Japan: Tokyo Prefecture

Robert, as he cut through the treeline wiped the sweat off his face, before reaching for his water bottle and chugging it down. Sitting down on a rock, he implanted the Shadow Saber into the ground and sighed looking skywards. No longer was Tokyo an urban jungle. No, instead it was the exact opposite. Now it was just simply overgrown by vines and trees. The Tokyo of the year 6,000 and… whatever it was, well it was a completely different animal compared to the one he worked and served in.

“Mou…” the man muttered to himself looking skywards as strange sounds echoed throughout the forest. “...This is ludicrous. I could barely find my way around Tokyo back when it was just a normal city. Now, I’m just wandering in circles…”

“Maybe you should start looking for familiar landmarks Kisame…” the Kitsune Zord commented. “Just sayin’, ya baka...”

Robert grunted to himself. “Look around -and would you quit it with the name calling?- does anything look even remotely familiar compared to when I should have been alive? Sometimes I wonder if getting tossed 3,000 years into my future by some deity’s idea of a sick joke was a good thing…”

The Kitsune Zord sighed. Sometimes it was far too easy to forget his partner was not as accustomed to the shifting sands of time as he was. “Mount Fuji is still Mount Fuji. The plant life overtook the cities and towns. Birds are still flying, life still goes on in its own busy way. It’s still Tokyo… Just with… Oh, animals humping in the undergrowth. In some cases, you can make out outlines of the buildings. The SPD base was advanced and sterilized so there’s a good chance you’d be able to find it beneath the foliage.”

“Yeah… I suppose. I’d use the Tokyo Tower as a landmark, but I can’t exactly see it. I think it may have finally fallen down over the years. All that rain over 3,000 years, may have rusted it. Or maybe some monster smashed it. This is Japan after all…”

“Nah, monsters only show up wherever 3 or more dorks in tights are running around,” Jindrax joked as he leaped down from a tree. “Man, haven’t seen you this mopey since… Oh, you and Sunset had your lovers spat!”

“Oh shut up…” Toxica commented smacking her friend over the head. “This was home to him for a few years, he’s got a right to be a little sad I think!”

“Remind me again why I brought them along…?” Robert wondered. “Certainly wasn’t for the color commentary…”

“Aww, is the ickle human feeling so lonely?” the Kitsune Zord teased. “I think you were just too tired to argue when they offered to come along.”

“Or just wanted to avoid the headache… Funny that, I’m getting one now. It’s not from you, strangely…”

“Oh, go fuck yourself…” the Kitsune Zord growled out before sighing. “Look, I’m sorry you had to get thrown this far into your planet’s future. Honestly, maybe you should have continued as you were in SPD.”

“And get fired? I think not. The way I was going, I probably would have gotten the sack sooner or later. Probably sooner with my attitude. Sky was right all along, you know. I was far too arrogant for my own damn good. Likely would have gotten myself killed one day.”

“Then if being a Ranger is what you think you are at your very core then sack up and deal with your hang-ups. I can’t have a partner who’s moping about half the time about what ifs and maybes. You’re here now, so suck it up and deal with it. The past is gone, tomorrow is unclear and all that’s real is right here and now. You’re allowed to feel sad and hurt, but it can’t consume you. So, are you a Ranger?”

“Yeah… I am…” Robert growled picking up the Shadow Saber, wrenching it out of the ground and cutting through some more undergrowth.

“Oh look, the mighty Shadow Saber… reduced to a common machete!” Jindrax teased before he was hit over the head again. This time, not by Toxica surprisingly enough. This time it was by Flash Sentry and his spear.

“Ask me, why are you friends with these two again?” the orange-toned pegasus asked.

“Who says I am?” Robert admitted grumpily. “I only put up with them because they’re useful and they helped the original Wild Force team.”

Flash Sentry spared a glance towards the two Duke Orgs, arguing over something probably rather trivial. “...That I can hardly believe.”

“Welcome to my world…” Robert muttered.

“I can hardly believe that featherbrain thinks he has a shot with a princess,” the zord noted with a huff and a snicker, nudging Robert. “Then again, I guess stranger things have happened. Like any woman or mare agreeing to date you. You, of all humans!”

“Again, welcome to my world…” Robert muttered rubbing his arm. “I still wonder what… Agh, never mind…” he thought before his mood turned cheery again brushing the thoughts away. The last thing he wanted was for the Kitsune to see him like this. “As you said, stranger things have happened. I mean, there’s Vapor. She’s got a crush on Zen-Aku for crying out loud! That… That just says it all really…”

“Are you crazy?! A ramen stand is quintessential Japan! Takoyaki might be tasty but nothing is more classic than a little ramen shop that only true connoisseurs know the value of!” Jindrax argued, gesticulating wildly.

“We hang out with weirdos. I mean, there’s liking a bad boy and then there’s that fleabag.” the Kitsune muttered with a dismissive snort. He was probably still sore about the Duke Org taking control of three of his brothers, and now said three Zords forgave him and now followed his every word even now! ...At least that’s what Robert figured.

“You’re the idiot!” Toxica screeched as Flash just rubbed his temples in the background. “Takoyaki is the far more classic food. What’s something you find at every festival and event? Ramen? No, it’s takoyaki! Don’t be mad at me you’re so wrong.”

