New world, same hero.

"Our journal? Hmm… let’s go, girls, we need to figure out how to open the chest the Tree of Harmony left us."

"To the Castle of the Two Sisters!" Rainbow shouted, totally excited by the idea, as if she were leading the group.

In some part of Equestria, Tirek was feeding on a small amount of pony magic. He didn’t seem to have gained much, and just as he saw one last pony nearby to steal its magic, as soon as he had it only a few inches from his claws, his prey turned around, revealing an unexpected face, yellow eyes with red irises, horns completely different, and the body didn't seem to match the face, as though the head or the body were in the wrong creature. That strange appearance startled Tirek and made him step back in surprise.

"I must assume you're Tiker, aren’t you?" Discord, now serious and fearless in front of him, stood as someone very weak and below in magical power at that moment. He didn’t take it as a challenge at all. His body returned to normal, and with a simple snap of his claws, Tirek was bound by chains on each limb and placed inside a cage, the chains holding the cage together.

Tirek, seeing who had stopped him, was left speechless. The very Lord of Chaos was standing before him, holding him back. "Discord!? Are you free?"

"More than you will be in a few seconds. I hope you enjoyed your time in Equestria."

He snapped his fingers and made a battered metal cup appear, which he used to play against the bars of the cage.

"I should have assumed you'd want all of Equestria for yourself." He struggled to grab the cup due to the chains and began playing with it against the bars.

"Oh, no, no, I’m not doing this for my own pleasure. I do it for my friends." He leaned closer to the cage and whispered as if trying to avoid being heard, even though they were far from everyone. "But between you and me, I do this for Fluttershy." He made a deck of poker cards appear, showing Fluttershy as the queen and the rest as regular cards, then discarded the others except for Fluttershy.

Tirek raised an eyebrow, realizing several things. Everything around him seemed 'normal,' no chaos in sight. So why, if Discord was free, was everything so calm? "Friends? Fluttershy? Don't tell me you've become friends with these ponies..."

"Surprised?"

"I’m surprised that someone of your intellect doesn’t see that this... friendship is just another form of imprisonment. You must have had to abandon your nature and a large part of your magical freedom to become a prisoner of creatures as insignificant as the ponies."

Discord was playing a harp, smiling, but one of the strings broke. He turned to Tirek seriously.

"I didn’t do anything like that. I’m as free as a bird!"

"Oh, please. It's not the first time I’ve seen it. You’re Discord, you’re a legend. You can’t have fallen into the same trap that defeated my brother. Help me strengthen myself, and I’ll reward you with something far better than friendship: freedom. Once I strip the ponies of their magic, nothing will give me more pleasure than turning their beautiful world upside down. And who better to accomplish that than the very master of chaos? Join me, Discord, and claim your greatness, unless, of course, being a servant of ponies has truly made you weak and made you forget who you really are."

Discord had been listening attentively. He turned to look at a portrait of Fluttershy and her friends. The offer was tempting, magic and freedom without being held back by friendship. "Tirek, you have my attention."

"Get me more magic, and you’ll have your place for your chaos, and nothing and no one will be able to stop us!"

Discord smiled, snapped his fingers, and the entire cage disappeared, freeing Tirek. They shook hands in an agreement that would benefit them both. The wind blew, showing that disaster was approaching, like a dangerous storm. An innocent piece of paper flew to Tirek and hit his face. He took it to read the title: SEEKING BLUE THREAT.

After Discord set off on his mission to stop Tirek, Twilight and her friends headed towards the Castle of the Two Sisters to find answers about a strange chest that needed six missing keys.

Spike / CMC - Sonic

Spike was entering the Sweet Apple Acres territory to see the Crusaders and look after them as Twilight had asked, but suddenly he had to stop, burping up a scroll. "Mmmh? I’ll have to read it quickly." He glanced at it briefly, nothing very detailed or specific, the message was direct to what was needed. "Oh oh... okay, for Twilight!" He rolled it back up and focused, exhaling a purple flame, signaling it would be sent to her, burning the message and sending it on its way along the path he had traveled. He then resumed his journey toward the Crusaders' clubhouse, hearing their voices.

