Twilight Sparkle's Story

Just then, a faint sound of static was heard in the cottage.

"(?) Uh...anypony else hear that?" Rainbow Dash said.

"(!) Oh no..." Xi seemed to be terrified by this sound.

"What? What is it, Xi?" Twilight asked.

"He's here..." Xi replied as the static sound slowly increased in volume. "The paradox is here...!"

Just then, in a red flash, Sonic.exe appeared, levitating above as the windows became stained with an opaque black and red blend.

"Need more innocence..." he uttered as he surveyed the four. Fluttershy cowered behind Xi, trembling in sheer horror. "Aha! That one's got plenty of innocence! You, cyborg! Get out of my way! I need that pony!"

"N...No!" Xi shouted back in defiance. "I won't let you touch her!"

"Oh really?" With that, Sonic.exe vanished in a blur, then reappeared behind Xi and in front of the terrified Fluttershy.

"(!) H-HELP - !!!" Fluttershy screamed as her legs became paralyzed in fear.

"!" Xi saw Sonic.exe about to grab Fluttershy at a fast speed. Instinctively, she unleashed a power from within - time around was slowed greatly. With this, Xi was able to anticipate and parry the monster's grab, seizing him by the wrist and clamping on it hard.

"(!) Argh! You just don't quit, do you?!" Sonic.exe struggled a bit, then blurred out of her grasp, delivering a flying kick right into Xi's head. This sent her reeling back.

"Sonic! You stop this right now!" Twilight said, charging up her horn's magic.

"Sonic? Oh, you people are sooooo delusional." Sonic.exe zipped around all over the place before suddenly drop-kicking Twilight in the back, knocking her down to the ground.

"HEY! That wasn't cool at all!" Rainbow Dash charged at Sonic.exe, who merely sidestepped her tackle. Rainbow ended up crashing into a wall.

"You don't look any cooler, Rainbow Dunce." With that, the paradox turned his attention back to the stiffened Fluttershy. No one could save her now...! "Now, as I was saying...YOU'RE MINE!"

Sonic.exe dove right at Fluttershy, who could only wince in terror...but then something got in the way.

"No she's not!!"

Rainbow Dash dove right in the way, getting grabbed in Fluttershy's stead.

"(!) Fine, I'll make do with you!"

"(!) Rainbow Dash! NO!!"

Sonic.exe vanished in a blur with Rainbow Dash. The windows regained transparency. Xi and Twilight recovered from the assault. Fluttershy...she wasn't stiff with fear anymore...but she was reduced to tears at the capture of Rainbow Dash.

"No...Rainbow Dash... {weeps} This is all my fault...!!"

With Rainbow Dash gone, it was up to Xi to console the self-blaming Fluttershy. "No, it wasn't your fault...You did nothing wrong..."

"B-But I didn't even...I didn't even try to resist it...!"

"Oh boy...I'll need to pull an all-nighter to figure out this anomaly..." Twilight said, before turning to Xi. "So how did this paradox come into being?"

"How...?" Xi replied. "Well, when I came to, I found myself within the Nexus of dimensions."

"The...Nexus...?" Fluttershy replied.

"Ah yes, the intersecting point of dimensional fabrics," Twilight answered. "Think of it like the ultimate subspace highway system."

"Correct. It wasn't long after I woke that IT appeared from one of these highways," Xi continued. "It wanted power, however it could find it, and for that it breached into this world. I-It's not like I didn't try to force it back, though!"

"Alright...There's a chance it's sending its victims through the Nexus to wherever it came from," Twilight said, taking notes. "So we'll need to find a way to break into the Nexus ourselves."

"Okay..." Fluttershy said.

"...Fluttershy, you should probably get some rest for now," Twilight continued. "It's really late in the night, after all."

"I...I don't know if I can sleep...not with things the way they are now...!"

Xi stood up, saluting with a fist to her chest. "Then I'll stand guard!"

"(?) Wha...?"

"I'll stand guard for you. It's the least I can do."

"X-Xi..." Fluttershy felt a spark of comfort within her heart from this act. "...Thank you, Xi."

Xi nodded kindly in return. Twilight was heading back to the library now. "Good night, you two."

As for Twilight Sparkle, she had pulled an all-nighter to figure a way into the Nexus. She's barely gotten any sleep this night. Spike woke up at this time, and noticed the alicorn in her worn-out state.

"Oh brother..." So he went ahead to fix up some coffee for her.

While Spike was away, Twilight was trying to snap awake by herself, a difficult task. "Okay, so...so to get into the Nexus, we just need to - "

Her train of thought stopped there as she was taken under someone's control - her eyes flashed wide open, irises turning red. Without a word, she just exited the library...and town.

