Author's Note

I apologize for the delay, as for this one I had to take references from some moments in games, comics, or invent them myself, but I also blame myself for playing some video games. I’m sorry and enjoy!

Good and bad times.

“It’s as if… she fears Sonic for what he’s capable of but still wants to believe in him. But then there’s Dr. Eggman, so suspicious, knowing so much about both us and Sonic. We don’t know if what he says is true or if he’s lying about Sonic. But I also want to hear Sonic’s side, what he knows about Dr. Eggman and how he sees him.”

The two shared a thoughtful silence before sighing and returning to their duties. The evening to celebrate their victory over Tirek and welcome their new allies was drawing near, but not everything could be so perfect.

The night had fallen, and everyone was gathered in front of the castle gates. The guards were already aware that two unexpected guests would be accompanying the Element bearers to this private meeting. They decided not to raise their weapons this time, avoiding another incident like the one during their first encounter when they acted against Twilight’s orders to refrain from attacking him.

Sonic was present without his gloves, as they had been heavily damaged. Before heading to Canterlot, the Crusaders had offered to repair them, but Sonic didn’t give much importance to the idea. Still, he couldn’t say no to their puppy-like pleading eyes, which ultimately made him hand over the ruined gloves.

Upon arrival, the hedgehog was wearing a new pair of gloves crafted by the Crusaders, with Spike’s help in casting the final vote for the best design. It was a challenging task, given they had never dealt with "hands" before. However, using the discarded gloves as a reference gave them a solid starting point. The gloves were predominantly white, with a green flame design on the back that stretched from the knuckles to the wrist. Within the flame, a golden pony with a blue cape symbolized the Crusaders and the young dragon who worked together on a gift for their friends' hero.

Rouge wore her usual attire, as Rarity found it too time-consuming to create original outfits for her and Sonic. She didn't want to compromise the quality of her work. However, that didn’t stop Rarity from dressing herself in something worthy of a royal invitation.

As they entered the castle during the night, Rouge couldn’t help but whistle in admiration of its beauty under the moonlight. Sonic, on the other hand, drew a few glances from the guards. Some recognized him from the wanted posters, while others had been present on the night he first arrived.

The six ponies were accompanied by a hedgehog, a bat, Spike, and the Crusaders as they headed to the royal meeting. In the dining hall, the three princesses, along with Shining Armor, awaited them at a grand round table, ensuring everyone could join the conversation without leaving anyone out.

"Welcome back, my dear ponies, Sir Sonic, and Lady Rouge. I hope the food and accommodations we've prepared will meet your expectations," Celestia greeted her guests as they took their seats.

Sonic found himself sitting with Spike on his right and Twilight on his left. To Twilight’s left sat Luna, followed by Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor. Applejack sat next to Shining, with the Crusaders beside her, then Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and finally Rouge, completing the circle with Spike on her other side.

"Please, don’t worry about that, Your Highness. We can eat all sorts of food, and there’s no need for formalities—just call me Sonic, and that’s fine by me."

"I feel the same way. Thank you, but just Rouge will do. We’re already grateful for the invitation," Rouge replied, looking over the table filled with various dishes, desserts, and cakes. What caught her attention most, however, was a bowl of precious gems placed in front of her. "Well, aren’t these beauties? Who could have brought such lovely treasures to a royal dinner?"

She smiled as she picked up a gem between her fingers, but a light blue magical aura pulled it away.

"Oh, I’m sorry if there’s been a misunderstanding, but these are for Spikey-Wikey. Dragons here can eat gems," Rarity explained, levitating the gem toward the young dragon. Spike grabbed it with his claws and bit into it, breaking it in half, leaving the Mobians stunned. Rouge, however, secretly felt it was a waste of something so valuable.

"What a waste of gems! But surely, as beautiful as they are, you don’t live solely on these treasures, right?" Rouge asked.

Spike shook his head as he finished devouring the gem. He reached into the bowl and pulled out an emerald, giving it a lick.

"Mmh! Nope! I can eat other things besides gems, but I can tell by the taste when they’re high quality. This one’s pretty good," he said, offering the emerald to Rouge.

"For me?" Rouge was taken aback by the gesture, surprised that something so valuable was being handed to her as if it were candy. Yet, the young dragon’s expression showed it was of little importance to him.

He simply nodded, waiting for her to take it, and she gently took the emerald, admiring its shine and pristine condition.

"Aren’t you a little charmer!" she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek in gratitude. The gesture left the young dragon blushing furiously, nearly knocking him out as he gazed at the bat with a dreamy, lovestruck expression.

Sonic chuckled, amused by how the young dragon had been utterly defeated by Rouge's most innocent weapon in her arsenal. Meanwhile, Rarity noticed Spike’s lovestruck expression as Rouge continued to examine the emerald with a jeweler’s loupe, displaying her professional appreciation for fine gems.

