A Passing Through Kamen Rider: Movie Max the First: Sunset Over Zero

by thunderclap

Thieves and Mirrors

The ever present blizzard of Equestria’s northern territory raged on as the Friendship Express pulled into the station. Luckily, the line had been extended to be under the protective bubble of the Crystal Empire’s magic.

Stepping off the train was Equestria’s newest princess, Twilight Sparkle. The change to kirincorn was still sinking in for the young mare. She had no idea what her responsibilities as the Princess of Friendship would entail. Luckily, there was one thing that being a princess hadn’t changed. Despite the shift, her boyfriend, Wyatt, had been treating her like she was still the same old mare.

Wyatt stepped out after her, putting his arm around her, he graced her with a smile. “You look like you could give Fluttershy a challenge, what with all that nervous energy. Come on, you get to do that silly dance with Cadance.”

“Sorry just, this summit is reminding me what my new title could mean,” Twilight replied, sucking in a deep breath and releasing it. Leaning up, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s a lot to take in.”

“How is this any different then becoming part dragon?” Wyatt questioned, poking at her fang through her cheek. “I count only two princesses that can eat gems.”

Giggling, Twilight batted at his hand. “Becoming part dragon didn’t involve the possibility of taking part in the minutia of government. And on top of ponies looking up to my Rider side, they’re going to have expectations for the real me now.”

“Don't worry so much,” Sombra said, falling in with them. “You’ll be a better princess than anyone else, Mom.”

Looking down, Twilight found her adopted son beaming up at her “Thank you, Sombra,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “And that means you’re my little prince.”

Stepping around his son, Wyatt put his hand on his head. “If things get weird with the crystal ponies, just let us know, okay?”

Sombra nodded, his smile waning. “Okay, Dad. Do you think they’ll treat me like I’m still a bad guy?”

Wyatt kept his hand on his son’s head, searching for the right words to say. “Sombra, I won’t lie; some of the citizens might have a hard time separating you from the ruler that terrorized them. All you can do is to continue being yourself and change as many minds as you can.” Sighing, he pulled his hand away. “Just don’t be discouraged if you can’t change every mind.”

Sombra kicked a hoof, gazing off into the tundra. “But, what if they don’t want to accept me? What if no one believes I’m not him? Or what if he comes out of my head?”

“He won’t come back again,” Wyatt assured him, unshakable confidence in his voice. “That’s something you should never doubt.” Wyatt pointed to the city’s dome. “And even if he did, he couldn’t last in there.”

Nodding, Sombra stared out at the Crystal Palace. He knew that resting beneath it was both his killer and his creator. “Right, right. Just... believe.”

“It’s okay to worry,” Wyatt said, looking down at him. “And if you do, then it’s okay to share them with your mom and I. But you have to temper your worries with what you know. Is it rational to worry about a volcano springing up beneath our feet and erupting right now?”

“No,” Sombra admitted, shaking his head.

“There you go,” Wyatt praised, ruffling Sombra’s mane. “When you find yourself worrying about something, run through what you know about the situation. It helps clear your head.” Looking into his son’s eyes he added, “And if that doesn’t work then there’s us.”

“Yeah, and when your dad gets his butt kicked we’ll bail him out.” Tsukiya and Ke'alohi disembarked the train, Daring trailing behind them. “Not that I think that’ll happen, but you never know.”

Wyatt smirked, looking back at the trio. “Right back at you. If you ever need a hand after a solid thrashing, I’ll make sure you don’t croak.” Leaning back, he watched Spike carry a mound of suitcases. “Well, at least he’s taller now.”

“No need to worry about me!” Spike called, peeking his head out from behind the luggage. “This is nothing compared to Flash Fire’s training!”

Daring leaned in towards her father, watching Spike. “That kid has it bad, and she’s just stringing him along.”

“The kid’ll learn that eventually,” Tsukiya whispered back, watching Spike puff his chest out as Rarity stepped out of the train. “Until then, nothing we say to him will get through to him. Crushes like that are all consuming for teenagers.”

Raising an eyebrow, Daring regarded him skeptically. “Didn’t you date a siren?”

Tsukiya gave his daughter a flat look. “That has nothing to do with this. Adagio never strung me along.” Crossing his arms, he followed after the others, grumbling under his breath.

Ke'alohi nudged his niece, looking down at her. “Your Dad’s always been sensitive about his love life. He still snaps at me when I bring up his high school sweetheart.” Snapping his fingers, he pointed at Agito’s back. “He lost her to some jerk on the debate team.”

Daring snorted, staring after her father. “Seriously? He lost a girl to a turbo nerd?”

“Nah, if I recall, that dude had stuff going on for him. You don’t get on the debate team if you’re not persuasive.” Ke'alohi snickered, noting Tsukiya flipping him off over his shoulder. “I think that’s enough making fun of your dad.”

Daring nodded, the rest of the group filing out of the train and into the city. The crystal ponies were out and about, their reflective bodies catching the sun’s rays with multicolored light.

“Twilight!!!” Rarity’s voice called, interrupting the procession. Realizing all eyes were on her, she moved to Twilight’s side. “Oh sorry darling.” Giving a sheepish smile, she gestured to Twilight’s head. “But I just realized you weren’t wearing your crown. You haven’t forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?”

Patting a carryon held in her magic, Twilight gave her friend a reassuring smile. “No, I just decided not to put it on until the summit.” Letting the bag float behind her she added. “The crown still weighs heavy on the brow, ya know?” She chuckled slightly at her attempt at a joke.

Rarity frowned, studying the mare’s face. “Twilight, you are a princess now. Embrace it! If that were my crown, it would never come off. Such an accessory deserves to be shown off to the world! Flaunted!”

“Rarity, a crown isn’t just some accessory,” Twilight admonished, frowning at the alabaster unicorn. “It’s a symbol of a pony’s station of authority. A visual cue telling others that the one wearing it makes decisions that affect their lives.”

Rarity’s response was cut off by the blare of a pair of trumpets. Twilight’s body stiffened for a moment before recognizing what the noise was for. Looking forward, the entryway into the palace loomed above her.

