Kagayaki
“Oooooooh, Japan, Japan!” Pinkie said as she practicality danced in place, her and AJ teleported into a path deep inside the forest. “Always wanted to be here, think they’ll offer us some ramen if we save their country? Cause I’m telling you, I want the biggest bowl of ramen on offer here! Cause honey, saving the world? It builds up a biiiiiiiiiiggg appetite!”
“We’re not here on a sight-seein’ tour, Pinks,” Applejack reprimanded. “We’re here to save the world from that nasty Wolfpack.”
“Gotta think ahead AJ. When, not if we beat those meanies. When!” Pinkie said.
“...wish I was as optimistic about our chances, Pinks,” Applejack sighed. “Yeah, there’s seven of us now, thank the Lord for that but… we’re still fightin’ a losing battle here. So far, we’ve only managed to take down 40% of the Wolfpack’s generals. They’ve still got encampments all over the world, roundin’ up the populace and our numbers are spread pretty thin as it is!”
“Yeah, but we’ve gotten even cooler since we first started. I mean, hello! We’ve got super cool new power ups, I mean have you seen Rarity and Sunset’s new forms? Plus, new ranger and super awesome new ultra zord! Wham, bam, thank you ma’am as it hits you with five elements at once!” Pinkie squeed. “Oh yeah, who’s awesome? We’re awesome!”
AJ quickly shushed Pinkie as she heard something off in the distance.
“Hush,” Applejack murmured. “I don’t quite think we’re alone out here.”
Of course they weren’t. After all, with Wolfpack hounds everywhere chances are whoever was in charge around here probably knew they were coming. That did wonders for Applejack’s confidence. Heck, knowing the Pack’s sense of humor, they’d probably send ninjas up to face them. Ninjas, like actual ninjas of death.
Not the superpowered stereotype Japanese manga liked to portray, the ones that did everythin’ but hide in the shadows. No, the black and assassination skilled ninjas that history told of. Ones with shurikens and blowpipes with poison darts.
“...must be near a lake,” Pinkie whispered, pressing her fingers together nervously. “‘Cause it’s gettin’ awfully misty. Can’t see worth squat right now. Oh, this is bad bad bad! It’s prime fuel for an ambush right about now…”
“Don’t say ambush,” Applejack said. “Please don’t say ambush. Cause if you say ambush, there’s going to be an ambush.”
“So, um, what. You want me to say surprise party instead?” Pinkie asked. “Cause it basically means the same thing if you think about it long enough.”
Applejack rolled her eyes as the two continued trudging forwards through the mist. Then, Applejack let out a yelp as she and Pinkie tumbled down the hillside and landed next to a lake, their faces caked in earth and snow.
“...well, if the Hound Ninjas don’t get us first, it’ll be our own clumsiness,” Applejack deadpanned and picked herself up off the ground, dusting off her clothes. Taking a step forwards, she kept her morpher on standby. Just in case.
Could never be too careful these days.
“Oh, this mist ain’t all natural, I think,” Applejack muttered. “Somethin’s real fishy about all of this, don’t you reckon?”
“Maybe it’s the fish?” Pinkie mumbled, with a fish in her mouth. Applejack stared at her. “...what? Girl’s gotta eat, and hey if I can’t have my ramen I’ll work us up some sushi!”
“Pretty sure you need squid for that one, Pinks,” Applejack said. “But I’m sayin’, something’s strange about this forest. This mist. It’s just giving me goosebumps.”
“Hey, question,” Pinkie said. “You think geese, or is it geesai get goosebumps? Or do they get people bumps?”
“...what does that have to do with the conversation?” Applejack asked in annoyance.
“Sorry, just thinkin’ out loud,” Pinkie said. “It’s a perfectly valid question. Isn’t it?”
Applejack snorted. “You keep being you, okay Pinkie?”
Applejack then opened her comms. “Hey Elaris, is it just me or do things seem mighty quiet around here? Like, when we flew over Japan, it seemed that the Wolfpack hadn’t grabbed a real foothold around these parts.”
“It is rather strange,” she admitted. “Something… I don’t know what it is, but something I can’t quite pinpoint is happening in Japan. I’m having the ship’s sensors scan the area, but there’s something in the air. Like some… energy that’s so different compared to the rest of the planet’s. I’d almost compare it to your own, but there’s a few minor fluctuations that… I’ll try to compensate. I’ll call you back when I have more information.”
“Huh, that is strange. So what, are there Rangers like us here in Japan?” Pinkie asked. “Because if there were, that would be so cool! Hey, maybe we can swap notes! ...or maybe more. Ooooh, I’d love a foreign boyfriend. Let me tell you, Star Hunter? He has this girlfriend in Japan, won’t tell me what she does but apparently it’s something really cool.”
“Star Hunter?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.
“...what, you don’t know him? Oh, yeah, he’s one of those guys who has a tendency to fade into the background. No offense intended. No relation to Star Tracker, though they’re both in the astronomy club,” Pinkie said. “He’s kinda quiet, though let me tell you, if you get him going on about things like the constellations he will yammer on and on about it. Whoever his girlfriend is out here, she’s probably a really great listener.”
“Whoo, seems like the mist is finally clearing a bit,” AJ said as they stumbled out of the forest and managed to find an old shrine. Old, yes, but fairly well kept. But for obvious reasons, right now completely abandoned.
