"The Heisei Kamen Riders have passed through this era. It's time to pass that power down to the future. Rejoice at the birth of the new king!"
The fall formal is over now it's time for the battle of the bands! Sunset Shimmer discovers a mysterious watch that transforms her into Kamen Rider Zi-O, and meets a strange fortune teller. As she navigates the challenges of Canterlot High and the looming threat of the Dazzlings, Sunset must balance her newfound responsibilities as a time-traveling hero with her desire to protect her friends and all of time itself.
"The Heisei Kamen Riders have passed through this era. It's time to pass that power down to the future. Rejoice at the birth of the new king!"
The morning sun cast a warm glow over Canterlot High as Sunset Shimmer stepped out of her flat, her backpack slung over one shoulder. She took a deep breath, determined to make today different. Ever since the fall formal, she had been striving to change, to become the kind of person her friends could truly rely on... Well...if she can even call them friends that is. With everything that happened at the fall formal people were still scared and angry at her.
"One step at a time Sunset... One step at a time." She pulled her bicycle from the storage unit beneath the building, and heads off to school. As she pedaled through the quiet streets of Canterlot, the rhythmic motion of her bike served as a soothing balm to her troubled mind. Each turn of the pedal brought her closer to the school, closer to the daunting challenge of facing her classmates.
Lost in her thoughts, Sunset Shimmer barely noticed the man with the hood until their collision jolted her back to reality. Startled, she quickly apologized, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"It's quite alright," the man replied, his voice calm and reassuring. He opened the book in his hands, its pages filled with cryptic symbols and ancient text.
As Sunset's confusion grew, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you one of those fortune tellers or something?"
The man's chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. "You could say that, except that I'm a bit more... chaotic than most."
Perplexed by his cryptic words, Sunset could only offer a hesitant nod. "Uh... okay."
Ignoring her discomfort, the man continued, his gaze fixed on the pages of his book. "According to this book... today will be a special day for you."
Sunset's curiosity piqued, she leaned in closer, eager to understand what he meant. "Special day for me?"
Before she could ask any further questions, she blinked, and the man was gone, vanished into thin air without a trace. Sunset blinked in confusion, her heart racing as she scanned the bustling street for any sign of him.
"Huh?" she muttered to herself. "Where'd he go?" her mind swirling with unanswered questions. But as the traffic light changed, signaling her to cross the street, Sunset shook it off and continued on her way to school.
=====⏱︎=====
"I'm telling you, Lightning Dust totally had it out for me during soccer practice yesterday!" Rainbow dash said while closing her locker and leans on it. "You should've seen it! I was all like-"
As Rainbow Dash animatedly recounted her soccer practice session, Sunset's attention began to drift, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of the mysterious encounter from earlier. She absentmindedly opened her locker, intending to retrieve her calculus textbook, when her eyes fell upon something unexpected.
Nestled amidst her textbooks and school supplies lay a strange-looking black stopwatch, its sleek surface gleaming in the dim light of the hallway. Sunset's brow furrowed in confusion as she reached out to inspect it, her fingers grazing the bulky metal casing.
"What's this doing in my locker?" she muttered to herself, her curiosity piqued. Ignoring Rainbow Dash's continued chatter, Sunset lifted the stopwatch from its resting place, turning it over in her hands.
Shaking herself out of her reverie, Sunset refocused her attention on Rainbow Dash, who was looking at her expectantly.
"Sorry, what were you saying about Lightning Dust?" Sunset asked, her mind still lingering on the mysterious stopwatch tucked safely in her pocket.
Rainbow Dash grinned, picking up where she left off oblivious to Sunset's distraction. As they walked together down the hallway, Sunset couldn't shake the feeling that today was going to be anything but ordinary.
Sunset flashed Rainbow Dash a smile. "Then I'll make sure to be there to watch next time."
