The Legend of Sunny: Tears of the Kingdom

Pipp had a very bad feeling.

Sonic and Sunny left just two hours ago, and yet she already feels anxious for her boyfriend and one of her best friends. The idea that they were facing an unknown enemy deep down of a strange place she knew nothing about was getting into her nerves, and the more time passed without any sign of them, the more anxious she grew.

She was currently in Lookout Landing's main room with Knuckles, whom Hitch assigned as the leader and supervisor of the place. The echidna was trying to check out some papers regarding the Monster-Control Crew, more reports on ponies falling ill to the gloom, and the current state of the fortress they were currently in, which he knew just by seeing it was almost finished thanks to the bless that is magic. However, he can barely do so with Pipp pacing back and forth in the room.

"Can you stop doing that? I'm trying to work here," Knuckles asked her with annoyance.

Pipp stopped mid-pace, biting her lip in frustration. "Sorry, Knuckles, I just… I can't help it. Something doesn't feel right." She turned to face him, her eyes filled with worry. "They've been gone for hours now, and we haven't heard a thing. What if something happened to them?"

"They'll be fine, Pipp," Knuckles shrugged, his gaze returning to his reports. "Sonic's a fucking cockroach turned hedgehog. Step on him as many times as you want, he'll keep coming back stronger than before. And Sunny survived being bodied by Eggman and has the power of what I believe is the equivalent of god in this dimension. She can survive some caverns with gloom lurking around."

Pipp didn't seem convinced. She stopped pacing, but her wings twitched anxiously. "I know they're both tough, but this feels different, Knuckles. This gloom... it's not like anything we've faced before." Her voice wavered, betraying her fear.

Knuckles sighed, putting the papers down for a moment. He rubbed his temples, realizing she wouldn't stop worrying until she heard something reassuring. "Look, I get it. I really do. But sitting here driving yourself crazy won't help them. When Sonic and Sunny get back, they'll need us sharp, not worn out from worrying."

Pipp opened her mouth to argue, but the door burst open before she could say anything, and Zipp rushed in, her face a mix of urgency and fear. "Knuckles, Pipp! We've got a problem," She said breathlessly. "A big one."

Knuckles immediately straightened up. "What is it? Is it Sonic and Sunny?"

Zipp nodded, her wings flared in alarm. "It's worse than that. We've just received a message from Tails, and it's not good. He detected a massive surge of gloom energy coming from the ruins beneath Canterlot. Whatever they stirred up down there, it's spreading faster than we thought."

Pipp’s heart skipped a beat. "Does that mean… Sonic and Sunny…?"

Zipp shook her head quickly. "We don't know for sure yet. But if the gloom is spreading, it means whatever they're facing is getting stronger. And if they're caught in the middle of that…"

Pipp didn't need to hear more. Her wings flared as she turned toward the door. "I'm going after them."

"Hold it!" Knuckles called out, standing up with authority. "You're not going anywhere alone. We've already lost contact with them. Rushing in without a plan is the worst thing you can do right now."

Pipp spun around, her frustration bubbling over. "And what's the plan then, Knuckles? Wait until it's too late? They could be hurt—or worse! We have to do something!"

Knuckles glared back, his jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Zipp stepped between them. "Look, I get that you're worried, Pipp. We all are. But Knuckles is right. We need to be smart about this. We need backup. If this gloom is spreading, it’s not just Sonic and Sunny who are in danger—it's all of us."

Pipp took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She knew they were right. Charging in alone wouldn't help. But the idea of sitting around while her boyfriend and one of her best friends were in danger was unbearable.

"So what's the plan then?" She asked, her voice steadier now but still laced with urgency.

Knuckles exchanged a glance with Zipp, but before any of them could say a thing, a loud, violent crash interrupted their thoughts. Zipp and Pipp flapped their wings to keep from falling, and Knuckles almost lost control, barely staying on his feet. Still, he managed not to kiss the ground, but he started looking everywhere, completely disoriented.