A non-crystal guard stood by the doors of the crystal palace. An orange pegasus, he wore the usual armor of the day guard. “Announcing her Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight didn’t pay the guard much mind, striding into the palace. After a few more minutes of walking, she was announced again as she entered the throne room where the other three princesses were waiting.

“Twilight!” Cadance rose from her throne, almost galloping over. “I haven’t seen you since the coronation!”

Twilight smilight, engaging in her special greeting with her former foalsitter turned sister-in-law. Once the greeting was concluded, the two hugged. “Cadance! It’s great to see you too.” Looking around, her brow quirked. “Where’s Shiny?”

Cadance pulled back, leading Twilight towards Luna and Celestia. “Shining Armor is running some drills at the barracks. He’ll be back in the palace later tonight. For now, it’s just us princesses!”

Twilight nodded, chuckling weakly. “So uh, how long should I expect being called a princess to sound strange to me?”

“A few months at most, trust me, it gets weird.” Glancing at Twilight’s back, Cadance asked, “How are the wings? I know when I got my horn, it kept spasming for weeks.”

“It’s like they have a mind of their own,” Twilight answered, glancing back at the appendages with a frown. “Sometimes they unfurl for no reason and they stiffen up every time I see Wyatt step out of the shower in the morning.”

Giggling, Cadance pat Twilight’s back. “That last one is natural behavior. You’ll just have to get used to it.”

Twilight groaned, pinching her brow. “Seriously? Because it’s almost impossible to get dressed in the morning with them sticking up straight like that. Plus, I still haven’t gotten the hang of flying. I’m a master at crashing, though.”

“It’s good to see you again, Twilight.” Celestia stepped over, a warm smile on her face.

Twilight blushed, suddenly realizing what she had been saying within earshot of her mentor. Cracking a weak smile she said, “Hello, Princess. Good to see you too.”

Glancing towards the group, Celestia spread her wings. “It’s great to see you all again. Now that Twilight has arrived, there are many things we must discuss, however, the train ride here is not a short one. Please, get some rest and we’ll begin fresh in the morning.”

Wyatt nodded, stepping up to Twilight and putting an arm around her. “Let’s go claim a room and then grab a bite to eat.” Grinning, he poked one of her canines and added, “Pretty sure I saw you eyeing up the crystal walls on our way in.”

“I was not!” Twilight protested, flaring her wings. “I was just marveling at how reflective it is!”

The entire room had to stifle their laughter, even the guards cracked a smile at the outburst. Spike leaned over, patting her back.

“It’s okay Twilight, I get the urges too. It’s not too hard to get past them.”

Twilight sighed, forcing her wings to fold on her back. “Let’s just find some rooms.” Taking Wyatt and Sombra’s hands, she pushed past the rest of the group.

Wyatt and Sombra continued to chat with her as they walked down the halls, desperately trying to close her wings.

Squeezing her hand, Wyatt leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Hey, you know I was just kidding back there, right? You looked like you needed to ease some tension in front of your aunt there.”

“It’s alright, I just got a little flustered is all.” Twilight put on a weak smile, squeezing his hand. “This whole thing has me on edge.”

Wyatt flashed her a smile of his own, patting her between the wings. “Hey, you’ve got this, Twi. I can’t think of anyone who could do a better job as a princess than you. Think of all the lists and organizing you’ll get to do.”

“Yeah! You’ll solve all the princess problems in no time!” Sombra added, giving her a thumbs up.

Twilight’s smile grew, looking between the two. “Thank you two; your support has been a big help for me. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“You just being you.” Wyatt kissed her head, placing his hand on Sombra’s. “That’s all ya did. So, now that you're all pepped up, do you actually know where you're going?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, tugging Wyatt’s hand. “Yes, I do. Some of us actually paid attention during our last stay here.” Eyes forward, Twilight ushered them along, much more confident in step.

---

Night had quickly fallen over the Crystal Empire. Wyatt found himself sharing a room with Twilight. It had taken some doing, but the pair had managed to get her wings to stop unfurling without her doing and settled in for the night.

A shaft of light pierced the dark room as the door opened, only the softest of noises betraying its movement. A single soul slipped into the room, their eyes landing on Twilight’s crown. Stealthily closing the gap, the intruder reached into their cloak, removing a replica crown. Slowly, the figure lifted the real crown off the nightstand and replaced it with the fake.

Turning to leave, an outstretched foot caught their leg, resulting in a stumble and a very
feminine grunt. The disturbance woke Wyatt up, his head snapping up. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, but when they did he saw the figure picking themselves up off the floor.

“Stop right there, pal!” Wyatt boomed, jumping out of bed. “Twilight, wake up! Someone’s in our room!”

Twilight shot up, her wings unfurling as she took in the scene. “My crown! They’ve got my crown!” Jolting out of bed, she made to pounce on the thief. Her wings hampered her efforts, making her faceplant on the floor.

Where Twilight failed, Wyatt came in, tackling the figure and wrapping his arms around their cloak.

A flash of red lit the room, the figure appearing at the door. An orange unicorn stood at the door, wearing a large smirk. “Sorry, princess, but I need this more than you do.” Turning on her hoof, she made her escape.

Wyatt growled, hauling himself into a runner’s stance and taking off after the thief. “Get back here with that crown or I will kick you into the goddamn sun!”

The mare ignored him, running down the hall. A few ponies filtered into the hall, all of whom she moved around expertly.

Grunting, Wyatt summoned his belt and card case and placed them at his waist. With a few deft movements, he slotted a card into the slot and pushed the handles in. “Henshin!” he called out, the familiar silhouettes forming around him and converging. Once the armor finished forming, speed surged through Wyatt’s limbs and he rocketed towards the mare. Keeping his eyes locked on the crown, he pulled out his gun and trained it on the crook’s horn. “Stop right now or else I break your horn!”

She merely responded with a raised finger, bursting into the room at the end of the hall. “You want it back?” Holding up the crown, she stopped in front of a mirror. Drawing her hand back, she chucked it at the glass surface, only for it to pass into it. “Ooops.”