“Maybe it’s the whole knight in shining armor thing… I mean, he did rescue her once or twice if I recall…” Robert mused. “Still, could be worse. She could be interested in that sparklyarse Robert Pattinson…”

“Didn’t you tell me he played Batman once?” the Kitsune asked.

“That’s not even a good joke. Look, I get the logic of casting someone nobody would expect as Batman, the whole man of mystery thing and Hell, Michael Keaton did a fantastic job! But the guy who played Edward Cullen… Euugh.”

“Didn’t he play Cedric Diggory as well…?” the Kitsune asked.

“I didn’t even know you were up to date on pop culture…” Robert replied.

“Look who I’m paired up with. Are you that surprised?” the Zord asked raising an eyebrow.

“As much as I enjoy the peanut gallery,” Flash began before bashing both Jindrax and Toxica over the heads with his spear. “Will you quit it?”

“He’s a brave soul…” the Kitsune Zord remarked already picking out flowers for the pony’s funeral. Robert could only nod.

“Well, he survived Gilda so there’s that…” the Orange Ranger admitted.

“Hit us again, Casanova!”Toxica snapped, glaring at Flash. “See what happens. No one hits Jindrax but me!”

“Thanks, Toxica,” Jindrax smiled as Robert sweatdropped. “And nobody messes with the Master of Blades!”

“...Why’d you bring me out here again?” Flash asked. “No, seriously, why…?”

“Well, call it… just being careful. Heard a few rumors a few ponies managed to venture out this far -like this one mare called Mistmane- so I took you along just in case. I mean, how would it look if a human and two Duke Orgs just waltzed into pony territory?” Robert asked.

Flash facepalmed. “And it looks even worse with me in tow! I could be a kidnapping victim or bargaining chip!”

“Should we tell him that it also keeps Gilda from tearing his throat out in his sleep?” the Kitsune zord inquired, glancing between the guard and his partner. “I mean, I don’t think she was all too happy to hear he was just dating Twilight just so he could say that he was…” he trailed off.

“That’s just a rumor. And I’d like to keep it that way, moron.” Robert muttered before turning to Flash. “Relax, nothing’s going to happen to you. I Pinkie Promise that. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

The Kitsune just sniggered in his head at the ridiculousness of it all. Robert sent him a mental image of an angry Pinkie watching him forever, quieting him for the time being.

“If you say so…” Flash muttered before he pulled out his sword as something brushed through the treetops. “...Okay, what was that?”

“The wind?” Robert asked weakly not even believing that one.

“Animals humping in the undergrowth?” Toxica suggested.

“A, how could animals hump in the treetops, and B, since when is it ever just the wind?” Flash asked.

“He’s got a point you know…” the Kitsune Zord agreed before his ears perked up. “On your left!”

Robert hearing what the Zord did as well, leaped to the left as senbon needles flew through the air and impacted a tree trunk next to him. Toxica winced.

“Mercury tipped. Deadly on impact. Someone really doesn’t like us being here…” she commented, a master of the understatement.

“...Oh, this reminds me of the time I was traipsing about an Egyptian tomb!” Jindrax commented going for his daggers. “...Except, you know, I was in the desert… and underground… and… Okay, maybe this is nothing like that.” he admitted rubbing his head in embarrassment.

“So, what should we expect next on this tour of Japan?” Flash asked his spear crackling with electricity. “Giant tentacle monsters? Giant naughty tentacle monsters?” he asked and everyone stared at him.

“...Remind me to tell your Captain to limit your reading material…” Toxica mumbled.

“Oh, Shining reads that stuff as well!” Flash chirped and the Mistress of Magic could only facefault.

“...Is this trip to your Delta Base really worth it?” Jindrax wondered aloud looking around for the perpetrators. “Between the sweltering heat, the deadly ninja assassins, and a frankly rather weird pegasus…”

“It’s worth it, trust me,” Robert commented. “No risk, no reward right?” he commented as the foursome continued on this time keeping a very watchful eye on the treeline half-expecting kunai or shuriken to fly out of the trees any time now.

“How’d Tokyo even get like this anyhow?” Flash had to wonder aloud. “Last I heard, it was a place to rival even Manehatten or Las Pegasus!”

“Oh, something about a nuclear reactor meltdown back in the 2150s, hit some sort of massive plant and caused it to grow like wild,” Jindrax remarked. “...Oh, humans and their love for nuclear power… Have they learned nothing from B-Movies?”

“Okay, if some sort of giant moth comes out of the trees I’m bailing…” Robert muttered. This time he was the one everyone was looking at weirdly. “Oh, don’t give me those looks. I, unlike you, have seen tokusatsu productions. This is exactly the kind of thing that would happen after a nuclear reactor meltdown!”

“...I’d hate to be in your brain sometimes, you do know that right?” Toxica remarked. Suddenly, she heard the sound of something slicing through the air and threw up a shield just in time. If she hadn’t, a fūma shuriken would have cleaved her clean in two.

“Is this going to be ninja ponies?” Jindrax questioned, his sword at the ready and doing some sort of odd kung fu pose. “If it is, think they were influenced by pop culture or found a way to learn the actual traditions?”

