Start Ups My Little Metroid: Magic is Showtime! *Me and Hyokamen Brycen!*

[Godzillawolf]

Braeburn gave a yelp at Applejack's poke. He then gave a sigh. "Don't envy yer life cuz," he said, then gave a nod to Gentaro. "Thank yah, I love this place, we worked hard to found it."

He then looked to the others. "So, what's the plan?"

"We're going to go talk to Chief Thunderhooves because the Zodiarts is from the Buffalo star charts," said Kengo.

"Well tell Little Strongheart Ah'm healin', okay?" Braeburn. "She's probably worried about meh."

---

Celestia nodded. "Zap Apples are a magical crop from Equus, their name comes from the fact a storm forms and strikes the trees with lightning when they begin to flower, and they have a strong electric charge until they mature completely, preventing anyone from picking them until they're ready to get picked. They're extremely popular back home."

---

"So, did you do your part, Fallen One? Windigo asked Ispita.

"Hook, line, and sinker," the Spirit of Temptation replied. "So far the Tartarus Gate is part full, and my new client should help with that."

"Good...Megaera!"

In a flash of black fire, a purple skinned female Phantom looking like she was wearing black robes with green serpents wrapped around her arms and belt. Windigo had three Phantoms that worked directly beneath him, each named after one of the Furies, due to their connection to his Concept.

"Yes, my lord," she said, bowing. "I harvested a good bit of hatred for you," she explained, one of her serpents extending out and breathing a dark green energy which Windigo absorbed.

"Well done. Now go aid our cilents, shall you?" Windigo questioned.

"Yes, lord," she said, teleporting away.

---

Rarity put a hoof on her chin. "Hmm...I think this confirms that this area is where the monster is focusing on...We just need to figure out why..."

---

Philip nodded. "We need to look at the swamps and bogs in the surrounding area where mud is most likely to be found," he said, tapping his chin. "I believe the area known as Froggy Bottom Bog would be one such location, but it also home to a particularly dangerous hydra."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

That raised a few eyebrows from the humans of the group. From the implication, it sounded like he was in a relationship with a Buffalo.

"Sure thing, Roan-meo." Dash said with a teasing tone. "Perhaps I should also tell her what happened to you." She said, only to be sent to the floor with a hat slap.

"Please don't try to get my cousin in the dog house. He's already in enough trouble..." Applejack said as she put her hat back, turning to Braeburn, her glare boring into the nigh-suicidal defender. He should be lucky the clinic was jammed pack, otherwise Applejack would have given him a piece of her mind as soon as she got in for trying to get himself killed.

"Ah, family love. The first to comfort, and the first to smack somepony for their idiocy." A elderly faded green stallion pony said in a slight Sprainish accent fondly, laying in bed for back issues rather than being a defender, voicing the thoughts Garnet Heart had.

"Be nice, Papi Verde." Garnet Heart playfully chidled.

---

One of those clients was camping out near a mud puddle in Froggy Bottom Swamp. It resembled a Mud Dopant, if hunchbacked and had a few teeth in a gummy smile, and a crown made of rocks on his head.

He growled as he sensed another clone's death. Undeterred at what were killing his clones, he then ripped off an arm, which grew back instantly, then tossed the severed arm into the mud, making a new Mud Dopant clone arise, which then ran off to drag another store though the mud.

"Soon, Ponyville will be mine..." The true Mud Dopant hissed out, then lumbered to a fresher mud puddle.

---

"From what I gathered, it might be because they felt wronged in some way." Samus said, hearing something breaking, then Vampire's head hit the table.

"Mom's new body doesn't handle her hate all that well once she gets going." Arachne explained as Vampire started snoring like the dead.

"I'm guessing that's one downside." Samus said. Vampire's ire must have spiked at Samus' guess, and her body shut down on her to calm her down.

---

"I hope that Hydra's ready for a Wasabi-from-Hell Double Sashimi if it tries eating us and/or Watergate." Shotaro said, suddenly surly as a memory popped into his head as he went to change into his mud-resistant slacks. He had lost the Magma Dopant Togawa Yousuke to a ravenous monster in the form of the T-Rex Dopant; he will not have a rehashing.

 

[Godzillawolf]

Braeburn blushed a bit. "Yeah, she'll probably be a bit upset..."

Twilight noticed the looks from the resident humans. "Oh right, I forgot there's only one sapient species on Earth, barring Kaijin races. Interspecies romance isn't exactly uncommon here. In fact, our myth of Orion revolves around a pegasus/griffin couple and their Hippogriff daughter."

Kengo blinked. "Griffins and ponies can crossbreed?" he asked, looking over the Gilda.

Twilight nodded. "Yes. There doesn't seem to be many barriers between sapient species. Kirins are Dragon-Pony hybrids for example (and no, I don't know how that works either), Zebra hybrids are relatively common in Zebrafrica, and deer hybrids aren't unheard of, but main post Hooviet Empire, since...well, the Hooviets were...kinda..."