After that, the three heard murmurs, gasps, screams... A whole hustle and bustle right in the middle of the fort. As soon as they left the hall, they headed to the central square, finding everyone looking in the direction of Canterlot Castle. Pipp was about to ask what was happening, but Knuckles got there first.

"What's going on?" The echidna and leader of Lookout Landing demanded an explanation.

One of the guards at the place didn't answer with words, but instead pointed in the direction of the castle. Everyone was looking there, anyway.

Knuckles, Zipp, and Pipp turned around as well, and what they saw left them frozen.

Canterlot Castle was beginning to rise into the air. Several towers and structures around the castle collapsed and fell into the gigantic abyss that had appeared just below the castle. Gloom was pouring out of it, but in large quantities, much larger than those found in the cracks that opened up all over Equestria.

What was keeping the castle suspended in the air was a kind of rocky pillar. It looked sturdy, yes, but at the same time it looked like it could break at any moment.

Pipp's heart sank at the sight of Canterlot Castle being lifted into the air, suspended above an abyss spewing gloom. It was a nightmare come to life. Her first thought was of Sonic and Sunny—what if they were trapped inside? What if they couldn't get out?

Zipp, her wings still flared, stared at the scene, her usual composure shaken. "This… this is bad. Really bad."

Knuckles, who rarely let anything faze him, clenched his fists, his sharp eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation. "It's worse than we thought. That gloom… it's spreading like wildfire. If we don't stop it soon, Sonic and Sunny might not be the only ones we lose."

Pipp took a step forward, her mind racing. "We need to get there, now! We don't have time to wait for backup, Knuckles!"

Knuckles raised a hand, his expression tense but calm. "We're not rushing in blindly. Look at that thing." He pointed toward the pillar holding the castle up. "That's not just a natural formation. Something is keeping it in place, and that means someone—or something—is controlling it."

Zipp nodded, her analytical mind already working through possibilities. "Right. And if we go in without a plan, we're walking straight into a trap."

Pipp was about to argue again, but her words faltered. She knew they were right. The situation was bigger than just her fear for Sonic and Sunny. This was an ancient force, something beyond any of them, and it wasn't just threatening her loved ones—it was threatening all of Equestria.

Knuckles turned to the soldiers around them. "We need to mobilize everyone. Get the Monster-Control Crew ready, and gather all available forces. We're moving toward Canterlot to investigate, but we're going in carefully. No one makes a move until we figure out what's keeping that castle in the air." He then glanced back at Pipp and Zipp. "We'll need all the help we can get, so be ready."

Zipp was already on her communicator, relaying the situation to the other teams. "I'll get in touch with Hitch and Amy—they'll bring the others. We'll need Team Dark on standby too. If this is the source of the gloom, we're going to need everyone we've got."

Pipp's wings twitched impatiently, but she forced herself to stay grounded, trusting her friends and knowing they couldn't afford to lose anyone else. "Just… hurry," She muttered softly, her gaze never leaving the distant, floating castle.

Tails and the Zonai Survey Team, as Tails himself decided to call it, was near one of the cracks of gloom.

He kept his Miles Electric near the crack, but the device kept glitching out of control no matter what he did. He groaned frustrated and muttered something under his breath before turning to the rest of his team. The ones he brought over were two earth ponies, one pegasi, and at least 4 unicorns, Misty being among them.

"The technology is still failing because of the gloom," Tails explained with a concerned frown. "No matter what device we approach, the gloom just seems to affect it for the worst. It's like if the gloom knew we're trying to stop it and refused go allow us."

"It's like the earth itself is poisoned," One of the earth ponies researchers said, leaning in to peer more closely into the crack. "The gloom is thicker than anywhere else we've investigated. It could be linked to a source of ancient power, something we haven't seen in millennia."