Robert didn’t even have time to facepalm before a flash of orange and red and he was inside a building blade drawn in front of three ninjas. Two wore hoods and dark blue uniforms but the other had tossed his hood aside revealing a midnight black face and a massive unkempt almost palm tree-like manestyle. And they all bore the unmistakable Ninja Star Blades of the Ninja Steel Rangers.

“...Joy,” Robert muttered before the lead demanded what he was doing here. Robert’s only response? A weak: “I like Ike?”

He sighed as the lead charged. He hated this, but it seemed no quarter would be given or asked for.

“Power Stars Lock In, Ninja Spin!”/“Legendary Wild Access!”

The Dragonlands: Ngorongoro Crater

On the other corner of the globe in Africa, Sunburst, Galaxy, and Daring had stumbled into the massive expanse of the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera which now covered 100 square miles from end to end. And it now played center stage to the Kingdom of Zandar.

“You do take me to the most interesting locations,” Galaxy remarked, Ol Doinyo Lengai looming ominously in the distance with smoke rising from its peak. Everyone knew it was a still active volcano and Celestia only knew how far its lava flows ran. For all they knew, the flows could be underneath their feet even now. “...Remind me to thank you for that. No, seriously.”

“Was Galaxy always such a baby?” Daring asked. She smirked and looked at Sunburst. “Are you rubbing off on him in more ways than one?”

“Har har…” Sunburst replied before leaning in close to her. “Truth be told… I… Uh, have doubts about our relationship.”

“I’m probably not the best pony to hear ya out on that one,” Daring admitted with a shrug. “I’m not really experienced with long-term relationships.”

“Only because you never settled down long enough to have one,” Sunburst replied. “Seriously, might do you a world of good…”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll think about it,” Daring answered, waving her hand at the bookish stallion. “If I find someone I can put up with for extended periods of time and isn’t taken. Seriously, being a book character to most really doesn’t help!”

“I dunno, there’s a lot of foe yay subtext between you and Ahuizotl…” Sunburst teased with a raised eyebrow causing Daring to facepalm and curse the idea of whoever came up with ‘shipping’ and ‘shipping goggles’.

“Por Celestia... Algunas personas…” Daring mumbled before glaring at her fellow Ranger. “Sunburst, keep it to your fanfics, okay?” she said pointedly.

“...I have never written a thing of the kind. Twilight and Rainbow, however…” Sunburst said innocently. “But you never heard it from me.”

Daring didn’t believe him but keep silent on the matter. “Let me guess, Rainbow inserted herself as my sidekick and solved every problem by flying?” she deadpanned.

“...She may have yes, with a poorly chosen name of Prism Quick and I may have had to edit for her…” Sunburst mumbled. “Oh, could be worse I suppose. It could be that clopfic she wrote between you an… Oh, please tell me I did not just say that!” he squeaked going bright red.

Daring rubbed her temples, feeling a headache forming. “I’m going to forget this entire conversation, okay? That way I can still look Rainbow in the eyes. Mi Celestia, las imágenes!”

“I’ll see if I can get Twilight to get you some brain bleach, okay?” Sunburst replied. “B-But anyways… Ah, like I said I have doubts about me and Galaxy’s relationship. I’m just beginning to wonder… things.”

“Well, from what I do know about this sort of thing, I gotta ask, does he make you happy and do you feel better when he’s nearby?”

“At times, yes, but at others… I just have to wonder if he’s… well, he’s a leech or something like that. I mean, he promised to get married and yet for twelve and a half-months nothing of the sort has happened! ...I’m wondering if he’s just using me for some end…” Sunburst whispered making sure Galaxy wasn’t in earshot. Unbeknownst to either of them, the bat-pony had tripped on a rock, and fallen flat on his face and into unconsciousness.

“To be fair, Ranger and guard duties have kept you both busy,” Daring offered. “And could you imagine having your wedding interrupted by some monster attack? I know this isn’t your strong suit, but you need to confront Galaxy with your feelings.”

“Oh, look at me! A relationship counselor!” Daring thought to herself. What had gone wrong with her life?

“I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind. Truth be told, I’ve been having these doubts for a while now, it’s just… well, I’ve had nobody to talk to them about. Or more accurately, ever had the nerve to talk to them about. It took me several tries and quite a few mental orders to my body not to faint just to mention this to you!” Sunburst stammered out.

“Listen to you, you fight monsters and talking to your fiance scares you?” Daring said, slapping the nervous stallion’s back. “You’re stronger than that virgin schoolboy act you put on. Look him in the eyes, try not to get lost in them and do what you gotta do. Either you figure out how to make things work, or you tell him to hit the bricks. There’s no middle ground here, Sunbutt.”

“...Please don’t use Celestia’s nickname with me,” Sunburst whispered. “You know Daring, for someone who’s never been in a relationship before, you sure sound like you have…”

“I may not have relationship experience, but I got plenty of it in getting what I want,” she countered, smiling at him. Sunburst blinked. Lightning had mentioned to him Daring was a spectacular failure at flirting if her experience with Dr. Caballeron’s goons was anything to go by. She then punched him in the arm, knowing exactly what Sunburst was thinking. “Outside of romance, dork. Nice catch on Changeling drone tip-off by the way. Still, you gotta speak up if you want people to know what you want. Not too many ponies are mind readers.”