Spike came back with some coffee in hand. "Here we go, Twi - a nice fresh mug of pick-me-up!" ...only to notice that she's no longer there! "Wh...WHA - ?!"

Mario, Sonic, and Amy have returned to the Meadowlands after a harrowing encounter in Eggman's base at Old Haven. Somewhere around here is someone who knows about the imposter-Sonic.

"Now, I wonder where she might-a be..." Mario said. "...Hm?" He soon noticed something heading away from Umaville - Princess Twilight Sparkle, accompanied by a gold-colored cyborg.

Following after the gold-colored cyborg and Twilight is what looks to be a crow; the bird's wings fluttering about for a little bit, before it perches on one of the gold-colored cyborg's shoulders.

"Twilight Sparkle! Nice to see you again!" Amy waved at her.

"Nn - ?" Twilight responded.

"Your Highness...remember, we're on schedule," Zeta told her. "Ignore them if possible."

"...Of course."

"(?) Wait just a minute, now!" Mario piped up. "On-a schedule for what exactly?"

"Ignore us?" Sonic crosses his arms and is unamused at the golden figure, "Is this how you treat her friends like that?"

"Well, I'm sure they're in a hurry for something." Amy shrugs.

Before the three could make any more advances, Twilight Sparkle glared toward them with her red eyes, ensnaring them in her telekinesis. Zeta aimed Sigma's maw toward them.

"I believe we made it clear for you to get lost," Zeta snarled.

"Honestly, it's like people these days won't even allow others to just go on simple strolls," the 'crow' on Zeta's shoulder cawed, fluffing its wings at Mario and the others in contempt.

"Alright already! You don't have to shout." Sonic backs off, "Sheesh..."

"I don't...get it...What do you plan to do with-a Twilight?!" Mario asked.

"None of your concern, jumpman," Zeta retorted. "I'm sure YOU have other matters to attend to."

The mind-controlled Twilight blasted the three backward with a magic pulse.

"We don't have time for you, sadly, so we'll let you off easy," Zeta said. "You're free to tattle on us, though. Go tell what princesses remain in the palace if you want..."

With that, Zeta dashed off, with Twilight flying after.

Seeing as the crow was perched on Zeta's shoulder during this, he technically follows them as well.

"Sonic the Hedgehog!!!!"

An angry Toadsworth marches in the scene with steaming clouds coming from his head. He's got a cane to hit Sonic with too. He approaches Mario, Sonic, and Amy.

"Sonic, you double-crossing rodent! How could you take the Princess away?! Where is she, you blue scoundrel?!"

"Hey- that wasn't me! It was that faker who--"

"Lies and deceit!" Toadsworth yelled, "You'll be locked in the cells for a very long time!"

"Then...allow me!" Lucas said, pointing a charging Triple Threat at Zeta.

"Hehehe...so reckless," Zeta said as a swath of magenta rays flew down and almost hit Judah and Lucas. The source, Twilight Sparkle (with red eyes), was flying overhead.

"(!) The...magic princess? Don't tell me...!" Andy said.

"I do tell!" Zeta chuckled.

Judah quickly grabs Lucas and starts to move him back towards the Templar Base, realizing he's SOL in this situation.

"What? Not going to let me continue?" Zeta said as Twilight used her telekinesis to drag Judah and Lucas back outside. "I have almost all I need to break Morbul's confines. After that...well, who knows what will happen from there on out. At least I know he'll stop at nothing to tear wretched dictatorships like this one to dust! Won't that be wonderful, secretary?"

"You could have not told me," said Judah. "You could have kept your damn mouth shut. Instead you insist on gloating evilly and revealing your big plan. No, it's not wonderful, or even impressive. I'd go so far as to say that's disappointing. I thought supervillains were learning not to reveal their 'amazing' plans before executing them."

Twilight used her magic to lift Judah and Lucas into the air and lock the door to the base.

"Oh, you DON'T want that?" Zeta said in faux-shock. "Well, could have fooled me. You seemed content to stand idly by while Morbul racked up a body count. You were...too trusting in your shallow goals. And speaking of trust..." Zeta kicked the dead guard aside for this next part, "...I think your 'loyal' troops could use some persuasion on the turtle's fate. Be happy that HE wouldn't be a bother to you anymore, at least!"

Garrison merely observes this back-and-forth with interest as it play out, arms meanwhile folded. Were he capable of showing a grin on his metallic mask-for-a-face, it would be especially prominent right now. Perhaps it's for the best he can't, though. Oh well!