Bells chimed in the wind as Applejack and Pinkie slowed to a halt, both getting that odd feeling they were being watched. Then the feeling was gone.
“Come on, let’s just find the general controlling this part of the planet, kick his ass and get out of here,” Applejack said. “...cause something about this place gives me the creeps, and frankly? I don’t want to stay here any longer than I have to.”
Unknown to them, a bird flew away into the trees from atop the shrine and found it’s master. Upon learning of what it had to say, the man smiled. “...so it's finally time huh?”
Tokyo was a ghost town, a bit of a far cry from the usual bustling city everyone saw on TV.
Cars lay abandoned in the street, devoid of occupants. Unusually, one had seemingly been sliced in half.
“...Should we be worried?” Applejack asked upon passing the car.
“Probably…” Pinkie squeaked out.
“Yeah, probably…” Applejack agreed nervously. “...let’s move on, and find this guy alright?”
Mythical legends told of monstrous demons in the mountains, rivers and forests of Japan. The Oni. Demons who struck from the shadows and who ate naughty children. Well, in a sense those legends were sorta true, but not completely.
Still, Ibuki mused, it did allow him and his kind to operate with a certain degree of secrecy. Nobody wanted to come looking for an Oni after all.
...even if people still somehow managed to find them anyways.
And sometimes, the Oni found you.
“You know, if we knew you were coming,” said the Man living in the Western Style House. “We would have laid out some food, welcomed you into our home.”
The Woman agreed. “It’s quite rude really, you could have dropped a notice.”
“You know why I’m here,” said their visitor. “Your magic is going to get people killed.”
“I’d say it’s already gotten people killed,” said the Man. “Why are you only coming after us now?”
“Tell me how to stop it,” said their visitor. “Your latest creation.”
“Yes, that’s sadly not something we can answer,” said the Woman. “It would be rude to tell all of our secrets wouldn’t it? Plus, we have a responsibility to our children.”
“Then another question then,” said the visitor. “Why ally yourselves with these invaders? They mean to destroy your homeland, and I will be honest, after they’re done with Japan? Why would they need you around?”
“We’ve come to an agreement,” said the Woman sipping her tea. “Plus, if all of the humans are destroyed, well does it matter what happens to us? Our job is done!”
“You’re insane,” said the visitor. “Both of you.”
“Just looking out for ourselves,” the Man corrected. “We all have to find a way to survive in these turbulent times. Now, I ask you, Iori Izumi, how will you survive?”
The visitor flinched, nobody had called him by that name in a long time. His eyes narrowed, and he cast one last glance at the Man and the Woman. “This isn’t the end of it, you know. After I’m done with your latest nightmare, I’m coming for you.”
“You can try,” the Man said. “But finding us once? That was easy. Finding us twice… well, that’ll take a bit of luck and a bit more time. And I think you’re running out of one of those things!”
Iori grimaced, before he got on his bike and gunned the engine.
Witness, the threat of the ancient samurai! This ronin had given up the honorable ways of the warrior upon his home planet in exchange for power.
Witness, him striking down the invaders for his new Shogun!
Witness, Applejack and Pinkie in peril!
“What is this creep?” Applejack said, swinging her hammer and trying to shatter the monster’s armor, but she was swarmed by cat creatures before she could do so. Grabbing one of the monsters, she hoisted it over her shoulder and slammed it back down into the ground cracking the pavement.
Pinkie just let loose with her wrist blasters, and punched wildly at the air like a mad woman. It was impossible to predict or read her movements.
She spun out of the way to avoid an air slash by the samurai monster, accidentally grabbing one of the tails of the cat creatures. Pinkie let out a shriek as she accidentally pulled it clean off.
But then the cat duplicated.
“Good grief!” Applejack said bringing the hammer down sending the monsters skywards. “Ya don’t think we could just give them all a huge ball of yawn to play with?”
“It’d have to be a big ball of yarn!” Pinkie said, firing skywards. “Here, cats like to play with whatever small stuff they can get their hands on right? Maybe they’ll like confetti!”
The cats all hissed and yowled.
“...I… I don’t think they’re in the mood Pinkie…” Applejack before the samurai was upon them both, slashing them with a single strike and knocking them out of their morphed forms.
The samurai raised his sword, and Applejack whispered: “Sorry mom, sorry da…”
But he didn’t get a chance to bring it down, before he staggered under a series of rapid fire gun blasts. Bullets of air ripped through his armor, and he let out a roar of shock and confusion.
A man with neatly combed short dark hair stepped out of the shadows, holding an most unusual form of gun. He blew some smoke off of it like an old western cowboy before holstering it. From his pockets, he brought out a whistle and blew into it.
The cat creatures screeched and howled as the wind lashed into them like a gale. A whirling cyclone ripped through the area, and from out of it lunged a demon. No, a man who had chosen up to give his simple mortal life and become an Oni, a warrior of the shadows.
Firing his rifle several times, he dispersed the cat creatures. Barking out a simple order, he said: “Todoroki, now!”
Another oni welding a cross between a war axe and a guitar lept out from over him. He shoved his weapon into the chest of one of the cat creatures, shouting: “Ongeki Zan: Raiden Gekishin!”