Wyatt stopped, watching the crown disappear. Gritting his teeth, he leveled his weapon between the mystery mare’s eyes. “That was a mistake. Tell me what you just did. What does that mirror do?”

“Bite me, Masqueraider.” Stepping back, the unicorn smirked as she vanished into the mirror’s surface.

“That’s Kamen Rider!” Wyatt boomed, running towards the surface of the mirror.

“Wyatt, stop!” Celestia commanded, almost shaking the walls.

Stopping dead in his tracks, Wyatt’s face came within mere centimeters of the glass. Taking a step back and turning towards the solar princess he asked, “Why’d you stop me? I was about to get Twilight’s crown back.”

Celestia shook her head, standing at the door with the rest of the group. “No, Wyatt. You were about to go rushing off into another world unprepared. Please, step away from the mirror and calm down.”

Holstering his weapon, Wyatt sucked in a deep breath. “Start explaining things, please. And if it starts sounding like you’re trying to hold information back like you usually do, I can’t promise to stay calm.”

“I’ll ignore that last part.” Ushering the group into the room, Celestia took a position in the center. “I have had many students over the last thousand years, some you know, like Spike’s father. The mare that has made off with the Element of Magic was my previous student, Sunset Shimmer.”

“What happened with Sunset?” Twilight asked, staring at the surface of the mirror. “Why would she steal my crown like that? And why would she use that mirror?”

“I regret many things, Twilight, and Sunset’s path ranks among the highest. An ambition burned inside of Sunset, one that I tried and failed to temper.” Casting a spell, a large screen appeared before them. Images passed, showing Celestia and a much younger-looking Sunset. “Her thirst for knowledge turned to one of power. Our relationship had become rocky but the breaking point came with Cadance’s arrival. Sunset confronted me afterwards, demanding I ascend her into alicornhood.” The images continued to change, with Sunset’s age increasing until the images could be from a memory as recent as a couple years ago.

“That’s not how ascension works,” Twilight commented, her muzzle scrunching up and her head turned towards her mentor. “Surely she knew that.”

“That did not dissuade Sunset.” The scene on the screen changed to that of Sunset surrounded by guards, her face contorted with rage. “When I refused, she took matters into her own hands. She was caught trying to break into the forbidden section of Canterlot Library. Heated words were exchanged and in my haste, I cast her out of the castle, thus ending her tutelage.”

“Is that why you didn’t punish me when I broke into the Starswirl section of the library?” Twilight inquired, her mind reeling from the story. “Were you afraid I’d become another Sunset if you had?”

Celestia raised her eyebrow. “The Starswirl section isn’t forbidden. Why on Equestria would I punish you for entering it?”

Spike leaned in towards Twilight’s ear and whispered, “Told you.”

“If I can continue.” Celestia dismissed the screen, turning to the mirror. “The last time I saw Sunset, she fled through the mirror, some fifteen years ago.”

“Fifteen years?” Twilight repeated, returning her attention towards the mirror. “Princess, Sunset didn’t look like she had aged nearly that much.”

“One of Starswirls greatest creations,” Celestia elaborated, placing her hand on the mirror's side. “A permanent portal to another world; only open for three days every year. I don’t claim to know how it all works, but it seems time there passes slower than here.”

Tsukiya, Ke'alohi and Wyatt all stared at Celestia in disbelief. Ke'alohi wound up being the one to break the silence. “Tia, you’ve had a portal to another world this whole time, knowing that us three are from another world; why wouldn’t you tell us about it sooner?”

“Because the world it connects to is but a reflection of this one.” Celestia traced a finger over the surface, which rippled like water. “I know not it’s true nature, but every non-human in this world has a human counterpart there. It would have been nothing but a mockery to the three of you.”

Wyatt sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll let that one go for now. There’s more important questions to ask given our limited time window. If Sunset’s goal is to become a princess, why would she steal Twilight’s crown?”

“It’s the Element of Magic duh.” Dash stifled a yawn, her mane a bedridden mess. “She took it so she can do magic stuff.”

“But how would it work for her?” Spike chimed in, looking between everyone. “When I tried using your Element, Dash, it wouldn’t work. Does Sunset not know about that?”

“Yeah, and you didn’t have magic, did you?” Dash shot back, giving him a look. Pushing a sleeve up, she cracked her knuckles. “Let’s go kick her ass and get Twilight’s crown back!”

“I cannot let you do that,” Celestia cut in, putting a hand up to stop Rainbow Dash. “I feel that it would be best to minimize how many go through the portal as possible. That lowers the risk of any of you encountering your counterparts.”

“That’s on top of the Equestria needing the majority of its defenders,” Luna added, moving to her sister's side. “We need most of you here, not on the other side of a portal.”

“I’m going through that portal,” Wyatt stated firmly, looking between the princesses. “I had several chances at taking Sunset down. I need to do my part to make up for my mistake. And if you try to stop me, I’ll just go Kabuto and superspeed my way out of your perception.”

“I have to go.” Twilight stepped up to the portal, gazing at her shimmering reflection. “It’s my crown, my Element. I have to be the one to get it back.”

“Very well,” Celestia stated, lowering her arm. “I wish you luck in completing your task. Remember, you have three days to come back with the crown. Or else you have to wait for over a year to return.”

“Ke'alohi and I will stay here.” Grabbing Daring’s shoulder, Tsukiya gave her a light push. “I elect my ever-adventurous daughter to go in our stead.”

Daring shrugged, staring at the mirror. “A chance to see human versions of ponies I know; sure, why not?” With a nod, she phased through Celestia. “I’ll see you guys on the other side.” Without another word, Daring stepped through the portal.

Twilight and Wyatt decided to follow her example, starting to walk through the glass surface.

“Hey! I’m coming too!” Spike broke into a run, ignoring the various calls to stop. He jumped through, not wanting to be stopped with magic. He crashed into Wyatt and Twilight, the trio tumbling through the portal with shouts in similar states of panic.