Tails rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his mind racing through possibilities. The gloom was no ordinary corruption—it was sentient, ancient, and had the ability to manipulate not just magic but also technology. "If it's reacting like this," He began, his eyes narrowing, "then there's definitely something—or someone—behind it. The Zonai's connection to this place runs deeper than we thought."

Misty, who had been quiet until now, took a step forward, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Do you think it's tied to the ancient magic Sunny was talking about? The same magic from those symbols?"

Tails nodded, his twin tails twitching with a sense of urgency. "It's possible. The symbols are Zonai in origin, and if they're connected to the gloom, then whatever's controlling the castle might be trying to use that same power."

Misty frowned, her horn glowing faintly as she approached the gloom crack. "The magic here feels… different. Darker than what anyone's used to. It's like it's alive, watching us." She hesitated, then added, "Do you think… whoever's behind this could be using the Zonai magic for something even worse?"

Tails was about to respond when his Miles Electric beeped rapidly. He glanced down at the screen, his eyes widening. "We're picking up a massive energy surge coming from Canterlot Castle. The readings are off the charts—whatever's causing the gloom, it's concentrating there."

Misty's eyes widened. "That's where Sonic and Sunny went. They're in the middle of it!"

Tails immediately jumped into action, quickly sending a report to Zipp, then turning to the rest of the Zonai Survey Team. "We need to move. Now. If Sonic and Sunny are caught in the epicenter, they might be in more danger than we realized."

One of the unicorn researchers looked up, alarmed. "But we haven't finished the analysis—if we leave now, we might miss something important."

Tails shook his head, his voice firm. "There's no time. Whatever we're facing, it's happening now. We need to regroup with the others and head to Canterlot. We can't afford to lose anyone."

But before anyone could say anything, a tremor shook the ground beneath their feet. Tails, Misty, and the researchers staggered, struggling to keep their balance as the vibrations increased in intensity. One of them almost fell into the crack, but was caught in time by one of his companions.

"Look out!" Tails shouted, and soon, that crack began to open at an alarming speed.

The researchers ran away from it, with Tails catching Misty just before she fell into the huge abyss that had formed. It was filled with gloom, infested to the core and increasing the danger of infection by the same, enveloping the air around them in a dark and oppressive glow.

Tails and Misty watched this in horror, then the fox flew off with the other researchers, carefully leaving Misty on the ground.

"Is everypony okay?" He asked, making sure no one was hurt or infected.

The researchers and Misty assured him everything was okay, but then the ground shook again, and this time, one of the researchers gasped in horror as they looked in certain direction. The rest followed his gaze, and they felt horrified as well, specially Tails and Misty.

In the distance, Canterlot Castle began to rise into the air. The Zonai Survey Team watched in horror as the majestic building, once a symbol of the kingdom's power and stability, rose atop a rocky pillar, while a dark, evil energy poured forth in massive quantities from the abyss that had opened up below. All around the castle, enormous stones, shrouded in a greenish glow, began to fall from the sky, as if they were remnants of a lost civilization returning to the surface. In fact, these stones were falling all over Equestria, not just near the castle.

Tails stared at the rising castle in disbelief, his mind trying to process the sheer scale of what was happening. This wasn't just a surge of gloom—it was a full-scale awakening of something ancient and powerful, tied to the Zonai and their forgotten magic. "This is worse than we imagined," He muttered, his voice barely audible.

"What are those stones?" Misty asked concerned.

"And where are they coming from?" One of the other unicorns researchers asked confused.

"Are they falling from the sky?!" The pegasi researcher asked in disbelief.

"I see it, but I don't believe it..." One of the earth ponies said with amazement and fear alike.

Tails mind then reminded him of something that made him drop his Miles Electric and his heart beat in fear. "Sonic... Sunny..."

Knuckles passed back and forth in Lookout Landing's main room, his mind running with concern.

