The sun shone brightly this day, not a cloud in the sky. The bright golden rays entered through the window of Applejack's room. Managing to hit Knuckles square in the eyes, stirring him from his sleep. Yawning as he finally awoke, looking away from the intense light. Applejack was still asleep, her form snug close to Knuckles' body. The pleasant scent of apples entered his nostrils as he took a deep breath. A smile appearing on his face as he looked at the sleeping form of Applejack, nuzzling his head with hers. Applejack began to awake from that, yawning before opening her eyes to the sight of Knuckles. She smiled happily as a soft blush appeared on her face.
"Mornin' darlin'" she said softly with a smile.
"Good morning" he said, sharing a good morning kiss with her, enjoying the feel of her lips on his. She sighed in bliss when they kissed. Breaking away after a few seconds and looking into each other's eyes.
Meanwhile
"Stargazer, it's done" Discord said. Stargazer grinned and looked over at him.
"Show me" he said with eagerness. Discord smiled as 6 ponies walked out from behind him and stood 3 to each side of him.
"Meet the NightMare 6" he said with a grin.
"I'm Invert" the one that looked like Rainbow Dash said. Its mane was monochrome while its coat was bright red. Her cutie mark was the same as Dash's but it was upside down.
"Clarity is the name" the one that looked like rarity said. Her coat being black in color while her mane was pure silver in color. Her cutie mark looked like a mirror with 3 diamonds on it, only flipped horizontally as if reflecting Rarity's cutie mark.
"Flutterdie" one that looked like Fluttershy said. Her coat was blue with a black mane and tail. Her cutie mark was 3 skull and crossbones.
"Slinky Spy" one that looked like Pinkie Pie said. This one having a gray coat with a black mane and tail. Her cutie mark being 3 darts, as if to pop Pinkie's balloons.
"Sour Apple" the one that looked like Applejack said. Her coat being blonde while her mane and coat were orange. Her cutie mark being 3 spoiled apples.
"Midnight Sparkle" the last said, looking like Twilight. Her coat was a dark purple, her mane and tail white in color. Her cutie mark was completely white and resembled Twilight's
"I have to say Discord, you've really outdone yourself" Stargazer said with a wicked grin, already having a good idea on what to do with them.
Eggman's Base
Eggman looked at his newest creations, 7 bots that had a color corresponding to a different emerald. Gazing at them with a new scheme in mind.
"So this is why you called" Chrysalis said as she entered the room
"Yes indeed" Eggman said as he turned to her. "I need your emerald" he said.
"Why should I give you this?" she asked, reluctant to hand it over.
"Because if you do I guarantee all 7 will be ours" he said. She smirked before placing the emerald in the slot in the yellow bots chest. Eggman placed Chaos Drives into the other 6 and activated them.
"All systems full power!" he said as they began to whir and move. "Listen up. You were all built from the remains of E-1337. I want you to scope out the nearest Emerald and seize it" he ordered. The robots saluted before flying off to retrieve the first emerald that appeared on their scopes.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Equestria
Metal Sonic looked at the horizon, eager to get the emeralds and complete his goal of redeeming himself and proving he wasn't a copy. His eyes soon going to the purple emerald in his hand, its soft glow illuminating the nearby trees.
Suddenly he was jarred from his thoughts as he jumped away from where he was standing. A rocket hitting that very spot and exploding.
"seems Eggman has sent in the goon squad" Metal said as the 7 took aim at him. He dodged their shots and took cover behind a boulder nearby. Coming out of cover to shoot his lasers at them, hitting them but not doing much. He then moved away from the boulder as more rockets flew down and blew it to pieces. They then descended toward him, Metal charged through them. Striking them with his arms as he weaved through them before one grabbed him and blasted him with a rocket at point blank range in the face. The smoke from the explosion cleared and Metal's head was shifting around in liquid form as it reformed its original shape before he blasted it with a laser and jumped away from the other 6 as they opened fire with their gatling lasers. He kept running, circling around them before going into a liquid form and escaping their fire before reforming in the middle of them.
"Chaos Blast!" he said as a red dome of energy surrounded him and pushed them away. He then jumped into the air and fired a volley of lasers at the now scattered bots. Causing a lot of dirt to kick up and block his view of them. He stopped firing and checked his scanners before dodging an attack from behind. Taking aim at the bot before being shot by a rocket in the back. The one Metal was aiming for firing a rocket as well and blasting him to the ground. Metal landed with a loud crash. A small crater forming from the impact. Metal stood, realizing he was surrounded by them all of them aiming for him.
