24- The Light of Hope

The impact of a massive explosion obviously caught the attention of the four in the building.

"Buguese?!" Aqune exclaimed. "How did you get here?"

The Insector's clothes appeared to be slightly charred, but otherwise he was fine.

"How doesn't matter," Hunter said. "This is great. Now you can help us while Aqune fixes the Oracle Keys."

The Insector looked confused, and for good reason. But there wasn't any time to dwell on confusion.

"Very well," he said.

"Wait," Aqune said. "Attack the spider, not Glint. She has Wave hostage, and we can't risk hurting him."

Glint stared angrily at the arrival of a new opponent.

"I don't know how you got here, but I know if you try to stop me, I'll have to kill you as well, Insector," she declared.

"I will not lose to a human!" Buguese responded, annoyed. He released the blade to his sword, and swung it down towards the machine. In retaliation, the synthetic spider shot a web, which wrapped around his sword, pulling him down.

"How troublesome," said Lumen. "It closed up again."

"Do you think Buguese made it in?" Sparkle asked, worriedly.

"Maybe," Lumen said. "Or maybe he was burned to ashes. Either way, we won't know for a while."

"Normally I'd be rooting for the second option," Magma replied. "But now, I think Hunter and them need all the help they can get."

Buguese was able to release his sword, but not until after being shot at by bullets.

"Do Machine-Sectors ever run out of firepower?" Hunter asked.

"Not for a long time, if they're made well," Buguese replied. He shot a blast of energy at the spider. However, it did nothing but slightly dent the metal.

Aqune kneeled down, holding the four keys in her hand.

"Please…" she began. "Please activate again. I know that we shouldn't be fighting at all. We shouldn't even have a need for Oracle Keys. But right now, that may be the only way we can achieve a world of peace. Somehow, we have to stop Glint, and rescue Wave."

Corona was thrown back by bullets in one direction. In a moment after, Buguese was also shot away.

Hunter was panting heavily. He was running out of energy.

"Humans vs. Insectors. Earthens vs. the people of the Inner World. Spider Riders vs. ordinary humans. There's no reason for any of that," Aqune spoke. "I'd give anything to see all life united." A bright aura encircled the girl, and it kept growing larger, brighter. The keys floated away from her, into Hunter's hands.

"Hunter, that's…" Corona said.

"Yeah," replied Hunter. "The Oracle Keys."

"Hurry and transform!" Buguese declared, firing again at the spider. Corona followed him, shooting off an arrow.

"Oracle Key!"

"What is this?!" Glint scowled, seeing Hunter change to a new form. "How did you do that?!"

"With the Oracle's power," replied Hunter. "Aqune's power, that is. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said, relieved that it had been successful.

"Now, attack the spider," came Shadow's voice. He was rather unhappy that he couldn't come out and help Hunter, but he had faith in the ability of his partner. Especially when he knew the power of the four-key state first hand.

"Got it!" shouted Hunter.

"No!" yelled Glint. But Hunter launched his strongest attack, and the synthetic spider exploded.

"Huh?!" At the instant the spider was destroyed, a huge explosion emerged. Bright light filled the room. Outside, the barrier of web was swept away, leaving the building clean, short of the large hole Buguese had created earlier.

"Are you all alright?!" Igneous was the first to enter the house. There, he saw Hunter attempting to stand up. The others looked to have been knocked out by the shockwaves.

"I hope so," Hunter said. He was glad to see the rest of his team waiting for him outside. But his first concern was Corona. He ran to her side, taking her in his arms.

"Corona, are you okay?"

She opened her eyes. "Hunter…"

"Thank goodness," Hunter said.

Buguese and Aqune quickly recovered as well, to the others' relief, and were holding each other close.

But Glint was the last to awaken. Magma and Igneous readied their weapons, seeing her rise from the ground.

"Don't make a move!" Igneous demanded.

"Huh? What?" The girl shivered, seeing the man threaten her. "A-are you going to hurt me?"

"Why shouldn't we?!" Magma shouted. "You lied to us. You want to kill us!"

"I… when did I…" Trembling harder, she fell to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "Just… who are you? Who am I?"