While some members of the Monster-Control Crew and other soldiers prepared to venture into Canterlot and try to investigate the castle the best they could, Knuckles found himself deeply worried and concerned. There hasn't been any signs of Sonic or Sunny ever since the castle raised in the air, and he was starting to grow concerned.

"They couldn't die down there, could they?" Knuckles asked concerned with a frown. "No, of course not. They're both stronger than even they realize. They must be fine... Then again, they're still mortals at the end of the day, but they're also a different type of heroes. They cannot be dead... They just can't..."

Knuckles clenched his fists, his mind a swirl of uncertainty and frustration. Every instinct screamed at him to charge into Canterlot, to tear through the gloom and rescue Sonic and Sunny, but he knew it wasn't that simple. Charging in without a plan could mean the end of all of them. He let out a frustrated breath and turned to the team around him, watching as they readied themselves for the mission.

Zipp entered the room, her face grim but focused. "We're almost ready to move out," She said, adjusting her communicator. "Team Dark is en route, and Hitch and Amy are bringing reinforcements from Maretime Bay."

Knuckles nodded, grateful for the backup but still uneasy. "Good. We're going to need all the help we can get. This isn't just about Sonic and Sunny anymore. That castle… the way it's risen, it's like the gloom is using it as a fortress. Whatever's behind this isn't just some ancient curse—it's a force, and it's waking up."

Zipp frowned, her wings twitching. "Do you think this is connected to the Zonai? Tails mentioned their magic, but… this feels even older."

Knuckles stared out the window, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Canterlot Castle looming in the distance, shrouded in gloom. "I don't know. But if this thing has the power to lift a castle and unleash gloom across Equestria, we're dealing with something beyond our usual fights. The Zonai might have been powerful, but this? This feels like the end of something."

Pipp joined them, her face pale but determined. "The others are almost ready," She said quietly. "But Knuckles… what if we're too late?"

Knuckles looked at her, his expression softening for a moment. He knew what she was really asking. "We won't be," He said firmly, meeting her gaze. "Sonic and Sunny are fighters. They've faced impossible odds before. This time isn't any different."

Before Pipp could respond, Zipp's communicator beeped. She answered it quickly, her face tightening as she listened to the voice on the other end. After a few moments, she hung up, her expression even more serious than before. "That was Tails. He... he says that the cracks that opened on the ground all across Equestria have evolved..."

"Evolved?" Knuckles questioned, frowning. "Are they releasing more gloom?"

"Much worse than that," Zipp replied, and she gulped nervously before continuing. "According to Tails, the cracks have opened and... now they're abysses. More gloom comes out of them, and... Knuckles, those things are filled with darkness to the grim. Tails says nothing can be seen, and there's not even an estimate of how deep they go."

Knuckles felt a chill run down his spine at Zipp's words. Abysses? Darkness beyond measure? It was worse than anything he had imagined. He clenched his fists tighter, his knuckles turning white as his mind raced to comprehend the gravity of the situation. "Abysses... They're more than just cracks now. If they're spreading gloom, and we don't know how deep they go, we're dealing with something far more dangerous than just a rising castle."

Pipp, usually the more light-hearted one, looked genuinely terrified. "Does Tails have any idea what's causing it? Is it tied to the castle's magic or… something else entirely?"

Zipp shook her head. "He couldn't say for sure, but he believes it's connected to ancient magic, something that predates even the Zonai. It's like the gloom has a will of its own and it's using these abysses as conduits to spread itself. And with the castle floating like that... the whole of Equestria is at risk."

Knuckles slammed his fist into a nearby wall, the force cracking the stone. "We can't sit around analyzing this anymore! We need to stop it before it consumes everything."

"I know you're right," Zipp said, her voice calm but strained, "but we can't just rush in blindly. We need a plan, or we're just walking into the abyss ourselves."

Knuckles turned sharply to her, his eyes blazing with urgency. "The plan is simple: we get to the castle, rescue Sonic and Sunny, and take down whatever's behind this. We've faced impossible odds before. We can do it again."