"You’re lucky, Rouge. Normally, Knuckles wouldn’t let you get near the emerald, but here you have a little gentleman," Sonic remarked with a smile.

"Sonic, if you don’t mind, we’d like to know more about you two," Celestia interjected, steering the conversation toward a more formal tone. "If it’s possible, and if you don’t mind, we have so many questions. We’d like to understand how you got here and where you’re from." Her direct approach grabbed everyone’s attention, creating a sudden silence.

"Alright," Sonic replied, a small grin appearing on his face. "I was waiting for someone to ask. Let’s make it fun—how about one question from each of you for us? What do you think, Rouge?"

"I’ve got nothing to hide—other than figuring out the best use for this beautiful emerald," Rouge said, slipping the gem into her pouch with a smirk before picking up a cupcake to eat.

"Alright then. Your Highnesses, would you like to start?" Sonic turned his gaze to Twilight, and the others followed suit, catching her completely off guard.

"Eh? Me?!" she stammered, pointing at herself nervously, unsure why Sonic would include her under the term "Your Highnesses."

The group chuckled at her reaction, and Twilight quickly realized that Sonic had been referring to her as a princess too.

"Oh, I get it now. Well, I have plenty of questions, but since it’s one per pony… Hmm, I’ve got it! What you said after defeating that giant Timberwolf—was it true?"

Sonic tilted his head, trying to recall their brief conversation that night.

"Look, Princess, I’m pretty sure I know exactly what you're thinking: you want to capture me, lock me up, put me on trial, and try to believe my story. But without a lawyer to defend me, and without my friends around, yeah, I know the mess I’m in. This isn’t the first, and probably won’t be the last time I end up in an unknown world with no knowledge of it. But that doesn’t mean I should just give up because you tell me to. I respect you, I’ve met other princesses too, but I’ve had some bad experiences being unjustly locked up or imprisoned for things I didn’t do or didn’t even commit."

"Could you be more specific? I said a lot of things, so I’m not sure which part you mean," Sonic asked, scratching his head.

"What you said about this not being the first or probably the last time you end up in an unknown world. Does that mean you are… from another world?" Twilight clarified, her curiosity brimming as she leaned closer.

The room fell silent as everyone stared at the Mobians, their eyes wide as if Twilight had uncovered a well-guarded secret.

"Of course we are! Well, not like extraterrestrials or aliens… okay, maybe like that," Sonic admitted with a shrug. "But it’s more accurate to say another dimension or another part of the vast, infinite universe."

Gasps and murmurs filled the room as the ponies exchanged bewildered glances. The Mobians, however, didn’t seem fazed by their reaction.

"Really?! Oh, all the books I’ve read!" Twilight exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. "I have so many questions—"

Before she could continue, Sonic raised a hand, his palm outstretched to signal her to pause. He smiled calmly, recognizing the familiar excitement he had seen in a certain yellow fox before.

"Easy there, Princess. I’ll answer everything you want to know another time, but the others are waiting for their turn."

Twilight blushed in embarrassment, realizing her enthusiasm had gotten the better of her. "Sorry. Please, go ahead."

Luna smiled, her curiosity now piqued. Building off Twilight’s question, she asked, "How did you end up here?"

The Mobians exchanged glances before Rouge raised her hand to speak first.

"Well, I was visiting an old friend. When he wasn’t around, I decided to ‘borrow’ a ‘small’ item. But someone else got to it before I did, so I set out to retrieve it and return it. Then… well, the local hero didn’t know the whole story and just acted, and here we are."

"Guilty of doing the right thing. Next!" Sonic interjected cheerfully, shrugging as if their arrival wasn’t a big deal.

"Wait a moment! You haven’t explained how you ended up here," Luna pointed out, noticing Sonic was evading the question. Sonic paused mid-bite of a slice of cake, looking caught off guard.

"Well, I was with my friends relaxing and enjoying the beautiful sun of Mobius until Knuckles, through his connection with the Master Emerald, felt it being removed from what you could call his 'private island.' So, we quickly got on Tails’ plane and soared through the skies to reach Angel Island! When we got there, my arch-nemesis’ base was flying away, leaving the island to crash into the ocean! So, I went Super, flew up to stop him, and confronted him in space. I decided to destroy everything he was working on, but he used the power of the Master Emerald. I countered with the power of the Chaos Emeralds, and we ended up here!" After telling his story, Sonic happily continued eating his slice of cake, leaving all the ponies (including the Crusaders) speechless.

Due to his story, the questions they had planned to ask were set aside in favor of addressing what they had just heard.

"My turn!" Celestia said excitedly. "We know where you come from and how you arrived, but now I have a better question! What are these… ‘Chaos Emeralds’ and this ‘Master Emerald’ you mentioned?"

The two exchanged glances and stood up, heading to a corner of the room. "One moment, please."