“Yeah… Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Sunburst admitted. “Okay, now this is just getting odd. You’d think by now the dragons would have noticed us. I mean, we’re not exactly ninj-”

He let out a yelp as he nearly stepped into a hot spring before Daring grabbed him with her whip and pulled him back. “...See, this is why I always keep eyes on the road ahead, not think about things like relationships and talk with my companions while on an adventure.” Daring lectured.

Sunburst only offered her a flat look and pulled off the whip from his arm. “Thanks for the save.”

“Don’t mention it, just keep yourself on task…” Daring trailed off before her eyes widened as a female dragon, cyan colored scales and a massive sword strapped to her back landed in front of them. “...Oh, mierda.” She nudged Sunburst forward, electing him to take the lead on diplomatic matters.

“Um… Hello. I assume you’re Ember right?” Sunburst asked before slapping himself on the forehead. He noticed the very distinct gold gem hanging around Ember’s neck. “Oh, Princess Ember. I’m Sunburst. We met at the last Winter Gala I believe…?”

Ember didn’t look exactly amused. Sunburst turned to Daring and whispered: “You ever dealt with dragons? In a non torch your bones capacity, I mean?”

“Um, one time, but he was an exile from the dragon lands,” Daring whispered back. “I don’t think that experience will help.”

“It was Garble wasn’t it?” Sunburst asked, and Daring could only nod.

“You know I can hear you right?” Ember asked. “And as the Dragonlord, I don’t take kindly to ponies waltzing into my kingdom without an explanation.”

“...Wouldn’t you… well, you know, be a dragonlady since… uh…” Sunburst stammered and Daring could only facepalm.

“Sure, dig yourself deeper Sunbutt. And I thought you were supposed to be smart!” she thought.

“Now, care to explain why the Captain of Luna’s guard is with you?” she asked, and motioned for another dragon -black scaled with silver armlets- to toss Galaxy forwards in front of the two.

“He’s with him,” Daring said, opting to take the lead while Sunburst checked on his fiance’s unconscious body. “This isn’t an action by the princess.”

“Oh, it makes me feel so good to know your Sun Tyrant isn’t asking her sister to assassinate me. If she wanted to do that, she should have the courage at least to do it herself!” Ember snapped. Sunburst meanwhile rushed over to his fiance and quickly checked him before sighing in relief. He was alive. That much was good news. It seemed Ember’s warriors hadn’t touched him.

Daring carefully avoided that landmine as best she could, putting on a smile. “We’re here on a personal venture. There’s a gold gem that we’ve come here to find that’ll help us with matters at home.”

Ember was no fool. She knew, of course, exactly the stone they were speaking of. “I assume you mean this, the Stone of Zandar?” Ember asked fingering her necklace. “Sorry, but it’s Dragonlord property. A family heirloom, even,” she growled clutching her scepter tightly.

‘Oh crap, she’s already got the stone. And I bet she’s bonded to it,’ Daring thought, fighting back a grimace remembering her own experiences with the Aqua Energem. “Well, this is turning out to be a lovely day isn’t it Dares?”

“Ma’am, we won’t ask you to part with it. Since it’s yours, there’s no point to that,” She reached into her pocket and showed off her own energem for emphasis. She looked at Sunburst, and he quickly nodded getting the message before fishing out Galaxy’s own graphite one. “Fact of the matter is… Well, we’re three of a kind us. Four, if you count a certain samurai girl. Rangers.”

“And I’m supposed to know what this means?” Ember asked. “The only ‘Rangers’ I know are Celestia and Luna’s squad of archer scouts on the edge of their kingdom.”

“Nothing like that, we’re Power Rangers,” Daring assured, returning her gem to her pocket. “We fight off monsters that seek to destroy life on this planet and have no official ties to our government.”

“...Excuse me while I laugh,” Ember remarked. “You honestly expect me to believe such a yarn? Sounds like something younger dragons would spin up just to amuse others. Monsters that seek to destroy all life on this planet? Sounds a lot like what you used to -and still do- label us dragons. Or unless I remember incorrectly about your Chancellor Neighsay calling us ‘savage remorseless brutes’?” she questioned.

Sunburst swore under his breath. Of course, even with Neighsay in custody and in the dungeons he still managed to find some way to cause them trouble…

“L-Look here,” he stammered out gathering up his courage. “Daring’s telling the truth! Such a thing really does exist! Surely you’ve noticed, that extra power flowing through your body thanks to that gem of yours!”

Ember seemed to briefly consider his words before dismissing them. “There’s only one way to prove you are telling the truth, and not spinning falsehoods. We must settle this in the only way a dragon knows how. A trial by combat.”

Daring sucked in a breath. Damn it, this was not what she wanted to happen. She’d heard more than enough rumors about the dragons and how their combat trials went. It was do or die, and more often than not the opponent never came out alive. She’d had the ‘luxury’ of hearing about what happened in one of these trials thanks to Garble. Apparently, one of his buddies had been ripped limb from limb in one of these duels. It hadn’t been a pretty sight to say the least.

“Now Ember, Dragonlord Ember…” Sunburst said knowing of these duels as well. “This is rather rash don’t you think? You’d only be proving Neighsay right if you settled this by combat. You’d only be proving that you are indeed a savage brute! Think on it!” he shouted.