---

Twilight groaned, her senses finally returning after what felt like a momentary lapse. Her vision blurred for a moment longer, grey dominating her field of view. After a few blinks, she noticed that she was staring at concrete.

“Spike, did you really have to run into us?” She asked, pushing herself to her knees. “I didn’t want to eat concrete today.”

“Whoa,” Spike commented, his voice coming from behind her. “Twi, you uh, look different.”

Twilight frowned, dusting her hands off. “What are you talking about, Spike? I’m the same old Twilight nothing is...” her words trailed off, her eyes stuck on her purple, furless hands.

Twilight waved the appendages in front of her face, desperately trying to see if she could ruffle fur of any kind. She turned her attention downward, finding that her very clothes had changed. Her breathing became shallow and she touched her face frantically. Not only did she not find any fur, but any trace of a muzzle was gone and a nose similar to Wyatt’s had taken its place. In that moment, Twilight’s mind broke and all she could do was scream.

“Hey, being human isn’t so bad,” Wyatt assured, getting to his feet. A slight shift in his voice made him frown. “Did-did my voice unbreak?” Looking down, he found a lankier version of his body instead of the defined muscle he had spent so long building up. “What the hell happened to me?!” he shouted, his voice cracking at the end.

“Hey, calm down!” Daring hissed, clamping her hand over Twilight’s mouth. Like Twilight, she had become human as well, retaining her mane and coat colors. Much the same as Wyatt, it appeared she had become younger as well. “Don’t make a damn scene!”

The chiding seemed to have the desired effect, Twilight’s pupils returning to their normal size. Pulling the hand off her mouth, she gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, a sudden species shift was a little hard to process. How are you dealing with this so well?”

Daring gave her a cheeky smile. “Twilight, I died remember? This is nothing.” Pulling the two to their feet, she glanced at Spike. “You okay, scales?”

“I think so,” Spike said, flexing his newfound fingers and looking himself up and down. “Being around ponies all my life did make me wonder what it was like to be a mammal.” Poking his own arm he added, “It’s even squishier than I imagined.” His clothes had changed as well, leaving him in black jeans and a purple hoodie sporting green flame designs. “Kinda bummed about losing the clothes Rarity made me though.”

“They’ll probably come back when we go back through.” Twilight took stock of her own clothes, a baby blue blouse and purple skirt. “We have to focus on finding Sunset before the portal closes.”

“I think there’s something else we should do first,” Wyatt chimed in, shoving his hands in his pockets. “All of us have gone through some major body changes. I think we need to make sure our Rider powers still work while we look like this.”

“Where are we supposed to do that?” Spike questioned, adjusting his hoodie. “I mean, do you know your way around here?”

Wyatt sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I dunno, somewhere secluded and with a ton of space.” Looking around, he groaned when he discovered what they were standing in front of. “I hate to say it, but I think we should head into this high school.”

“Never been to a high school before,” Spike commented, tossing up a trio of medals. “I kinda remember going to one of Shining’s hoofball games but not much else.”

“It has its ups and downs,” Wyatt relented, taking Twilight’s hand and leading them towards the doors. “But I know I won’t be in any hurry to get stuck here.” Stepping inside, he found himself reminded of his high school years.

There were teenagers of every color milling about the halls, none of them seeming to take notice of him and his friends yet. His eyes trailed across the hall, looking for any sign of a secluded place for them.

Glancing around, Spike waved at a few passing students. “Geez, Celestia was right, these guys are human versions of ponies back home. Look!” he pointed to a guy who was a dead ringer for Thunderlane. “This is creeping me out.”

“We can worry about that later, kid,” Daring admonished, glaring at a few students she noticed were whispering about her. “Right now we’ve got to get our lay of the land.” Stopping at a classroom, she peeked inside. “Alright, this one’s empty, let's get in and get out.”

The group nodded, ducking into the empty room as discreetly as they could. Twilight hesitated, a pair of voices reaching her ears. One was familiar, something she heard on a daily basis. Moving closer, she could make out words.

“I-I’m sorry,” a soft tone spoke, words like soft notes. “I didn’t think it was yours. I thought giving it to the principal was the right thing to do.”

“Of course that crown was mine!” the other voice hissed, a metallic slam following it. “You’re so pathetic. No wonder only stray animals want to be your friend.”

“I-I’m sorry...” the first repeated, trailing off into a whimper.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the other voice mocked. “Is that all you know how to say?”

Clenching her fists, Twilight rounded the corner. “Don’t talk to people like that! What the hay is wrong with you?”

“What did you say?” The owner of the hostile voice spun on their heel, revealing themselves to be a human version of Sunset Shimmer. “I can speak to anyone any way I please.” Sneering at the girl she had been yelling at, she pushed past Twilight. “Remember that.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed, her hand snapping forward and grabbing Sunset’s arm. “I’m not done talking to you, Sunset. Wha-”

Sunset wretched her arm free, shoulder checking Twilight into the lockers. “Don’t touch me!” Pulling back, she resumed her walk and vanished into the bustle of students.

Before Twilight could vent her frustrations, the soft voice chimed in. “I can’t believe you just did that!”

Turning her head, Twilight was greeted by the sight of a human Fluttershy. Keeping her surprise in check, she gave the girl a smile. “I couldn’t just let her talk to you like that. No one should be treated like they’re nothing.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” the other Fluttershy started, examining Twilight quizzically. “Did you transfer to Canterlot High from another school?”

“Yeah that’s right.” Twilight nodded, racking her brain for a name. “My brother and I just transferred from uh... Fenrir High!”

Fluttershy’s eyes lit up, smiling at Twilight. “I’ve heard of that school! It’s supposed to be very prestigious! Is he an athlete? Are we getting a former Direwolf for our school?”

“Uh…” Twilight’s mind reeled, not having expected to have named a real school. “Oh no! He’s a freshman. Not to mention he’s far too much into reading comics and cooking to play sports.” ‘Please buy that! Please, please, please just accept that answer!’