The ponies watched them curiously, wondering what they were whispering about. After a few moments, the two Mobians returned to their seats, now wearing more serious expressions.

"Alright, listen carefully. We’ll explain, but this must stay between everyone at this table," Sonic said, giving Celestia a stern look that caught her attention. He then turned to glance at the guards stationed at the doors. She understood the gravity of the situation and gave a simple nod. With a gesture, the guards left the room, leaving only the guests and the princesses.

"Alright, now that we’re alone, I’ll give you a rundown of the Chaos Emeralds. But understand that I’m sharing this because I trust you, and this information cannot leave this room. Understood?" Sonic’s tone was firm, and it was clear that this was not a matter to be taken lightly. The ponies exchanged nervous glances and then nodded in agreement.

"Good. The Chaos Emeralds, as their name implies, are seven emeralds of chaotic power, capable of making the thoughts and desires of the heart of whoever uses them come true," Sonic explained. He then looked at Rouge, who nodded to continue the explanation.

"Individually, they’re already powerful. But together, they can destroy, rebuild, erase, save, ruin, or restore all of reality as we know it. They’ve restored space and time, helped us save our world—and the universe. And while what I’m about to say might sound exaggerated without solid proof, these emeralds have limitless power and infinite energy. But beyond what they are, what matters is what they can achieve in the right—or wrong—hands." Rouge glanced at Sonic, prompting everyone to follow her gaze. He held up the green Chaos Emerald in his hand. "They can give you the power to face beings on the level of gods. This hero right here has been involved in countless adventures where these beautiful but powerful emeralds gave him the strength to confront entities that sought to destroy life and reality as we know it."

The room fell silent as everyone processed Rouge’s explanation. The idea that such a perfect-looking jewel could hold so much power was hard to believe. Why would anyone need something capable of both immense good and immense harm? And if they were so powerful individually, any person possessing even one could become a significant threat.

"If they’re so powerful, why not destroy them or keep them locked away?" Cadance dared to ask, not realizing she was using her turn for the question.

"Destroying them is impossible. They’re resistant to lava, can’t be crushed, and are indestructible. As for locking them away? They’d just get stolen. No matter where they are, trouble always seems to follow," Sonic replied, casually tossing the emerald into the air and catching it repeatedly.

"I have a question," Shining Armor said, his tone skeptical. "Sonic, what’s the biggest thing you’ve ever faced using these Chaos Emeralds?"

Sonic continued playing with the emerald, while Spike and Rarity couldn’t take their eyes off it, their heads moving up and down with its constant motion.

“Hmm… the biggest thing? Well, it might be…”

“DARK GAIA!”

A sudden shout in unison caught everyone’s attention. They turned to see the Crusaders with their helmets on the table and wide grins on their faces.

This caused Sonic to stop playing with the emerald and put it away, smiling as he saw how they remembered his story.

“Yeah, you could say it was one of the biggest challenges I faced.”

“Dark Gaia?” everyone repeated at the same time, while the Crusaders kept smiling.

Everyone looked at the fillies and then back at Sonic. It seemed like they’d already shared enough time to swap stories before meeting the others.

“A so-called god of darkness that existed at the planet’s core—so massive it could cover the entire core. It awakens every thousand years to battle Light Gaia in a fight between creation and destruction, light and dark. You know, the usual.”

The rest of the evening passed with eating, answering questions, and sharing funny anecdotes from their respective worlds. Eventually, it was time for both groups of heroes to rest. At that moment, Luna guided the Mobians to their rooms. First was Rouge, who bade them goodnight and quickly took advantage of the royal accommodations. Then came Sonic. As soon as he entered, Luna watched him flop onto the sofa and let out a big yawn.

“Uh, Sonic, you’ve got an entire bed to yourself.”

“I know, Princess Luna, but I don’t need a lot of comfort. I sleep under trees, on the arms of balconies, on rooftops if needed, and on hills during the day and night. I’m not someone who cares much about material things. Goodnight…” And with that, he got comfortable and was asleep almost instantly.

Luna cautiously cast a sleep spell to ensure he wouldn’t wake until morning—or until she decided. She then left and returned to the throne room, where she found the other princesses, the Element Bearers, the Crusaders, and Spike, who was as sleepy as the fillies.

“All set, sister. He’s sleeping soundly thanks to my spell, but… strangely, he chose the sofa over the luxury bed,” Luna mentioned, still baffled by the hedgehog’s preference.

“Very well. So, does everyone understand the situation?” Celestia asked the ponies who had been present earlier.

“I’m not entirely sure. Are you saying we can’t trust Sonic because someone sent a bird to tell you he’s a monster?” Rainbow Dash asked, seeking clarity. Celestia nodded.

“But who sent the bird? And why invade Sonic’s memories while he’s asleep? Aren’t his words enough?” Spike asked, covering a yawn.