"A bunch of speciest flankholes," Fluttercruel said bluntly.

"Yes, that..." said Twilight flatly. "And interracial or species marriage was considered a crime...Though hypocritically enough, they tried to engineer super soldiers by mixing unicorns and deers in a desperate attempt to keep themselves afloat after Queen Tiamat got angry with their treatment of her people and leveled half the country. It didn't work, since Cervacorns are not inherently super powerful, just have a mixture of deer and unicorn abilities."

Kengo nodded. "Interesting...we'd best not let Philip learn of this or he'll spend a month in the Gaia Memory."

"We should probably get going," Fluttercruel pointed out. "Old Ugly isn't going to be licking his wounds forever."

---

Celestia looked to Takatora. "What's the progress on the Drivers? Perhaps we can be of assistance."

---

Adina flew over and nuzzled Vampire. "Mrs. Vampire okay?" she asked.

Rarity tapped her chin. "Samus, perhaps that scanner you have can figure out the TYPE of mud the Dopant's copies are composed of," she asked. "After all, there ARE different types of mud, swamp mud, spa mud, river mud, ect. Narrowing down whether it came from a bog or a river or a swamp could help us track it down."

---

Philip nodded. "Agreed. Though the Hydra is apparently easily confused as it's heads can sometimes bicker with each other."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"Yeah. The sooner we get rid of him the better." Applejack said, straightening out her hat.

"So what's the chieftain like?" Miu asked.

"A bit traditional-minded, but he's a pretty nice guy all around." Rainbow Dash said.

"If that's the case, I don't think they will take news of this Zodiarts well, if what Kengo is right on the description." Miu said.

---

"Well, I am need of a few parts that are critical for the Ride Wear formation and stabilizers. Next to the Lockseed Power Grid and Cutting Edge, they are the most vital of parts, which means they are also very expensive to make, a bit much for my remaining favors to do." Takatora said as he showed them Ryoma's notes on the aforementioned Sengoku Driver parts, with one notable revisal in the Ride Wear section occurring following an accident with "Test Subject #1" which resulted in him receiving an injury that somewhat limited his future performances, though kept the pain under an indifferent mask.

"Sadly, with Yggdrasill cut down, and my head scientist dead, I don't have the means or know how to make the parts. Otherwise, the belts are complete." Takatora said, looking a bit dejected.

"Luckily for you, we have a brother who practically lives in a forge. Once he sees what he needs to make, he'll make it." Luna said, referring to a not-very-social brother who keeps to himself in a volcano to fuel his forge.

Hot headed and proud, that was their Half-dragon brother Vulcanius, who was a master of any trade that requires intense heat to create their products.

He's a recluse mainly because he made himself accustomed to the heat of the volcano, resulting in him finding the outside world "cold". He was miffed about it when he found out, but he's got centuries to put that water under the bridge.

---

"She is, she's just sleeping." Arachne said, then Vampire snorted as she sit right back up, looking briefly like the dead before shaking her head to shake the cobwebs out. "See?" Arachne said, making her adopted mother turn to her in confusion.

"That sounds like a good idea." Samus said, getting up and went to the trash can the sobbing baker was filling his spoiled goods with and took out a mud-caked baguette. As she was still in Rider form, mainly because she developed the mindset of keeping her suit on for a mission's duration, Samus was able to scan it. The scan showed various elements in the mud, elements that sound like came from a bog.

After comparing the results with a scan in her Junk Folder about scanning the mud with Aether's Torvus Bog, she noted the major similarities.

"The mud from the Dopant did come from a swamp. Lots of whole stones, remnants of decayed leaves, and a few dead bugs." Samus noted to the group, making Vampire shudder. "Now I really need a hot bath." She grumbled.

 

[Godzillawolf]

"Probably not," Twilight admitted. "Thankfully, most of the issues between them and the settlers are over..."

"Alright, see ya' all later, cuz. Good luck monster huntin'," Braeburn said.

Twilight nodded. "Alright, let's go. All we have to do is follow the buffalo stampeding path back to their camp."

Kengo blinked. "Stampeding grounds?"

"Yeah, the buffalo have a path they stampede along for their traditions and rituals," the Alicorn explained. "It also nearly started a war with the settlers until we came to the compromise of making a path through the orchard for them to go through."

---

Celestia nodded. "Yes...Our family is odd. Our Mother is the Alicorn Elder God of Space and our father is the Dracoequi Elder God of Time, and our aunts and uncles are the personifications of The End, Fear itself, Technology, and Biological Life. So our sibling being as he is is not so strange. We could take the instructions to him, but it may be helpful if you met with him face to face."

---

Rarity nodded. "That would most likely mean Froggy Boggy Bog...which means he's located in the same area as a notoriously territorial bog hydra."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"Huh; that's interesting." Gentaro said as Applejack lead the way to the Appleloosa Orchard.

