Author's Note

I hope you've had a great start to the year, I trust you'll take care, and we'll see each other in the next chapter..

The Blue Lightning.

You might wonder when I wrote this? As soon as I finished the previous one, I started this, so don’t be too eager to accumulate ideas without writing a draft to continue the chapter.

"Yes... yes... Why are you here? Why did you save me?"

"Relax, princess. Your good friend Spike told me everything. Now, relax and take a seat while I! deal with the bad guy of the day."

With that, he disappeared in a flash of blue light, heading straight for his new target.

"Thank you..."

Team Sonic Crusaders - Canterlot - Antes de enfrentar a Tirek

Sonic had traveled the entire way from the Crystal Empire, but now that he was carrying the fillies in both hands, he decided to take a riskier route, choosing dangerous paths and performing acrobatics with every high jump to release and catch them again until he reached Canterlot. He climbed the walls at high speed and entered the royal gardens.

"So this is Canterlot during the day? Doesn’t look too bad, it’s nice." He set the fillies down, and both were disheveled, their eyes wide open, and smiles forming on their faces, excited by how fast they had arrived. It had taken less time than they expected, and there they were in the royal gardens. They shook their heads to settle their manes and started walking slowly around the area. Sonic followed behind them, noticing how peaceful and quiet everything was, no guards in sight. The air and atmosphere around them felt mysterious, as if something was waiting to surprise them.

"Strange, I don't see anyone, no guards or any other ponies," Sweetie Belle said.

"We should go see the princesses, first! Sonic, can you take us?" Apple Bloom asked.

He smiled and gave them a thumbs-up, agreeing with the idea. He quickly picked them up and left the courtyard, entering the castle at high speed. As they entered, they saw several guards lying unconscious on the floor, too weak to get up. Sonic stopped and checked them for their health. "Mmh... they’re still breathing, they don’t seem hurt… seems like they were just weakened."

"Could it have been Tirek!?" Sweetie Belle asked in fear, looking around, staying alert, and joining Apple Bloom in a hug.

"It must be him, didn’t Spike say he could steal magic?" Sonic glanced around, noticing the silence in the castle hallways. He approached the fillies and picked them up again, starting to walk down the halls, seeing more guards and servants lying unconscious on the floor. Everything remained like this until they reached a unicorn whom both fillies recognized. They jumped out of Sonic’s arms as he spotted him, and both approached the defeated guard, concerned.

"Shining Armor! Are you okay?" The named unicorn, with the little strength he had left, opened his eyes and noticed two of the Cutie Mark Crusaders trying to help him stand.

A groan of exhaustion was the first thing they heard from him as they helped him to his feet. Sonic rushed to give them a hand, helping him sit on the floor. After that, Shining Armor managed to see the two sisters of Twilight’s friends and the last one he would expect to see, the infamous blue threat that had been talked about and searched for in the past few days, was right there.

"Ni... girls... stay away from him!... ugh..." He tried to stay strong to protect them from the mysterious and sought-after enemy, but as he tried to stand in a defensive position, he fell again. Sonic approached and caught him to help him back on his feet.

"Hey, hey, easy there, buddy… looks like you won’t be getting up for a while."

At that moment, Rouge arrived with Spike and Scootaloo in her arms. "It’s not easy keeping up with you when you’re the fastest living thing there is, you know? Luckily, this young, sweet dragon has good knowledge of royalty and could tell me where the castle is. Thanks, dear." She set them down gently, and the little dragon rushed over to his unicorn relative, worried.

"Shining Armor!! What happened!?"

"Spike... girls... Tirek came here... left everypony in Canterlot without magic, probably even... the princesses..." He looked down the hallway leading to the throne room, where they should be. "We failed... now Tirek is loose, with more power than anyone could imagine..."

"But... but Discord!? He was supposed to stop him! Didn’t he succeed!?" Spike said, close to tears, full of concern and fear.

These words reached Shining Armor, who frowned, showing anger. "Discord?... He betrayed us! He used his magic to help Tirek steal more magic... Now everything is ruined, with both of them working together..."

Spike fell to his knees, praying that it wasn’t true. He feared the worst, especially since he didn’t know anything about his friends or Twilight. His thoughts were clouded with the worst possible scenarios for the situation and the enemy they would have to face.

Sonic looked towards the path mentioned by the unicorn guard, whom the fillies and the dragon had helped stand. The hedgehog began to walk, and Rouge followed him. Shining Armor, seeing them leave, tried to get up but was about to fall again.

"Wait!... you..." Spike quickly, along with the Crusaders, helped him stay on his feet while the children faced the fear of what could have happened to their loved ones. They helped their friend walk to follow Sonic to the throne room.

Once they arrived, they found the princesses collapsed on the floor in front of their thrones. Sonic and Rouge quickly approached to check on them. Sonic checked Celestia and Luna, while Rouge checked Cadance. They checked their pulses and sighed in relief, knowing they were just weakened, meaning they had no magic left. The princesses began to open their eyes and noticed that those who were there were the ones they had heard about—the blue threat, easily recognized from the posters and what had been said about this being since the Gallop Gala and the strange intruder in the Crystal Empire.

"A... blue threat...?" Celestia said, drawing attention to the hedgehog who was helping her sister remain upright against her throne.

"Slow down, princess, you're not at full strength, you can't even lift a helmet. It’s better to make yourselves comfortable for now."

After helping her sister, he went to assist Cadance to remain in the same position, noticing to his left that Cadance was being helped by the other strange creature that had been spoken of before. Shining Armor reached the throne room, assisted by the younger ones, until he collapsed on the floor in front of the princesses.

"Pri... Princesses... we... we’ve failed..." he said weakly.

"No... it's not your fault... Captain Armor... no one would have expected Discord... to do what he did... if anyone should be blamed, it should be me..." Celestia explained, resting her helmet on her golden pendant, expressing that she should be blamed for how everything went out of control.

While Celestia blamed herself, Luna looked at her guests—the young and only Cutie Mark Crusaders, accompanied by Spike and their two new guests, the blue threat and the intruder from the Crystal Empire. She fixed her gaze on the blue one, remembering what she saw in her dreams and what Dr. Eggman had told her about how he approached the hearts of others only to betray them later. Now she had the chance to decide what to believe—whether it was what she had seen in her dreams or what she had heard from Dr. Eggman.