“Someone who knows Sonic—he calls himself ‘Dr. Eggman.’ I want to learn about him from Sonic’s perspective to ensure we’re trusting the right person and not making ourselves an enemy of the wrong one,” Celestia explained.

The Crusaders, still fighting off sleep, exchanged glances when they heard the name mentioned.

“Excuse me, Princess Celestia, but did you say ‘Doctor Eggman’? And the bird that spoke to you… was it metallic?” Apple Bloom asked hesitantly, catching everyone’s attention. Celestia nodded, but the fillies’ reaction suggested they knew something important.

“That guy’s evil! Really evil!” Scootaloo yelled, earning surprised looks from the ponies present.

“Calm down, Scoots. You can’t seriously say that when you don’t even know him,” Rainbow Dash interjected, trying to calm the young pegasus.

“He’s evil! He destroyed Sonic’s entire planet with the Chaos Emeralds, unleashed some god of darkness or whatever from the planet’s core, and sent Sonic flying from space to crash into the planet!”

Everyone stared at the Crusaders. Despite their sleepiness, the truth in their voices was evident. They were on Sonic’s side, but the others weren’t sure what to make of their passionate defense—or the hedgehog himself.

“If you’re so eager to defend him, then let’s see for ourselves in his memories,” Celestia said with a smirk, leading everyone to Sonic’s room. There, they found the blue hedgehog sleeping soundly in a chaotic position—one hand on his chest, the other dangling off the sofa, his right leg bent, and his left foot touching the floor. He looked a moment away from face-planting.

“For someone so full of energy, this doesn’t seem like a comfortable way to enjoy sleep,” Cadance remarked, just as the hedgehog murmured with a smile.

“Mmh… mega ice cream…”

“Let’s take advantage before his dreams turn less pleasant,” Applejack suggested, and everyone agreed.

The group made themselves comfortable, sitting on chairs, the bed, and other spots in the room, while Luna stood at the center. She concentrated and created a connection between them and Sonic’s dreams, pulling everyone into his dream world at the same time.

Dream Realm

Once inside, the group found themselves on a snowy mountain buffeted by strong, freezing winds.

“Where are we?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, struggling to see through the snowstorm.

“We’re inside Sonic’s dreams—or rather, a mix of his memories and dreams,” Luna explained, scanning their surroundings until she noticed a figure beyond the storm.

“Look over there. Isn’t that Sonic?” Luna called the group’s attention to the figure standing at the peak of a frozen mountain. Sonic took a deep breath, spread his arms, and dove off the edge. Luna rushed forward to check his intentions, with everyone following close behind.

Instead of falling, Sonic landed on a snowboard and began speeding down the mountain with exhilarating speed.

“Whew… close one.”

“Were you worried about our guest, sister?” Celestia teased Luna for her reaction.

“Well, yes! Even in a dream, dying can cause the dreamer to wake up. But since I cast the sleep spell on him, I fear he might remain ‘dead’ until morning—or who knows how his body might react. I’ve never tested this, and I don’t want to find out,” Luna admitted, lighting her horn to create a door in front of the group, which they entered.

Celestia, feeling defeated by the explanation, could only follow as Sonic’s distant cries of excitement echoed behind them.

“Welcome to the Hall of Memories,” Luna announced. “There’s also a Hall of Dreams, but since we’re connected to a dreamer, we’ll only see his memories.”

The group now stood in an endless corridor lined with infinite doors, each labeled with titles. The surrounding ambiance showed places Sonic had been—beautiful landscapes and chaotic battlegrounds. The Crusaders quickly darted off to explore, drawn to one door in particular.

“Girls! Get back here!” Applejack shouted, but the fillies ignored her and kept running.

"Don’t worry, Applejack. This place is completely peaceful, and the memories are like fleeting winds around us—unable to harm or be altered by our presence. You’re free to explore and enjoy the memories without fear of causing any disruption or harm," Luna reassured. With that, everyone spread out, each choosing a door that captured their curiosity.

Applejack approached a door titled "Little Bro", featuring a picture of Sonic and Tails fist-bumping. She raised an eyebrow, wondering about their relationship—who belonged to whose family? Unable to resist, she stepped through the door. Inside, she was greeted by various scenes of Sonic and Tails’ adventures, heartfelt conversations, and moments of teamwork.

One window in particular caught her attention: Sonic and Tails walking together, Sonic visibly injured on one side.

"Sonic… do you think I’m a burden?" Tails asked, his voice heavy with insecurity.

Applejack’s heart sank as she watched the little fox, clearly burdened by self-doubt. Sonic stopped in his tracks, turning to face his friend with a calm smile.

"What’s with that question now?" he asked, his tone light but curious.

"I… I always freeze when there’s trouble. You’re always saving me while I just… tag along," Tails muttered, frustration and sadness evident in his voice.

Sonic stepped closer, placing a hand on Tails’ shoulder. "Hey, who stopped Eggman from blowing up Station Square?"