Soon enough, they found the stampede byway, which was a lot flatter than the surrounding area, and littered with buffalo hoof prints.

"Packed solid." Gentaro said as he gave the byway several testing stomps. Almost like concrete.

"Their settlement's that way. Won't be long." Applejack said, pointing westward, in the opposite direction the hoof prints were facing.

"Anyone got the feeling we're being watched?" Ran shuddered out, her dorsal fin shuddering, though she wasn't cold.

In the grove, the Hunter Zodiarts snarled at the group, muttering about "blasphemous outsiders". He had half a mind to open fire, but that would endanger the sanctity of the stampeding grounds. He then turned around and left, going to wait until they left the path.

---

"Sounds like a good idea. Anything else I should know?" Takatora asked.

"How high of a temperature can that suit of yours take?" Luna asked, looking at his jacket. Takatora moved his hand, and felt his Drivers.

"High enough." He said, confident in his former friend's inventions, then slapped on his Sengoku Driver. "Henshin." He said simply as he held his Melon Lockseed with the locking arm pointing to his ear before he popped the lock.

"Melon!" It announced then Takatora threw it up in the air, into the descending Melon Arms. It then fell back into Takatora's waiting hand and slapped it into place in the Sengoku Driver, then secured it with his thumb.

"Lock On!" Takatora then pushed the Cutting Edge with nonchalant smoothness, revealing the Lockseed core to make a rainbow hued image of a shield to appear, making the Melon Arms to fall like a rock and land on his shoulders, forming the white Ride Wear like water, then began unfolding into armor form. "SOIYA! Melon Arms! Tenka... Gomen!" The sound of a koto resounded as the armor snapped into place, making "fruit juice" fly and his optics flashed yellow.

Similar to Gaim's default Ride Wear, the Ride Wear was of similar basis of Asianic origin. The accents on his forearm protectors and thighs were black, though. Like Gaim, his Ride Wear has a helm add-on that made it look like golden horns that extends to the mouth guard and a little gem situated in the middle. The back of his helm look like muskmelon rinds, topped by a twig with two leaves, resembling a chonmage. Finally, a Musou Saber formed from his Sengoku Driver.

This was Kamen Rider Zangetsu, though Takatora never publicly referred to himself as such.

'Little grandiose with the pose.' Luna mentally noted as she began forming a portal. Instantly, the heat in the room began to rise intense, but Takatora paid it no mind.

---

"A bog hydra? Hope I won't have to jump down this one's throat." Samus huffed out.

"You jumped down a hydra's throat before?" Arachne asked, getting the ponies in the room to look at their table.

"Had to. Its stomach had something I wanted. Plus, that mutated sea hydra was being a giant nuisance. Even though my legs felt like fire from wading through its noxious stomach acid that it kept using as an acidic attack, it was worth it. That was the day we gained the Sea Ponies as allies." Samus said. She still had the acid burn scars on her legs.

 

[Godzillawolf]

Fluttercruel nodded. "Yeah, no surprise..." she muttered. "Better keep an eye open for the baddie."

Twilight nodded, keeping her eyes out. She considered sending out their familiars to keep their eyes pealed, but wasn't sure if that'd alert the enemy to the fact they were onto them. "I'd suggest using our Ride Machines to go quicker, but this path is sacred to the buffalo and that seems a bit disrespectful."

---

Celestia looked over Takatora's Rider form. "Interesting design. Very regal."

She then walked through the portal. "Vulcanius! Are you home?" she asked, though mostly out of consideration, he normally was always.

---

Adina nodded. "That happen..."

Rarity looked a little green. "Well, this Hydra shouldn't be mutated, and hopefully we won't need to kill it, but that is likely where the Dopant is. Shall we go tell Shotaro?"

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"So we're walking." Miu stated.

"Unfortunately." Rainbow Dash said, grounding herself as well.

"Well, might as well. Even if we're being followed, Hunter won't attack us if we're on the path." Miu said. As if the Fates demanded it, a gunshot rang out, and a plume of dirt near the path was flung upwards.

"Okay, let's get going! We got buffalo to see!" Gentaro exclaimed quickly, as he was the closest to the shot, dragging a suddenly enraged Applejack away from the trees.

---

"Thank you." Takatora said with a small bow as they walked through the portal, which closed immediately, lest something caught aflame.

"Ack! T's a long time since I hear me wee big sistah's voice! Celestia, that you?!" The voice Takatora assumed to belong to Vulcanius bellowed, sounding Scottish for some reason. He jumped in surprise when something emerged from a nearby lava pool.