Cadance looked at Rouge. The description they had received the night she appeared was exactly what she reflected. However, neither she nor her blue companion looked like threatening monsters or acted cruelly toward them or the children they came with. Speaking of them, something didn’t add up. How did they make it here, and how hadn’t Tirek found them yet? How were they able to move and stay on their feet? It seemed they hadn’t stolen their magic yet.

A whistle interrupted the royalty, forcing them to look in the direction of the sound. Sonic had his fingers in his mouth, making the sharp sound. No one did anything, they just looked at him, intrigued.

"Ready? Do I have everyone’s attention?" There was an awkward silence where the princesses, along with Shining Armor, stared at him, not understanding what was happening with his presence before them. "Alright... hello, nice to meet you, princesses, uh, Celestial, Lunar, and Candace? Was it like that?" he asked, turning to the fillies, who nodded while Spike accompanied them. Everyone walked closer to him and Rouge.

"It’s actually Celestia, Cadance, and Luna, but two out of three is fine, right?" the young dragon tried to make a joke to lighten the mood after their defeat and betrayal, but it seemed no one found it funny, and he felt bad for trying.

He heard a small laugh, seeing Sonic smile as he owned it. "Not bad, Spike. Well, I still need to get to know you better, your highnesses." He expressed his respect for them by bowing slightly and crossing his right arm over his chest, hiding his left arm behind his back. Just because the ponies saw him as a threat didn’t mean he should forget his manners in front of royalty in such a dire situation.

"Blue threat... what brought you here? Are you here to finish what Tirek left behind?" Shining Armor asked sternly while trying to maintain an attack stance, even though he had no magic left.

"Man, ease up on the anger, I understand you’re upset about whatever I did, but right now is the time you need allies, not enemies," Sonic said.

"You call yourself a 'hero,' huh? But since it’s been known that you arrived in our lands... you’ve done nothing but avoid us. Why should we trust you?" insisted the Captain of the Royal Guard, taking a step forward, but his leg trembled, causing him to fall.

Rouge approached him, crouched down, and lifted his chin with her hand while smiling. "Oh dear, look at you, you can’t even stand, I don’t see how you think you can stop the fastest living thing on Earth in your pathetic state. I’m sorry, but now you’ll have to trust us, whether you like it or not." She walked away, feeling Cadance’s piercing gaze, but knowing in her current state, she wasn’t a threat, especially with her flirty tone mocking any innocent.

"The fastest... living thing...?" Luna asked, looking at him, sure of his title.

"Or maybe the fastest in the whole universe, but I don’t like to brag," Sonic remarked while running his hands through his quills, as if styling them to look great. "And I know you don’t like the idea, but you have no choice." He said with pride, knowing he was right. At that moment, Apple Bloom approached him, calling his attention by softly touching his leg.

"Sonic, Miss Rouge... what will happen now?... What about our sisters? And everypony's magic?" She looked like she was about to break down in tears, but the hero bent down and gently patted her head, smiling to calm her down.

"It’s going to be okay, little apple, leave this to me. Rouge will stay here with you, and you can speak for both of us." She nodded, knowing she could strike a deal with the royalty in exchange for saving her equine subjects. No job is free for him, unlike Sonic, who did it because it’s the right thing to do.

"And what will you do...? If I may ask?" Cadance asked, trying to appear strong in her calm demeanor, but it was useless since he didn’t seem to care that three princesses were staring at him as an unknown target to distrust. He didn’t mind in the least, his confident smile showing how sure he was of himself.

"Me? Oh, nothing special, just tell me where to find this Tirek guy, and I’ll take care of him." His words were so confident and solid that they left all the ponies and dragons in the room with their jaws hanging open. Rouge, for her part, smiled, knowing he was about to do something crazy like face the enemy of those who consider him one.

"Y-you're not serious, are you? ...But... we have no idea, he stole the magic and then came to us... he wanted to send us to Tartarus, but he gave up, saying 'the best way to make you suffer... would be to make you see how all of your kingdom is lost...'" Luna explained, her head bowed in sadness, knowing that after this, Tirek would come for them again.

Before anyone could say anything, an explosion was heard in the distance. Sonic opened one of the windows to the balcony of the throne room, showing a view towards Ponyville, more specifically the Everfree Forest. A large cloud of dust had risen, and the explosion didn't seem to have been caused by magic, but rather the impact of something big and heavy against the ground itself.

"Forget it! I think I've found him, Rouge, you're in charge, girls, Spike! Stay calm! I'll save your friends. Princesses! I'll make sure that guy falls, and you and yours get back the magic he stole!" In a blink, his green eyes turned blue, he jumped onto the balcony railing, and placed a foot over the edge, ready to leave in his own way.

"Sonic!" The Crusaders’ voices shouted in unison, calling him. He stopped when he saw them approaching, and Spike also came closer, worried.

"You said you're a hero in your world, right? Now you can prove it!" He just flashed a smile at Scootaloo, who was worried about her friends.

"Save our sisters, we don't know you much more than from your stories, and just a couple of days ago, but we trust you." He nodded, knowing the truth in Sweetie Belle's words.

"If you say you're so fast, you can beat him quickly, right?" He gave a thumbs up to Apple Bloom, assuring her that the victory was already in his hands.

"Please, Sonic, I know we maybe didn’t start on the best foot after I silently doubted you... I was the one who made that horrible drawing of you... but... save Twilight, even if things didn’t start the best with her either, do you think you can forgive her?" The young dragon pleaded with the speedy hedgehog. Sonic extended his fist to the center, where the four of them could join it.

"Clash your hooves and claws with me, I promise I’ll save your loved ones, sisters, friends, and princesses." The four young ones met his fist, smiled, and erased all trace of sadness, seeing the hope and confidence he kept. Then, the four of them bumped their hooves and claws with his fist.

"And once all of this is over with that guy Tirek, we’re going to have a long talk, princesses. That way, we can clear things up, and we'll find a way to go back home." He looked at Rouge, who nodded with her arms crossed.

With everything said, the children stepped back, and Sonic jumped to perform his Spin Dash, falling from the balcony to another part of the royal gardens. From there, he accelerated at great speed, dodging every building as he left a blue trail in his wake, already outside Canterlot in less time than anyone would have expected. The four watched in awe as he showed even more speed than before.

