Peace.

A fleeting feeling that many wish would last forever. But in Equestria, that word has no place anywhere.

Three weeks ago, the deranged Doctor Eggman captured Sonic the Hedgehog, Sunny Starscout, Hitch Trailblazer, Izzy Moonbow, Zipp Storm, and Pipp Petals with the intention of stealing the ponies' magic and freezing Sonic for 50 years to wake him up in a world where everything was under Eggman's control.

The doctor achieved his goal: He stole the Unity Crystals and recited a spell that helped him steal the magic of the Mane 5 and Opaline, whom he betrayed in order to ensure that all the magic of Equestria, without exception, would be his. With that, Eggman left for Equestria to steal the magic that was left, and in turn, activated Sonic's capsule to begin the cryogenics process and thus get rid of his nemesis.

Fortunately, Sonic's friends and acquaintances—Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Rouge—came to rescue everyone. Once free, the ponies returned to Maretime Bay to try to calm things down, but Eggman had already arrived and had stolen everyone's magic, including Misty, who had just gotten her Cutie Mark.

Soon, Eggman used the stolen magic to build a gigantic robot he called the "Death Egg Titan", which he used to lay waste to much of Maretime Bay and destroy the Crystal Brighthouse. Team Sonic arrived and faced both the large robot and the army of magic-powered Badniks, while Shadow and Rouge tried to take down the machine and Eggman from within. But despite everything, Eggman was getting his way, and Sonic was badly injured during the fight.

All seemed lost, and although Sunny and Pipp tried to protect Sonic, their forces were not enough. However, before Eggman could get his way, the Chaos Emeralds came to Sonic's aid, transforming him into Super Sonic. With that power, Sonic defeated Eggman, sent his Death Egg Titan far away, and restored magic to all of Equestria.

He also repaired the Unity Crystals, which had been destroyed during the battle, and with everything back to normal, Sonic let go of the Emeralds, which scattered across the world. Pipp then put on a grand concert to celebrate his victory over Eggman.

And then, all was peaceful... but peace is fleeting, and doesn't last forever.

The full moon hung high over Equestria, illuminating with its cold, silver light the vast fields, thick forests, and majestic mountains that made up the magical land. The night's calm seemed undisturbed, but that night, something disturbing was stirring deep within the earth. An invisible shadow, dense and oppressive, began to spread from the very bowels of the kingdom.

In the Crystal Brighthouse, Knuckles the Echidna looked out over the landscape from the balcony of the Crystal Room. The air, usually fresh and invigorating, felt heavy, as if an unknown force was trying to smother life itself. In the distance, the deputy of Maretime Bay could see the lights of the city of Zephyr Heights, its inhabitants still unaware of the impending danger. But he felt it, he knew it deep within: an ancient darkness, beyond what the legends told, had awakened.

The next morning, the dining room of the Crystal Brighthouse was in a state of turmoil. Izzy and Misty murmured amongst themselves, exchanging worried glances as Hitch and Shadow reinforced the lighthouse's doors and windows. It was not an unfounded rumor; a dark, almost imperceptible mist had begun to brew in various points of Equestria for the past week. At first glance, it seemed like a natural phenomenon, but those who got too close to these pockets of darkness began to show signs of illness and disorientation.

"All the reports are consistent," Tails said after a while, as he scanned through notes and messages with a frown. "This mist isn't natural. Its origin is magical, and its spread seems to accelerate with each passing hour."

Knuckles nodded, his stern face showing concern. Sonic and Sunny were outside, trying to investigate the cracks and the gloom that comes from them, so he has, in a way, taken on the role of leader in their absence.

"What do the ponies in Bridlewood and Zephyr Heights know?" Knuckles asked, keeping his voice steady, although inside he felt the same uneasiness as everyone else.

"As expected, they are terrified," Zipp answered as she reviewed notes on her phone for herself. "Some claim to have seen shadowy figures in the mist, while others report a feeling of drowning, as if the earth itself were sick. I heard something about hallucinations of crimson red hands with eyes in their palms."

Knuckles was silent for a moment, weighing his options. He couldn't let panic take hold of his friends, nor the rest of Equestria, but he couldn't ignore the growing threat either. He made a decision.

"Word must be spread to everypony immediately," He announced. "They must be warned to avoid these areas contaminated by the mist. No one is to approach without proper protection, and the leaders and warriors of each city are to prepare to defend their lands. In the meantime, we must investigate to the point of exhaustion to determine the source of this mysterious gloom. The last thing we need is everypony to panic, specially after what happened with Eggman."

Zipp nodded, her eyes flickering with determination. "I'll handle the communication with Zephyr Heights. My mom can help calm the city while I gather a team of experts to examine the mist up close."

"I'll contact Alphabittle in Bridlewood," Izzy offered, stepping forward with confidence. "He can rally the unicorns to keep a safe distance, and I'll work with the ponies on counter-spells to see if we can contain it."

"Sounds good to me," Knuckles nodded, hoping that their efforts would be enough for the moment.