Vulcanius had bright ruby-hued scales, with a bright orange belly, and had a blacksmith's muscles. Fully drawn bat-like wings glowing like a nebula (or the lava pool he just emerged from) came out of his back, looking at least 20 feet from tip to shoulder. As he emerged fully from the pool, he was at least 30 feet tall, with a dragon tail with a tuff of energy hair around the base of the spike-like spear head on the tip of his tail, with the underside glowing in the same hue his wings were, though his legs were distinctfully equestrian in design, and had hooves instead of talons (his hands were a different story). Along his spine were three rows of olivine-hued spikes, sloping gently to his tail to reduce drag. His snout had a pony-like profile, if filled with dragon teeth. He had pony-like ears, which flicker to get the lava off of them, and had a tiny energy mane that grew out of the base of his skull, which flowed like the lava that fill his home. He had scale growths that resembled a beard and had bighorn sheep-like horns, crimson eyes in a sea of yellow.

"By father's beard, it's been ages since you ha'e seen me ol' scaley hide! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about little ol' me!" He elately bellowed out, his loud voice booming in the chamber.

"Still lively as ever, little brother, despite all the hot air." Luna called out.

"Well, whaddya know?! Me sistah of the night be back from listening to that screwy snake's tongue!" Vulcanius said, and Luna soon found herself in a tight hug, Takatora stepping away lest he got caught up in the bear hug.

"Cain, Cain, let go let go!" Luna wheezed out, looking almost like a stress plushie, tapping his shoulder urgently with her wings.

"He seems happy." Takatora said, raising an eyebrow at the energetic Scottish half-dragon.

---

"They probably have found out by now." Arachne and Samus spoke as one, getting a raised eyebrow from the Hunter and Vampire.

"Well, I saw the more oddly dressed one use the Gaia Library, from what notes that I gleamed from Shotaro's research notes; they typically work fast." Arachne said.

"And how awake was the detective agency when you found out about this?" Vampire asked in a knowing manner, making Arachne blush at being found out.

"Philip was awake, but that's because he likely can't feel any sort of drawbacks from lack of sleep, not even baggy eyes." Arachne said, scratching her cheek shyly. She heard mumbling as she had read the files, but she could have sworn he was looking up the local fauna.

Samus' lips thinned. Even she needed sleep even when wired with Energy.

 

[Godzillawolf]

"I think this definitely proves he's a Buffalo," Twilight said.

"Why's that, Princess?" Thunderchild asked.

"Because anyone else wouldn't care enough about the path to not risk destroying it," she explained. "If he's trying not to fight us, he'll probably have to pull back when we get passed the orchard to avoid being seen..."

"Thunderhooves isn't going to be a happy camper to find out one of his tribesmen is doing this," Fluttercruel remarked.

---

Celestia covered her mouth to stifle a chuckle. "We are all happy my sister is herself again."

"It is wonderful to see you, Cain," Celestia said, after letting him hug Luna. "Also, I would like you to meet Takatora, an ally of ours."

---

"There are times I wish I didn't need sleep," said Rarity. "Especially when I need a big order done, but I like my beauty sleep as well...regardless, we should probably meet up with them to get to Dopant hunting."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"No he will not." Miu agreed.

After a walk, the group managed to retrace the path's steps to the village. Naturally, such an odd group got eyes peering at their direction, Miu most especially. Young she maybe, a griffin can get onto a buffalo's unprotected back with ease.

---

"Takatora... You Neighponese?" Vulcanius asked the white Armored Rider, who nodded. Luna, however, was recovering from the bear hug Vulcanius gave her.

"Ah, Neighpon... Been a few 'housand years since I had been dere. Went there to get a magic sword and mirror forged for this one fella. Had a bit of a temper, but his heart was in the right place. His da, though, was one of the most stubborn foals I ha' eva met!" Vulcanius recalled.

"The Kusanagi no Tsurugi and the Yata no Kagami?!" Takatora gaped out, his optics widening in shock. The stallion Vulcanius was referring to had to be none other than Yamato Takeru, the hero who gave the sword its modern name after using it to cut the burning grass that Takeru's enemies had ignited to try to immolate him.

"That be them. Anyway, what can I do ye for?" The half dragon asked as he pulled a table from the lava made of bedrock and plopped it down, and began to shrink in size so he was a head taller than Takatora.

Blinking in size at Vulcanius' apparent size-shifting abilities, Takatora composed himself with an awkward cough. "I need some very expensive parts for some devices made." Takatora said, and took out the briefcase, noticing it wasn't catching fire.

"Laddie, nothing goes up in smoke in here unless I will it to." Vulcanius explained with an amused chuckle.

Takatora began talking about the Sengoku Driver's functions, who made the original plans, and what they were made for. He had also explained how a "overgrown wedding crashing gnat" (as Vulcanius had lovingly referred to Chrysalis) got her hooves on one, and the three Sengoku Drivers being made to assist in combatting her.