Playing a ripping solo, the sheer sound ripped the cat creature apart in a spectacular show of flame and lightning.
“If you don’t want to join him,” the first oni said. “I’d suggest you run.”
The creatures and their master wisely followed his advice, dispersing.
“Who… who are you?” Applejack asked, Pinkie’s eyes wide and seeing stars at the awesomeness just lain before her. The oni resumed his human form, with Todoroki following.
“Name’s Ibuki,” the man introduced himself. “So you’re some of the Rangers everyone’s talking about. “Huh, suppose it was only a matter of time before a Sentai team made it’s way to America…”
“Sentai Team?” Pinkie and Applejack asked in unison before Applejack smiled. “Well, boy howdy! It’s a pleasure to meet y’all. My name’s…”
And then she felt the ground rushing up to meet her…
“She’s exhausted,” the doctor on call, one Asumu Adachi said. “...how long do you say your friend’s been fighting?”
Here, he turned to Applejack.
“Pinkie? Well, shucks…” Applejack didn’t even bother to keep track of the time ever since the Wolfpack made first contact with earth. Especially not with their global domination of the planet. “Way too many fights, is all ah can say. Can’t exactly give y'all an exact number, what with all them hootenannys those wolves keep on having with us. Sorry ‘bout that.”
“You’re both way too tired,” Asumu sighed, writing something on his clipboard. “...but it’s not like the Wolfpack’s given you much of a choice is it? Surprised none of you have collapsed before now.”
“We can’t exactly save the world if we’re collapsed, can we?” Pinkie simply replied as she looked into Asumu’s eyes. “I mean, what can we do if we’re stuck on the ground like limp slugs? Actually, what can slugs even do? I’ve never had the time to find out.”
“Just rest a while,” Asumu said. “If you need anything, buzz me and I’ll come running.”
“If’n ya’ll don’t mind me askin’, who in tarnation are y'all anyways?” Applejack was the first one to ask. “Aside from your names, that is. And what the heck is a… sen-tie team?”
“Sentai, Applejack. S-E-N-T-A-I. It’s a Japanese thing,” Pinkie quickly corrected Applejack. “Plus, we’re not even Japanese. Are we? I dunno. Mom, Dad, Limestone, Marble, even Maud never told me about any Japanese cousins or ancestors…”
“I’m just a friend, that’s all you need to know,” Asumu said before leaving. He rejoined Todoroki and Ibuki, before sighing. “...the Dekarangers would be off-world for this madness wouldn’t they?”
“Well, they are space cops so…” Todoroki said idly, strumming his guitar. “...hey, you sure nobody’s going to talk about… well, you know? We had to cut that uniform off one of them. They’ve got enough things to worry about without their identities being exposed. For god’s sake, they’re only 18.”
“No younger than you were when you started your Oni training with Zanki-San,” Ibuki pointed out. “No younger than Asumu was when he started training with Hibiki-San. Hell, Asumu was even younger than they were!”
“Yes, well neither Asumu or me had to face world ending threats at that age, not unless we wanted to be expelled from our training,” Todoroki said. “They’re practically just kids, those two! They should be in school, not worrying about alien invasions!”
“Yes, well, that’s the way the dice rolls,” Ibuki said and both Asumu and Todoroki stared at him.
“...that’s cold, you know that right?” the guitarist oni said.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Ibuki said. “What’s happening is happening, and something tells me they weren’t exactly given a choice in the matter. Or if they were, they elected to make that choice for themselves, so some other poor bunch wouldn’t have to take up the powers. I don’t know about you, but I kind of admire that. For me, being an Oni was a duty. Something I couldn’t walk away from. I’m a member of the head family. I’ll be an oni till I die of old age, or someone finally gets lucky and kills me. Those two? Well, they’ll get the chance to hang up their morphers when all this is over. Nobody would fault them, they’ve done their job.”
“But the question is…” Todoroki started sharing a nod with Asumu who knew immediately what he was thinking.
“...would they want to?” he asked before heading back into AJ and Pinkie’s room.
“So. What’s happening?” Applejack asked. “Are we gonna be staying in here for long? Because there’s still a Wolfpack agent running loose in the city that we’ve gotta mop up. The sooner I get those fuzzballs off my home planet, the better.”
“Sorry, just a question, but…” Asumu started. “Do either of you two know what you’re going to do after you ‘get these fuzzballs off your home planet’? Like, answer me honestly, and think about this seriously. Do either of you two know what you’re going to do next?”
“Honestly, ah don’t know. The world’s been too shaken-up by this whole alien invasion as it is.” Applejack put her hands on her laps. “Ah mean, we’ve been invaded by aliens from other worlds. That’s just proven that we ain’t alone out there. Plus, I don’t even know what El’s thinking about doing once we finish our jobs. Don’t even know if ma orchard’s even survived this whole thing. Ain’t even been home since the assault on Canterlot City.”
“I’m going to tell you a story,” Asumu said. “Once there was a boy who thought he knew what he wanted to do with his life, become an Oni and serve his master honestly. But then new possibilities opened up to him, ones where he didn’t have to take lives to save lives. He took this new chance, and never looked back. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, as you Americans say.”