As Sunset and Rainbow Dash made their way to class, Sunset couldn't help but notice the lingering stares and whispered conversations among their classmates. The weight of their judgment hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the mistakes she had made in the past.
She clenched her jaw, pushing down the surge of guilt and shame that threatened to consume her. She couldn't blame them for their distrust and resentment. After all, it was her own actions that had led to their suffering, her misguided quest for power that had left a scar on Canterlot High and its students.
'It's going to be fine Sunset, just give it sometime.'
Feeling the weight of Rainbow Dash's arm around her shoulder, Sunset took a deep breath, drawing strength from her friend's unwavering support. Despite the lingering stares and the weight of her past mistakes, Sunset felt a glimmer of hope stirring within her.
"Hey, you're trying your best to change that's all that matters!" Rainbow Dash smiles making Sunset smile as well.
"Thanks Rainbow,"
=====⏱︎=====
Elsewhere on the other side of Canterlot city, inside of a warehouse strange black figures are coming out of silver veils. Watching from a platform above is a young man and woman.
Lavender Lavenderia, a young woman with shoulder length pastel purple hair with white streaks in her bangs and has deep purple eyes and white skin, she's wearing a black and blue school uniform. "Looks like he's beaten us to her this time."
The young man, Blaze Sky glanced at his colleague while leaning on the railing. "No matter, Albion had predicted this. She hasn't transformed yet so we have enough time."
Lavender pulled out her phone and began tapping on the brightly lit screen. "Just like him to make us do his dirty work while he and the others kiss the bosses ass."
"Forget about him and the others for now," Blaze smirked. "I think it's time to let some of the Combatmen loose don't you think?"
"Absolutely."
Down below, the couple of Combatmen let out a loud screech being released into the world to cause mayhem.
"I wonder how that retainer and future Demon King of time will handle this..." Both Blaze and Lavender smiled darkly before disappearing into the shadows.
Sunset sighed, pushing her food around on her tray as her thoughts wandered back to the strange encounter earlier that morning. She barely noticed Applejack's concerned expression until the farm girl spoke.
"Somethin' wrong, sugar cube?" Applejack's familiar drawl cut through the cafeteria getting Sunset out of her trance.
Sunset sighed, her appetite dampened. "It's nothing, just... had a strange encounter on the way to school."
Applejack furrowed her brow, concern evident in her eyes. "You wanna talk about it?"
Sunset hesitated, unsure of how to put her feelings into words. "I ran into this guy with a hood, and he said something about today being special for me. And then he vanished."
Applejack's expression softened. "Sounds mighty peculiar. But ya know, stranger things have happened... No offense. Maybe it's a sign of somethin' good that's gonna come true for ya'."
Sunset gave a faint smile. "Yeah, maybe you're right."
"Sunset, darling, you've shown remarkable progress these past two weeks," Rarity remarked, her voice tinged with pride. "Truly, you are becoming the person we always knew you could be. Soon enough, everyone else will see it too."
"Thanks girls," Sunset said with a big smile.
=====⏱︎=====
The school day has ended, and the girls are in the school parking lot getting ready to head home. Both Pinkie and Rarity were the first ones to leave.
"Sunset, AJ! You both going to the game tournament this weekend? I heard the winning prize seemed pretty cool." Said Rainbow Dash. She hopped on her motor bike reving up the engine.
"I dunno Dash, real busy this week." Applejack headed for her brother's truck. "See y'all later."
Rainbow frowned, she turned to Sunset who's now on her bike. "What about you? You going to sigh up for the tournament?"
Sunset fidgeted with her hands. "I'll think about it, sounds fun." Debating whether or not she should go.
Rainbow nods. "Text me sometime. The deadline is Friday!"
"I will," Said Sunset. Rainbow drives through the parking lot and onto the road home leaving just Sunset and Fluttershy who's waiting for the bus.
As Sunset is about to leave she takes one more look at Fluttershy who is standing at the bus stop all alone, the bus wouldn't arrive for another hour or so.