But then, Knuckles' communicator beeped, and he answered it. He kept reading the reports of several people at the same time, some mentioning the abysses that Zipp talked about, but others said other stuff that concerned him and made him frown. He even almost destroyed the communicator with his bare fist by mistake. When he was done talking, he took a deep breath to not explode in anger.

"Change of plans," Knuckles stated, looking at Zipp and Pipp. "I'll stay in Lookout Landing. Looks like I'll be needed in here. Amy and Hitch will be in charge of the expedition that heads towards Canterlot Castle. As for you two, go back to Zephyr Heights. They're gonna need their princesses along their queen."

"What? Why?!" Pipp asked, her concern for Sonic and Sunny being bigger than anything.

"New reports are in," Knuckles started to explain. "Maretime Bay is being covered by some sludge that's falling from the sky. Bridlewood is now Sandopolis 2.0 with the sandstorm that has appeared out of thin air over there. And if that's not bad enough, Zephyr Heights is being covered by a snowstorm that came out of nowhere! The three towns are in danger, and I don't even know why!"

Pipp's eyes widened in disbelief as she processed Knuckles' words. "But what about Sonic and Sunny? We can't just leave them!"

Knuckles softened, understanding her anguish. "I get it, Pipp. I do. But if we lose control over the entire kingdom while we're focused on Canterlot, we'll never be able to help them. We need to spread out, manage the chaos, and ensure our friends are safe. I'll coordinate things here, but I need you two to do your parts in Zephyr Heights. We can't afford to let the situation escalate even further."

Zipp, usually the voice of reason, felt the weight of the decision pressing down on her. "Knuckles, you're right. We can't abandon our homes, but we can't abandon Sonic and Sunny either. We have to find a way to do both."

Knuckles nodded, appreciating Zipp's willingness to compromise. "Exactly. Amy and Hitch are capable. They'll get to Canterlot while I assist Tails the best I can. And as soon as we have things under control in the other towns, we'll regroup and go back for Sonic and Sunny. But right now, we need to split our focus to protect Equestria. If those two were here, they'll want us to help everypony else before them, and you both know that."

Pipp let out a shaky breath, torn between her duty to Zephyr Heights and her concern for Sonic and Sunny. She knew Knuckles was right—if their kingdom fell apart, there'd be no one left to fight for it. But leaving Sonic and Sunny behind, even for a moment, felt like a betrayal.

Zipp placed a reassuring hoof on her sister's shoulder. "We have to trust them, Pipp. They've been through worse, and we know they'll do whatever it takes to make it back. Right now, Mom and everypony else in Zephyr Heights need us too."

Pipp swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "You're right. We'll help the kingdom. But... promise me as soon as there's any word, we go back for them."

"Promise," Zipp said firmly, her resolve matching her sister's.

Knuckles gave a small nod, appreciating their commitment. "You two head back to Zephyr Heights. I'll keep you updated on anything we hear. Remember, this isn't just a fight for Sonic and Sunny. It's a fight for Equestria, for all of us."

With that, Zipp and Pipp took off, flying swiftly toward their airship, ready to return home. The storm over Zephyr Heights loomed in their minds, but Sonic and Sunny stayed close to their hearts.

Meanwhile, Knuckles sighed and rubbed his temples. He didn't remembered that being a leader was this exhausting. During the war against Eggman to recover the world's control, he made all kind of decisions to ensure the resistance would remain and keep fighting against Eggman. Now, however, it felt kind of worse considering the larger population and the fact that now specific places are being affected.

He decided to look out of the window of the main room, sighing heavily as he looked at the floating castle with a concerned frown. "Sonic, Sunny... wherever you are, please make it back. As much as I hate to say this... we need you. Both of you."

Opaline had no clue on what was going on, but she didn't liked it.