"Water and snacks?"

"Ready!"

"Map, compass, and clock?"

"Ready!"

"Helmets, bungee cords, life vests, and parachutes?"

"Ready too!"

Spike approached, sighing with relief, hearing them plan their crazy ideas for earning their Cutie Marks, or so he thought. He climbed the ramp and knocked gently on the door. There was a silence, and the door opened to reveal Sweetie Belle, who answered.

"Spike! Just in time, come in, we were about to leave on a trip!" She turned back to her friends excitedly while adjusting her magic satchel, giving Spike a safety helmet, followed by equipping herself just like her friends, with life vests, the bungee cord, and the parachutes.

"Going on a trip? Is this a Cutie Mark exploration trip this time?" He looked at the helmet, confused, holding it under his arm.

"Not this time! It’s an adventure trip! Our friend will take us to the Crystal Empire! He promises we’ll get there before the train." She explained, jumping up and down while her friends finished getting ready.

"I don’t think anyone is fast enough to beat the speed of the train. If you’re lucky, you’ll get there before nightfall."

"Sonic can take us in a flash, he’s really fast!"

"Who’s... Sonic?"

At that moment, a gust of wind blew forcefully into the clubhouse, revealing the well-known "blue threat" in front of Spike, eating an apple. "I think that would be me!" He pointed at himself with a thumb while smiling and taking another bite of the apple.

"Mmh! Little apple, I must remind you that these apples from your family are the best I’ve ever tasted in my life!"

"Thanks, Sonic, my family will be very happy to hear that when they meet you."

Spike dropped the helmet as he realized who he was facing, talking so calmly and normally with the Crusaders.

"Sonic, this is Spike, he’s a dragon and our friend," Sweetie Belle pointed to the young dragon, who stood there, wide-eyed as the hedgehog turned to look at him.

"Hello, little buddy! I’ve never met a dragon before, nice to meet you! I’m Sonic the Hedgehog." He walked closer, then knelt down to his height, extending his fist, waiting for a response.

Spike had a lot to think about. The blue threat they had been searching for had been so close all along! He was hanging out with the Crusaders, eating apples, and having a good time. The whole idea of the wanted poster, and who drew it, started to terrify him now that he was face to face with Sonic. Maybe if he didn’t mention the poster, or if Sonic didn’t know about it, he would be safe from his wrath.

"Hmm? What are you waiting for? Don’t leave me hanging," Sonic said, prompting Spike to react, expecting a fist bump.

"Eh? Oh, yeah..." Spike realized he hadn’t fist-bumped anyone before, only clashing claws with ponies all his life. He closed his right claw and bumped it against Sonic’s, a new feeling running through his body. A chill of positive emotions made each of his scales tingle. It was a hundred times better than bumping hooves with ponies, especially with girls; it felt like a bond of brotherhood.

"Wow... that felt different..." He looked at his fist, amazed by the new sensation. All his worries faded, feeling renewed in the calm and positive atmosphere Sonic brought. With just his presence, anyone could go from being in a bad mood to smiling again.

While he was still lost in thoughts about this new and positive feeling, the Crusaders were finishing their final check for the trip.

"All set, Crusaders?"

"All set, Sonic!"

"And you, Spike? Ready for a high-speed trip?" Sonic turned to look at him, while Spike was still lost in thought. He reacted a second later, realizing Sonic was talking to him too.

"Eh? Me? Ready... but for what?" A nervous smile appeared on his face as he remembered who he was talking to. All the fear came back.

"For the trip, man! You’re coming too since you’re here. I can’t leave you out of this, especially now that I know who made this sketch of me," Sonic explained excitedly, showing the wanted poster with his monstrous portrait.

Spike felt like the world was about to crash down on him. If he had to choose between being Garble’s punching bag or facing the blue threat, maybe being the punching bag didn’t sound so bad... "Maybe."