"S-He's really fast..." Scootaloo said in amazement, as it seemed like she was starting to forget Rainbow Dash as the coolest and fastest.

After Twilight's rescue

Sonic quickly arrived in front of Tirek, who was already recovered, blinking to verify if his eyes were better after the surprise attack he had received out of nowhere. Once he felt better, he noticed that Twilight was no longer there, and instead, he saw a blue creature standing with crossed arms. Its size seemed similar to that of the princess, so it didn’t appear to be such a small target.

"Tirek, right?"

"Mmh? Who are you? Where is Princess Twilight?"

"Sorry, buddy, but if you want to have a meeting with the princess, you’ll have to go through me first."

Sonic smiled, keeping his arms crossed and closing his eyes with a cocky grin, not caring how big, intimidating, powerful, and close Tirek was to him.

"And who do you think you are, to challenge me?"

"Well, I’m not a princess or anything close to one, I can assure you of that... But me? I’m the one in charge of taking you down." He said with excitement and a big smile while pointing at the giant Tirek in front of him.

Tirek only smiled in return, showing that he found it amusing that someone was so confident in being able to stop him at his full power.

"You? How could a rat defeat the great and powerful Lord Tirek?"

"Mmh, there’s a saying 'never judge a book by its cover,' and I can see you’re doing just that by assuming I can't beat you and calling me a rat. Now, come at me!"

Tirek just looked at him without giving it too much thought. He gathered enough magic between his horns and created a magic sphere to throw at him. But in the blink of an eye, Sonic had disappeared in front of him. Tirek looked around, confused, searching for him while keeping his magic prepared to attack. It wasn’t until he felt a powerful blow to the back of his head that forced him to lean forward. When he turned around, he saw Sonic in the air, smiling, mocking him for how easily he had been surprised by that attack.

Tirek raised his right hand to catch him, but Sonic, moving at lightning speed, used his hands as obstacle tracks, grabbing onto Tirek's giant fingers and maneuvering between them. He quickly climbed his arm and sped up, aiming to strike his face directly, but Tirek’s left hand got in the way, crushing him just before he reached his shoulder. Sonic jumped between the fingers of Tirek’s left hand and delivered a Sonic Boom kick to his face, causing him to stagger back from the slight impact. He stayed in the air, continuously attacking him with that same move, just as he had done against the Timberwolf. Tirek kept his guard up, blocking the constant barrage. He was forced to use his magic to create a barrier around himself, which then grew and pushed the hedgehog away, sending him flying through the air and stopping the blasts that had him on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Sonic recovered and was ready to land, but when he looked in the direction where Tirek had been, he was already gone. Someone that big couldn’t move that fast… could they? No, Sonic’s danger sense alerted him to an attack from behind. When he turned around, Tirek was floating in the air with his magic, both arms raised, fingers interlocked, and he struck with both hands in a powerful lateral hammer blow, sending Sonic flying towards Ponyville.

The landing was rough, but Sonic quickly stopped himself using his feet and hands on the ground, leaving a trail from his limbs as he used force to halt himself. "Ugh!... Not bad... he reacts fast." After stopping, he looked up and saw a magical blast, twice as big as his own height, heading straight for him. He stood up, clenched his right hand into a fist, and crossed it in front of his torso. When the attack was close enough to hit him, his right arm and fist were surrounded by an electric blue aura, which he used to block the attack while holding his ground to avoid losing ground.

From a distance, Tirek watched as the hedgehog blocked the attack he had launched seconds after sending him to Ponyville. He smiled, expecting the blast to explode and end it there. But his smile disappeared when he saw how his attack was diverted far from the village, striking a mountain and destroying its peak. "Hmph! That thing is too tenacious, damn rat."

At that moment, Tirek realized that if this fast creature stayed standing, it could become a very troublesome problem. It wasn’t that he was afraid, though, considering he had stolen the magic of four alicorn princesses, and this was just a blue rat who could move quickly. He had a huge advantage, but after seeing how his magic was deflected, he realized how fast Sonic had moved, and assumed he would come back to face him directly. However, the blue streak took another path, diverting away from Ponyville and heading towards a large mountain. In less than ten seconds, Sonic reached its summit, spiraling up, surpassing all dangerous terrain, where the odds of success were low for anyone.

However, he was now at the very top of the mountain, where only a few ponies could fit in that small space, which barely spanned less than seven meters. "Oh, I see what you're trying to do, but it won’t help against me. Showing me where you are just makes it easier for me to figure out where and how to finish you off!"

Sonic was there, staring at him, and the clouds above them started to gather, turning dark. Tirek began to control the clouds with the pegasus magic he had stolen and added to his alicorn magic. Everything became easier, and he would have more power to use them. A storm quickly arrived, with thunder and lightning roaring both in Ponyville and Canterlot. The rain never arrived, but Tirek was focused on using the magic he had to its most important purpose, which was to take down the meddling hedgehog.

Sonic started flexing and stretching his legs, cracking his knuckles. Tirek had decided to come down to the ground, preparing himself by using his magic to grab large rocks from the terrain, rocks that were the size of his arms. However, he decided to destroy them to create more projectiles to control. They both stared at each other despite the great distance separating them—Tirek in the ruined interior of the Everfree Forest, and Sonic on top of the large mountain just outside Ponyville, where it was said that a dragon had once lived. The weather was irrelevant, and the place was as sparsely populated as possible so no one would be harmed.

With the princesses and Rouge - Canterlot

"Wow... this is starting to get out of our hands..." said the captain of the royal guard in surprise, as he looked through a telescope that the princesses had asked Spike to bring them so they could watch the scene.

The three princesses, the captain, the Crusaders, and Spike were all watching from the balcony where Sonic had left, observing how the situation was unfolding. What caught their attention was how he deflected the attack that had cornered him in Ponyville. Seeing someone able to face Tirek at his current level was hard to believe.

"That appearance of Tirek... does that mean he managed to... steal Twilight's magic?" Cadance asked the elder princesses, worried.

"There’s no doubt that he did... we just hope she’s okay..." Celestia brought the telescope closer to herself, trying to find any sign of Twilight in the chaotic battlefield where Sonic and Tirek were now facing off.

