Nix: Identity

PROLOGUE: REMINISCENCE

My name is Jared Berberabe.

I am writing this on March 22nd, 20XX.

And I am surprised.

Surprised at how much time has passed since my first story.

Would you believe that it has been six years since my first story came out?

Yes, that’s right; I am now seventeen years old.

In other words, six years since I first started recording my adventures as the Guardian of the Omniverse. Six years since I discovered the Omniverse and embarked on God’s quest to bring order to a Creation in turmoil.

Currently I am sitting at my desk reminiscing about the past. It’s a habit that I’ve started getting really into. I find it very comforting, for some odd reason, remembering everything that has happened.

Nix is here as well. He’s standing over my shoulder, watching me write this. Occasionally he points out something that I could add in (such as this sentence), but he’s mostly remained quiet. I’m penning this as a memo for myself, though I’m not sure for what; apparently reminding myself of certain things can help me. At least, that’s what several of my therapists say.

I now turn my gaze to a photo on my desk. It sits in a small, simple golden frame, only a few inches in dimensions. It’s a picture that gives me hope everyday. Something else that I’ve taken to doing; looking for hope.

In the picture are several people. People you might recognize if you’ve been around long enough. There’s a blue, anthropomorphic hedgehog at the right of the center. He has a huge grin on his face, and his hand is out in a thumbs up. To his left is a cyan pegasus with powerful wings. The pegasus has her wings behind the blue hedgehog in a hugging position. She also has a huge grin, and is slightly winking. In front of her is a lavender unicorn with purple and pink bangs. Her horn is glowing slightly as she lifts the camera to take the picture. To her right in an anthropomorphic, yellow, two-tailed fox with a grin on his face. In the back of the picture is a black-and-red hedgehog standing next to a yellow pegasus with pink hair. They’re smiling, though their smiles are noticeably smaller than the others. To the other side of the back is a red, muscular echidna with his arms wrapped around an orange pony and a white unicorn. They’re all smiling happily. On the echidna’s shoulder is a purple baby dragon, looking tired but still managing a grin. In the back’s center is a pink pony with a huge smile on her face. She’s staring at the camera with happy eyes as confetti rains down from above.

Finally, in the center of this all, is a young, fifteen year old boy with a small smile on his face, next to a green-and-blue quilled anthropomorphic hedgehog spirit, also smiling.

I chuckle slightly. Have I really changed that much in two years? I look so much different from then. I am much taller, at least four inches. There’s some stubble on my chin from a recent shave. My hair is thicker and slightly longer, though I still keep it somewhat short. Nix has changed just as much. His quills are longer and more refined. He’s taken to grooming them when he can. He’s about my height, only a few centimeters taller.

I wonder how much they have changed. Due to the difference in time between universes, and considering how time is constantly warped, there is no set way of figuring out how much time has passed in other universes in comparison with mine. Though I’m sure that a significant amount of time has passed. From what I can tell from hearing from the grapevine, the two universes are getting along quite well. Thanks to my teaching of the universe boom to Sonic the Hedgehog and Rainbow Dash, the two universes have been able to visit each other regularly.

Nix notices me thinking back to that time, and closes his eyes as I remember. I remember how the universes had first met; how, thanks to a mechanical failure on Eggman’s part, a tear between universes occurred. I remember how we had all been thrown into the MLP universe, and how for the first few days Sonic had to hide because the kingdom believed he had killed several royal guards, when in fact it was Shadow under the influence under Discord. I remember clearing Sonic’s name, then watching as the relationship between the characters from Sonic’s universe and the characters in the MLP universe grew closer and closer. I remember the final battle with Discord and Eggman, how Super Sonic, Super Shadow, Perfect Nix and me, powered up with the Chaos and Super Emeralds, with the Green Lantern Ring and the Tetraforce, had banded together with the Elements of Harmony to stop the Element of Disharmony once again.

I feel a pang in my heart as I remember my breakdown. I remember the feeling in my chest when Amy Rose accused me of purposely dying two years prior. I remember my friends’ faces when I conceded to telling them about my fate, how I would die when I turned eighteen.

I remember their gradual acceptance of the inevitable, and their drive to help me out whenever they could.

It would be nice to see them again, I think.

I feel happy as I think this, but there is still a feeling of sadness in my chest, as I realize that I only have a year left.

I shake my head. I can’t think about that right now. I’ve other problems to deal with.

I’m about to turn over another page and continue writing, when all of a sudden I hear a hum.

It’s a familiar hum, one that I’ve heard many times. It’s the hum of a portal being opened across universes, the sound of the gravity, electromagnetism, weak, and nuclear forces between universes acting on each other. It’s a sound I’ve heard ever since I opened up my first portal.

It doesn’t bother me at first; until I realize several things.

I live alone in the middle of nowhere.

There’s no one around for miles, since I prefer seclusion.

And neither Nix nor I decided on creating a portal.

Now I am worried. I stand up. Nix’s eyes shoot open, and he shadows my movements as I make my way towards the sound.

It is coming from the kitchen. I walk towards the room, careful not to make a sound. I peep around the corner.

There, in the small, marble room, is a portal that I have never seen.

Unlike the purple portals I am used, this one is a swirl of yellow. Energy whirls around it, like any normal universe portal; but the energy doesn’t dissipate into an image of what universe it would be arriving at. It continues to spin around, making the low hum.

I carefully step towards it, Nix shadowing my every step. We approach it in silence, taking note of its peculiarities.

“What do you think?” I ask Nix. “Should we see what this is?”

He shakes his head. “Of course we shouldn’t...but that won’t stop us.”

I nod, and start walking towards the portal.

I don’t know why I am doing this. Against all my reason, I am now approaching a portal that I did not create. An unknown portal that I had never seen before in my life.

Yet something tells me that this is worth investigating.

Nix retreats into my mind as I walk, and I feel his presence on guard. I stand in front of the portal, and take a deep breath, readying myself for whatever dangers I may face.

I walk into the portal...