"Chaos Control!" he stopped time and got out of the crater before launching a volley of attacks at the bots and exiting the Chaos Control, watching as they were bombarded by his attacks. That was when he realized, there were only 6 there.
"where?" he asked before an energy sabre ran him through. He grunted before a rocket blasted the back of his head, causing him to drop the emerald and fall to the ground. The yellow one stood over him as it picked up the emerald.
"inferior robot, you should have made this easier on yourself and just handed it over" it said before going to the purple bot and replacing its Chaos Drive with the Emerald. they took flight and returned to Eggman's base.
Gilda noticed some bots flying away and looked down, seeing what looked like a battlefield and Metal Sonic lying in the middle of it. she gasped and dove down, landing beside him.
"Metal?" she asked, a bit frantic. Noticing he was in sleep mode as his injuries were healed by his nanites.
Eggman's Base
"ah and the triumphant return" Eggman said, pleased with the results. Chrysalis too, was smiling as her mind began to plot many schemes.
Sweet Apple Acres
Applejack was bucking the apples from the trees, her gaze fixed on Knuckles as he did his work as well. A smile on her face as her mind went back to the previous night. it was such a wonderful night for her, her cheeks turning bright red as the memory of what happened after they got in bed returned to her. She still had that smile, the look of satisfaction on her face as her mind replayed what happened.
"you off in dreamland today sis?" Big Mac asked, causing Applejack to jump and gasp in surprise.
"oh uh Big Mac…umm…well ya see…" she said, trying desperately to regain her composure. Her brother just chuckled at her.
"it's alright sis. I know ya had yourself quite the evening. But do try to keep your head in the present. And your voice just a teensy bit quieter next time. I thought fer sure you'd wake Applebloom." He said. causing his sister to jab him with her hoof in embarrassment.
"will ya'll go somewhere please?" she asked as he laughed more.
"alright sis. I'm real happy for ya" he said before leaving her in peace, silently chuckling to himself. Knuckles punched a tree, knocking the apples free from it before seeing something beyond the tree. It looked like Applejack.
"huh?" he wondered as he went to check it out. Applejack sighed and turned around before noticing Knuckles was gone.
"now where in tarnation did he run off to?" she wondered aloud.
"Applejack?" he asked as he got closer and closer before finally being able to see it wasn't her.
"so close, but wrong" Sour Apple said as she grinned evilly. Knuckles got into a defensive stance.
"who are you?" he demanded from her.
"names Sour Apple. I represent one of the 6 Elements of Chaos. My element is Deceit" she said before lunging at him. Knuckles dodged and swung a right hook at her. She ducked down to avoid it before bucking him. Sending him back a bit. He landed on his feet and punched the ground, making some earth rise up. He grabbed the two risen pieces and tossed them at her before charging at her. She stepped to the side and tackled him into a tree. He grunted from the hit before grabbing her waist and lifting her up, her head now pointing to the ground. He then jumped and held his legs up, her head between them as he pile-drove her into the ground before jumping back and focusing his power. She growled as she slowly got back up, glaring at him as she charged at him.
"Heat Knuckle!" Knuckles shouted before shooting off at high speed and punching her in the jaw, following each punch with another until his hands caught fire and he unleashed a finisher uppercut to her jaw. All the pent up energy being released onto Sour. Applejack heard him shout and saw the burst of energy before running in that direction.
"how's that?" he asked, confident he was victorious. She began to laugh until her coat turned a sickly green and her hair became a darker shade of that. She then snorted and hacked up some spit before spitting it at him. His arm took the hit and he had a look of disgust on his face.
"really that's all you got?" he asked before realizing his vision was starting to double. "what?"
She just laughed "there's a reason I'm called Sour Apple, and why I represent Deceit. Lies are like poison, they can spread and over time they get worse." She said.
"lucky for me, you didn't think I'd be poisonous" she said, Knuckles soon collapsed, unable to stay upright. His stomach churning and heart rate rising. "now to end it" she said, taking a deep breath before something collided into her and made her choke on the exhale.
"don't you dare think about harming him!" Applejack threatened as she glared at her NightMare copy. Sour just grinned evilly, looking forward to fighting her opposite.