A memory flashed to Applejack’s side: Tails expertly dismantling a missile mid-flight.

"And who saved me from the Sinister Six’s trap, huh?" Sonic added, as another memory appeared—Tails saving Sonic from a trap, taking the risk himself.

"I’m… I’m too inconsistent," Tails mumbled, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Relax, buddy!" Sonic said with a chuckle, moving in front of Tails. "You’re as smart as Eggman, almost as fast as me, and you can fly! Besides, everyone needs a little help sometimes—that’s just part of growing up."

Tails stared at Sonic, his expression softening. "When did you get so wise?"

"I have my moments," Sonic replied with a cheeky grin.

As the memory faded, Applejack smiled, understanding the bond between the two. "So, Tails is like a little brother to him... just like Apple Bloom is to me," she thought, feeling a newfound respect for the duo.

Twilight opened a door labeled "Princesses", her curiosity piqued. Did Sonic already have many memories involving her and the other princesses? Inside, she found scenes of Sonic interacting with various royals.

One memory featured Sonic and a tall, elf-like woman holding a staff—Merlina the Sorceress. Sonic held a sword in one hand and wore a gauntlet on the other. "Your Majesty… how can I rule this kingdom after all I’ve done?" Merlina asked, kneeling before him, her voice filled with regret.

"Merlina, you brought me here for a reason. You’ve proven yourself as the most capable magician, and you know this kingdom better than anyone. The Knights of the Round Table trust you, and so do I," Sonic said, handing her his sword as a gesture of trust.

"We will miss you, Sonic—the Knight of the Wind," the sword spoke, its voice filled with pride.

Twilight gasped. "He was a king? A knight? What kind of life has he lived?" Her thoughts raced.

Another memory showed Sonic with Blaze, a feline princess. "How’s ruling your kingdom going, Blaze?" Sonic asked casually.

"Busy as always, but peaceful. It’s nice to visit here and get away from all the ‘princess’ formalities," Blaze replied, sighing.

Sonic extended a hand. "Care for a dance?"

She accepted, and the two began an elegant yet adrenaline-filled "dance" as they fought off Eggman’s robots, dodging attacks with perfect synchronization. Twilight watched, amazed by their effortless teamwork. "How is he so calm in situations like this?" she wondered, captivated.

Pinkie hopped through the hall, landing in front of a door labeled "The Best Birthday". Intrigued, she entered to find a joyous celebration. Sonic’s friends presented a cake shaped like his face. Pinkie giggled, taking mental notes for future parties.

But the joy turned to chaos as a dark vortex appeared, sweeping away the decorations and guests. A shadowy figure emerged, its terrifying presence knocking Sonic unconscious. Pinkie gasped, her usual cheer replaced with dread as she watched Sonic awaken to begin a perilous adventure to save his friends.

Despite the tension, Pinkie whispered, "I’ll have to throw him an even better party someday," before continuing to observe the unfolding memories.

Meanwhile, Luna guided the others through the hall, ensuring they stayed safe. Each pony was discovering new facets of Sonic’s life, and the trust they had in him was deepening with every memory they witnessed

Rainbow Dash couldn't see anything interesting through any door, but among all the memories of peaceful moments and races against beings who matched the speed of the hedgehog, she found a title that caught her attention: "Metal Sonic." The title was strange, did it mean there were more like him?

Upon entering, she found multiple windows showing Sonic against a metallic version of himself and his different variants, one silver, the classic Metal Sonic, and Mecha Sonic. In all their confrontations, both looked very fast and competitive in a fight where one would survive and prove to be the "original."

"Wow... I think this will entertain me for a while I'm here."

Fluttershy didn’t make much progress since finding a door titled "Chaos Garden" was enough to stop her from learning more about Sonic. But there she was, alongside the memory of him spending a pleasant time with the harmless Chaos that played in the garden, in the company of a little girl with long ears while she played with the Chao.

"Thank you for coming with me, Mr. Sonic."

"Don’t mention it, Cream. After Eggman ruined the last tea party you invited me to, I thought about how we could make up for lost time, and here we are, at your favorite place."

Around them, the small creatures called "Chao" were flying around, playing with each other, along with another one wearing a red bow. Cream was making flower crowns for each Chao and one for Sonic as well, as a thank-you for bringing her there.

Cadance, on the other hand, found a door called "Admiring #1." It could be talking about someone who admired him as a hero for saving their life, but to calm her curiosity, she entered without hesitation, expecting to see someone who looked at him with hearts in their eyes.

Upon entering, she found the marvelous view of a sunset near a forest far from the city. She searched with her eyes for the blue hedgehog but found only a curtain of dirt covering the place. When it finally cleared, she saw a pink creature in a red dress running quickly in one direction, shouting with a tone of concern in her voice.

"Are you okay?!"