"Don’t worry, Princesses! Sonic can handle that guy! He promised, and he will!" Apple Bloom exclaimed happily as she smiled at them.

"Yeah! He’s the coolest and fastest ever! Plus, he’s the hero of his world!" Sweetie Belle joined her friend, sharing the same positive attitude toward the royalty.

The princesses and Rouge all looked at the Crusaders, not understanding why the fillies were supporting someone who was considered a threat and never formally introduced himself. Rouge stepped forward, approaching the balcony to join the conversation. She climbed onto the armrest and sat there, crossing her legs and letting them dangle in the air.

Cadance noticed her getting comfortable while looking toward where the battle was taking place. "Aren’t you worried about him?" Rouge, hearing this, simply turned around, letting out a small laugh and smiling at her.

"It’s not my problem, darling. The blue one knows how to handle bigger and stronger guys than him. You know the saying, 'Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?' Well, with him, you could say it another way. 'Why not pick on someone at your own level?' That sounds much better."

"What did you say you two are called?" The Princess of the Night slowly approached the bat thief.

"I’m Rouge the Bat, and as the girls have told you, the one fighting the bad guy is named Sonic. But it’d be best if he comes and introduces himself when everything is over."

While they all looked at her, confident in their blue companion, and she seemed so relaxed in this situation, not caring about the possibility of him getting hurt, their attention was suddenly drawn by a distant thunderclap, right where the battle was taking place.

Sonic VS Tirek

Both stared at each other intently, waiting for a signal to launch their attack. Sonic prepared himself in his runner's stance, his gaze fixed on his target. Lightning crackled around his body, the energy he emitted seemed to stir the air around him. "READY...!?"

Already prepared, Tirek stood with his arms outstretched, fully aware of his control over the rocks surrounding him on both sides. Silence reigned as neither prepared for this battle to end in the next move. What had come before was just the warm-up, what was about to begin now would be the true start.

A thunderclap echoed, signaling the attack. "Ready or not! Here I COME!!!" Sonic launched himself directly, leaving behind a bright blue trail as he descended from the mountaintop at a blinding speed. His footsteps tore through the ground, leaving a great trail of dirt in his wake. The trees he passed swayed violently, their branches whipped by the wind currents Sonic created in his path.

Tirek did not expect him to appear so quickly. He slammed the ground in Sonic's direction with both arms, causing massive damage to the terrain and creating enormous spikes of rock along the path his enemy was approaching. Tirek anticipated these spikes would strike Sonic directly. What he hadn’t accounted for was Sonic using the spikes, leaping from one to another, and using the tallest one as a ramp. There he was. With a great leap and a blue streak trailing behind him, Sonic had closed the distance faster than Tirek anticipated.

"HA! Stupid rat," Tirek muttered as he had no choice but to hurl all the rocks at his disposal with both arms, aiming at Sonic in the air, where he lacked a surface to move on.

Everything seemed to favor Tirek. Sonic was trapped mid-air, with no way to dodge the barrage of attacks—a creature without flight or magic abilities stood no chance. Confident that this would stop Sonic and make victory easier, Tirek never considered that HE would actually manage to evade it.

Tirek's triumphant grin vanished along with the hedgehog. Sonic was no longer in the air about to be hit by the rain of rocks. Perhaps he was never really there. Instead, he now stood directly in front of Tirek—barely a meter away. His serious gaze locked onto Tirek’s, accompanied by a mocking smile and a fist charged with energy aimed at Tirek's face.

The rocks collided in mid-air, shattering into pieces as Tirek failed to react in time to defend himself. His overconfidence had doomed him. The first blow connected, a solid, powerful punch to the face that snapped Tirek’s head to the side and sent him skidding backward, his four legs dragging through the ground as he was pushed several meters away.

When he finally managed to stop and shake off the daze from the blow, Tirek noticed multiple homing shots resembling blue spheres heading straight for him. They struck his face and torso relentlessly. He didn’t have time to shield himself. "Im...impossible... how did he get in front of me!?... When did I let my guard down?" After recovering from the blasts and searching desperately for his opponent, Tirek couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. He had secured the attack perfectly, yet it failed. How? Did Sonic teleport? Create a magical clone to switch places? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no answer.

His thoughts were interrupted as he looked upward. A sharp pain under his jaw made itself known instantly, and he let out a pained groan with every second that passed, enduring it. At the same time, he felt his face being struck repeatedly from all directions. It made no sense, how could Sonic be so fast that it seemed as if he was in more than one place at a time? Such an idea had never crossed Tirek’s mind.

"UUUGHHH!! DAMN...DAMN RAT! WHEN!? HOW!? HOW IS HE DOING THIS!?!?!"

He was taking an uppercut from below while his face was constantly bombarded by what seemed like residual images in the air, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. But this was not the same as facing a princess. This creature was outnumbering him even though it was alone. The constant blows didn’t feel as powerful as the earlier punch, but they were affecting him every fraction of a second. The strike under his chin was particularly damaging, pushing him back with great force until he felt his front hooves lift off the ground. He resisted the force trying to topple him and, using his magic, teleported into the sky.

From above, Tirek saw the hedgehog ascending, revealing his true form outside of his spinning state. But Sonic didn’t stop there; he appeared to be preparing his hands for another attack. A burst of cross-shaped energy slashes in the form of an "X" shot toward Tirek. Refusing to waste this opportunity, Tirek summoned lightning from the clouds, striking Sonic directly and sending him crashing to the ground, destroying his attack in the process.

Sonic plummeted to the earth as more lightning bolts rained down on the spot where he fell. One strike after another hit the hedgehog relentlessly, about twenty times in the same location. When the assault finally ceased, Sonic emerged from the ground, smoke rising from his body due to the repeated strikes. He was visibly injured, his breathing slightly labored but still steady. Burn marks and minor wounds covered his body, leaving him battered. “Phew… that was close… This guy’s gonna be tough to take down...”

Landing in front of him, Tirek and the Mobian locked eyes. Sonic grinned, while Tirek responded with a growl. One seemed to be enjoying himself, while the other grew increasingly irritated. "I see you’re truly strong. I’ll admit, you’re not easy to annihilate," Tirek said, to which Sonic proudly smirked and wiped his face with his gloved hand. He took a moment to notice how disheveled he looked but decided it wasn’t the time to worry about appearances.