"Hmm. On the house, Kureshima Takatora." Vulcanius judged, much to Takatora's shock. "Don'cha worry, you'll have your parts. I'll make them in a jiffy." He said, and took the incomplete Drivers, then took to the air and dove into the largest lava pool. Hammer on steel strikes began ringing in the air.

"Well, that happened." Takatora said simply.

---

"Agreed." Samus said, getting up. "Have a good day, ladies." The Hunter said, getting nods in return.

"Give him one to the jaw for me." Vampire said as she took out her sword. "Arachne, we're going." The elder Seraphim said as she walked off, then disappeared in a blur, with Arachne soon following by roof hopping.

 

[Godzillawolf]

"Twilight? Applejack?" questioned Little Strongheart, trotting over.

Twilight smiled. "Hello, Little Strongheart. Can we talk to Chief Thunderhooves?"

Strongheart noticed their general mood. "I think he's available, but what's wrong?"

"We fear that somep-buffalo from the tribe may have been involved in...criminal activities..." Twilight explained, trying not to be overly blunt.

"Someone from here got a something that turns them into a monster and attacked Appleloosa," Fluttercruel bluntly explained.

"What?!" the little buffalo asked in shock.

---

Celestia chuckled. "That's Cain for you. Don't worry, you can trust him to make them top quality. Even a half-dragons has too much pride to do anything but their best when they say they'll do something."

---

Rarity followed Samus, thinking on the situation. "When I tried to transform earlier, the belt was already in use. From the sound of it, the others are dealing with something as well."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

That shout got concern from the nearby buffalo. Soon enough, Chief Thunderhooves walked out of his tent and moved towards the group.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle. Many moons rose and set since our last meeting." The chieftain said, then did a double take at the group before him. "And I see you have made some interesting comrade-in-arms." He said, looking at Ran, who blushed shyly at being stared at.

"Chieftain Thunderhooves, we have some distressing news we need to give you, in private." Miu spoke up, warily looking around. With a Zodiarts Switcher, they could be anywhere.

"Hmm. Follow me then." The buffalo leader said, his voice grave, as he walked back to his tent.

---

"I'd imagine so." Takatora said, then the hammer strikes stopped. Vulcanius spoke something in Gaelic in disbelief, then Vulcanius' head popped up out of the lava. "Though' you sha know, I found some shortcuts, so it's gonna be a bit longer to get th' replacements in place." The half-dragon said, then submerged, muttering something darkly in Gaelic before resuming his work.

"And he'll also root out any flaws or shortcuts, as you can see." Luna said, giggling.

---

"Sounds like they inevitably ran into trouble. Probably a Phantom." Samus said. After all, with the plan their enemies are cooking up, conflict was inevitable.

Shotaro placed the "Main detective out on business leave" sign, it depicting Double driving the HardBoilder, on the agency's door.

"Ah, Shotaro, lovely timing." Samus called out, getting the private eye's attention.

"So what did Wreck-It Clay wrecked this time?" Shotaro asked. "The bakery up the street." Samus said with a thumb point over her shoulder.

Shotaro scowled at that. He liked that place. Reasonable on the wallet, yet tasty too.

"Come on, let's get going. Sooner we smash that Memory, the sooner store owners will find peace." Shotaro said, and walked off in the direction of the swamp.

 

[Godzillawolf]

Twilight nodded, looking around the area carefully. "Sorry our meeting isn't under better circumstances, Chief Thunderhooves."

Gilda looked around the area. "Dang it, wish I could sense these guys like I can Phantoms..."

Strongheart looked to Applejack. "...Applejack, is Braeburn alright?" She'd heard 'Appleloosa was attacked' after all.
---

"If there were any 'failsafes' installed by their previous creator, he'll likely also iron those out as well," Celestia explained, aware that they were originally created by less benevolent people. "Unfortunately, knowing Chrysalis, she likely already had her chief scientist work those out. Professor Kabuto is a brilliant doctor and scientist...but unfortunately, he's as insane as he is intelligent, and has a particular love of particularly vile medical experiments, often with fatal results..." Takatora would likely notice a rise in temperature around Celestia.

---

"Should we contact Megan?" Rarity questioned. "Given the dopant can multiple and all. Numbers may be wise."

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

((I am so sorry this is unprecedented at how late this is.))

"He's not doing too good. He's in the clinic from his wounds he got from fighting the one responsible for the whole mess." Applejack said

"Do not apologize, Friend Twilight. This must be dire times." Thunderhooves said, letting everyone in his personal hut.

Gentaro did a double take and looked outside than in. "How?..." He weakly asked, pointing to outside than to the roof of the astonishingly spacious quarters.

"A magician never reveals his secrets." Thunderhooves said in an amused manner. He then closed the flap, and spoke in his native language, and the sounds of the outside ceased.

"Privacy wards?" Dash asked in shock.

"Now then, to what urgent news must be made to ensure only my and my attendant's ears reach?" Thunderhooves asked.