"HA-HA-HA, You shot me straight into the energy cell! Good shot!" She recognized the owner of that voice, seeing Sonic there on the ground, covered in dirt, while the pink girl approached him concerned.

"The invasion is over. I guess... now you'll leave..."

"Yep!"

The Princess of Love thought the blue hero’s attitude was very cold toward the pink girl, making her feel that he didn’t seem to understand her feelings. She didn’t need her magic to see into someone's heart and know how they feel toward others; just by looking and hearing her, she could tell. But as she got closer to see the scene better, next to the pink girl who was worried about Sonic, she could see him the same way she was looking at him.

Sonic knew that she was now seeing him in the only way the pink hedgehog could see him: as something wonderful, standing there bathed in sunlight, his presence alone mesmerizing her. The Princess of Love managed to see him in the same way, but she understood that the hedgehog’s feelings gave him a glow that only she could perceive in her eyes. Even though it was just a memory and her magic wouldn’t work here, simply watching her admire him was more than enough to understand what she felt for him.

"It’s what I do. I keep moving, doing good, saving people, and living free like the wind. Living my way, my own way."

Everything he said was answered by the blushing face of the girl who looked at him, accompanied by a sigh that sounded full of love while she looked at him with the sun highlighting what only she could see as amazing in him.

Cadance just admired the scene and slowly left the memory, watching how she clearly showed her feelings for him, even if he didn’t seem to accept it directly.

Shining Armor, on his part, had already seen several memories, most of them showing Sonic saving innocents from city disasters, helping his friends, but now he found himself in a different scenario, after passing through a door titled "Knight of the Wind."

There, he saw Sonic wielding a broken sword, covered in wounds while trying to stand. At the other end, where Sonic was looking, stood a strange creature, a being emitting a dark aura with many limbs and large swords in each one. It had left him badly wounded, lying face down on the ground, but then he heard a voice in his mind.

"Sir Sonic! You've done enough!" A female voice said, making the hedgehog react as he started getting back up.

"No, Sonic! There is no point in continuing!" A serious male voice said as Sonic managed to stand despite the pain.

Shining was watching how the scene was unfolding, how he kept persisting with a smile and a confident look.

"A knight... never... flees... his foes, right?" Sonic said while staring intently at his intended target.

The great knight created by magic followed the commands of its controller, a sorceress beneath it. It simply attacked Sonic again, knocking him down.

"You fool! This no longer has anything to do with chivalry! Get out of there! Run!" Another voice sounded in the memory, scolding him for facing the situation in a way worthy of a knight. Shining had trouble piecing together this memory. Did Sonic have something to do with being a knight? He carried a sword and was facing someone with no chances of winning, which was what a real knight would do too. But why was this memory showing him this?

"It was never about chivalry for me..."

Sonic got back on his feet, wielding the broken sword without taking his eyes off his enemy, his determination showing he wouldn’t surrender easily.

"I just gotta do what I've gotta do, that’s all!"

The three voices shouted his name, but then a golden flash of light descended from the dark sky, enveloping Sonic. Shining was blinded by the light, forced to cover his eyes. After a few seconds, he saw that Sonic was now wearing golden armor, with a red cape, and the sword was repaired and now much bigger, emitting a magical blade around the edge.

He wielded the sword in the air, preparing his stance for attack.

"Heh, Let’s do this!"

Rarity and Spike were looking for a door that would help with what the princesses asked, but they ended up stumbling upon something that caught both of their attention. A door with a title that piqued the young dragon's curiosity: "I'm Just a Hero." He entered without wasting time, only thinking about the comics he read, expecting to see moments like these from the hedgehog. Rarity rolled her eyes and continued looking for a door that caught her attention.

Inside the door, Spike admired many windows containing moments of action, adrenaline, and heroic deeds. He just needed a hero suit, and it would be perfect for the title.

He entered a memory and found his blue friend racing against what appeared to be a poorly made clone of himself in a race, but at the end of the race, after getting far enough from the clone, he not only reached the finish line but also rescued a girl he carried in his arms.

"Wow... I wish I could be like him when I grow up!"

In another, he saw how the fast hedgehog saved small animals, fought robot armies, and even though he fell, he got back up. None of this resembled his comics, and that made it much better. He sat on the floor, admiring each moment as if he were watching multiple shows on TV at the same time, excited to see what he had lived—many victories, many friends, magical places like a floating island, how he joined another version of himself to jump through space and time, how he traveled on the wing of a plane without fear of falling, having fans just like he did in the Crystal Empire. He was admiring his idol! Living through these memories filled him with emotions, and when he saw one that he considered the best of all, his jaw almost hit the floor.

There he saw Sonic in his super form, golden with sky-blue eyes, arms crossed, and his gaze locked on his target. Spike followed his gaze and saw a gigantic white being with multiple arms, seemingly carrying a massive shell on its back. The small dragon just stood there, watching as if waiting for a signal for what needed to happen, and in the blink of an eye, the giant monster was attacking his friend with what appeared to be energy waves far larger than the hedgehog.