Fluttershy nodded, deflating a little. “Too bad, our teams could’ve used someone that meets Direwolf standards. Still, your brother sounds interesting.”

“Oh, he’s a handful alright.” Clearing her throat, Twilight gesticulated. “I overheard you saying you found something. It wouldn’t happen to be a crown, would it?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “That’s right, how did you know?”

Twilight rubbed her neck. “Just a lucky guess. How did you find it? That girl doesn’t seem like the kind to just leave her things around.”

“Oh, it just sort of hit me in the back of the head while I was handing out fliers for the animal shelter I volunteer at,” Fluttershy explained, playing with her hair. “People don’t usually throw things at me so I was confused for a little bit. When I saw that there was no one laughing at me for getting hurt, I grabbed it and turned it in to Principal Celestia.”

“Right, that was probably a good decision,” Twilight acknowledged, rubbing her shoulder. “Do you know where the Principal is now?”

“She should be in her office right now,” Fluttershy answered, letting go of her fringe. “Tell your brother I said hello.”

“Um, I hate to be a bother, but could you give me directions to her office?” Twilight requested, an uneasy smile on her face.

Giggling, Fluttershy turned and pointed behind her. “Third door on the left.”

Twilight’s smile turned sheepish and she quickly thanked the other girl as she made her way towards the office. Along the way, her mind reeled with possible ways to get her crown back. Pausing at the door, she frowned. “Maybe I should get the others first?” Nodding to herself, she pulled away. “Yeah, Wyatt's been to a school like this before; I'd be better off following his lead here.”

Twilight made a mental note to keep track of where the office was, doing her best to walk back to the classroom where her friends had been. Thankfully, she managed to get there without incident, finding the others waiting for her with expressions ranging from curiosity to annoyance.

“Hey everyone,” she greeted, waving at them. “I uh, found out where the crown is.”

“Glad to hear,” Wyatt said, holding a hand up to keep Daring from saying something that was all but certain to be snarky. “We found out our Rider powers work. And Daring noticed something interesting about herself.”

“She can’t do any of her ghost stuff.” Spike commented, poking Daring’s cheek. “She’s as normal as the rest of us!”

Daring grabbed Spike's finger and pushed it away. “So no phasing through walls or turning invisible for me. Good thing we're not gonna be here long.”

Patting Twilight on the back, Wyatt moved towards the door. “So, where is the crown? Anywhere we should be concerned about?”

“It's in the principal's office,” Twilight explained, putting her arm around Wyatt's waist. “This version of Fluttershy found it and gave it to the principal. I told her I was a new transfer from Fenrir High with my freshman brother.”

Wyatt smiled, leading her out into the hall. “Aww, you remember the terminology from all the horror stories I've told you about high school. Like that one time, my buddy Floyd thought it'd be a good idea to find a skunk and put it in this one jerk's backpack. Needless to say, that one backfired big time.”

Twilight giggled, shaking her head. “That must have been a fun day.” A frown crossed her face, a thought occurred to her. “I thought Fenrir was the horse?”

“No, Sleipnir was the horse,” Wyatt corrected, letting Twilight guide him down the hall. “Fenrir was the wolf. But both were kids of Loki.”

“Ugh! Why didn’t I remember that!?”

“Because the Loki family tree is weird and confusing,” Wyatt relented, giving a one armed shrug. “Plus, I bet you were frazzled while trying to come up with a convincing school name; little details were bound to be mixed up.”

Nodding, Twilight led them back to the principal's office. “I thought it would be best to let you do the talking. The school for gifted unicorns didn’t have a principal per say.”

Wyatt rubbed the back of his head, his brow furrowing. “I don't know how convincing I can be; there’s a lot of documentation for enrolling into school. Don't you think the principal will think something's up if four undocumented teens just strut into her office? Why don't I just go Kabuto and search the office without the principal even noticing?”

“We should only be using our rider stuff when we actually need it.” Daring reached an arm out, knocking on the door. “It’s all a matter of confidence. If you’re confident in what you’re saying, people are more likely to believe you. The good ole’ bardic knock spell. Something my dad taught me.”

Wyatt ignored commenting on the reference, his hand drifting to his pocket. “Getting Twilight's crown back right now would qualify in my book, but we can do this your way for now. Show us the ways of the used car salesman, Daring.”

“Come in,” a slightly muffled voice called from inside the room.

The group stepped into the office, everyone but Twilight's eyes widening upon seeing a human version of Celestia sitting at the desk.

“May I help you?” the older woman asked, regarding them with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” Daring started, recovering quickly. “The four of us have moved to the area recently and need to be enrolled in your school.” Gesturing with a hand, she continued. “I’m Daring Do, this is Wyatt Mathews and those two over there are Twilight and Spike Sparkle.”

Celestia chuckled, sliding papers across her desk. She looked between the four, her gaze eventually settling on Daring. “Very cute, but I'll need your real name, young lady.”

Leaning forward, Daring put her hands on the desk. “My name is Daring Do.”

“Daring Do is a fictional character,” Celestia stated calmly, her eyes boring into Daring's. “One that didn't even exist sixteen years ago. There's no way a diehard fan named you after her.”

“That’s why that character is named after me,” Daring responded, staring right back. “My mom’s A.K Yearling. Unlike her, I’m not a shut in. You have no idea what it took me to get her to let me go to public school.”

Celestia's expression hardened, searching Daring for any cracks in the armor she was putting up. After a moment, she looked down, writing something on a sheet of paper. “Very well, I'll put that down for now. But I expect you to give me your home phone number so I can confirm this.”

Daring tapped her fingers on the desk. “I’ll have to check with her first. She’s nuts over privacy. We had to move once because we accidently got someone else's mail.”

“I had heard rumors that Miss A.K. was a bit…” Celestia paused, tapping a finger to her desk. “...eccentric. You four can get acquainted with the building for now, come back first thing tomorrow morning and I'll have proper schedules for you.” Grabbing a stack of papers , she passed each of them a small bundle. “I’ll need your parents to fill these out. I’ll need them by the end of the week.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “There was one thing I wanted to ask about. I talked with another student not too long ago, Fluttershy, and she said she turned in a crown this morning?”