"We believe one of your tribesman has gone rouge in secret and is busy razing Appleloosa to the ground." Miu said grimly, and Thunderhooves looked thunderous.

"Do you have any support for these serious trangressions?" He asked with controlled anger. He knew he had a short temper, one that was a bit embarrassing to have as leader of his people, and compound with his stubborn head and he can make boneheaded decisions that could ruin his people's lives if he was in a rage.

"We do, your honor." Miu said, taking out a hamburger and then inserted the Camera Astroswitch inside it. When she pressed the button, it quickly unfolded into a robot and began emitting images of Appleloosa. Horror soon bloomed on his face when he saw Fourze, Harmony, and Ryugen fought the Hunter Zodiarts.

"It cannot be... Black Thunder..." He whispered, looking ready to keel over.

"It is not the real Black Thunder, Chief Thunderhooves. This is a Zodiarts, a monster created when someone uses an Zodiarts Switch." Images soon appeared of what a Zodiarts Switch looked like, as well as a Horoscope Zodiarts Switch.

---

Takatora stepped away from Celestia increasing the temperature. "I see. A being who puts science well ahead of ethics." He said, having long since realized his former friend Ryoma, as well as his own father, were such people.

He jump when he head an explosion, and a jettison of lava shoot up into the air. "By Tiamat's wings!" Vulcanius shouted as the lava calmed down.

"Cain, did you do what I think you did?" Luna asked out in exasperation.

"... Uh, maybe?" He said meekly.

---

"I think it would be best to contract Ms. Williams. Hang on, where is she?" Samus asked, finding it a little embarrassing she is only just asking this question.

 

[Godzillawolf]

OOC: It's okay.

Kengo nodded. "Zodiarts are beings channeling the power of the constellations. And this is one of the key reasons we believe Hunter is a Buffalo."

"Why?" asked Strongheart, looking a bit saddened and upset at learning about Braeburn.

"All other Zodiarts we've seen until now have used the Equestrian constellations exclusively because their users are Equestrians. However, Hunter is a part of your people's set of constellations, which wouldn't make sense if they weren't," the human turned bat pony explained.

"Could they have used it to impersonate one of our people?" the little buffalo asked.

"No, Zodiarts don't work that way," Kengo explained. "You can't simply choose the Zodiart you become. Even the same person using two different Zodiarts Switches will become the same Zodiarts," he explained, remembering when Scorpio attempted to lure Toshiya Miura into becoming Orion again despite his original Zodiarts Switch being destroyed. "The only exception is the Horoscope Zodiarts, which are far stronger and their Switches locked onto that specific Zodiarts, but Hunter wasn't powerful enough to be one."

"To make matters worse," Twilight explained. "The Switches have an addictive quality to them, and the user's darker emotions will slowly take them over as time goes on, until it reaches its zenith and the only way the transformation can be reversed is by defeating them and destroying the switch."

"Oh, and on the way here, Hunter was following us the entire time," Fluttercruel explained. "And he wouldn't shoot us on anything your people care about after ripping Appleloosa up like nine times."

---

Celestia nodded. "Even his own people can't stand him. Several reformed Changelings have said half the hive is terrified of him and the other half despises him."

Celestia jumped as her brother caused an explosion, getting splashed with lava. She simply gave him look like a sibling who's little brother had splashed her with water. After all, the sun being harmed by heat was unlikely.

---

"She's back at her farm," Rarity explained. "I'm not particularly fond of that place...what with it's...ponies..."

Megan raised ponies. Nonsapient ponies. Naturally, the existence of nonsapient ponies was an unnerving prospect for sapient ones.

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"The stampeding grounds." Thunderhooves stated, a flash of realizing appearing on his face.

"Exactly. He shot at us exactly once when we were on that road, and it was an incredibly guarded shot that hit nothing but the dirt near a tree. He didn't want to risk a shot ruining the grounds." Miu added.

"How can I help? It is late, but how can I help?" Thunderhooves asked.

"May we know who runs the lookout patrols? The fact that you guys have just gotten wind of this is really distressing." Miu continued.

"My brother, Half Horn, is the one in charge of watching our borders." He said, then got up and went to a pot and pulled out antique-looking photographs (to the humans of the group) of Half Horn and the buffalo assigned under him.

----

Takatora raised his Melon Defender to defend himself from any stray lava splash.

"Well, it's safe to say he found and took care of the failsafes." Takatora commented, getting Luna to shake her head, who was the only one to not get splashed by molten rock.

Vulcanius emerged and gave a sheepish smile to his older siblings. "Heh heh, muh bad." He said, then went back to work.

"So how exactly should we get rid of this mad Doctor?" Takatora asked, making his Melon Defender vanish.

"We'll be sending Samus in to dispose of Chrysalis when the time comes to strike, and when she's at her most vulnerable." Luna answered, getting Takatora to look at Luna oddly.

"A video game character?"

