MLP: Chaos is Evolution

by Garebel

Chapter 14: The Coming D, Part 1: The Hidden Powers of Masks

Author's Note:

Ok, I have written out a new chapter now. For how fast I got back to it, I thank Studio Yukari on YouTube and their version of Takuma Terashima’s nameless story for inspiring me to get back to write this story.

Starlight Nova also offered the use of their OC, Arachno, to me so they deserve some credit, don’t worry, I actually do plan to make her show for real in the next chapter, but I think it might be better to show this chapter now to the public.

I only own my SI-OC self & Tri-Seer, who is actually what Cursed Sight renamed himself as to indicate his rebirth into a new life, everything else belongs to their respective owners.

-Garebel’s current sleeping quarters-

Garebel was currently stretched out in his bed, lost in thought. Only two days had passed since the Absent Silhouette had appeared and been defeated.

“Dang it, me!” He said to himself. He was trying to find a way to thank everypony for allowing him to stay and also help prepare them for the Seal’s reemergence. Everypony has a Duel Disk, now, so the Pokémon he had to help with the process is basically hanging outside. “Ok, I’m going outside. Maybe I can think of something, then.” He spoke before going outside.

-Ponyville-

As he wandered though Ponyville though, he couldn’t find any ideas. He already struck weapons out, they seemed fine in that front, plus the Duel Disks were more meant for protection. He was frowning to himself as he looked on the ground, unable to see where he was going.

“Omph!” was heard as Garebel bumped into someone without looking. He shook his head, before looking up.

“Dartz!” Garebel yelled out, recognizing who he bumped into.

“Ow! Do you pay attention!?” Dartz yelled, angry at Garebel.

“Not often enough…” Garebel said, sweatdropping. He did however help Dartz pick up the thing he dropped.

“What were you doing, wandering about?” Dartz asked Garebel.

“To be honest, I was trying to think off a few ideas…” Garebel started only to notice something. “Why were you carrying a mask around?” He asked, referring to a strange wooden mask that he found.

“I have been studying Zebra Magic from Zecora to understand it better. She actually had me carved that out, because apparently, the mask a young one carved out by themselves determined what sort of Magic they can use. At one point, there was even a mask that had powers of its own, though it destroyed itself because said power was too much for it hold.” Dartz explained, causing Garebel to think about it, before realizing something.

“THAT’S IT!” Garebel shouted, startling the ponies nearby. “Thank you, Dartz! I finally thought of something.” He said before dashing back to his current residence.

-Improvised Factory-

When he entered, he rushed to the factory part, isolated just the forge, and pulled out a large clear container, showing a sliver liquid contained within. Garebel then gently placed it on the floor, before pulling out a metallic mask. It was oddly shaped more meant for a humanoid, and had tubes sticking to the sides of the mouthpiece. It had a visor that one could see though, though there was the addition of a few lenses above the visor. Garebel then awkwardly tried to put the mask on, but it was left balancing on his horn. He sighed, before a bright flashed happened, starting him. When it died down, his mask had changed, somehow becoming more form fitting.

“Well, this is interesting…” He mused, a hint of a mechanical tone present in his voice. He shook his head, before refocusing and starting on his new goal.

-A day later, Ponyville Library-

“Great……” Twilight groaned, reading a new letter from Celestial that Spike just gave to her.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” Spike asked, not having read the letter.

“Arachno is coming.” She said, causing Spike to tense up.

“HER!?” He growled out, remembering the last time they met.

“Yeah, She was on her way from the Night Demon tribe to the Merponies to engage in talks with them.” Twilight said, remembering what she knows about both tribes. The merponies are simply ponies adapted to underwater life, while the Night Demons are descended from a half-demon half-Pony hybrid that secretly hid themselves a few years into the Princess’ reign. They revealed themselves only recently after the RMH’s fall, because they were thought to be mutants.

The first Night Demon Twilight and Spike met just happened to be Arachno, who didn’t make a favorable impression at all. Not only did she introduce herself as the ‘smartest being in the universe’ (something Twilight doubts herself) but she also was the cruelest as well. Spike, as Dragon Knight, secretly overheard from a window that she had planned to take over the world several times already, but met with failure each time.

“We got to warn Garebel about her.” Spike said to Twilight, who nodded before they both ran off.

-Improvised Factory-

When Spike and Twilight entered, they were surprised at what they saw.

Piles of silver masks were carefully stacked on top of one another. Every pile had a bunch of masks all identical to the ones in the same pile, but when compared with a mask from a different pile, is drastically different from the others. They heard a snore before looking at each other and nodded. Heading towards the source, they found Garebel snoozing on the floor, still wearing his mask and another nearby gently glowing.