Being betrayed by Eggman was something she expected, and yet when the blew actually happened, she was still taken off-guard. Now, she was completely and utterly alone. Misty has left with her new friends, and Eggman was now working solo. She was on her own, and while she'd like to say she prefers it that way, now she was starting to hate it.

But as if none of that was enough, a strange rift had opened not so far from her castle, a rift which released a strange red substance that gave her a bad feeling. If the very few news from Equestria she's been getting are anything to go by, that substance is being called gloom, and for once, she agrees with the name those puny ponies gave the thing. It just fits like a glove.

And now, just a few minutes ago, the whole ground shook violently, and the rift in the ground has turned into a massive abyss that's releasing more and more of that gloom. Just what is happening to Equestria now?

Opaline paced in her dimly lit throne room, her hooves echoing in the stone corridors. Her mind swirled with frustration and confusion as she stared at the growing abyss outside. The thick gloom pouring out of it gnawed at her senses, sending shivers down her spine. It felt unnatural, even for her. This was something beyond her knowledge, and that alone made her uneasy.

"I should be ruling Equestria by now, not watching it fall apart without my influence," She muttered under her breath. Her thoughts flickered to Eggman, the betrayal still fresh. He had used her, discarded her once she'd served her purpose, and now he had vanished, leaving her alone with no allies and no plan.

The gloom was spreading rapidly, and the news she had intercepted hinted at chaos across the kingdom—sandstorms in Bridlewood, sludge in Maretime Bay, and snowstorms ravaging Zephyr Heights. Something ancient and powerful had been awakened, and it was threatening to tear Equestria apart. And yet, despite the growing crisis, there was a part of her that wondered if there was a way to use this chaos to her advantage.

"If I could harness the gloom… control it," She mused aloud, her eyes narrowing. "Maybe this could be the opportunity I need to seize power once and for all."

But as she contemplated the idea, a deep, unsettling voice echoed through the air around her. It was faint at first, like a distant whisper carried on the wind, but it grew louder, more pronounced, until it was clear it wasn't just in her head.

"The gloom is not yours to command, Opaline..." The voice sent chills through her. It was ancient, filled with malice and authority that even she couldn't ignore.

Opaline spun around, her wings flaring in defense. "Who dares to speak to me like that?" She demanded, her voice sharp and commanding. But there was no one in the room, only the eerie glow of the gloom seeping through the windows.

"You may seek power, but the gloom… it seeks something far greater." The voice was mocking now, as if amused by her ambition. "And it will consume everything… even you."

A flicker of fear passed through her. This was no ordinary force. Whatever was behind the gloom had a will of its own, and it was far beyond her control.

Opaline's eyes darted toward the abyss. She needed to act quickly. Staying here, alone and powerless, was no longer an option. If the gloom was beyond her, then she had to find a way to protect herself—or, perhaps, ally with those who could stand against it.

Suddenly, though, her phone—which she barely used to tell the truth—chimed with a new notification.

The Alicorn looked confused at her device, but still walked to it and grabbed it, turning it on. It was another news article, and she decided to read it. However, as she did so, her eyes widened: The article talked about Sonic and Sunny, whom she now considers her worse enemies, going down the ruins beneath Canterlot Castle to try and find the source of the gloom, but a few hours after they went down there, the castle raised in the air, now held by a rocky pilar over an abyss.

As if that wasn't shocking enough, Sonic and Sunny disappeared with no trace of them left behind.

Now genuine terror filled Opaline's being. If those two that stopped her and Eggman alike had fallen to the gloom, then what chance had her, or Equestria, to win against this rising darkness?

Panic surged through Opaline as she absorbed the implications of the news article. Sonic and Sunny—two of the strongest allies Equestria had ever known—missing beneath the castle and presumably trapped by the very force she had sensed looming outside her own walls. The very thought made her heart race. If they were gone, it meant that the gloom was more powerful than she had anticipated, and if it could conquer them, what hope did she have against it?