“I’ve got a bit of a track record with tougher fights than this.”

“I don’t care. You’re more injured than I am. Sooner or later, your speed will falter, and then I’ll crush you.”

“Oh? You really think that? Then let’s put it to the test.” Sonic prepared to sprint but suddenly found himself immobilized—Tirek had caught him in his magical grasp and pulled him forward. Without hesitation, Tirek tried to crush him between his massive hands.

But the Mobian was too fast. Sonic broke free from the magical hold by channeling more energy, dodging the deadly clap with an aerial maneuver. His body became enveloped in a barrier that allowed him to zigzag midair, landing a direct hit to Tirek’s chest. The impact sent Tirek reeling, both shocked and angered.

“How did he break free from my magic?” Tirek thought, shaken. “Who is he to accomplish something like that?” But there was no time to ponder. Sonic had already disappeared again, leaving only a faint blue streak that quickly faded.

Tirek scanned the area and noticed a blue trail circling him. Although he couldn’t clearly see the hedgehog, the streak began accelerating, and the wind around him grew stronger with each passing second. Confused and desperate, Tirek started firing magical lightning bolts around him, but they were ineffective. Sonic dodged them effortlessly, continuously increasing the tornado’s force. The ground beneath Tirek began to loosen, and he could feel himself being lifted.

When the opportunity arose, Sonic dashed in for an attack, striking Tirek while maintaining the vortex. It seemed as if Sonic was in two places at once. “What’s wrong? Can’t see me?”

A sudden blow to the jaw caught Tirek off guard, snapping his head to the left. When he turned, Sonic was already gone. Another hit to the side of his torso, then his stomach, followed by the back of his head, and finally his legs. It was a relentless barrage, each blow coming faster than the last. The final strike was a devastating Spin Dash straight to Tirek’s quadrupedal abdomen. “Catch me if you can!”

"AAAGGGHHH!!...UUGGG!! THIS...THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!!" Tirek was losing control of the battle. He was now enduring an assault at blinding speed. To call Sonic "fast" was an understatement. As his face and body took damage simultaneously, he couldn’t block or aim accurately. Sonic was everywhere and nowhere at once.

Enraged, Tirek charged a massive orb of magic and hurled it at the ground, aiming to end the chaos. The enormous sphere descended rapidly into the base of the tornado, triggering a devastating explosion that shook the area. The shockwave reached Ponyville, shattering windows and damaging buildings. Even the Castle of the Two Sisters suffered significant destruction, leaving only a few walls and rooms intact. In Canterlot, the explosion was so noticeable that the entire castle trembled slightly.

When the dust settled, Tirek used his magic to clear the area, searching for the hedgehog. Movement among the rubble caught his attention. There stood Sonic, struggling to rise as he leaned against a rock, panting heavily. “Nngh… That was overkill, you know…”

“You’re an irritating pest,” Tirek snarled, approaching him.

In a flash, Sonic took off running toward Tirek, but a massive fist came his way. Sonic leapt over it, scaling Tirek’s arm with incredible speed. However, he lost his balance and had to cling to the limb as Tirek shook it vigorously to dislodge him.

Wasting no time, Sonic performed a Spin Dash, shooting himself to the ground and retreating at lightning speed.

"Very clever of you… keeping your distance. I see you recognize my speed," Tirek taunted.

“You’re just a crafty and agile rodent. Controlling your speed is all I need to stop you.” Between his horns, Tirek conjured a magical ray, firing it skyward. Sonic, puzzled, watched it rise like a flare.

“Isn’t it a bit early to celebrate victory?” Sonic remarked, observing the flare as it ascended. Before reaching the clouds, it exploded, releasing a barrage of magical meteors aimed directly at him.

“If you’re so fast, let’s see you dodge this. Good luck, speedy rat.” Tirek crossed his arms, summoning a magical barrier around himself for extra protection.

The meteors homed in on Sonic, forcing him to run and evade. However, it quickly became apparent they were magically guided. Sonic turned to glance at Tirek, whose glowing eyes tracked his every move. Realizing he couldn’t shake them while being watched, Sonic dashed into the forest, weaving through the trees. But even there, the meteors followed, scorching and obliterating everything in their path until the final one struck.

In the forest, hidden among the trees, a frightened and injured Princess of Friendship wandered aimlessly. Though aware of the distant conflict raging far from her, she focused on searching for her friends. She could clearly see the deadly duel between Tirek and her savior, who was also somewhat of a threat. It was a clash of the combined power of four princesses versus blinding speed. Neither seemed willing to yield or let the other unleash their full potential, which would end everything in an instant.

After Tirek's lightning assault on the ground and the subsequent blow that sent Sonic hurtling toward Canterlot, Twilight lost sight of the hedgehog. But she knew staying put and watching the clash of two immensely powerful beings wasn’t an option, especially without knowing if her friends were safe. However, her injured wing, still unhealed and throbbing with pain, limited her options. Exhaustion, pain, and the absence of magic had left her weak. Running wasn’t feasible; even trotting was a struggle. Her hooves dragged against the ground, and her body begged to collapse. Her eyes grew heavy, and as she gave in, she let herself fall.

But she never touched the ground. Instead, she landed on something soft and sweet-smelling. Opening her eyes, she saw Pinkie Pie beneath her, acting as a cushion to break her fall.

“Hey, Twilight! Hehe… Are you okay?” Pinkie asked with a cheerful smile, trying to lift her spirits while pushing her hooves into the ground to help Twilight stand.

“Pinkie…? Is it really you, or am I hallucinating from exhaustion?” Twilight weakly stood as the rest of her friends and Discord arrived.

“Twilight! It’s so good to see you’re okay… though you don’t look so great,” Discord remarked, his usual joking tone replaced by genuine concern as he noticed her broken wing, slowly bleeding.

“It’s no use now. Tirek has your chaos magic, the princesses’ magic…” Twilight muttered, turning her gaze toward the enormous centaur, who was staring northward for a few seconds without explanation.

“I know… I haven’t been the best friend to you or anyone else,” Discord said, his voice heavy with regret. “After what I did, I realized that having magic without friends isn’t the same as having both in perfect harmony.” He paused, his sincerity evident. To emphasize his apology, he pulled out a golden, triangular medallion—a necklace.