Discord had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Ever since that strange gloom began to emerge from the depths of the ruins of Canterlot Castle, the draconequus knew that something was not right. He had not felt this uneasy since the times of Opaline, the cause of the fall of Equestria so many centuries ago. Now, something strange and evil was emerging from the bowels of the earth, and Discord did not like it at all.

He knew that this was only the beginning. He could not rely only on the investigations on the surface that he knew were being carried out by ponies and unwanted visitors. He had to act personally, explore the secrets that the castle had kept for generations, secrets that not even he himself had dared to investigate so far.

Discord entered the castle and headed towards a door hidden behind an ancient tapestry. It was an entrance that only the monarchs of Equestria knew of, an entrance to the deepest levels of the castle, far below the dungeons where prisoners were usually imprisoned. These passages had been sealed centuries ago, after a legendary battle that occurred centuries ago, known as the Imprisoning War. Discord discovered this place by mistake a long time ago, and Twilight scolded him, making him bow to never go beyond the door, and Discord huffed before bowing to never cross that path.

However, an ancient urge drove the draconequus to venture further and brake that promise.

With a firm step, Discord snapped his fingers to create a floating torch that followed him closely, and descended the stone staircase, each step resonating with a hollow echo that seemed to be devoured by the surrounding darkness. The air grew colder and more humid as he descended, and a feeling of oppression increased with each step. Although he was a large and intimidating creature if he wanted it to be, Discord couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. This was not a place made for the living.

After what seemed like an eternity, the staircase finally came to an end, giving way to a wide corridor carved into the living rock. The torchlight barely managed to illuminate the arches and columns that supported the ceiling of the hall. On the walls, inscriptions in an ancient language, unknown even to the most erudite, seemed to tell stories of forgotten times. Some showed scenes of epic battles between heroes and dark creatures, others represented rituals whose purposes were incomprehensible.

Discord moved forward, guided by an impulse he could not fully understand. Something deep within him drew him to this place, a barely perceptible whisper that reminded him of another promise he made to Twilight long ago, to protect Equestria no matter what. He reached an imposing gate at the end of the hall, made of a black metal that did not reflect light, with engravings that seemed to pulse with an energy of their own. Discord stopped before it, feeling the atmosphere thicken, almost as if the air itself was trying to push him back, away from that forbidden threshold.

Before he could make a decision, however, the torch behind him began to flicker. The flame, which until then had been constant, flickered weakly, as if it were being smothered by an invisible presence. The draconequus felt a pressure on his chest, an overwhelming weight that forced him back. Something, or someone, did not wish him to continue. However, Discord knew that this was not a time to give in to fear. Equestria's survival might depend on what he discovered in this place.

With a titanic effort, he took another step towards the gate. But then, from deep in the corridor, a dull, rhythmic sound began to rumble, like the beating of a giant heart. The vibration ran through the walls, causing the ground to tremble beneath his feet. As the sound grew louder, the dark mist, the same one that had begun to invade Equestria, began to seep from the cracks in the walls and floor, enveloping the gate in a thick haze.

Discord took a step back, his mind filled with questions. Despite his determination, he knew that continuing forward at this moment would be reckless. He was not yet prepared to face whatever awaited in the depths of the castle. However, one thing was clear: This mysterious gloom, this dark mist, was not just an emerging threat. It was a harbinger of something far more sinister, something that had been waiting for its chance to surface for centuries.

Discord slowly retreated, the torch barely lighting his way back. The hallway, which at first seemed to lead to answers, now only seemed to offer more questions. As he ascended the stairs, his mind worked frantically, planning his next steps. He should summon Sunny and Sonic, willy-nilly, tell them about this place, and hope that they would have the courage to venture further. But above all, he had to keep Equestria calm and united. The kingdom had faced many threats before, but this... this was different.

When Discord emerged from the underground levels, the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, but the light of the new day brought no comfort. The dark mist continued to spread, slowly but inexorably, across Equestria. Deep in his heart, the draconequus knew that dark times were coming, and that the future of the kingdom would depend on the decisions everyone made in the days to come. As Discord watched the sunrise, he realized that the fight would not be easy. However, he was willing to make any sacrifice necessary to protect the kingdom and preserve peace.

And so, with a mixture of determination and fear, Discord prepared to face the darkness that was coming. For deep within the earth, far beyond the foundations of the castle, something ancient and powerful had awakened. Something that would not stop until it consumed everything they knew and loved.

Author's Note

I honestly can't believe it's happening... Again!

After cancelling this story previously, I finally had come down to a new result that I can get behind to! Now is a matter of finishing the story at all.

As the description says, this story is taking place on BronySonicFan's saga that started with Sonic The Hedgehog x My Little Pony: A New Generation. However, I'll give context to all the important things that have happened there.

In case you wonder, Andy himself (a.k.a. BronySonicFan) gave me his "blessing" to put this story together. In fact, he made the cover art himself, and he even offered to help me put a timeline to when does this story happen so it won't mess with previous work, even though it messes with the upcoming one.

Take this story as an alternate outcome to what could've been the story's direction. No need to hate my story nor his in case you like one direction better than the other one.

Anyways. I really hope you guys can enjoy this story, and I also hope you like it, Andy! You're the reason why I made it, after all!