“Speaking of cats, whatever happened to that one we were fighting? Y’know, the one that could copy itself over and over again?” Pinkie asked. “And where can I learn that kind of power? I wanna make so many of me right now, just so I can throw myself a party for once.”
“Focus, Pinks,” Applejack said. “Not rightly sure that’s important right now.”
“Right, right. Sorry. It’s just that the Wolfpack are made from the strongest of the strong in the universe. You ever meet some super-strong guy with powers beyond compare that’s pushed you to the edge? Well, imagine a whole ARMY of those things with many different nasty powers and tricks,” Pinkie told Asumu. “That’s why we HAVE to get back out there, before that super-nasty army of super-powered meanies cause more trouble!”
“I… see. Just think about what I had to say, okay?” Asumu said. “After all this is over, nobody would fault you if you hung up your powers.”
“Personally, I’d like to keep them. In case we get some more varmints trying to invade earth. But…” Applejack looked down at her morpher. “That’s for her to decide; not us.”
“Well, I must respect your diligence,” Ibuki said, poking his head in with a little smile he’d picked up from his fellow Oni, Hibiki. “As for your earlier question, those cat creatures are called Bakeneko. They’re really at their strongest in the summer, but they can appear at any time of year. By pulling off one of their many tails, they can create a one-tailed copy of themself.”
“So… once we get rid of all their tails, that’s it?” Applejack asked. “Don’t see that bad, once you look past the idea of makin’ clones.”
“No, no, didn’t you hear?” Pinkie said. “We’ve got to stop them before they rip their tails off!”
“Right, right. Sorry. I’ve been thinking too much about fighting. One of these days, ah really need to ask Elaris to make some kind of relaxation space for us to cool off a tad. Nothin’ but constant fighting to save the world.” Applejack put her hand to her head and heavily rubbed it. She had been pushing herself far too much. There was a time where she would’ve been proud of a long day’s work, but now that it was nothing but work without a single moment of relief or relaxation, it was starting to break her mind more with each battle.
“Hey, hey. It’s alright, Applejack. We’re all a little bit burnt out by this whole war with the Wolfpack. I’m surprised that Fluttershy’s not broken yet from all of this conflict.” Pinkie gently patted Applejack’s back. “She’s awfully brave to keep on going in the state the world’s in and how… well, Fluttershy Fluttershy actually is. But the way I can see it, if she keeps on being a super-duper superhero, then we have to do the same, right?”
“Y-yeah. Ah suppose.” Applejack just flashed a small grin to Pinkie. “Thanks for the pep-talk there, girl.”
“Anytime, AJ,” said Pinkie.
“So, about that guy in the samurai get-up,” Applejack said. “Who’s he?”
“Didn’t catch his name. But that’s not important. What is important, well he’s an experiment,” Ibuki explained. “Been infused with Makamou genetics. That’s why he’s able to command those Bakeneko. ...but the thing is, all Makamou come in pairs. There’s a Hime out there as well, with our armored friend being the Douji of the two.”
“Great, so there’s two of those rascals to find and fight?” Applejack asked, throwing up her hands in defeat.
“Not to worry,” Ibuki said, pulling out what looked to be little CDs from a briefcase, tapping each one. They all came to life, shifting to the forms of various animals. Wolves, crabs, snakes, apes and hawks. He then pulled out his phone, dialing a number. “...you leave the Hime to me. Time to go hunting. Best part of being part of an organization… you’re never alone.”
Todoroki rushed past, his guitar in hand.
“...guess our Douji doesn’t like to hide, does he?” Ibuki remarked with a wry smile. “You leave this to us, okay? This is what we’re best at.”
“You sure? I mean, we can lend you a ha—”
“Please. For your sake. Stay right there and rest,” Asumu urged as he made a pushing-hand gesture. “You’ve been through far too much with the Wolfpack. You need some rest. A warrior’s death will be swifter, should he overwork himself.”
“But… what about you?” Applejack asked, tilting her head. “Are you sure you’re gonna be alright out there?”
“We’ll be fine,” Ibuki said with a little salute, before chuckling. Huh, it seemed Hibiki had rubbed off on him more than he’d thought.
In a parking garage below ground, he found them. Todoroki slashed and struck at the monster with his guitar, feedback squealing out from the instrument.
“Well, well, well. This is an unusual predicament now, isn’t it?” Said a venomous voice as a samurai draped in yellow and black clothing stepped out of the shadows. He -though it was hard to tell thanks to his female voice- had a large pair of bee’s wings on his back with a sword tucked away in a traditional japanese katana scabbard. He stomped forward a few paces and brought his hand down towards the scabbard. “Whatever happened to the Rangers? I was stationed here because I was guaranteed to crush those teenage girls. But instead, I get you?”
“Yes, funny how that works isn’t it?” Todoroki said. “Guess your audience is a bit wider than you thought! Have to say though, your song is pretty crap though. You’re going to have to take a lesson from a master. Let me show you how to put on a real concert!”
“Sharp talking. Just the way I like them,” he sniggered. “But you should know. The Wolfpack is a hornet’s nest you really don’t want to kick. We’ve proven that we are and always will be the dominant force. What hope do you have against us?” He taunted.
“Man, all I wanted to do was put on a little show for you,” Todoroki sighed before shrugging and planting his boot into the monster’s chest plate, kicking him away. “...oh well, an oni can dream eh?”