"She is most assuredly real, Mr. Kureshima, and fully aware of her fame."

---

Samus chuckled at what Rarity implied. "Want me to go?" Samus asked, knowing that Rarity would be distracted by the equines outside.

 

[Godzillawolf]

"Have you seen him for awhile?" Twilight asked. "Hunter is most likely not alone. The Zodiarts Switches and devices called Gaia Memories are being handed out by demons called Phantoms and the Goddess of Temptation Ispita. In fact a Greater Phantom named Windigo rescued Hunter from us during our first fight with him."

"At least we managed to cut this off before it got too far," Thunderchild pointed out. "This could've been an international incident...which given who we're fighting was probably their plan."

---

Celestia shook the lava off herself, careful not to hit anyone. "Welcome to multiverse theory, Takatora," she explained. "Samus is from a separate alternate universe than you are. She arrived here due to an accident involving her enemies. She's hired to help defeat the Phantoms and their allies, as well as the Space Pirates who have gotten involved in this as well."

---

Rarity nodded. "That would be a good idea, I suppose."

She produced a ring and scanned it. "PORTAL! Please..."

A portal to Megan's farm opened.

---

Megan was currently holding a rifle, taking aim at several cans. She fired in quick succession, blasting each down, simply doing target practice. She sat the gun down, heading over to a stable and tending to a normal brown pony with white spots and a yellow mane.

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

Thunderhooves look aghast. "They have been gone on their patrols for much longer than it is necessary these past few suns. Great spirits, have I let them run roughshod over Appleloosa?" He asked, horror clear in his tone and paling face.

Knocks on the flap resounded. Warily, Thunderhooves opened the flap only to be greeted to the sight of a hunting rifle to his face.

"Brother, what is the meaning of this?!" Thunderhooves yelled as Hunter aimed his sights at the group to not get any funny ideas. Behind Hunter were a collection of other Zodiarts themed from other parts of the Buffalo sky chart, all surrounding the camp, 9 in total.

"Well. Looks like they told." Hunter said, handing his rifle to the Eagle Zodiarts, a Zodiarts with a fiery-hued plumage themed after the sacred figure Sky Dancer, a figure who carried the sun into the sky but his once pristine plumage was darked by the heat.

Hunter took out a Zodiarts Switch and pressed it, revering to buffalo form, much to the shock. Like his name suggested, Half Horn looked like he was missing part of his right horn.

"I was planning on doing this after I sent all those sacrilegious ponies to Tartarus for taking our land, with no consideration of our people's traditions. However, the outsiders had made me skip a few steps." Half Horn said dangerously, a sneer present on his face.

"Mutiny. This is mutiny!" Thunderhooves bellowed.

---

"I see. Most interesting." Takatora said, hand on this chin.

Soon enough, Vulcanius was done hammering away and emerged as his giant size. "Ah, here we are, three complete Sengoku Drivers ready for de fightin'." The half-dragon said, crouching down to open his paw, giving Takatora a look at the completed Drivers.

"Thank you very much, kind blacksmith. Your generosity is greatly appreciated." Takatora said, and collected the Drivers.

"Ah, don't worry none bout it." Vulcanius said, rubbing underneath his nostrils in pride. "Actually, I am interested in this technology of yours. Get me some more supplies and I can make more of the stuff." He said as he shrank to Takatora's height.

"You eva need me hammer an' forge, use dis." Vulcanius said, offering Takatora a tiny door. "It's a Expando-door. T'ink of them like collapsible teleport points with fixed locations no matta where ya go." He explained before Takatora could snark about its looks.

---

Samus thanked Rarity with a nod of her head and jumped into the portal. Once she crossed over, Samus fell and landed on both feet into open pasture with a solid thump.

"Oh Meeegan~!" Samus called out, the Amazon walking to the stable, keeping a wary eye for droppings.

 

[Godzillawolf]

"Nine Zodiarts?!" Kengo asked. "This isn't good."

"I think we're going to need more Riders..." Fluttercruel muttered.

Kengo nodded and quietly pressed a button on the Kaban..

"Half Horn," Fluttershy said, tagging back in. "We don't WANT to disrespect your culture! We just to be friends!"

Thunderchild stayed next to his fillyfriend protectively.

"Don't listen to them, Half-Horn..." the Megaera Phantom slowly trotted over to him. "Your anger is righteous, they are merely trying to lead you away."

"A Phantom too..." Twilight muttered. She covertly summoned her phone in her telekinesis and did her best to hide it.

---

Ispita cackled, watching the situation. "Betraying a sibling, revealing you have an entire renegade faction of his people...This should just about do it. Let's see if Hunter is ready to go all the way."

---

"Thank you, brother," Celestia replied. "Your work is impeccable as always."

She then blinked, summoning her phone and answering. "Hello?"