"I'd take her home if I were you." Sunset jumped at the sudden voice, her heart beating rapidly as she sees the fortune teller from earlier this morning except without his hood covering his face.
Sunset held a hand over her heart and got on one knee. "You-!" She gasped for air trying to calm down her heart. "Do not EVER do that again."
The young man nods. "My apologies Waga Maou."
Sunset stands up straight and looks at him confused. "What did you just call me?" She asked.
"I called you Waga Maou. I am Woz your humble retainer." He got on one knee and lowered his head.
The gears in Sunset's brain worked overtime. This guy appears out of nowhere and suddenly calls her his Demon king? No, no she was not about to go through that whole she-demon mess again.
"I think you've gotten the wrong person. I don't want to be a princess and I definitely don't want to be this Demon King or whatever." Sunset explained. "I'm currently trying to change myself for the better, now if you'd excuse me-"
"Your friend is in danger." The young man says making Sunset whip her head around. A a group is five figures crowd around her, they wear black clothes with white ribcage design. Fluttershy screams as they grab at her.
"Fluttershy!" The young man grabs Sunset before she can take off running. "What are you doing? I have to help her-!"
"Waga Maou..." Sunset looks down to her right to see the fortuneteller kneeling holding a pillow with a weird device on it. "This is for you, my overlord. Use this to save your friend."
Without hesitation, Sunset grabs the strange device and places it around her waist. A soft magenta glows from her jacket pocket, Sunset takes out the blank watch to see it's changed.
Ziku Driver!
She pulls out her Zi-O ridewatch and twists it with her right hand then pushes the button on top.
⏱︎ Zi-O! ⏱︎
Sunset puts the watch on the right slot and pushes a button on top of the Ziku driver as a clock with smaller clocks around it appears behind her.
"Henshin!" Sunset hits the right side of driver to make it spin.
⏱︎ Rider Time! ⏱︎
Magenta kanji flys out of the clock hitting the Combatmen away from Fluttershy.
Clear magenta watch bands circle Sundet as the Kanji flys back and places in self in Sunset's helmet.
"Iwae! The one to inherit all Rider powers, the time king who will rule over the past and the future! Her name is Kamen Rider Zi-O!" The young man announces standing beside Sunset.
The Combatmen turned their attention away from Fluttershy and attacked Sunset. She strides over as one of the Combatmen throws a punch her way with Sunset catching it and headbutts the Combatmen before tossing them to the side, she goes to fight the other four all at once.
The young goes over to Fluttershy and helps her up from the ground. "Are you alright miss? Everything will be just fine."
Sunset sends a Combatmen flying into a light post it began to turn into puddles of goo and then the goo began to evaporate. Sunset appears in front of the third one hitting them with her Zikan Girade as they turn into goo.
"Ew... It's on me!" She shakes her right leg to get the substance of her boot. The remaining two Combatmen jump at Sunset mindlessly throwing punches and kicks.
Sunset grabs the blade of her sword and pulls it towards her to change the Zikan Girade into Zyu mode.
Zyu!
Sunset fires at the remaining two Combatmen, she pushes the button on her Zikan Girade.
3!
2!
1!
Sunset jumps up at both Combatmen and points her gun at them. Magenta kanji is fired at both Combatmen hitting them both before exploding into goo.
"Gross... It's all on me..." The goo then evaporates off her armor as Sunset runs over to check on Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, are alright?" Sunset asked making sure her friend wasn't harmed.
"Sun..set?" Fluttershy's eyes widened before she fainted in Sunset's arms.
"Well... That went better than expected..." Sunset lifted Fluttershy up as she de-henshined.
"Geez... I don't think I can take my bike like this." Sunset spoke looking at her bike, it'd look weird if she was peddling down the street with an unconscious girl strapped to her back... Probably wouldn't be able to anyways.
"Hm?" Sunset noticed the young man was now missing. "Where'd he go?"