"Well... uh, you see, I... I’m sorry..." His words were never finished, as Sonic approached, smiling and holding up the drawing.

"I really like your work, but the description, these aren’t claws, they’re gloves. You also forgot to add how cool and handsome I am." He smiled, placing a fist on his hip, rubbing his chin with his hands as if emphasizing his personal beauty. This confused Spike a lot. Wasn’t he angry? The Crusaders started laughing at his silliness, and Sonic kept boasting about himself, creating a pleasant and fun atmosphere.

"He really... isn’t a bad guy... The girls are having fun, and he seems really nice...You know? I’m glad you like it, but the description was Twilight’s work. You should tell her that when you get the chance. Although, I don’t know if she’ll think you’re handsome and cool." Spike shrugged, smiling and teasing him, not considering how Sonic might react to his words.

"Hmm? Well, I could. I have a certain charm with the princesses, after all... Who wouldn’t think someone is handsome when they can save the world and face gods at the cost of their life, all to save others without asking for anything in return?"

His reaction was far better than Spike had expected. He was mocking his response with another playful jab, more arrogant than Rainbow Dash. She always talks about how great she is, but Sonic talks about himself in a more fun and playful way. Not everyone would like an attitude like that, but the charisma of someone so arrogant made it fun to imagine him with such a playful and positive attitude around anyone.

"You feel very confident, huh?"

"My reputation precedes me." He set the paper aside and started walking out of the clubhouse, followed by the Crusaders, who were finishing their laughs, while Spike was the last to follow, seeing how they seemed to have adopted him as the fun brother or babysitter who always said 'yes.'

Once outside, the Crusaders gave Sonic a harness that connected the bungee ropes to them. Spike walked over, and Sweetie Belle, using her magic, quickly equipped him with the bungee cord harness too, then put the helmet and other gear on him, just like the rest of the group.

"Wait! What’s all this for? Why so much safety?"

"You’ll see! Ready, Crusaders?" Scootaloo called to her friends.

"Ready!" They both responded excitedly and prepared to pull the ropes for their parachutes. Spike, unsure of what to do, just copied them.

"We’ll take off! I hope you’re ready for the ride. You’re strictly prohibited from eating and drinking during the trip until we arrive at our destination. If anyone gets lost, don’t hesitate to call for your captain at full volume. Please note this will be a very fast trip, so it’s best not to open your mouth in case you swallow flies. You may experience a lot of adrenaline, fear of heights, strong wind currents, turbulence, and a very low chance of personally experiencing the sound barrier breaking. The estimated trip time is..." He looked at the map the Crusaders had lent him, marking where they were now, Ponyville, and the Crystal Empire, while pretending to check the time on an invisible watch on his left wrist. "According to my calculations, it will take us less than an hour. Probably, if I take a direct route without detours, about 30 minutes. Any questions?"

After all Sonic’s explanation, Spike, somewhat unsure, raised his claw to ask something.

"Yes, Spike! Shoot!"

"Eh... is this safe? I mean... shouldn’t we be more careful and take a safer route?" He smiled nervously, hoping he was right after everything Sonic had explained and thinking of a calmer way to travel.

"Be 'careful'? Where’s the fun in that?" Sonic smiled confidently, holding his palm open as if holding the word 'careful' in it, as if saying that word wasn’t in his vocabulary. He prepared himself in a runner’s position, turning his back to the group of kids.

"Ready!"

The Crusaders checked that they were holding their parachute ropes. "Ready!" Spike, on his part, responded nervously, doing the same thing as them. "Re... ready!"

"Go!" At that signal, they all pulled their parachutes open. Spike, confused, did the same, and immediately felt the pull of the bungee cord as his feet left the ground. He was stunned to see Sonic already speeding out of Sweet Apple Acres, with the Crusaders being lifted into the air by the parachutes and carried by his powerful speed.