“Here. Tirek gave this to me as a token of friendship, but it belonged to his brother… the one who betrayed him just to make friends. I did the same to all of you, and I truly regret it. I only wish I could do more…” With delicate care, he placed the necklace around Twilight’s neck.

As it began to glow, Twilight’s expression changed. She didn’t say a word, but the look in her eyes suggested she had an idea.

“Girls, quickly! We have to get to the Tree of Harmony! I think… I have my key!” she exclaimed. The group headed toward the Tree of Harmony, with Discord carrying the fragile Twilight in his arms as a gesture of remorse, following the others.

As they moved, the sounds of the distant battle were impossible to ignore. What startled them most, however, was the rain of meteors falling dangerously close to their location. The synchronized precision with which they chased their target was uncanny. One explosion after another resounded, sending powerful gusts of wind through the trees and shaking the ground with each impact. When the barrage finally ended, a massive explosion marked its conclusion.

“DAMN IT… YOU STUPID CENTAUR!” a distant voice yelled in frustration. The group cautiously approached the source of the outburst to investigate.

The impact zone revealed Sonic hanging upside down by one of his legs, caught in the branches of a tree. “Ugh… That… was awesome… nnngh…” he groaned, clearly in pain. He performed a Spin Dash, cutting through the branches and dropping to the ground.

Upon landing, he heard rustling in a nearby bush. Turning toward the sound, he saw Twilight and her friends emerging from the undergrowth.

“Oh… Princess and company. What an unexpected encounter. Is your wing alright?”

His direct question made the group uneasy. Sonic, still injured and dirty, casually brushed the dirt off his body as if the situation didn’t faze him.

Twilight watched him clean himself without a care. Despite everything, this hedgehog, who was facing a threat that had defeated her, had saved her. She felt deeply grateful. “Yes… I’ll be fine. Thank you so much for saving me.”

“Don’t mention it… Just doing the right thing. But now I have to get back. By the way, Spike and the girls are with the princesses at the castle. Bye!”

“Wait!” Twilight’s words stopped him just before he sped off. He turned to look at her.

“After this… could we talk and clear things up? Maybe over some cake?” she asked shyly, a faint blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. It was an odd request, given the circumstances, and undeniably awkward.

Sonic smiled at the idea, giving her a thumbs-up. “Sure, Princess. It’s a date.” He dashed off, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

Twilight’s friends, overhearing her calm words of gratitude and her peculiar invitation, stared at her in confusion. But she seemed genuinely happy that Sonic had been there when they needed him most.

“So… a date?” Rarity teased, giving her a knowing look that made Twilight blush even more.

Sonic had sped off after the brief meeting with Twilight and her friends, only to find himself face-to-face with Tirek once again. However, this time, Tirek wasn’t caught off guard. His magic was already aimed directly at the hedgehog. Without hesitation, Sonic charged at him, unwilling to give Tirek the chance to attack. But he was surprised when Tirek didn’t retaliate immediately. Instead, Tirek stood there, waiting.

Distracted by thoughts of how Tirek might counter, Sonic didn’t notice the ground beneath him shifting. From the earth rose a massive hand, attempting to grab him.

Sonic’s sharp reflexes saved him as he leapt out of the way. “You’re too slow!” he taunted.

But Tirek had predicted this. He knew Sonic’s aerial maneuvers left him vulnerable without a solid footing. With a wicked grin, he brought his fists together, a signal for the ground to respond. Two enormous rock fists, as massive as Tirek's own arms, emerged and clapped together with Sonic caught between them.

“HA HA HA! Got you off guard this time, rat! You won’t escape me now!” Tirek bellowed, triumphant. The rock fists merged, holding their captive tight as they brought him closer to Tirek.

Using his magic, Tirek conjured a colossal hammer of rock, even larger than the one before. He grinned victoriously, ready to end things for good. “You were a tenacious little pest, but now it’s time you learned to either surrender or serve the one who defeated you.”

Sonic, trapped and visibly in pain from the crushing grip, managed a strained smirk. Despite his predicament, he chuckled mockingly through gritted teeth. “Heh… That’s never gonna happen, horn-head. But seriously… is that all you’ve got?”

Though his body ached and escape seemed impossible, Sonic’s confidence didn’t waver. Even now, injured and exhausted, he faced his foe with defiance. He knew he would win.

Or at least… he hoped so.

Tirek’s eyes narrowed in anger. He decided it was time to finish this. With a wave of his hand, he hurled Sonic into the storm clouds above. The sky rumbled ominously as lightning began to gather. Sonic realized what was coming too late.

“Ugh… Me and my big mouth…”

A massive bolt of lightning struck, lighting up the sky with a deafening explosion. Sonic’s scream of pain echoed through the forest. “AAAAAAAGGGGH!!... aaahhh…” The cries faded, signaling apparent defeat.

His limp body plummeted from the storm clouds, trailing smoke as he fell. Tirek showed no mercy. He raised his hammer over his shoulder, ready to deliver the final blow when Sonic came within range.

Tirek was certain of his victory. The hedgehog could no longer move, and the earlier battle had left him battered, stunned, and unconscious. This was the end.

“Goodbye, rat! Next time, you’ll know your limits before challenging me!” Tirek sneered, gripping the handle of his weapon tightly. As Sonic neared, Tirek prepared to swing, but something caught his eye.

In that split second, Tirek noticed Sonic’s face. His eyes were open, a piercing emerald green glare locked onto Tirek’s. His expression was serious, determined, and unwavering despite his injuries.

Tirek hesitated for a fraction of a second, unsettled by the intensity of Sonic’s gaze. But he quickly dismissed it, bringing his hammer down with added magical force. The head of the hammer ignited with crimson flames as it struck Sonic, sending him hurtling far to the north. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, causing a streak of green light to break free from Sonic’s quills.

Sonic’s body shot across the sky like a comet, passing over Canterlot and nearly shattering the sound barrier in the process. The force of his flight shook windows throughout the city. Twilight, her friends, and the princesses watched in stunned silence as the hedgehog who had fought so valiantly was defeated. The hope he carried now seemed lost.