“Yes, somehow our Fall Formal crown went missing from where I usually keep it,” Celestia said, gesturing to a bookshelf where Twilight's crown sat in a locked case. “But thankfully Miss Fluttershy was able to return it before the dance.” Turning back, she smiled. “Would you be interested in running for Fall Formal Princess?”

“Yes!” Twilight replied instantly. “In fact, sign Daring and me up please!”

“You’ll have to talk to the head of the Fall Formal Planning committee and let her know the two of you would like to run.” Celestia got up, guiding them to the door. “Classes are about to break for lunch. Why don’t the four of you get something to eat?”

“Um, who's the head of the committee?” Spike asked.

“That would be one Pinkamena Pie.” Celestia stepped outside, letting them out. “Follow the hall down and take a left. Follow that hall, make a right and the cafeteria will be the double doors at the end.”

The four quickly thanked Celestia, exiting the office. Wyatt clapped his hands, looking left and right before summoning the driver. “Okay, this trip has been fun, but we've found the crown. Time to take it and go home.”

“No!” Twilight hissed, putting her hand over the driver. “This world doesn’t have magic and probably doesn’t have riders. We know where it is. All we have to do is win the ballot and get it back. We’re not going to disrupt their lives more than we have to.”

“Twilight, this is a glorified popularity contest you're getting in. There's no way we can convince an entire school to vote for you in less than three days. If I go Kabuto and take the crown, the only thing I disrupt is some stupid dance,” Wyatt argued, keeping his driver in existence.

“We’ll figure something out,” she insisted, refusing to move her hand.

Their standoff was cut short as the school bell rang. Various classroom doors opened, students pouring into the hall. Wyatt frowned, dismissing his driver. Going with the flow of students, the group found themselves in the cafeteria. It didn’t take long for them to spot Fluttershy, eating in the corner by herself.

“Can we eat with you?” Twilight asked, a bright smile on her face.

“Oh, of course!” Fluttershy smiled, patting the spots next to her. Her eyes landed on Spike. “Are you Twilight’s little brother?”

Spike perked up, turning his head towards the yellow girl. “That's right, I'm Spike. What uh, did she say about me?”

Fluttershy giggled, putting a hand to her mouth. “That you like comics and cooking.”

“Well, that isn’t wrong,” Spike conceded, chuckling. “But that isn’t all there is to me. I’m pretty good in a fight.”

Fluttershy tilted her head, glancing at Spike’s arms. “Are you a boxer? Or do you do karate?”

“A little of both.” He struck a pose, grinning at her. “Trust me, I know how to take someone on.”

Wyatt didn’t hear Fluttershy’s response, having tuned out the conversation. Picking at his food, he tried to think of why Twilight was so insistent on not just grabbing the crown. Not disturbing this world didn’t quite add up. If they took too long, they’d be stuck in the world with that thief, Sunset. Realization struck him and he glanced at Twilight out of the corner of his eye.

Twilight herself was chatting up Fluttershy, the topic being Sunset Shimmer.

“So why does Sunset think she can do whatever she wants around here?” Twilight asked, taking a bite of a cheeseburger. She hummed in delight, unaware of the look Wyatt was giving her. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as mean as her.”

“Oh, she’s like that because she always wins the crown at the Fall Formal,” Fluttershy explained, pushing her fork into a salad. “She beat the most popular senior girl in her freshman year and ever since, she’s never lost any contest she’s run for that needed student vote. Not to mention she has the highest grades in the school.”

“She sounds like a grade-A bitch,” Daring commented, tossing a fry into her mouth. “It’s just some dumb school thing. Who cares?”

Fluttershy frowned, twirling her fork around in her bowl. “Canterlot High used to have a reputation for high school spirit. The Fall Formal was one of the events where that would surface. Every time Sunset wins, people keep caring less about the state of things here.”

Smacking a hand on the table, Twilight stood up. “Then we’ll just have to fix that! Fluttershy, do you know where to find Pinkie Pie?”

Fluttershy’s face contorted, stabbing her fork into her food so hard that her bowl made a scratching sound. “Pinkie Pie, why would you want anything to do with her?”

Spike watched the display, eyeing the fork. “Principal Celestia said she was head of the Fall Formal Committee and that we had to see her about putting Twilight and Daring on the ballot.”

The yellow girl’s eyes widened, staring at Twilight and Daring in disbelief. “You’re going to run against Sunset? That’s a terrible idea!”

“Pfft, we’re not afraid of some red-headed step-child,” Daring remarked, cracking her knuckles. “She might be able to get away with treating you guys like doormats, but not us. Especially not me.”

Fluttershy quivered in her seat, not looking convinced by Daring’s bravado. “You don’t know what Sunset’s like when she’s mad. There are rumors that she’s directly destroyed people’s reputations. No one’s been able to prove that, but when people try to stand up to her, bad things happen to them.”

“Well, thanks for the warning, Fluttershy.” Getting up, Wyatt held his hand out. “I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m Wyatt Mathews and this brave lady over here is Daring Do.”

“Daring Do, but that’s just a character from a book,” Fluttershy replied, staring at Wyatt and Daring in disbelief.

“I get that a lot.” Picking her tray up, Daring nodded. “So... you gonna tell us where Pinkie Pie is or not?”

“Probably in the gym, setting up for the dance,” Fluttershy answered, taking a quick bite of food.

“Thanks!” Daring turned on her heel, moving off towards the door. “You guys coming or what? We don’t have a whole lot of time on our hands!”

“Sure thing,” Wyatt said, following Daring out the doors. Once the group was out in the halls, Wyatt waited for the group to get into a rhythm before taking Twilight’s hand to get her to come to a stop while Daring and Spike walked on ahead of them. Taking a deep breath, he thought over what he wanted to say. “Twi, I know why you really want to stick around in this world.”

“Then, do you agree?” Twilight glanced at him, her heart beating in her ears. “I can’t just leave things like this.”