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!" A scream of terror and surprise escaped him as he felt like he was in danger, quickly gaining so much height and losing control of it.

"WOOOOHOOOOO!!!" The Crusaders knew this would happen, and the excitement, along with the adrenaline, was thrilling them, their faces lit up with big smiles as Sonic, super-sonic, took them toward their destination.

"Next stop! The Crystal Empire!"

Canterlot - Meeting of the Four Princesses

Twilight had received the letter from Spike and assumed he had read it. Seeing the urgency, she had forwarded it to her immediately. She had to abandon her efforts to understand how to acquire the key to the chest with Discord's help to head to Canterlot as quickly as possible.

"I came as soon as I could. Is something happening? Is it Tirek?"

Celestia rose from her seat and walked towards Twilight, remaining calm despite the urgency of the letter. "I'm afraid I trusted Discord too much, believing that the power of friendship would influence him. He has betrayed us, and now the ponies of Equestria are losing their magic because he has joined forces with Tirek, making his job much easier."

"How could he do that?! I thought our friendship meant something to him! I thought he had changed! Fluttershy will be devastated when she finds out..." Twilight felt not only betrayed but also a bit disappointed, as she and her friends had worked hard to reform him, only to see that all their efforts had been for nothing.

"Tirek has stolen so much magic that he will also steal the flight of the Pegasi. Without them to control the weather, there will be no rain in Equestria. And he is also after the Earth ponies. Without their strength, they won't be able to take care of the land."

"We'll lose control of our world. That power will be in Tirek's hands alone, and with no one to stop him or Discord, we will be finished very soon," Luna added, stepping closer to her sister and Twilight.

"There's no doubt that Tirek is after Alicorn magic. With Discord by his side, we won't have the strength to prevent him from taking it," Celestia continued after Luna, explaining the situation.

"Once it’s under his control, his power will have no limits, and there will be no hope," Cadance added, looking down, her hope waning as she realized how Tirek would eventually come after them.

"But we have a solution. Only by sacrificing our magic can Equestria and the lands beyond be saved. We must rid ourselves of our magic before Tirek has the chance to steal it."

Twilight immediately raised her helmet, determined to speak first. "I'm willing to do my part and sacrifice my magic."

Luna, upon hearing this, looked at her with a stern gaze and explained the situation more carefully. "You don't understand. Our magic cannot just disappear into the air. Somepony must keep it safe."

"And that somepony is you, Twilight. My student, and now Princess of Friendship, will be the one to protect and carry our magic for the safety of every pony."

"Why me?"

"We believe Tirek doesn't know about the existence of a fourth Alicorn princess in Equestria. If we transfer our magic to you, Tirek won't know where it went. Do you understand what we're asking?"

"Yes... it’s just that... I’m still learning how to control my own Alicorn magic. Accepting even more—"

"Twilight, you represent the Element of Magic. If anypony can do this, it's you."

"I’m sorry, Princess Twilight, if we're asking you to carry such a responsibility, but this must remain between the four of us. If your friends find out about your new powers, it could put them in danger. Do you still think you can handle this responsibility?"

"This is the role I must play as Princess of Equestria! I will not fail in my duty!"

"Then let’s begin."

As Celestia, Luna, and Cadance transferred their magic to the Princess of Friendship, Discord, elsewhere on the grounds of Canterlot, felt a shiver run through his body. A very intense magical disturbance had shaken him, and the only idea that came to mind was the most likely one. He decided to keep it a secret while continuing to aid Tirek as a distraction for the ponies who tried to resist or as support for those attempting to flee from him.

Elsewhere in Equestria

Known as Rouge, the jewel thief and professional spy from G.U.N, was flying, searching for a more pleasant place than the Crystal Empire. However, she didn’t like the idea of leaving without a little "souvenir."

"As much as I don’t like the idea of ending up behind bars and spending the night in a cold, solitary, and uncomfortable cell, I’m not going to sleep in the trees until I figure out how to get back home."