He slammed the tip of his weapon into the concrete, before holding up his wrist. On it, a bracelet with a roaring oni face. Flipping the face up, Todoroki ran his finger across the strings beneath it in a quick, furious motion and thunder cracked as lightning split the sky. A jagged bolt ripped through the air as it became thick with ozone, and like Susanoo himself had blessed the man, he was transformed.
The samurai took a step back in shock. This was not something he had seen before. Still. One deep breath later and he returned his hand to the handle of his sword. He was Wolfpack. He was supreme. He wasn’t going to be pushed around by some man who looked like a human guitar. He stood there in wait, as if anticipating Todoroki’s movements and preparing a counterattack.
“Kamen Rider Todoroki, at your service,” Todoroki properly introduced himself, before ripping his guitar out of the ground. Striking at the monster, metal met metal with a loud clang, as sparks flew from two weapons meeting.
“Bee-Ware, from Wolfpack Regiment X-207I, at your service.” The warrior now replied as his blade was now visible. Like everything else about him, it was a yellow and black-striped katana with an exceptionally sharp tip that looked like it could puncture anything. “Not that you’ll be alive long enough to remember all that.”
Another swing of the swords had the same result. Metal blade striking metal blade with neither side backing down for anything. Bee-Ware and Todoroki had a couple more clashes, until finally Todoroki pushed Bee-Ware backwards, causing the aphid warrior to slide on the balls of his feet a few inches backwards.
Bee-Ware let out a roar of rage before slashing forwards, and Todoroki rolled behind a car to dodge the strike. He then kicked the car forwards, pinning Bee-Ware to a wall.
“Ooh, you’re feisty, aren’t you?” He chuckled as he brought the sword straight down onto the roof of the car. With enough force, it was able to split the vehicle in half. He then lunged forward towards Todoroki with the tip of his blade poised and ready to pierce straight through the armour of his foe like a humble bee would sting its prey. This attempt was thwarted, however, when Todoroki bent over backwards and swept Bee-Ware’s legs, knocking the foe to the ground.
“Guess you could say I’m really striking a chord with you,” Todoroki said, picking Bee-Ware up and tossing him through a concrete wall. He leapt into the hole, blocking Bee-Ware’s blade with his axe. “Going to cause a few fender benders, I’d say!”
He punched Bee-Ware in the stomach, making him stagger before striking at the monster with his axe.
“And no, none of those are frets,” Todoroki said, the single horned oni barely holding back a laugh at his own cleverness. “They’re promises.”
“Nngh…” Bee-Ware groaned as he leered at his opponent. “Right then. You wanna play the game like that, do you?” He tilted his head to the side, hearing a creaking noise as he did so. “Well, if that’s the case, then perhaps it’s time I stop being friendly as well.”
He threw his arms to the side and did some kind of ritual, making striking motions with his hands as if dancing. “Jabingudagā no mure!” And as he spoke those words, the sounds of thousands of rushing bees came to his aid; each of them shining a very faint shade of gold. “Come on then, little man. See what your tool can do against this.”
“...pretty sure there are cartoon supervillains more creative than you,” Todoroki said with a drawl. “Bees, really? Amazons Attack already did the deadly bee weapon bit. And I hated that comic.”
“Comic? COMIC?! WE DO NOT USE COMICS TO MAKE OUR ARMIES!” Bee-Ware, offended with that remark, just dashed forward and attacked Todoroki with both a combination of his sword and his now obedient swarm of insects, so that it looked like he was attacking from six different sides at once.
“Damn!” Todoroki swore as he tried his best to fend off the attacks, but the way that the swarm was hitting him was making him lower his guard as he tried to focus on multiple areas at the same time. With a final kick to the chest, Bee-Ware launched Todoroki into one of the cars, which instinctively made its alarm blare.
“...Right,” Todoroki said as he clutched his chest in pain. “Mental note, don’t agitate the supervillain.”
He rolled to the left as Bee-Ware stuck again, slashing the car in half. Todoroki struck at his legs, drawing blood before Bee-Ware spun on his feet kicking Todoroki in the face.
“...I’ve grown bored with you,” Bee-Ware said before snapping his fingers, and with unholy yowls out came the bakenekos. “Time to let the cats out.”
And as he said that, the cat creatures burst through the walls leaving debris in their wake as they stood by Bee-Ware like loyal guardians. The clones only had one tail, while the main cat they all spawned from still had a few tails left to spare.
Todoroki winced in pain, before picking up his guitar. He still had blood to spare. “Where is everyone?” He asked. “Ibuki, hope you’re done with the Hime…”
“Really? Is this all you’ve got? Pah!” Bee-Ware chuckled to himself. “I expected a challenge, but you sorely disappointed Todoroki-San. Oh well, guess it can’t be helped.”
He raised his hand ready to have his ‘pets’ go to work on him. The cats all pounced at Todoroki; claws ready to strike and seal his fate.
Only for a pillar of earth to burst from the ground and smash the cats into another wall. They limply tumbled to the ground, fidgeted around, and locked their eyes on the person who did that. And sure enough, they saw Applejack and Pinkie, fully dressed up and ready to fight. The first thing that they did was scurry over to Todoroki and get him back on his feet.