Wyatt paused, his conflicting feelings battling one another for dominance. “If we weren’t on a three day time crunch, I would instantly tell you yes, Twi. But Sunset has had at least three years in this world’s timeframe to rethink her plans. This might not be something we can do with the short amount of time on top of getting an entire school behind us.”

Turning her head, Twilight hardened her gaze. “Don’t talk like that, Wyatt. We’ve done crazier things before. No one is beyond saving.”

“Rider stuff I know how to do,” Wyatt countered. “If I had applied the level of dedication to the Kamen Rider franchise to things like schoolwork, I might be almost as smart as you. Twi, this might be hard to believe, but I know nothing about how to make someone popular in high school.”

“Neither do the rest of us,” Twilight pointed out. “But~ I bet the human versions of our friends can help!”

“Uh, Twi, I know you’re not the best at social cues and body language,” Wyatt started, rubbing the side of his head. “But please tell me you noticed how Fluttershy reacted when you brought up Pinkie? I don’t think those two are friends in this world.”

Twilight blinked, the cogs in her mind visibly turning as she recalled their conversation with Fluttershy. After a few moments of dead air, her eyes bulged out of her head. “Oh my gosh! Fluttershy looked like she hated Pinkie! What is wrong with this crazy world!?”

“Hey, maybe not shout for no reason?” Daring questioned, pushing the door to the auditorium open. “We don’t need more attention than we already have.”

“I’m not shouting for no reason,” Twilight argued, jogging up to Daring. “I just figured out that the versions of our friends here might not be friends. How are we going to win the votes of the people here if we don’t all band together?”

“We’ll figure it out-gah!” Daring jumped back, having turned and come face to face with a familiar, pink human. “Faust! Don’t do that!”

“Wowee! You look just like Daring Do!” The pink human beamed, seeming to ignore Daring's command and leaning in closer to inspect her. “You must be a really dedicated cosplayer!”

“I'm not a cosplayer,” Daring grumbled, silently thanking Velvet for filling her in on that term. Taking a hand, she put it on the pink girl's forehead and pushed her gently out of her personal space. “A.K. Yearling's my mom.”

“Really!? That’s so cool!” Pinkie gasped, dragging Daring into the auditorium. “You have to tell me all about her! What’s her favorite kind of party? Does she like chocolate or vanilla ice cream?”

“Mom hates parties and says screw your dichotomy and eats neapolitan ice cream,” Daring answered surprised by the other girl's strength. “Look, we’re not here to talk about how weird my mom is, we’re here to sign up for the Fall Formal Princess thing.”

The pink girl gasped, pulling away from Daring. “Daring Do wants to run for Fall Formal?! That's absotively amazing!” Zipping away for a moment, she returned with a clipboard and pen. “Just fill this out and you’re on your way to royalty!”

“Can do,” Daring said, signing her name with a flourish. And to top it off, she made sure to sign her name larger than Sunset had. When she was done, she tossed the clipboard to Twilight. “There ya go, your turn.”

Twilight scribbled her name in, passing it back to Pinkie. Pinkie took it, looking it over.
“You two sure signed up late, the Formal’s the day after tomorrow!”

“Well, we just transferred and wanted to make our debut memorable, Pinkie,” Spike said,
Shrugging. “So uh... is there a Fall Formal Prince ballet?”

“Nope!” Pinkie replied, putting the clipboard away. “The winner's date is always the unofficial Prince.” Pinkie paused, eyeing Spike critically. “Wait, how did you know my name? Are you psychic?!”

“No... Principal Celestia told us you were in charge of the committee,” he responded, crossing his arms. “If I was, that would be cool though, I’d be like that guy from Second Sight!”

“Second Sight, what’s that?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head.

“Oh uh, it’s a video game,” Spike explained, distracted by the sound of doors opening. Turning to the side, he watched as human versions of Applejack and Big Mac carried in what looked like cases of cider.

“Did somebody order a couple cases of fizzy cider?!” Applejack called out, a grin on her face as she sat one of the cases on a table.

Pinkie bounced on her heels, zipping over to the table. “I did! I did! I wanna make sure the Fall Formal has the best food and refreshments!”

“Then ya came to the right people,” Applejack assured, patting the crate. “The harvest this year’s been great. This is our best cider in a long time.” Adjusting her hat, she regarded the newcomers with a warm smile. “Howdy! I ain’t seen y'all in school before. Ya new?”

“Brand new,” Daring answered, crossing her arms over her chest. “This is our first day here. Decided to run for Fall Formal Princess.”

Applejack whistled, leaning on the crate. “That there's gonna take some guts. Sunset Shimmer’s a lying cheat. Only person ‘round here more of a lying snake then she is, is that varmint Rainbow Dash.” Moving around the table, she slapped Twilight on the back. “I think Ah saw you earlier actually. Good on ya fer standing up to Ms. Better-Than-You.”

Twilight’s eye twitched, trying and failing to comprehend the first part of Applejack’s sentence. “Um well, I couldn’t stand seeing her talk to Fluttershy like that.”

“Well, you got my vote.” Applejack smiled apologetically at Daring. “No offense.”

Daring shrugged her shoulders, leaning on the table. “None taken. The Princess thing was Twi’s idea, I’m just doing it because it’s something to do.”

Pulling away, Applejack moved back towards the door. “It was nice meetin’ y'all. If’n you’ll excuse me, Ah have to help my brother unload the rest of these crates.”

The door to the gym opened, revealing Sunset Shimmer along with human versions of Snips and Snails behind her. She looked around the room, a scowl on her face. “Ugh, this looks terrible. There should be more streamers by the stage and fewer balloons.”

“How about you let the person running the thing decide how it looks?” Spike shot back, cutting off Pinkie’s response. “If you wanted to do it, maybe you should have taken the job?”

Sunset turned her attention to Spike, levelling a glare at him. “You should watch your mouth, freshman. This is going to be my coronation stage, of course I want it to look perfect.”

Spike scoffed, ignoring frantic gestures from Pinkie and AJ. “You know, that’s pretty egotistical. It’s just a school event; you aren’t being crowned for real you know.”