"You don't remember?" Corona asked. It struck a chord with her, as she had suffered with amnesia for most of her life.

"Obviously, she's lying again," Igneous said. He moved closer to her, pointing his sword at the girl's face.

"Ahhhh!" she screamed.

"Wait!" Aqune said. "I believe her."

"Me too," Corona replied. "She's different from before. That girl is completely afraid of us." There were tears welling up in Glint's eyes.

"Maybe so, but just what do we do about her?" asked Lumen.

"We could take her with us," Hunter suggested.

"Are you out of your mind?" Shadow asked.

"I don't think she really has a place to go," Hunter says. "She doesn't have to stay with us forever. I mean, unless she wants to. Just for now." He put a hand on her shoulder. "What do you think, Glint?"

"Sure" she replied. "If… if it's alright with you all."

"Yeah, it is," answered Hunter.

A week had gone by since then. Finally, Buguese and Aqune had gotten married. They agreed on a very small ceremony, only inviting the Spider Riders (and of course their spiders), Glint, and a couple Insectors. That lakeside area they found was the location they chose.

"You know, Hunter, I never thought I'd see something like this happen," Shadow commented.

"Me neither," replied Hunter. "But, as long as Aqune is happy."

"Hunter…" Corona spoke. Her face was bright red, and it looked like it was a struggle for her to even instigate the conversation.

"Yeah?" Hunter replied.

"Someday, will we get married?"

The boy too was blushing now. Marriage? Well he never really thought about it. But he thought, if he did get married, it would have to be to Corona. After all, she was always by his side, always there to support him in every way.

"I think, I'd like that someday," he replied.

"Alright, but you have to invite me." Aqune was standing behind the two, to their surprise. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Aqune, my dear, we must go now," Buguese spoke, and then lifted the girl into his arms.

"Right," Aqune replied, wearing a wide smile on her face.

Buguese's transport hovered above them, and took them inside.

"Only a guy like Buguese would plan diplomatic business on the day of his wedding," Lumen commented.

"How come?" Sparkle asked.

"Because he's a jerk, that's why," Magma replied.

"I don't know about that," Lumen said. "It might actually be rather brilliant, from a political standpoint. Or, he's just a workaholic. Either way, I'm impressed."

Their conversation came to a sudden halt when a familiar figure approached them. Riding on the back of Wave was none other than Richter.

"Wh-why are you here?" Hunter asked.

"You're in no condition to fight us," Corona spoke. On top of that, she thought Aqune would be upset if there was a battle at her wedding, not that she was even there anymore.

"I didn't come here to fight," Richter said. "I may never walk again. I'm aware of that much. Kinda pathetic, I know." He laughed bitterly. "But needless to say, I won't lay around Arachna Castle like a cripple either. I'm going on a journey, to figure out the answers I need. About my father, about myself. Wave will support me. That's why spider and Riders are partners after all. To support each other, right?"

"That's true," Igneous said, concern showing in his voice.

"Glint, care to come with me?" he asked.

"Huh?" The blue-haired girl looked to him, blankly.

"You're pretty strong. I know that first hand. How would you like to join me and Wave, and find out about yourself too?"

"A-alright…" she replied, confused. Richter reached for her hand, and pulled her up onto Wave's back.

"Farewell then, unless our paths cross!" Wave and his Rider dashed away, just as soon as they'd appeared.

"There's no way this can be a good thing," Igneous said. Maybe Richter isn't a threat to us, but the two of them together? If Glint's memory returns-"

"I think it will be fine," Hunter interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Igneous looked to him.

"Well, I guess her memory could return. But even if she stayed with us, that could still happen. In any case, if either of them try to attack us, if anyone threatens the Inner World again, we'll be ready for it, won't we?"

"Yeah, you're right," Igneous said. The six Spider Riders stood together, forming a circle. Hunter reached his hand into the middle, and each put their hands on top of his.

"We're Spider Riders," Hunter said. "So we'll definitely keep protecting the Inner World."

AN: And this is the end. Hopefully, it turned out well. I'm happy with the results, at least. Don't know if I'll ever continue with this universe, or leave it at this. I did have another one-shot I was working on, but it's set in the canon continuity.