“You okay there, pardner?” Applejack asked.
“...you should be in bed,” Todoroki said, taking the outstretched hand, and was helped up. “Asumu said it himself, you’re both exhausted.”
“Exhausted doesn’t mean we’re throwing in the towel like that, Todie. The party doesn’t stop because you’re pooped. It only stops when it stops.” Pinkie said as she cocked both of her mini-cannons ready for a fight.
“You’re both insane, anyone ever tell you that right?”
“Trust me. If you’ve seen the stuff we’ve seen, you’d think that we’re perfectly fine.” Applejack said as she brandished her Terra Hammer out at the cats and their leader. “Believe me. This ain’t our first rodeo gig. Never was when those aliens came running.”
Todoroki only mouthed ‘toadie?’ as he watched the two Rangers get to work.
“GET THEM!” Bee-Ware just scowled as he threw his finger forward, which made the cats hiss and charge in on both Applejack and Pinkie again.
Pinkie met the first cats head on by punching them square in their bellies as they came careening towards her; each punch accompanied by a blast from her cannons. Anything else was being struck by Applejack, who was swirling her hammer around and knocking whatever came her way to the side. And when some cats managed to clamp themselves onto her, she slammed the end of her hammer into the ground which caused stones to burst out of the ground like bullets and stagger them off of her body.
“Y’know, all we need is some kind of laser pointer and all of this is over, right?” Joked Pinkie as she gave one of the feral cats a violent belly rubbing, simultaneously pinning it to the ground and scraping its backside at the same time.
“Yeah. But ah don’t think Japan’s made laser-pointers that deal with an invading alien army’s cats yet.” Applejack said as she played croquet using one of the cats as a ball. Knocking it away with her hammer into a pair of other cats, all three of the clones fell in a limp pile. After which, Applejack bounded up and brought said hammer crashing down on top of the pile. But in eliminating the pile of cats, the tails came out of the calamity unharmed and detached. They morphed into more clones and stood defiantly before Applejack and Pinkie.
Then, shots rang out as from the shadows, out stepped Kamen Rider Ibuki. His gun was in hand. Resting it atop his shoulder, he said: “...well, I suppose it couldn’t be helped. You tell the kids to keep themselves in bed, and watch what happens. Honestly, you two are as stubborn as Hibiki.”
“The Hime?” Todoroki asked.
“Dealt with. Just another day on the job,” Ibuki confirmed as he turned his gaze on the bakeneko and Bee-Ware. “Now for them.”
“More allies? Good. Good! Give me a challenge!” Bee-Ware deliriously grinned as he turned his gaze towards Ibuki. “Bring all the friends you want, Power Rangers, because it won’t do you any good!”
The winds howled and lashed through the concrete tunnels as Ibuki began to be surrounded by a whirlwind before emerging from it -boot aimed in a diving kick- with sharp blue armor. Ibuki kicked Bee-Ware, making him stagger back, before firing several tracking shots into the monster’s armor.
He went for his belt, Ibuki attaching the buckle to his gun to form a trumpet. Ibuki shouted: “Ongeki Sha: Shippū Issen!”
Going for his trumpet, he blew into it.The sound ripped through the garage. Then, the armor shattered, and fell to the floor. Bee-Ware snarled in rage. But then Todoroki shoved his axe into his stomach. “Ongeki Zan: Raiden Gekishin!”
Todoroki played a rippling guitar solo, the air heavy with ozone. Bee-Ware stagged, Ibuki letting out a bark of: “Now, Rangers!”
“Ready, Pinks?” Applejack fist-pumped.
“Ready, AJ!” Pinkie replied with her own fist-pump.
“Pink Rollers!” Pinkie announced as wheels appeared on her feet. She sped behind Bee-Ware while he was still staggered.
“Earthsplit Arrows!” Applejack called out as she raised her weapon up high and transformed it into her bow, with her quiver materialising on her back. She took an arrow and loaded it into her bow, drawing back as far as she could.
Applejack fired her arrow and Pinkie charged in on Bee-Ware simultaneously. Both the arrow and the barrage of confetti from Pinkie’s mini-cannons struck Bee-Ware square in his chest and back.
“Twin Collision!” Pinkie and Applejack both called out at the same time as an explosion engulfed Bee-Ware whole, with Pinkie emerging from the fireball as gracefully as an overly-peppy teenage girl on rollerskates could.
Bee-Ware staggered back, before falling backwards in an explosion. Then, he erupted as he grew massive ripping through the roof of the garage. “Hahahaha, at this size I could take over all of Japan, and instill myself as Emperor! Goodbye Naruhito, hello Bee-Ware! Then I’d have my own army of samurai!”
“Wh-what?!” Applejack looked at the monstrous titan that was Bee-Ware. “Elaris! We’ve got a problem! This monster just went super-sized, but it’s not a Wolfpack wolf!”
“What?” Elaris sounded shocked on the other end of the communication. “But how? Unless they’re being amplified by some kind of technology, there’s no way that Bee-Ware could super-size like that. This is bad. Have the Wolfpack managed to crack the threshold restraining their other non-wolf troops?”
“She’s got it! No longer is it just the wolves who have the ability to Feral Fury now!” the samurai said, slicing the tops off skyscrapers with one long beam from his blade. “Try and stop me now!”