Sunset chuckled, approaching Spike and ruffling his hair with a smirk on her face. “If only you knew why that’s so funny to me.”

Frowning, Spike slapped her hand away. “Oh, trust me, I know all about it. Guess we didn’t meet during the rush, did we? I’m Spike and Twilight’s my big sister.”

“Do you have any idea what’s going on here?” Pinkie whispered, leaning towards Applejack without taking her eyes off the scene.

“Ah have no idea what they're on about. You just be ready if Sunset and her two goons try anything on that kid,” Applejack whispered back, already inching her way over.

Sunset glanced between the two girls as well as her two flunkies behind her. Huffing, she stepped away from Spike. “You’ll figure out the whole truth at the dance. I am running unopposed after all.”

“Not anymore you aren’t,” Wyatt spoke, pointing to Pinkie’s clipboard. “Daring and Twilight both signed up. It’s a three way race now.”

“What?!” Sunset boomed, wrenching the clipboard away from Pinkie. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it back into Pinkie’s chest. “Good luck you two, you’ll need it.” Motioning with her hand, she and the two boys stormed out of the gym.

“That was... pleasant,” Twilight commented, rubbing her neck. “This is probably going to be harder than I thought.” Sighing, she pushed any doubts of failure from her mind. “Right! Do either of you girls know if the school has a library?”

“Of course this school has a library, silly!” Pinkie replied, giggling up a storm. “What kind of school doesn’t have a library?”

Blushing, Twilight looked away. “I was just making sure! Could you tell us where it is?”

“Sure thing!” Gesturing with her hands, Pinkie gave the quartet directions to the library from the gym. “Just make sure you’re super quiet! I’ve been banned from it because I make way too much noise.”

“I find that so hard to believe,” Daring replied, chuckling. “Welp, we’ll get out of your hair. You guys got a lot of work to do. Sayonara.” giving a wave, she proceeded to leave the auditorium.

Once they were out in the halls, Spike shoved his hands in his pockets. “Ugh, Sunset is so awful. What the heck is she planning to do with your crown, Twi?”

“I’m not really sure, Spike.” Twilight brought a hand to her chin, rubbing it in thought. Sunset had obviously planned for a while to take the crown. What had she been planning, trapped in a world without magic? “We should head right to the library, we’ll be able to learn more about this world and maybe just what Sunset’s after.”

“I could always tail her,” Wyatt offered. “Since my rider powers work, I could turn invisible and she wouldn’t be any the wiser to what I’m doing. I might be able to sniff out her plan.”

“I doubt she’s that sloppy,” Twilight replied, shaking her head. “Sunset doesn’t seem like the type to leave her plans laying around.”

“Maybe she keeps a diary?” Wyatt offered. “Sunset doesn’t seem to have many… any friends,” he quickly corrected, his brow furrowing. “Maybe she writes down her thoughts in one to share them with something.”

“Are you really suggesting you should go break into a mare’s house and steal her diary?” Spike questioned, giving Wyatt a look.

“After she broke into the crystal palace and stole Twilight’s crown,” Wyatt retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “After that, I’m not above breaching her privacy.”

“That still doesn-gah!” Spike’s sentence ended in a grunt of pain as a pair of hands grabbed him from behind and slammed him into some lockers. Pushing back the pain, he found himself face to face with Sunset. “Hi Sunset, fancy seeing you again so soon,” he said, meeting her glare with one of his own. “You got something to say?”

“Pretty gutsy of you to pull that kind of stunt in front of the three of us,” Daring said, putting her hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Let Spike go unless you feel like your diet’s been lacking teeth in it.”

Looking back, Sunset kept Spike pinned to the lockers. “Big talk coming from a nobody like you. I should have recognized you when I saw you, princesss.”

“You should have recognized me too,” Wyatt said, summoning his driver and letting Sunset see it. “You also shouldn’t have stolen Twilight’s crown; but hey, I can’t criticize all of your life choices right now.”

Sunset drew Spike back, slamming him into the lockers once more. “You shouldn’t have followed me. None of you belong here; none of you fit in.”

“Says the pony who ran away here in a temper tantrum,” Wyatt retorted. “But us belonging here doesn’t matter, we need that crown back.”

Glaring, Sunset pressed her forearm against Spike’s neck. “You know, three teenagers with no records, hanging out with a kid like this? I’d watch my step, we wouldn’t want CPS getting involved, now would we?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight asked, glaring at Sunset.

Wyatt put his hand on Twilight’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “It means she's threatening to call child protective services on us.” He dismissed his driver, glaring at Sunset. “So, why is Twi’s crown so important to you? It has to be for more than just to add an accessory to your wardrobe.”

“A question for you, princess,” Sunset spoke, focusing on Twilight. “What do you think happens when you take an Element of magic into a world that doesn’t have any of its own?”

Twilight’s brow furrowed, studying Sunset’s face. After a moment, her eyes widened. “Wait a moment, the connection to the bearer would be cut off. Meaning-”

“Anyone can use it.” Dropping Spike, Sunset turned toward them. “Stay out of my way, Princess. Unless you want your little brother here to end up in foster care.” Patting Spike’s head, Sunset made her departure, grinning to herself.

Wyatt frowned, stepping forward. “Hey, Baconhead!” he called out, getting her attention. “I’ve got a question for you. What are your plans if you become a princess?” As before, her only response was a raised finger. Sighing, he rubbed his head and turned back to Twilight. “Her plan is seriously messed up. What do you think, Twi, are we staying the course with trying to reform her in three days?”

“Of course we are,” Twilight helped Spike up, pulling him into a hug. “Look, let’s just get our research done in the library and find a place to spend the night.” Keeping her arm around the sullen boy, she led him towards the library. This had to work out. It just had to.

Comments

[WozWuzHere]

Hoo boy, this is gonna escalate fast.

Also I imagine there might be more brain explosions than usual if Rider powers are shown as well as magic.

[badninja]

I can’t wait until Sunset gets her backlash. Hopefully Sunset will find her redemption.