She was headed back to the Crystal Empire. To her surprise, during the day, the glow of the Empire was very beautiful and eye-catching, a peaceful place fit for royalty. It almost seemed like if this world and hers merged, the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds would fit perfectly here. She reached the entrance by flying, but upon landing, she found nothing, no ponies, no guards, nothing. It looked like a ghost town. She ventured into the village, hoping for a warm welcome, even if it was just from a guard who might try to detain her again.

"Hello? Anyone? No one!?" She shouted, hoping for a response. And it came, two unicorn guards armed with swords appeared as they approached the thief.

"Stop! In the name of the Crystal Empire, identify yourself!" Both guards drew their swords with magic, pointing them directly at her. Rouge remained calm, raising her hands to her sides to show she was unarmed.

"Good morning, gentlemen. You see, I’m a little lost... As you can see, I’m not from around here, and last night I came looking for some help, but one of yours was very rude and disrespectful to me. He probably filed a report or something, but in my defense, I needed directions."

The guards exchanged a glance for a second, and one of them stepped away to check the report. "My partner went to check the report from last night. One of ours gave a description of someone like you. If it’s you, then you'll have to explain your intentions."

"That’s understandable. In the meantime, can you tell me what happened here? Shouldn’t such a beautiful place be abandoned?"

"It seems you’re unaware. It’s said that Tirek escaped from Tartarus, and now the whole Empire is being protected to prevent his magic from being stolen."

"Magic stolen? You’re magical? Well... you're a unicorn after all." Rouge now had questions she needed to ask to be better informed about this world.

"You talk like you've never met a pony or like you're not from here. Who are you, and where are you from?" The guard asked, narrowing his eyes, stepping closer to her as he circled her from all angles.

"I come from a very distant place, and to be honest, I don’t know how to get back home. Poor me, I’m lost and disoriented... I was hoping for some help, but all I got when I passed through here was to be locked up in a cold cell. A lady shouldn’t be treated like that."

Her innocent lady act wasn’t working too well on the guard, who had a hardened mind. He remained firm and serious, his partner returned holding some scrolls with his magic.

"The report says that last night a strange creature with wings, big ears, bipedal physiology, and a dark color was here. It’s clear that you’re the creature in question."

"Guilty, darling, but what exactly am I being accused of to be detained?"

A scroll was shown to her, one of a poorly drawn, monstrous version of Sonic.

"Wanted: Blue threat? A strange blue creature that moves very quickly, white claws, mocking and defiant character, bla, bla, bla... And they think I’m related to this thing?" "Obviously, the blue one is here too... It’s better to play my cards well and disguise our friendship."

"We’re not considering that. It’s just for the safety of our citizens."

"Rest assured, I don’t know him and wouldn’t want to get near him. In fact, I’d prefer he be locked up for the good of everyone. If I find him, we’ll have to clear up this conversation."

They both looked at her seriously. She was lying, but they didn’t know that. Her words and tone of voice sounded so convincing and calm that any lie would sound like a real story.

The guard put away his weapon and stepped back, giving her some personal space. "We apologize for our actions. We’re just trying to protect the Crystal Empire and its citizens."

"Understandable and very honorable of you, gentlemen. Now, if everything’s explained, may I see a bit of the Empire?"

"Unfortunately, that will be impossible. The Empire will remain closed until further notice. The blue threat and now the one known as Lord Tirek are loose somewhere in Equestria. You’ll need to leave until everything is under control. You can find the train station on the outskirts. Good luck." With that, they simply walked away, leaving the bat alone, with not much help but with interesting information.

"Well, I’ll take my leave then. If I find Sonic before he gets into more trouble than this, everything will be easier." She sighed, feeling exhausted, and started walking out of the Empire, disappointed. Reaching the outskirts of the town, she looked at the road to the train station, her face reflecting exhaustion and boredom.

As she walked, she looked around. Unlike the night she had escaped, now she could see everything much better: open fields, free spaces, a beautiful and peaceful place. "I guess I can be rewarded if I help against that guy 'Tirek', but I still need to find Sonic. Knowing him, he’ll be roaming this world without anyone stopping him."