He began to march towards the center of town, helpless people on subway trains screaming as he looked in on them.
“...and they say he’s got to go…” Todoroki whispered before asking Ibuki: “You don’t think we can phone Shiratori-San and ask for the Dekarangers’ robos do you?
“Calling Bull Zord!” Applejack declared with a throw of her hand.
“Calling Kangaroo Zord!” Pinkie also replied as she tossed her hand to the side.
And like that, two giant mechanical animals collided with the earth and flourished before Bee-Ware. Applejack and Pinkie barrelled out of the car park and leapt inside, locking themselves into their cockpits and taking hold of the controls as they stared down the monstrous bee-samurai monster.
“Taking care of Bee-siness are you?” Bee-Ware laughed, slashing with his sword only for the Kangaroo Zord to drop kick him in the face. The Bull Zord took advantage of his confusion and rammed him.
“At least he ain’t got no more special tricks when he’s a giant.” Applejack remarked as she readied for another charge. “Pinkie, you ready to curbstomp this jerk?”
Pinkie’s zord was sent flying by a kick from the monster. The Kangaroo Zord tumbled and fell along the road. A few bounces later and the mammal got back onto its’ hind legs and bounded back to the fight.
“Hey, did you see the number of that truck?” A dazed Pinkie Pie asked from inside the mech.
“I’ll give him his number!” Applejack shouted charging to the left to avoid a sword slash, and toppled the samurai by slamming head first into his legs.
“Nngh… Irksome little…” Bee-Ware jabbed the tip of his sword at Applejack trying to stab her bull in the head. But instead, all that his sword poked through was the ground below, down through some pipes and plates of the earth. “Stay still!”
“So you can stab me?” Applejack asked. “Now do I look that dumb? Do I look like an ig-no-rain-moose?”
“Ignoramus.” Bee-Ware corrected.
“Don’t you use your fancy grammar to muddy the issue!” Applejack said ramming him again. “Now speaking of mud, let me stomp a mudhole in your ass!”
“Language.” Bee-Ware tutted as he swept the ground with his sword. Sure enough, it clipped the feet of Applejack’s Zord and toppled it. “Not so brave now, are you?”
“Aw, shut up!” Applejack said as Pinkie smashed her zord’s feet into Bee-Ware’s face again and again. But again, both were tossed into the air. Then, from out of nowhere came a screech as the Phoenix Zord’s claws grabbed hold of Applejack’s zord, while Rainbow’s zord grabbed Pinkie’s by the scruff of its neck.
“Sweet!” Pinkie grinned as she looked at the cavalry of Zords coming to her and Applejack’s rescue. “You’re here!”
“And right on time too, by the looks of it,” Sunset said as she watched Applejack’s zord get back onto its feet ready to keep fighting. “We would’ve got here sooner, but those Twister Sisters didn’t exactly make it easy for us over in Thailand…”
“Especially since they were just three little girls with freaky world-spinning powers. I’d tell you all about it, but I’d rather not think about spinning things anymore today,” said Rainbow Dash.
Then several lightning bolts ripped through the air as the Hydra Zord fired upon Bee-Ware. “Lightning Blast Fever!” called Twilight from inside her cockpit.
“Sorry we took so long, but soon as Elaris clued us in as to what was happening…” Rarity said from inside her zord. “Honestly darling? A samurai? Those are so last century, not fabulous at all!”
Bee-Ware let out a roar charging forwards, blade drawn through the rubble. But all the Zords circled around behind him, tackling the monster to the ground. The earth shook with the force of it all, but soon Bee-Ware forced them off.
“...This guy’s starting to get on my last nerve!” Rainbow grumbled.
“How can it bee your last nerve, Dashie? You’ve only just met him,” Pinkie chimed in. “Personally, he’s on my last nerve. But that’s probably bee-cause I’ve seen him longer.”
“Not the puns..” Rarity and Twilight groaned in unison.
“Can we just blow this guy sky high already?” Rainbow exclaimed.
“I’ll blow YOU sky-high!” Bee-Ware declared as he twirled his blade in a circular motion, sending a shockwave-ring that expanded out, cutting through everything it touched.
“Nothing we do phases this guy!” Sunset said, letting a fire blast fly. A thought sprung to her. “Elaris, do you think it possible we can combine all of our zords, including Twilight’s?”
“It does seem possible. I’m not seeing any incompatibilities on my end,” Elaris replied. “Why not, girls? Give it a go and see what you can come up with.”
“Wow, I was expecting more complications or something,” Rainbow said. “...Like us needing a software update or something…”
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Rainbow,” Rarity said before facepalming as she remembered who they shared the room with, so to speak.
“Hey!” Sunset said.
“...sorry dear.” Rarity giggled nervously.
“Can we just get on with this?” Rainbow said. “AlphaZord combination!”
Parts shifted and moved as all seven zords began to line up and combine. Applejack’s bull served as the chest, as Sunset and Rainbow’s birds stuck themselves onto the back of the thing to create a pair of majestic wings. Pinkie’s kangaroo and Fluttershy’s bear came together to form the arms, while Rarity’s lynx and Twilight’s Hydrazord formed the feet along with a set of armor. Twin hydra heads stuck out as a pair of shoulder pauldrons. With the new zord together, the head popped out last, glowing with all the colors of the rainbow. The new weapon for this new zord was a pair of titanic swords formed from the Hydrazord’s tail, with each one just as sharp as the other. Both blades also had a hilt that shimmered with seven colours; one for each of the Rangers.