“I… I would like to back down from this, but once a duel has been initiated there is no backing down. Dragon law is absolute. I’d have to give up my crownship, and believe me, I am one of the only reasons why your land has not been scourged to the bone. I genuinely want to be different from my ancestors, but… “ Ember trailed off as a wave of blood red magic from the scepter went through her. “But as long as I hold this scepter, I must follow the dragon magics. Now… prepare yourself!” she shouted drawing her blade. Reluctantly, Sunburst drew his Crystal Saber…

Japan: Tokyo Prefecture

“Ninjas… Pony ninjas…” Robert muttered as he held up his Shadow Saber, the blade glinting in the sunlight. “Now, I swear I’ve seen it all… Listen, I’m quite sure this is all some big misunderstanding…” he stated trying to get them to back down. He wasn’t even sure he believed his own words given they’d already morphed on the spot and looked ready for combat.

And he admitted, holding his Shadow Saber certainly wasn’t helping matters. No, not his Shadow Saber, Robert corrected himself. The Commander’s Shadow Saber. Nobody else’s.

He noted their attire, the costumes of the Ninja Steel Rangers. Though last he checked, there wasn’t a green power star amongst them. Oh well, maybe things had changed in a couple of thousand years. “I swear by Lady Mistmane and Princess Celestia that I have reason to be here!” Robert declared holding up his hands defensively and sheathing his sword even as the three Rangers advanced on him with battle morphers in bow mode.

“He’s right!” Flash shouted as he dashed in sweating and panting up a storm. That heavy armor of his was doing him no favors. Recollecting himself Flash continued to speak with the battle morphers now pointed at him. To his credit, Flash held his ground.“I swear, we’re here on peaceful terms!”

“I… I apologize,” the red Ranger said, demorphing himself in a flash of light and green leaves. He knew one of Celestia’s Royal Guards here made things especially important, and this orange fox’s story far more credible. The others were soon to follow. One was a tan unicorn, and the other was an earth pony mare wearing a green bow in her mane. “Midnight Radiance, at your service. This is… Well, better for safety if they don’t give up their names.”

“Dragonscale,” the mare said with a chirp and a wink doing a little pose as the unicorn sighed to himself. Classic Genki girl, Robert mused. “This stick in the mud? Calls himself Hattari.”

Hattari could only huff and cross his arms.

“...You guys must be the worst Ninjas I’ve ever heard of. I thought you guys stuck to the shadows,” Flash commented. “What, do you announce yourselves with confetti, banners, and explosions?” he deadpanned.

“We are ninjas, but we will not hide!” Midnight declared pointing his sword upwards. Hattari could only facepalm.

“Dare ja? Ore ja? Ninja…” Robert muttered with a roll of his eyes and was soon glomped by Dragonscale.

“See, he gets it!” the mare declared seemingly missing the man’s sarcasm. “He gets the whole thing! He gets it!” she cried punching Hattari in the shoulder. He did not look amused.

“Dragon, ever think you’re… well, missing the point just a little?” the gold ranger asked. “I mean, sure you’re the Princess of the Rainbow Snake clan and all that, but that doesn’t mean you have to be as… lively as a rainbow snake would be.” he muttered.

“How would you know what a rainbow snake looked or acted like?” Dragonscale asked. “You’ve never seen one before in your life! Nobody has! Well, outside of the Brumbies I suppose…”

“Mind explaining exactly why the world’s worst ninjas in histor-” Flash started before stopping himself on seeing Dragonscale’s little pout. It was sorta cute actually.

“Way to stick your foot in it, Flash. Upsetting cute mares, one day at a time…” he thought before correcting himself. “Okay, the world’s most fantastical ninjas in history decided to attack us out of the blue?”

“Wait, why do I think she’s cute? Celestia damnit Flash, you and mares… well, you know you don’t have the best history with them… especially after Princess Twilight…” he thought to himself sadly. “Make one joke and everything falls apart. Guess that’s what I get for speaking without thinking. Only trouble is, thinking isn’t a strong point of mine either. Crap, I’m going off on a tangent and just standing here like an idiot. Is she talking? Get it together, soldier!”

“...You do know you’re thinking out loud right?” Dragonscale asked. “Just sayin’...”

Flash went stock still, swearing he could hear the sound of glass breaking. At that moment, he started hoping for a meteor to come down and strike him dead.

“I apologize for her,” Midnight said. “You and her, well… you are a lot alike. You two don’t have a brain to mouth filter. Neither of you. ...Suppose that’s one point in your favor towards being a couple!” he teased.

While both Flash and Dragonscale blushed, Hattari chuckled. “Always pairing ponies up, aren’t you Radiance?” he asked in this deep gravelly voice.

“Well, brother dear…” Midnight said slinging an arm around the now unamused gold ranger. “Hey, if you’ve got the talent… flaunt it! That’s what I say, at least!”

“Hey, the man’s right you know,” Jindrax said as he strode into the room and now all swords and battle morphers were pointed at him. “...Okay, what did I do?”

“Yokai…” Hattari stated with his star blade now inches away from the Duke Org’s face. He’d moved in a flicker of shadow, and Jindrax had only reacted in the nick of time drawing his blade to block it in a shower of sparks. Using a wrist flick, he disarmed Hattari.