But the hero didn’t flinch and simply deflected them one by one, a total of five. For the fifth, he merely placed his left hand on his hip while floating in the air, and with his right hand, he brushed it aside as if swatting away an annoying fly. Being speechless was an understatement for what Spike had just witnessed, but that was only the beginning of everything he would experience through the memory.

After a few seconds, she entered a very excited "New King." Inside, she saw through the windows how Sonic was being named the king of an entire kingdom, which took the unicorn by surprise as she saw that now he wore a golden crown, a long red cape, a metal gauntlet on his right hand, and was followed by a sword that floated beside him.

"You know, buddy? I never thought I'd become a king!"

"You were able to unleash my maximum power, wielding the legendary sword of the former king! It was to be expected that you would be given such a title." The sword explained, which surprised Rarity even more as she watched how the hedgehog sat on the throne, with the talking sword in his hand, the blade pointing to the ground.

"I admit, and I’ll sound cocky saying this, but where I come from, I’ve saved the world, many lives, other worlds, and even once died and came back to life! But after all that, I didn’t care if there was a reward, I just do what needs to be done because it has to be done, that’s all, and I’m content with seeing others safe without expecting anything in return."

"Where you come from, are you also a king? Or are you just a guy who loves adventures and saving lives?"

Sonic smiled at his response and looked at the talking weapon. "Now you're reading minds too?" With that response, the sword now believed that the one who was the new king of Camelot and the only one capable of wielding it was just a guy with good intentions who didn’t seem to care about his manners and just jumped in to help others.

"Well, I won’t ask more, you never stop surprising me, buddy. A generous, kind, loyal king, with few manners but honesty in his words and a fun yet challenging attitude... it’s not something you see every day."

Sonic smiled and looked at him with a chuckle, Rarity watched the scene, admiring how her friend was a king from a faraway place that would be hard for her to understand. The sword could speak, and he represented both the five elements of harmony and perhaps much more, making her find it strange that someone like him wasn’t well rewarded.

"Well, buddy! With my coronation done, it’s time for all this to end... for now."

"Time to go home?" The sword asked, and Sonic just nodded, and then both left, while Rarity exited the memory and looked for another one to better understand the scene.

Now, the Princess of the Sun had walked among many doors, but none looked different from the others. The door she was looking for with a particular name didn’t appear. She almost thought she should walk to the possible end of the infinite hallway of doors.

Her sister, seeing her desperate, approached her, worried. "Is something wrong, sister?"

"This is impossible! Look at all these doors! Where’s the door with the name of Doctor Eggman!?" Her shout echoed throughout the area, and behind her, a door began to glow, changing from blue to black with a new title in red letters, ending with a symbol of a smiling face with a mustache. "Dr. Eggman/Ivo Robotnik...? Is this his door?" Celestia’s question was answered when a dark aura surrounded the door, and it opened on its own in her direction.

"It seems... Sonic’s subconscious responded to your call in some way..." That was the best explanation Luna could give while rubbing her helmet against her chin, thinking about what had happened.

"Is that... possible!?" Her sister exclaimed in surprise.

"It could be... or perhaps right now, his current dream added Dr. Eggman, and his door naturally appeared to add memories to the dream." This changed the theory she had given earlier, and now this idea stayed in her mind until she could find a better explanation for what happened.

"Whatever it is, I’m going in!" Celestia looked at the dark void inside the door, determined to enter, preparing for the worst.

Upon entering, the door closed behind her. The whole place was dark; there was nothing and no one. Silence and mystery dominated the atmosphere.

"Hello? Sonic?... Are you here?" After her question, she realized she was in a memory where she couldn’t interact or alter anything, so she hit her face with her helmet for being so silly. "Calm down, Celestia, it’s just a memory. You shouldn’t be scared... and now you’re talking to yourself."

A flash of light blinded her suddenly, and a memory window appeared. This window showed a strange being, a biped with red and black colors, a round body, or rather, a fat body, and a long mustache on its face.

"Hahaha! Citizens of Earth, lend me your ears and listen carefully! My name is Dr. Eggman, the greatest scientific genius in the world."

Celestia found it arrogant for him to call himself the greatest in the world, but she was more intrigued by seeing the true appearance of the now mysterious Dr. Eggman.

"And soon, I will be the greatest ruler of the world."

"Now, be witnesses to the beginning of the greatest empire of all time."

Through the screen, she saw what appeared to be a planet splitting in half, revealing the ARK space station, which had a curious resemblance to the Doctor’s face. There, the Princess of the Sun witnessed with her own eyes how, from the outside of the planet she was now on, the Moon was destroyed in half as a beam was fired from the space station, leaving all the humans who witnessed the scene with their jaws hanging, while Eggman’s voice echoed through the screen, laughing as he had the power to dominate them all.