“Final Combination: Alphazord, armed and ready for battle!” the rangers called out.
“Ooh! Talk about an upgrade…” said Rarity as she looked around at the new cockpit of their Alphazord. It was glistening on all sides, as if the entire team were operating from inside a crystal cave. The seven terminals that the girls also stood at had more options for them to fiddle around with at their leisure. It also included the same slots for each of their weapons that their previous Zords had, though it looked more like they could be put into the pillar of the terminal, rather than rammed in it.
“A new machine?” Bee-Ware tilted his head as he stared at the new mech standing before him.
“Well then, this should provide some more of that data that poncy scientist is always prattling on about,” He sniggered as he pointed the tip of his blade at the Alphazord. “Come at me, Rangers!”
He slashed at the Megazord as it advanced forwards, only for his blade to break at the third strike. Remnants of his sword tumbled to the ground, landing with a cacophony of clatters. All that was left was the jagged points that still remained of his—now shortened—blade..
“Our turn,” Sunset said, drawing the Mega Swords, before raising them above the Alphazord’s head, and bringing them down. As she did so, a constellation glowed in the sky above, before infusing the swords with glowing stellar energy. “Alphazord: Cassiopeia Strike!”
From head to toe, Bee-Ware was sliced. Cleaved in millions of different patterns, shredded to ribbons. Even the miniscule parts of him that remained were carved up. A tremendous explosion came after that, and the Alphazord stood proudly over the flaming remains of its foe.
“Rangers, this hunt is over…”
Later, Ibuki returned to the house of the Man and the Woman.
“So you’re not dead,” the Man said.
“...what a shame,” said the Woman.
“Yes, well, things happen. I did tell you I’d return though.” said Ibuki casually. Both the Man and the Woman were on edge.
“...what are you plotting?”
“I plotted nothing,” said Ibuki as from out of nowhere both kappa and bakeneko appeared and surrounded the couple. Two cloaked figures, one in white and the other in black also appeared. “I did inform, though. Turns out, your creations aren’t happy that you plotted their eventual starvation.”
“You’re not going to save us?” said the Man. “You really are a demon!”
“No, the true demons are those who turn their back on their children. You call yourselves human, but how many times have you plotted your own race’s destruction? You’ve raised these creatures from birth just to kill your fellow man for the gods only know how long. You’re worse than trash, I almost hope you give your children indigestion,” said Ibuki as he left the area, and screams filled the air.
Night fell over the forests of Japan, and the rangers had been alerted to a strange energy signature by Elaris. There were voices ahead.
“...least a week before they manage to sort this out.”
The Rangers readied their weapons.
“Put your hands where I can see…” Applejack ordered said as the Rangers stepped out of the gloom. Her eyes widened as a sickenly familiar wolf was visible. Though it couldn’t be, he was… But yet he stood in front of them, as if it was a dream. “Mar’Zek?”
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After a certain point the other heroes need to step up, the entire world is under threat and has been invaded. The fact that almost no one has been helping the girls and they apparently have been there the entire time kinda rubs me the wrong way, especially the Dekarangrs.
10276482
To be entirely fair to the Oni, they've got problems of their own half of the time given they can't leave Japan. The Dekarangers, space cops so there's a whole universe out there.
Now why Shadow didn't mention this even though he should have, I envisioned this canon to take place post-Zi-O, meaning all of the Rider seasons are separate worlds again. So no Kuuga or anyone else just popping in to kick Mar'Zek out of existence. Good god, I both love and hate this. I love this for storytelling purposes meaning I can pick and choose what I want to use, but good god I hate it as it makes an already messy canon even messier.
10276650
Then what about Space Sharif Gavin? If my understanding of Dekaranger is correct they are in in same universe as Dekaranger. You would think a group of planetary robbers would have one of them keeping an eye on things. The Mane 7 had things under control until the Feral Five made their move. At that point they should have received backup. Hopefully the girls will call out with group if they meet in the end.
Note this is more about characters on the sidelines not stepping up when things go pear shaped then the quality of this story. Which has been very high and very enjoyable.
10276693
It's a big universe, they can't be everywhere at once.
10276869
Looks at the Green Lantern’s and Jedi Order and hang my head in shame. Every policing force that is on a galactic scale just seem to be complete failures don’t they? Only showing up after everything is taken care of or monumentally messes everything up.
10276878
To be fair to both of those, the problem there was less with the size of the area they had to patrol and more problems with the high command. Both were corrupt in some manner, not to mention both the Guardians and the Council hated emotions despite... well, it being a known fact that you can't completely wipe out emotion in some manner. It backfired with Anakin becoming Vader and Hal going Parallax.
The Space Sheriffs are less corrupt -well, apart from one instance in Gokaigers- and more understaffed it seems at times. I'm not sure they're as big as other organizations of this type. Add to that the universe being simply massive -like, that cannot be understated- and well...
10277006
Nice
Mha anyone?