“Okay okay, can we just put the blades now for a moment? Scheisse…” Robert muttered.

“I agree with him!” Jindrax shouted pointing towards Robert. “Seriously, you lot are insane! First, you’re pointing bows at Foxy-Woxy over there, then you lower them, then you raise them against yours truly! Why would you want to scratch this face, and what in the name of the Master Org is a Yokai?”

“Mou…” Dragonscale muttered. “You seriously don’t know what a Yokai is… Yokai?”

“Well, I’m not Japanese… or Neighponiese or whatever you call yourselves so no, I wouldn’t!” Jindrax shouted back.

“...I’m uh… sorta lost here. I have to agree with Jindrax here. What’s a Yokai?” Robert asked rubbing his head in confusion. “...What, are they game characters come to life Ex-Aid style? Cause the only Yokai I knew were in Yo-Kai Watch…”

Flash stared at Robert in shock. “You lived here! And yet you don’t know what a Yokai, a Neighponiese creature is?” he asked.

“Lived here for only a few years. Emphasis on a few might I remind you, ya dummkopf. I didn’t grow up here and get raised on this sorta stuff,” Robert corrected. “Nor I didn’t go delving into books on every Japanese legend. Just ones that interested me…”

Flash could only facepalm. “Okay, Yokai are basically… well, your average Neighponiese phantom or spirit. Most people explain them away as… Well, supernatural or unaccountable phenomena but… Obviously, they exist. At least in their minds. Actually, come to think of it, your totem animal falls under the Yokai banner…”

At this, everyone else looked at Robert. “...Um, orange Kitsune Ranger? ...Uh, surprise I guess?” he laughed nervously.

“I’m surprised you know this stuff, Flash,” Toxica commented and both Midnight and Dragonscale yelped at her appearance. Robert and Jindrax collectively facepalmed at this and shared a look. Seriously, ponies. So easy to scare. “Here I thought your knowledge of Neighponese culture began and ended with tentacle porn.” Toxica deadpanned.

“Oooh, did anyone say tentacle porn?” Dragonscale chirped while Midnight looked freaked out by this understandably.

“...You do realize who my ex was right?” Flash commented.

“No, sorry, I don’t keep up with ponies and their relationships,” Toxica sneered before doing a little curtsy before Midnight. “Toxica, Mistress of Magic at your service…”

“...Please tell me it’s not the kind of service I think it is…?” Midnight nervously stammered out upon looking at Toxica’s attire.

Hattari, in the background, could only facepalm. His brother still had a lot to learn about women.

“Are you calling me a whore?!” Toxica boomed, pointing her staff at the red ninja. “I have half a mind to turn you into a pile of ash for that!”

“...I apologize, I apologize madam Toxica,” Midnight stammered out rapidly backtracking bowing profusely. “Just don’t turn me into a newt or something like that!”

“Good call, I got turned into a newt once,” Jindrax pointed out as Robert struggled to hold in his laughter at the situation and the sheer ridiculousness of it all. “I got better, but still! That small body… Euugh…” he shuddered.

“Is your brother always this dumb?” Robert asked leaning towards Hattari.

“Sometimes, yes. I swear, it’s a thing about the Reds in our family… They never seem to wind up bright…” the gold ranger sighed.

“Could be worse, could be one of those hot-blooded anime types. Now those are annoying, for Christ’s sake…” Robert agreed.

“What’s anime?” Dragonscale asked, tilting her head at Robert. “Is it like an animal or something?”

“You sure you aren’t related to this Sonata woman I heard about?” he asked in return. “You don’t sing do you?”

“Are you kidding? I rock at karaoke!” Dragonscale beamed, striking a pose like an idol and flashing the peace sign.

Robert for his part just looked terrified and ready to bolt out of the room like a bat out of Hell. Flash didn’t seem to be that far behind him.

“Okay, okay… so you’re not Yokai?” Midnight asked.

“I think we have established that, yes,” Toxica deadpanned. “I can only presume your paranoia and stupidity has something to do with why you tried to kill us?”

“Er… sorry about that?” Midnight asked rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle soon to follow. “I apologize, again. It’s just… well, things have gone a little nuts around here…”

“What he means is this,” Hattari said before his horn glowed with a teal-blue light. Smoke gathered from all corners of the room before forming into distinctive shapes. Three wolf-like creatures snarling and snapping appeared above their head, each with nasty claws that would have done Wolverine proud.

Robert’s eyes widened and he muttered: “The Wolfblades… Lovely…”

Hattari looked at him for this. “You know of these creatures?”

“Well, not personally, but I’ve heard a few stories. Blue Bay Harbor, 2003. Some warlord, going by the name of Shizumu woke up their spirits. I thought they were destroyed, actually. ...Guess I was wrong on that front.”

“Well, they are spirits in a sense, so I would imagine they’d be hard to kill…” Hattari commented. “I presume no proper funeral rites or spells were performed to lay their spirits to rest?”

“...I doubt it. They were just treated as your average monster. They were destroyed, then they got big, then they were blown up again. Usually the way it works innit?” Robert asked.

“Okay, so no Chinkon rituals performed. Got it. So, these doubutsu no ke will keep coming back every 100 years or so on the full moon until the proper rituals are performed. ...And look at us without a follower of Shintoism to perform the sealing spell…” Hattari grumbled.