She had only walked halfway to the station when a shout caught her attention. She stopped and turned toward the scream, noticing something approaching at high speed. Narrowing her eyes, she saw Sonic arriving, and behind him, four small figures were tied to him with parachutes.

The entire journey they made was the wildest they had ever experienced: shortcuts, climbing and descending hills and mountains, running over the water of rivers, being stopped by a large wall where Sonic improvised, creating a high-speed tornado with Spike and the Crusaders' parachutes, lifting them into the air until they reached the top and continued their journey.

Sonic and Rouge

Sonic continued running at full speed, glancing over his shoulder as his passengers seemed to be enjoying the ride. Spike was still a bit terrified, but as the journey continued, he started to enjoy it just like his friends. The Crystal Empire was in sight, behind large frozen mountains. For everyone’s safety, Sonic had to go around and pass through the train tracks. Finally, the empire was just seconds away, but Sonic diverted his gaze, noticing a familiar figure near his destination. “Rouge?”

He made an unexpected turn, shaking his passengers as he headed toward her. Rouge, on the other hand, seemed surprised at how they had run into each other so casually and in less time than she had anticipated.

“Hey, Blue, I didn’t expect to find you this quickly.” Sonic had stopped in front of her and turned to watch as the kids safely landed thanks to their parachutes.

“Rouge the Bat, I really didn’t expect to see you here, how did you get here exactly?”

“Let’s just say it’s related to a Master Emerald, Eggman, and the local hero showing up to stop him.” She crossed her arms, smiling with her eyes narrowed, looking at him intently.

“Oh! You were on the Death Egg too? Sorry, I had to do something to stop Eggman from getting the Master Emerald.”

While the mobian duo talked and caught up on the situation, the Crusaders and Spike finished getting their feet on the ground and saw the Crystal Empire near them. Sonic’s speed really wasn’t a joke, but the surprise grew even bigger when they saw who he was talking to.

“Sonic… who is she?” Applebloom asked timidly, accompanied by her fellow Crusaders.

“Crusaders, this is Rouge! The best spy ever known in my world. Rouge, these are the Crusaders: Applebloom, or ‘Little Apple’ as I call her, Sweetie Belle the unicorn, and Scootaloo the pegasus.” He introduced them one by one as his bat friend knelt to their level.

“Hi girls, nice to meet you, I’m a friend and partner of the local hero.”

The Crusaders stared at her in awe, impressed by her warm voice and the beauty of her appearance. They noticed her wings, makeup, and the clothes she wore, and countless new questions about Rouge started forming, just like when they tried to learn about Sonic. “Nice to meet you!” they shouted in unison as they approached and surrounded her, examining her from every angle.

“I see you waste no time and already have your little fan club.” Sonic just shrugged and smiled, feeling proud that his actions had made her some fans. Spike started walking closer, as he had gotten tangled in the parachutes and bungee cords.

“What a ride! I gotta say, Sonic! You’re way faster than Rainbow—” His words trailed off as he saw Rouge, a small déjà vu feeling coming over him. “What beauty.” Sonic noticed the lost, love-struck look in his eyes, then saw Rouge and knew it was inevitable for someone so young to fall in love just by meeting someone like her.

“Oh man... don’t take any risks with her, she’s a charm when she wants something.”

Spike totally ignored him and walked closer, smiling, with his eyes lost in her beauty.

“Well, we should catch up, Crusaders! Spike! Ready to go?”

The trio of fillies nodded, but Spike snapped out of his romantic thoughts, realizing that the group was oblivious to the current situation. “AAAHHH! THAT’S RIGHT! TIREK IS STILL OUT THERE!!!”

Everyone heard his terrified scream, wondering what he was talking about, except for Rouge. No one but them knew about Tirek. Sonic walked up to him and looked at him nonchalantly. “Who is Tirek?”