Meanwhile, Tirek stood triumphant, watching Sonic disappear into the horizon. Raising a fist to the sky in victory, he caught sight of a faint green glimmer on the ground. Curious, he approached and found a small, radiant gem.

Picking it up between his massive fingers, Tirek felt a strange energy emanating from the gem. A tingling sensation danced across his skin as he examined it. Intrigued, he attempted to siphon its energy. The moment he did, a surge of power coursed through him.

Though he stopped before draining it completely, Tirek kept the gem, deciding it was too valuable to discard. He clenched it tightly in his fist, unsure if its energy was infinite or finite. Better to save it for later.

The energy he absorbed began to alter him. His body grew even larger, towering over his previous form. New horns sprouted from his existing ones, branching like those of a mighty stag. His mane and beard darkened to a deep, ominous green, and his physique became more muscular and imposing.

Now, Tirek felt invincible.

Twilight - Tree of Harmony

While Tirek, having disposed of Sonic to continue his conquest of Equestria, began attacking Ponyville, unleashing a barrage of lightning strikes left and right. Some bolts struck buildings, setting them ablaze, while others demolished structures with magical blasts. Tragically, the Golden Oak Library was reduced to rubble. An owl emerged from the debris, covered in ash and missing a few feathers, but largely unharmed. It flew away quickly, seeking safety from the chaos.

Deep within the lesser-known parts of the Everfree Forest, Twilight's group finally reached the crystalline tree. Discord, who had carried her throughout the journey, gently set her down in front of a mysterious chest embedded at the tree's base. The chest had five keys already inserted, leaving just one space vacant.

"Let’s hope this works... I hope he’s still standing..." Twilight murmured, glancing at the necklace Discord had given her before turning her eyes to the chest.

"We believe it will," Applejack said firmly, standing alongside her friends as they took their places in front of their respective keys.

"Thank you, friends... and thank you, Discord." Twilight gave the weakened spirit of chaos a grateful smile, which he returned with a timid nod, still burdened by his earlier betrayal.

"Are we doing this or what? Tirek’s probably tearing through that guy—or vice versa—but either way, we can’t waste any more time!" Rainbow Dash urged impatiently.

They all nodded, waiting for Twilight’s signal.

"Alright, girls, on the count of three."

"One..." They exchanged determined glances and placed their hooves on the keys.

"Two..."

"Three!"

At the final word, they turned their keys in unison, and the mysterious chest finally opened.

"We did it!" Twilight exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment. The other ponies gathered around her, feeling the powerful magic radiating from the chest. It was as if the Tree of Harmony itself was bestowing its essence upon them, recognizing that its chosen bearers were ready to wield its power for the good of all Equestria.

The light from the chest intensified briefly, and a radiant rainbow shot out, striking the tree squarely where Twilight's Cutie Mark was engraved. The rainbow then split into five streams, energizing the Elements of Harmony housed in each branch. In turn, the enhanced Elements responded to their bearers, not only restoring their magic but pushing them beyond their limits. They were transformed, their appearances reflecting the overwhelming power of the Tree of Harmony.

Once ready, their magic fully restored and their bodies now accustomed to their newfound strength, the group ascended from the depths of the Tree of Harmony to confront a Tirek empowered by the unknown energy of the Chaos Emerald.

The chosen wielders of the Elements of Harmony emerged together, encased within a glowing bubble of magic that radiated their newfound strength. They faced Tirek, who met their gaze with indifference, unbothered by the sight of their restored power.

In the northern reaches, specifically halfway between the Crystal Mountains surrounding the Empire and an open field that provided a rear view of the great mountain towards Canterlot, our hero had crashed into the ground, leaving behind a large crater where he was buried. Covered in wounds, dirt, and blood, he still mustered the strength to rise and pull himself out of the deep pit where he had fallen. A single word echoed in his mind, "Limits." Upon recalling it, he gripped the earth tighter, managed to kneel, and heard the word again. Determined, he finally stood up and slowly emerged from the crater, his eyes fixed on the ground and one hand clutching his head. The impact had been severe, but once out of the hole, he realized just how far from safety he was. Worse still, there was no one around to stop Tirek from continuing his destruction.

It seemed like he was on the verge of collapsing right there, but he shook his head. His own mind kept pushing him forward, reminding him that he had to return as fast as his body would allow.

Do you want to give up? "No." He spoke aloud to himself, reaching into his quills and pulling out small golden rings that emitted a bright glow. With one on each hand, he clenched his fists tightly and pressed them into the earth as he knelt with one knee on the ground.

Do you want to fall and rest? "I don’t have time for that!" He stretched out his other leg, digging the heel of his foot into the soil for more traction. His fists started to glow, and the golden aura traveled up his arms, charging his body with energy.

You have to run! "I’m still breathing... I can still run... I can still make it!" He lifted his gaze, his determination reignited. He knew he had to go fast, really fast. His entire body began to glow with immense power, and in that moment, he started performing a Spin Dash in place. Small cyan orbs of light appeared around him in the air, attracted to his form and merging with his body.

What did they say? About your Limits? "Limits...LIMITS!?!" After nearly a minute of gathering the cyan energy orbs into his body, he was now fully engulfed in a radiant glow of the same color, his eyes flashing white. The aura surrounding him was a mix of smoke-like energy from the power rings, with cyan sparks crackling around him. Fully charged, he planted his fingers into the ground, arching his body to position himself for a powerful sprint. The air around him vibrated from the sheer intensity of the energy he had accumulated. Using the power of the rings and his Light Speed form, he was now becoming an unstoppable force.

"I'm going to show you MY LIMITS!!!"

In Canterlot, the princesses, the fillies, and Spike admired the rainbow light illuminating the destroyed area in a dead field, while the dark clouds covering the landscape above them in the sky cleared, revealing a beam of sunlight shining down on the ponies.

"They did it! They managed to open the chest!" Spike cheered, jumping with happiness.

"They really did it... now they can stop Tirek, but..." Celestia's words faltered as she saw Tirek's new form, something strange happened in an instant.

"What’s happening, Princess? Wasn’t that supposed to happen?" Apple Bloom asked, confused, not knowing about the chest Spike had mentioned.

"No, that’s not it. But it seems Tirek has increased his power, but I don’t understand how he did it so quickly in such a short amount of time."