“Hattari, is your default mood well… moody?” Dragonscale asked clapping him over the head with a slipper she’d pulled from… somewhere. “You heard Toxica, she calls herself a Mistress of Magic! Surely she can-”

“Hey, don’t drag me into this!” Toxica protested.

“Too late Tox, looks like you got volunteered!” Jindrax laughed before Toxica sent a very nasty glare towards her fellow Duke Org. He let out a small squeak and hid behind Flash for protection.

Flash could only sigh to himself and mutter how he was surrounded by idiots. Now he knew exactly how Princess Sunset felt at times, he mused to himself.

“Great, so we just got dragged into something out of a Jidaigeki. Scheisse… And here I came to Japan just to find the SPD Delta Base…” Robert muttered rubbing his temples.

Something seemed to click in Dragonscale’s mind right about then. “Oooh, I’ve heard that name before! You don’t mean anything to do with… this place do you?” she asked before pulling away on some vines to reveal a massive dog’s badge gleaming in tarnished silver. Robert’s eyes widened.

The Kingdom of Zandar: Arena

Crowds roared as Sunburst nervously stepped out into the arena. Ember had decreed it quite barbaric to fight out in the open like animals, so here he was. Personally, he wasn’t a fan.

“So, I get slaughtered in front of a crowd. Great. Just great…” Sunburst thought. “So much for keeping my big fat mouth shut…”

“W-Would this be a terrible time to mention I don’t like fighting unless absolutely necessary?” Sunburst asked the dragon who was leading him out into the arena.

“This is necessary, this is dragon law.”

“...Would it also be a good time to mention I’m a terrible fighter?” Sunburst asked.

“Then Lady Ember will slaughter you.” the dragon commented before shoving Sunburst out into the arena sand making him fall onto his face.

Ember was already waiting for him, her sword slung over her shoulder. She forewent any traditional armor, clearly confident in the protection her scales offered. “This is what you display before the fight? Shameful.”

“A fight I do not want to take part in!” Sunburst stated. “Just stating that for the record. Seriously, there are other ways to settle an argument than trying to spill our guts!”

“He’s going to die…” Galaxy whispered afraid to watch while Daring slapped him over the head.

“So much for having faith in your fiance… Now I see why their relationship is on the rocks…” she thought before correcting him. “No, he’s going to live. This is Sunburst’s type of battle. Just you watch.”

“No matter how much I agree with you, this is something I can’t change,” Ember retorted. “It’s unsightly to cower instead of facing what you can’t avoid.”

“It’s also unsightly to fight like animals,” Sunburst stated holding his ground. He noted the arena’s four corners were decorated with pterodactyl statues. Maybe Ember wasn’t as clueless as to her gem’s true nature as she thought. “We’re better than this. Both of us.”

“Words win wars, Galaxy,” Daring stated up in the stands. “You of all people should know this yourself. Just watch him.”

Sunburst had been given a sword by the armory, but he refused to draw it. This fight was pointless, and one of the rules of being a Ranger was never to engage in pointless battles or escalate fights.

“Yes, I get you’re this almighty Dragonlord or Dragonlady or whatever and forced to fight thanks to some damned magic, but a true ruler also knows when to stand down and listen,” Sunburst stated. “Who can say where true strength really lies? For me, it’s important to just seek it in your heart. Not use your weapons for needless bloodshed.”

“That isn’t an option I have. Why do you ponies think you can impose your will on everything? You’re just like that damned solar bitch. If you won’t draw your weapon, then too bad!” Ember brought her sword down in a vicious swing, though Sunburst noted she was using the flat of her blade.

Sunburst dodged to the left before he heard a shout.

“Here, catch!” Daring shouted tossing a collection of Dino Chargers towards Sunburst. His hand reached out to catch them before he looked them over.

“What does she expect me to do with…” he thought even as he dodged another sword swing before his eyes widened in realization as he recognized the chargers. “Of course! Daring, you clever girl…”

Concentrating as hard as he could, he funneled whatever magic he could muster into one of the chargers. He admitted, he’d never tried this before but… Well, time to see if he really could be a mage.

“Come on Sunburst,” Daring thought. “I know you can do this. This is right up your alley. You’ve never been a conventional magic user, and this isn’t a conventional fight!”

Kicking sand in Ember’s face making her screech in rage Sunburst then activated the first charger. A ghostly blue image of an Archelon appeared around him before he raised his fist and slammed it back down again making Ember suddenly feel very heavy.

“Gravity Charger…” Sunburst thought aloud to himself. “Has a nasty effect on the target’s own... well, guess…”

Ember suddenly found it very hard to move and even swinging her sword felt like a chore. Her reptilian eyes widened as she saw Sunburst’s hoof swing around and clocked her in the head shattering her helmet. Or at least, that’s what would have happened had Sunburst not stayed his hoof at the last moment.

“You know, an ordinary pony would have used that advantage to probably shatter your helmet, or worse… your skull. But I’m not an ordinary pony. I’m certainly not the brute Solar Flare’s propaganda made us out to be over the years. Everyone used to make assumptions about me, and they were mostly wrong ones. I attend to prove your own wrong as well.” Sunburst stated before the effects of the charger wore off. Sunburst just narrowly leaped back in time to avoid a powerful upwards slash feeling the air grow heavy with ozone. “So, what say you?” he asked.

