back to his feet, Wyatt made his way through the now very crystalline crowd. Hell, even Spike and Cadance appeared to be made out of crystal. Blinking, Wyatt raised his free hand, finally noting the changes wrought on his own body. His body was living crystal that matched his skin tone, leaving him slightly transparent.

“Huh, that’s really weird. I sorta feel like Wizard Infinity right now,” Wyatt said to himself. Drawing himself away from his inspection, he waved at Spike and Cadance. “Hey guys, I found a friend. His name is Sombra.”

The pair stared at the colt in silence, gaping. “So,” Cadance started, breaking the silence. “This is the effect the heart had?”

Spike ran a hand over his spines. “Well...I might have added medals in too...”

“Which ones?” Cadance questioned, looking between Spike and Sombra.

“...The pink ones.” Spike held his hand out, displaying the pony medals.

Putting her cheek in her hand, Cadance shook her head. “We can figure out how this happened later. For now, we should get this little guy some clothes that fit.”

Sombra hid behind Wyatt’s legs, appearing to be more than a little shy.

Kneeling down, Wyatt stroked Sombra’s mane. “Don’t be scared, we’re all friends here,” he cooed, flashing the colt an encouraging smile. “No one’s gonna hurt you, okay?”

Sombra slowly nodded, poking his head out from behind Wyatt. “Um, hi,” he said softly, looking up at Cadance. “I-I’m Sombra...”

“Nice to meet you,” Cadance started, smiling, “I’m Princess Cadance.”

Sombra gave a small smile in return, though he retreated behind Wyatt again as Twilight burst into existence.

“Wyatt!” Twilight cried, crashing into him and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug that aggravated his various sore spots. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”

Wyatt wheezed, rubbing her back. “Good to see you too, but uh, you’ve scared Sombra.”

Twilight pulled away so that she was at arm’s length. “Wha-?” she started, her gaze drifting to the cowering unicorn colt clinging to Wyatt’s legs for dear life. “Was not expecting it to reverse his age,” she said to herself, her eye twitching erratically. “Celestia is going to want to hear about this.”

“Let’s worry about that later.” Leaning in, Wyatt stole a kiss. “We have a little guy that needs clothes, not to mention we need to make sure Spear’s alright.” Reaching down, he scooped Sombra up. “To the tailors!”

Squeaking in surprise, Sombra held on tightly to Wyatt as he carried him through the crowded streets.

Comments

[Lord_01010000]

So the Changlings came about through the union of a ponified Zelda: Twilight Princess character and Kamen Rider Shin

[InfernoRage008]

Hmm, that’s an interesting twist. Also, Wyatt and that seem to...jinx themselves. A lot. Seriously, they need to stop doing that.

I wonder what Lupin would do now? He hasn’t exactly left the Crystal Empire.

[The Bricklayer]

Okay... I must admit I wasn't expecting how the Changelings came about...

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

Huh... That was a twist...

[shinigamisparda]

... Didn’t see that coming.

[Grey Ghost]

8897854
Yes, exactly

[Spidey Viewer]

Also, a little prediction based on past chapters.
Twilight's either gonna become female White Wizard, or Wizard.
This was awesome. Cannot wait for next chap.

[RealityDowngrade]

Blud pulled a few bits out of his pocket, leaving his payment for his drink. A dine and dash was far too pedestrian for his tastes. Besides that, he wasn’t one to screw over the working class.

That, was a remarkably well placed bit of detail.
It's not everyone who allows the character 'growth' that even evil murderers will have some twisted code they "live by". And you perfectly encapsulated it with those three sentences. Plain enough to note the socialist buzz word in that last sentence, but it's all the more poignant, besides how well this a philosophy has ruined lives in the real world, because if he truly cared for the "proletariat" then he'd do something about those genuinely oppressed workers in one of the worlds his organization has subjugated.

That said, I am immensely disappointed with your seeming equating of all killings to murder. It's not that Spike shouldn't aim to kill a known representative of of Dai-Shoker (murderers and tyrants), in fact, it's a GOOD thing to hate them, but it's rather despicable that you twined keeping a level head in battle with not executing a murderer, especially when it would have been so easy to add in a throw away line about needing to keep someone like him alive not only for all the tech he has (dimension crossing and Rider, both of which could help Celestia's research immensely) but also from all the knowledge he could give them since they are basically fighting blind against these guys who, I'd like to remind you, can hop between dimensions freely to lick their wounds and regroup.

[Layton13]

She learned the creature’s name was ‘Shin’

I did not see Shin make an appearance…

Chrysalis letting a sense of content roll over her as the knowledge there would be no secrets within her new alliance truly sank in

Still don’t trust you

We’re fighting an evil king, not opening Hearth’swarming presents.

Exactly, which means a lot of action

Yeesh, those two need to get a room,

… I wanted to say that

Oh, you think that’s sappy? Oh please, Skittles, I can do way better than that.

… Oh god, have mercy

Displaced Ride: Link

Ui, new armor

“If you happen to crosspaths with King Sombra, you’re under order to end him.

So, indeed, multiple Sombras

Plus, you’re dating the strongest rider in Equestria

Wow, cocky much?

All rational thought left his mind at the sight of Adolf Hitler; fused with a starfish

So, where is X?

Displaced Ride: Magic Eyes Mage!

We are pumping these out like nothing, nice

Attack Ride: Master Sword!

Mhm, I had expected a Lightarrow, but oh well that works too

The solar whore

Language!

Thank you for stating the obvious

Ok, that sounds more like a line that reacts to Maud then one from her

“It was just your worst fears made manifest.”

Yeah, no. Twilight is still the most important person to Spike, not his family or his name. This doesn’t seem right that his priorities have shifted so quickly that he chooses a stupid name and admiration of someone he only knows partially over Twilight. Yeah, not buying it.

Or... Celestia’s version of Nightmare Moon.

Wat? No, that is bollox. You can’t get this from a simple name, no, not happening.

You heartless bastard!

At least he is trying to fix the heartless part

You look like crap, Shiny

Huh, had expected something less, you know vulgar. Like: ‘You don’t look so good Shiny’

A young unicorn stood in the dictator’s place, looking lost and very much afraid

Oh, for the love of… no, you did not just… dammit