Luna approached the telescope to look more closely, noticing how the tyrant showed Twilight and her friends something small and glowing green in his hands. "He has something in his hand... something green and glowing? Did he gain more magic from that thing?"

Rouge, upon hearing Princess Luna, quickly approached and snatched the telescope to clearly see the scene. "Great, that big guy has a Chaos Emerald." She flew over the roof and looked behind the castle at the area where her companion had landed, using the telescope to observe the smoking impact zone. She adjusted the focus and saw a cyan glow and a white aura surrounding it.

The princesses looked at her, confused by her words, but before anyone could speak, Rouge landed and handed the telescope to Spike, then went to the window on the other side of the room. When she opened it, everyone present noticed a distant glow. "Alright, your majesties, prepare to cover your ears, because when he passes by here, I’m more than sure the sound barrier won’t hold up with that speed."

"The sound barrier?" Princess Cadance asked, confused.

"What do you mean, Miss Rouge?" Sweetie Belle asked, as she and her friends looked at her, not understanding her words.

"Have you ever experienced a sonic boom?"

"When Rainbow Dash breaks the sound barrier to create a Sonic Rainboom," Celestia explained.

"Well, I’m no expert on how strong those sonic explosions are around here, but this is going to leave you with your mane standing up."

Everyone exchanged worried glances, but before anyone could say anything, they felt a shake and at the same time, a flash of light, which came from the magical clash between Tirek and the guardians of the Elements. In that moment, a sonic boom was heard from the other side. They couldn’t see it clearly, but Sonic had broken the sound barrier, and only a cyan trail passed at high speed across the open field, heading towards Canterlot, but more directly towards the mountain that is part of it. Another sonic explosion rang out above the castle, causing everyone to cover their ears due to the intensity of the sound.

On one side, Tirek was facing the guardians of the Elements in a magical clash where neither seemed to yield. The energy he had taken from the Chaos Emerald was allowing him to withstand the magic granted to them by the Tree of Harmony. The strength of the six united was powerful, but now Tirek was on a new level, one that seemed capable of surpassing the magic they were using against him.

However, the clash between both sides, no matter how powerful, was not enough to stop the enormous amount of magic they were directing at each other. There was a sonic explosion that caught the attention of the seven powerful beings. Still holding their ground, they looked toward the sound to see a cyan ray rising above the clouds on the largest mountain of Canterlot.

The girls raised their gaze to the sky, and Tirek, for his part, knew what was coming. "That damn rat is still alive." He fired a magical beam from one of his arms to keep the ponies at bay while focusing on controlling all the clouds to form the largest storm cloud above him. Without letting up in the confrontation, he simply fixed his gaze on the sky as the clouds began to show signs of being charged with lightning.

Above the clouds, within the troposphere, it almost felt like one could touch the stars. But Sonic was there for other reasons. The speed boost he got to reach up there above the clouds helped him prepare for his final attack. "It's time for the grand finale."

He took a deep breath of the thin air at that altitude and looked below him, watching how the storm clouds covered his view. In his current state, with his entire body covered in cyan energy that prevented even his smile from being seen, he was grinning on the inside.

"TIREK!" His shout could be heard by him and the ponies he was facing.

"I HAVE YOUR LIMITS!!! RIGHT HERE!!!"

He curled into himself and descended rapidly in a Spin Dash. Like a blue lightning bolt, he sped toward Tirek, causing a third Sonic Boom.

He wouldn't give up so easily against the forces trying to stop him. While resisting the magical attack from the ponies, he snapped his fingers and made the clouds explode in a burst of lightning that illuminated the entire sky, accompanied by a violent explosion.

But after that, the clouds were dispersed, revealing the blue meteor still plummeting without showing any sign of stopping. Twilight and her friends seized the distraction to use even more power against Tirek, pushing their magic until they forced him to protect himself with a magical barrier. But in that moment, a chill ran down his spine, and when he looked up, there was Sonic. Right above him, showing how he had a supercharged downward kick with an expression that made him immediately understand what he had mentioned when they first met.

Now, in an instant, he knew he had been right to remember those words, "I’m the one who’s going to finish you off." Those words weren’t a mockery; they were a duty, a mission, a goal, one that truly showed his determination to complete. And right there, he was, delivering the final blow to knock him down.

After breaking through the barrier, the Harmony magic hit Tirek directly, and Sonic landed a direct blow to his head, knocking him down as if a blue lightning bolt had struck him.

A colossal explosion lifted a cloud as large as if a bomb had caused it, but within this, there was a glimmer of hope showing how six rainbow trails divided in the distance, restoring the magic of all the ponies whose magic had been taken from them.

As the rainbows restored the magic in every corner of Equestria, Sonic was there, lying on his back on the ground, breathing heavily and admiring the clouds parting, revealing the beautiful sun that illuminated the day. The battle was over. Tirek was knocked down, looking weak and small beside him, with one of his horns from when he was giant cut off and driven into the ground. The Chaos Emerald fell near Tirek, and Sonic turned his head to look at the defeated centaur.

"He...he...It was fun...nngghh," he said, trying to stand despite the severe wounds and exhaustion his body was enduring. Once on his feet, he walked to the emerald and grabbed it before Tirek could reach it again.

"Sorry, buddy... but this beauty already has an owner..."

"Nnnngg...how? How is this possible?" Tirek looked up from the ground, seeing the blue hero with the sun shining behind him and the emerald in his hand. That image proclaimed him as the victor.

In front of Sonic, the ponies appeared in their new form. He and Twilight exchanged glances, but with a simple eye motion toward Tirek, she understood that their battle was over.

"Alright, Tirek! Time to return where you belong, straight to Tartarus!" Along with her friends, they focused all the magic they had left into a portal that was opening in front of the defeated enemy.

"No! I refuse to accept... being defeated by some ponies and a rat!"

Sonic approached, already annoyed from hearing him call him that at every moment they faced each other. At that exact moment, chains emerged from the portal, grabbing Tirek by each of his limbs, dragging him inside the portal to trap him in a cage, and then both saw each other one last time as the portal closed.

"That's enough! I'm not a rat! I'm a hedgehog! And my name is Sonic!" He said aloud while pointing at himself. And as the portal closed, Tirek could only watch him smile, with the punishment of remembering the name of the one who defeated him.