Celestia stepped back from the window, exiting the memory, and accidentally entered another within the same door. There, she realized that now Eggman had Sonic suffering as the Chaos Emeralds floated around him.

"HOHOHO! I’ve been waiting a long time for this! Fire!"

There, she saw how they were now in space, but before she could ask herself about their current location, she saw how all the Chaos Emeralds’ power was used to fire the cannon that opened the planet, leaving the princess in shock at his actions.

As the planet seemed to divide into various continents, a giant being emerged from the planet's center. Eggman marveled at the scene, surprised by the dark being.

"Uggg... aaggh!" Sonic’s groans of pain caught the princess’s attention, seeing the subdued hero undergoing changes in his body.

Celestia approached, somewhat worried, and saw how his quills turned darker, his body grew, his arms swelled with muscles, and they were covered in dark blue fur, just like his quills. His gloves broke, revealing sharp claws, his fangs grew, and then he let out a powerful howl as if he were a wolf, while the massive monster from the destroyed planet also roared before disappearing.

After the transformation ended, she stepped back and witnessed how the hero’s life should have ended, as Eggman opened the main window and the vacuum of space sucked Sonic along with the Emeralds that were now drained of energy toward the planet.

When the memory ended, she stepped back out of it, now more sure than ever that Sonic was a powerful

Everyone was leaving the doors they entered, gathering again. Luna had arrived last to the group, coming out of the one with the title "Nightmares and Fears."

"Alright girls... did you find anything interesting?" Twilight asked directly, wanting to know what else they had learned about the blue hedgehog.

"Well, I didn’t meet anyone from his family, but considering someone a little brother means he appreciates and respects him, just like the rest of his friends." Explained the farmer, happy to have lived that memory.

"There can’t be anyone else like him, so to speak, he’s unique!" Rainbow said after having lived several memories where Sonic had faced his various metal copies.

"He had such a crazy birthday that before celebrating, he dedicated himself to saving existence itself with the help of his past self, in places he traveled before and faced bad guys he had already fought. The monster turned out to be Dr. Eggman from the past and present, who worked together to eliminate both the past and present Sonic at the same time! But it turned out that with those chaos emeralds, they both turned golden and saved reality itself, and ended up celebrating his birthday with more guests than before." Everyone looked at the pink pony, knowing it was impossible to question her, but since it came from a memory of Sonic, believing her was simpler than asking questions.

"He doesn’t seem interested in love, but I can say that his intentions and words are so genuine that they reach the hearts and minds of those around him. Still, I think being a little more romantic wouldn’t hurt him."

"I can admit that I admire his determination and perseverance in facing any danger, even putting his life at risk. If it weren't for the fact that he has to leave at some point, I would give him a place in the royal guard." Added Shining Armor.

"He’s very kind and appreciates all forms of life, I’ve never seen creatures as adorable as those 'Chaos,' but I’d love for him to allow me to meet them one day, and that girl who calls him 'Mr. Sonic,' seems to see him as someone to admire."

"He has contact with more royalty than just us four, apparently he was summoned to another world and became a king but had to leave it to return to his own. He also seems to be friends with a very formal princess, but his attitude with her makes her more open than someone from royalty would normally be." Explained Twilight, totally happy that she also appeared in his memories.

"I learned that he's a better hero than the comics I read!" Said Spike with pride in his words, earning a doubtful look from Shining Armor, who leaned in to whisper, "Which door did you say you saw that?"

"I witnessed his coronation! Who would have thought someone so fearless would become a king! King of Camelot!"

"What did you see, Luna?" Celestia asked her directly, leaving her response as the final one.

"...I’d rather not talk about it." Those were her only words. They just saw her looking in the other direction as if something was bothering her.

"Hey, where are the Crusaders?" Spike caught everyone's attention as the girls approached from afar, somewhat disappointed.

"What’s wrong, girls? Didn’t you have fun?"

"All the memories were so fun, but we didn’t find the door we wanted." Scootaloo expressed with disappointment while her companions kept looking at the ground.

"And what door are you looking for?" Luna approached, having the chance to confirm the theory she had formed earlier.

"The door where Sonic and Chip defeat the monstrous Dark Gaia!" They all shouted at the same time. Their voice echoed throughout the infinite subconscious of the memories, and all the doors disappeared, leaving only one that glowed with golden light, showing a new title: "Light Gaia and Super Sonic."

"Light Gaia..."

"And Super Sonic?..."

"Oh oh! I know! Super Sonic is when he turns golden, can fly, and becomes unstoppable!" Explained Pinkie, jumping with excitement, but before anyone could say anything, the fillies opened the door and jumped inside.

"Alright, last memory, and then we’ll go back to reality." Everyone nodded at the night princess's decision and headed toward the door, hoping that after this memory, they could use everything they had learned about him to accept him without a doubt.