“Think you can wake him up?” Twilight, recognizing Garebel right away, asked Spike who nodded before approaching the glowing mask. “What are you…?” She asked, more to herself than the mask. She gently lifted it up into the air with her levitation spell, and put it on her face. Next thing she knew there was a bright light and the mask disappeared. “What in Celestia’s name?” Twilight said, before she spotted her reflection in a container which has a quarter full of a sliver liquid inside it. She gasped in surprise, as the mask she thought had disappeared was on her face, adapted to fit comfortably. It had also changed from being sliver colored to matching her own mane in color. She would have gone into a panic attack, if Garebel didn’t choose that moment to wake up.

“ugggghhhhh…I forgot what happens when I work all night.” He spoke after waking up. Seeing Spike, he spoke. “Hey, Spike, what’s up? Is Twilight around…” He trailed off, seeing Twilight wearing the mask. “Well, that makes things easier, seeing as I was already planning on giving the Kanohi Hau to you.”. Garebel said, confusing Twilight and Spike.

“Kanohi Hau? I don’t know what that is but can you find a way to remove this mask from me?” Twilight asked in a worried tone.

”The Kanohi Hau, the Great Mask of Shielding IS the mask you’re wearing. And it’s actually simple.” He explained before lifting his fore hooves to his head and place them on the sides of his mask. He then gently removed his mask, quite easily. Mimicking him, Twilight removed her mask, surprised at how easy it was.

“That’s it? Is the mask sentient?” Twilight asked, wondering about it.

“It’s not. I’m guessing the form fitting aspect is a result of this world. My own Mask of Forging definitely didn’t have that aspect to it before.” I commented, referring to the mask I hold. “And as far as I know, there isn’t anything that limits them.” He added.

“Do you plan to give everyone these masks?” Spike added, referring to the sliver masks.

“Not really, Twilight actually has the only Kanohi I made with powers. The rest don’t. I was trying to get back into practice with them before melting them doing into masks that do have powers. Besides the Hau, I was thinking of giving the Kanohi Pakari to Rainbow Dash, Kakama for Applejack, Akaku for Rarity, and Rau for Fluttershy.” He started explained, picking up each mask type I mentioned from their respective piles to show to Twilight and Spike.

“What does those mask do with powers?” Spike asked, curious about their properties.

“The Kanohi Rau allows the user to translate and understand different languages, even those of animals.” Garebel explained, causing Twilight to nod.

“A useful thing for a animal caretaker.” Twilight said, surprised that such a power was in a mask. Garebel nodded before continuing.

“I settled on the Akaku for Rarity, mainly because the first user I met who did use was white in color, the Akaku grants X-Ray Vision, allowing to see though solid objects.” he explained though Spike did perk up at that.

“Even the ground?” He asked, causing Garebel to nod in confusion. “Rarity’s talent is actually finding jewels. Being able to see how deep something like a Diamond is buried would actually help her out there.” Spike explained, causing Garebel and Twilight to adorn looks of surprise.

“How did you learn that?” Twilight asked Spike.

“Rarity told me after one of our dates.” Spike explained, making me blink and Twilight to facehoof.

“I forgot you & her decided to date after I told you that she was a Mirror Rider, too.” Twilight explained, causing Garebel to look towards her.

“What color was her Advent Deck then?” He asked, hoping it was one he knows.

“White.” Twilight and Spike answered in unison, causing them to look at each other.

“So, the swan themed Kamen Rider Femme, then.” He mused out loud, before the duo turned to look at him.

“For some reason, I feel like Siren is a better name than Femme.” Spike said, wondering why he feels that way.

“If you say so.” Garebel said, shrugging.

“What about the pacuri and KawKawma?” Twilight asked, mispronuncing the mask names.

“It’s Pakari and Kakama, and they grant increased physical strength and increased speed, respectively.” He explained, making them confused. “I have reason to believe that one day, they will grow to the point, where the Kanohi are basically useless if I give to them the other way around. Better to give them Kanohi that would help them cover their bases, rather than give them Kanohi that would one day become useless.” He said, before shaking his head. “Out of all the Kanohi I can think of, none seemed to fit Pinkie at all, so I’m at a loss there.” He said, shaking his head. This caused Twilight to remember why they were there.

“That’s right, I forgot, Arachno, the most cruelest being I met, is coming here to Ponyville.” She said, causing Spike to facepalm at forgetting that.

“Why would this Arachno be here?” Garebel said, his voice changing from the usual goofy tone to a more serious tone and his face hardened.

“We don’t know but she is passing though on her way to negotiate with another tribe of ours.” Twilight explained, causing Garebel to frown.

“Could she be here for…?” He said, only for a knock to be heard.

“Garebel! Tri-Seer just asked me to get you. He’s escorted an ambassador, and she grew interested in you.” Rainbow Dash said, after Garebel opened the door. Garebel turned to Twilight and Spike before sighing.

“Well let’s see what she wants.” Garebel started with a frown. ‘I have a bad feeling about this.” He thought.