“This combat doesn’t stop until one of us is unable to continue,” Ember said, a small smile on her face. “Glad you could find your backbone.”

“I never was looking for my backbone, I always had it,” Sunburst stated as he looked upwards to see a dragon guarding the glowing red scepter. “But I do not fight for pointless reasons. Yes, this is your law and way of doing things, but I consider it mindless brutality. I’m offering the hand of friendship here Ember. And friendship, if you ask me… Now that’s even more powerful magic than any other I know of…”

“Do you remember the red magic from before?” Ember asked, snorting. “That was part of the ritual. If I ignore the ancient laws governing this, I die on the spot. That’s why I’ve been saying from the start that even though I agree this fight is stupid, I have to do it. Why do you ponies always need everything spelled out to you like hatchlings?”

“Oh, I already guessed what might happen if you didn’t fight,” Sunburst stated. “I can see the fear in your eyes, and honestly… that ugly red magic isn’t very friendly.”

“What the hell is he doing?” Galaxy asked. “If all he needs to do is destroy that scepter, then why doesn’t he do it?”

“He is,” Daring put in. “But he’s also trying to make a point. Ember doesn’t understand all ponies aren’t like Solar Flare. Sure, she’s been to galas but that’s when other creatures were around to protect her. Safety in numbers and all that. Plus, ponies have been too scared to raise a hoof against her, so she never got the chance to learn what we are really like. Solar Flare never helped our image with her power, and the ability to smite someone if she so chose. This is Sunburst destroying that image.” she stated.

“By Lady Luna…” Galaxy thought to himself feeling ashamed of himself for thinking so little of Sunburst. “After… after all this is over, you are getting it good…”

Sunburst meanwhile, funneled more magic into another charger and this time a red image of an Allosaurus appeared above him. The Blaze Charger.

Flames erupted around the arena and Sunburst gestured to them. “I could have easily just burnt your armor to a crisp, or broiled you from the inside out. But I’m not going to do that. No, I’m not her. I’m not Solar Flare. I don’t raise a hand against those who don’t deserve it.”

“But… But I’m trying to kill you!” Ember roared as she swung her sword again.

“Under duress,” Sunburst stated going for his final charger. “If you were a real monster, like those I face everyday… yes, then I might fight back. But not today. Not against you. Now just relax…” he stated as an image of an Ammonite appeared above him and Sunburst shoved a green energy towards Ember making her feel awfully woozy.

Sunburst wiggled his finger in a circular motion, and Ember staggered the grip on her sword loosening before Sunburst grabbed it out of her hands and elbowed her in the stomach.

Next, he let out a battle cry and tossed the sword towards the Bloodstone Scepter. The dragon next to it ducked even as Ember’s own sword cleaved the top of the scepter clean off in an explosion of crackling gold and red energy.

The walls of the arena hummed and crackled with a strange energy, before the energy field surrounding them shattered like glass. Panting and sweating, Sunburst smiled. “There milady… You’re free.”

“Y-you dumbass!” Ember roared, swatting a fist down on Sunburst’s head. “That scepter was the only thing keeping dragons together!”

“No, it’s not,” Sunburst stated calmly tossing his own sword aside letting it hit the sand with a clatter and a small cloud of dust. “That’s the job of a ruler, not some magic. And given that you’ve been keeping this clan together for at least five years by my count… you’ve done a pretty good job of that. The scepter was just a symbol, an artifact. The real power… well, that’s just you.”

Ember roared at him and charged at the stallion, and Sunburst understood. She wasn’t doing this out of malice, or indignation. She just wanted to save face and still keep up appearances of being the Dragonlord. Her pride wouldn’t let her go down like this, lectured. No, Sunburst needed to defeat her. The look in her eyes was saying: “Go on, do it. Strike a blow. You don’t have to kill me. You just have to defeat me.”

And so Sunburst did. As Ember charged at him, he dodged behind her and brought down his elbow on her back flattening her. Landing on the sand with an audible thud, Sunburst turned to the crowd now stunned silent. “I declare this match… officially over!” he shouted before he heard scattered clapping. Not just from Daring and Galaxy but from a few dragons as well. That clapping soon turned to applause and the crowd a roar.

“You rest now… okay?” he asked Ember. “You deserve it…”

Author's Notes:

Okay, and we are back. First off, huge thank you to Thunderclap for his writings on this chapter. Delivered the characters of the Kitsune Zord, Ember, Toxica and Daring masterfully.

Now yes, I did canonize the MidoNinger for this chapter and the next. Yep, more Dragonscales for you shortly. Now, why she wasn't used in Ninja Steel for Viera I have no clue. Yes, half of the MidoNinger footage is Pretty Cure-styled but there's some classic Sentai action in there as well. As this video shows. And Saban could very well have created some new footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMSWLo23u1M

Then again, Ninja Steel was full of wasted opportunity...

Anyways... Midnight Radiance. Now he belongs to ... well, Midnight Radiance. This is for you man, and the Naruto fan you are... I hope you enjoy what's in store next. And this chapter of course.

Now, one last thing. Pua Magasiva... Sad day for us all.

May not have been a Power Ranger, but he had plenty of power. Rest in peace man, you've earned it.