"Princess Celestia, we're surrounded by Zodiarts in Chief Thunderhoove's camp, we need back up," Twilight whispered. "If the Drivers are ready, send them as soon as possible."

Celestia nodded. "Don't worry, Twilight, we'll send back up as soon as we can..." she said, then hung up. "Twilight and her friends are surrounded by kaijin. We need to get Blueblood and Miss Lulamoon and get to them as soon as possible."

---

Megan jumped slightly, turning. "Oh! Hello, Samus."

She calmed her startled pony. "It's okay, TJ, she's a friend..." she told the pony, stroking his mane.

 

[Kamen_Fanatic]

"Get away from my brother, you witch!" Thunderhooves bellowed and leaped to the Phantom, head out for a devastating charge. Half-Horn, however, was prepared, and pressed the Switch, transforming into Hunter, and counter charged, getting a shockwave to resound as the two forces collided.

Hunter then broke off and slammed a punishing kick into Thunderhooves' rib cage, knocking the wind out of the chieftain, and was sent sprawling back with a punishing uppercut.

"Chieftain!" Gentaro yelled in shock and got up only for an throwing dagger shaped like a feather to fly through the air and lightly cut his cheek, it coming from the Eagle Zodiarts.

"You have grown fat with all those pies, brother." Hunter sneered, spurs ringing as he walked over to the downed form of Thunderhooves and stomped on his head, the chieftain groaning at the pressure, a few cackles from the minions in the background at their boss having soundly beaten Thunderhooves.

"You have grown complacent! You have grown soft if desserts was the only thing needed to sway your opinion!" Hunter sneered, then slid his spur across Thunderhooves' face, getting the Chieftain to flinch at the cut but other than that refused to acknowledge the pain.

---

"Zodiarts?!" Vulcanius yelped in shock, surprise clear on his face.

"Understood." Takatora said grimly, summoning his Melon Defender.

Luna nodded and summoned a portal and Takatora thrust his hand in, nabbing a hoof and yanked the owner inside, revealing a confused Trixie, who was practicing the classic hat trick, and was immediately put in a bubble charm to prevent the sweltering heat from harming her. This process was repeated with Blueblood, although he was about to walk through a door when the portal appeared before him.

"I say, this is all quite sudden." Blueblood commented before Takatora walked up to the two and offered them a Sengoku Driver.

"Put these on. The sooner you do, the sooner we can stop an international incident from spiraling out of control." Takatora spoke grimly.

Blueblood took his and put his on, yelping when the strap fastened itself onto him, then the Ride Identicator flashed a bright yellow, revealing the Ride Wear ID.

"These are Lockseeds; pop the locks with the buttons, then put them into your belts, secure them, then bring the knife down." Takatora said, quickly going through the motions after handing the Kiwano Lockseed to Blueblood, and the Crystal Berry Lockseed to Trixie.

Blueblood looked at his Lockseed and pressed the small black tab on his, getting the locking arm to open with a chirp, followed by a voicing calling out "Kiwano!"

His attention was taken skyward when he heard a zipper unfasten, it being a Crack depositing a metallic giant-sized Kiwano melon from the World of Helheim. Steeling himself, he kissed the Lockseed, then grandiosely arcing his arm around then slammed the Lockseed into the Lock Bay and ignored the insertion confirmation noise, and hit the locking arm, getting it to chirp again.

"Lock on!" Blueblood jumped when trumpets blared, but straightened himself out and pumped the Cutting Edge, revealing the core and a spear within the Lockseed. "Come on!" It announced, getting the Kiwano Arms to fall onto his shoulders, getting the Arms to form in a current of juices, transforming him into a humanoid. Unknown to the group, he has a similar Ride Wear to Bravo in terms of spikes. He was primarily dark green with bright red accents to make the suit pop.

"This is all very weird!" Blueblood said aloud within the Arms, his weirded out face apparent before the Ride Wear's helmet formed, his helmet looking like an visor less knight to show off wide optics and the Spiky Casque dropped down, getting the formerly empty visor to glow.

The Arms began breaking apart and formed armor, the areas around his shoulder and back folding in onto themselves while his chest swung down, revealing slight armor accents on the breast plate that looked like pecs.

"Kiwano Arms! Spike of the Hunt~!" The Driver sang out, and when everything was set in place, green "juice" flew as his eyes flashed and his Arms Weapon, the Kiwano Spiker, a pole arm with a giant spearhead with spikes jutting out of the back of the spearhead, with the spearhead itself looking like a Kiwano melon slice, appearing in his hands.

"Oh my!" Blueblood said in an understating manner, looking at his Armored Rider self, then looked at his weapon. "Good thing I am learning how to use a spear." He mused to himself.

---

Samus kept her distance to respect the pony's startled state.

"Sorry TJ, but I need your master. We are about to go into a fight, and we could use an extra pair of hands." Samus said, keeping her voice in a low manner to keep the pony from being further agitated.