Way Past Equestria

by Onomonopia


Pure Agony

"Ah, nothing like a nice, relaxing trip to the beach," Sonic said with a sigh. "The sound of the waves, the feeling of sand under my shoes, the death machine firing missiles at us that would atomize us on impact. Can't you just feel yourself unwinding?"

"I feel my heart trying to punch it's way out of my chest!" Antoine yelled back. He parried a series of strikes from a mantis robot before slashing the beast in half. Two ladybug badniks attacked him from behind, only to be ripped apart by blasts of magic. Twilight rained magical death from above and vaporized every single badnik on the beach, leaving behind only the little animals inside who quickly scurried off.

"I am impressed, ma princess. Your magic is able to destroy the badniks without hurting the animals inside," Antoine noted.

"I've spent some time working on this, but it wasn't until I got a closer look at Big Mac and my brother that I finally figured out how to make the spell work," Twilight revealed.

"Does that mean you will be able to remove ze metal trapping those two?"

"No. Whatever Sombra and Eggman did to them, it's at a deeper level than my magic can reach, at least at the moment," Twilight muttered. Sonic zipped up next to the pair and gave Twilight a look.

"Twilight, I don't mind you destroying the badniks attacking you, but please share some with the rest of us. I was just getting warmed up."

"Sorry Sonic, but I'm in a rush," Twilight replied. "Every second we're out here is another second we're giving to Eggman and Sombra. The sooner we find our missing items, the sooner we can put an end to them."

"And by put an end to them, you mean...?"

"Trap in stone, banish to the sun or moon, atomize on a molecular level. At this point, any of those work for me," Twilight replied.

"You would do zat to your foes?"

"Celestia banished her evil sister to the moon. We trapped Discord in stone. Sombra, we've atomized. Twice."

"Geez, and I thought you guys were the soft and friendly kind."

"We're very friendly. And generally we try to talk things out with our foes or at the very least imprison them. But when you kidnap, brainwash and then try to blow up our family in front of us, we tend to be less...friendly," Twilight revealed. She then looked to the side and narrowed her eyes. "I can sense the Element. Seems that it's mine. Come on, it's this way."

Twilight took to the sky and flew off towards a very long pier that extended into the ocean. Antoine and Sonic watched her go before the pair cast a glance at each other. "Remind me not to get on her bad side," Antoine muttered.

"It's all good. Sombra's the only one she'll use that kind of force against," Sonic said. Antoine didn't answer and Sonic took notice. "Go ahead Twan, I'm all ears."

"Do you think we should let her deal with Eggman?" Antoine asked. Sonic raised an eyebrow in response. "Maybe not ze whole atomizing, but trapping him in ze stone or in ze sun does not seem like such a bad idea, non? He certainly deserves it for all he has done."

Sonic took a moment longer than he liked to ponder that. Then he shook his head. "One thing at a time, Antoine. First, we get the macguffins. Then we free our family and friends. Then we defeat Eggman and Sombra. After that...well, we'll talk about it then."

"Very well. Focus on ze mission," Antoine agreed. Both of them looked over at Fluttershy, who was now surrounded by all of the animals that had been freed by Twilight.

"So, what am I supposed to do with all of them?" Fluttershy asked. "Should...should I go back to base or what?"

"Just bring them with us. They're safer with us then out here by themselves," Sonic suggested. Fluttershy scooped up the animals and placed them in her mane, Sonic amazed they all fit, before she fluttered over to them. "Come on, we need to catch up with Twilight."

Sonic grabbed hold of the both of them before rocketing across the pier, leaving the trail ablaze with his speed. The three caught up with Twilight at the biggest part of the pier, only to find that she was not alone. Standing across the princess...was Eggman, with Shadow, Blaze, Cadence...and Spike, flanking him. Twilight looked ready to kill, but the sight of her sister and little brother stayed her magic for the moment.

"Princess! Sonic! Rest of you. What a nice surprise to see you out here," Robotnik said with a smile. "Trying to relax in the sun and surf, eh? Can't say I blame you, this has been a stressful time for all of us."

"Why are you here, Eggman? Come to work on your tan?" Sonic asked. Then his brain caught up with his mouth and he shuddered at the mental image.

"Eggman, I am going to give you one, and let me make this clear, ONE chance to let our friends go and give yourself up," Twilight said. Her tone was calm, her eyes flashed with fire. "If you do so, then maybe I won't sentence you to spend the rest of your life in the heart of the sun."

"Well, that would even out my tan," Robotnik mused. He then smiled and shook his head at Twilight. "Sorry, but I'll have to decline. I have too much to do. Worlds to conquer. Lives to ruin. Ponies to make suffer. You'd be surprised how busy-"

Sonic was the only one fast enough to notice what happened next. Twilight's horn flashed, a spear of violet magic hurled itself towards Eggman and right before it hit Shadow appeared in front of Eggman and took the hit himself. Yet it was Spike who cried out in pain even as Shadow collapsed to the ground, driving the rage from Twilight's eyes as she and the others looked at Spike in confusion.

"Wow. You were just going to straight up take me out the middle of my monologue…I can see why you're the brains of your group," Robotnik said, smiling wickedly. "But in doing so, you revealed my little party trick earlier than I would have liked. Shame on you."

"What happened to Spike?" Twilight seethed.

"Oh, it's not just Spike. Cadence felt it as well, but she's a bit better at hiding her pain," Robotnik cackled. "See, I've made a few modifications to these machines. Every blow you inflict upon Shadow, Blaze or even me...is felt by them. So say I tell Shadow to punch himself..."

Shadow gave himself a wicked right hook as Eggman said this, causing Cadence and Spike to gasp in pain.

"They all feel it. So now that I've set the rules, princess, what are you going to do next?" Robotnik asked. "Go ahead, attack me. Kill me. Unleash all of that magic you have upon me and fry me to my core. Just know that whatever you or any of your little friends inflict on us will be felt by your family."

"You. Monster!" Twilight growled.

"You say monster. I say mad genius."

"Zis is low, even for you," Antoine snarled. "To use ones family like zis..."

"Oh hey Antoine, didn't know you were here. If you want to go drown yourself now and save me the trouble, I would appreciate that," Robotnik dismissed him. "And then there's that pegasus that's hiding behind Sonic. Wow, have some real winners on your team, don't you?"

"I'm surprised you're feeling so confident, Eggman. Because you know what happens every time you and I tango," Sonic reminded Eggman.

"Oh yes, I am aware. That is why I have some insurances," Robotnik revealed. Sonic started looking around, but Eggman simply chuckled. "It won't be that easy, rodent. Now then, shall we begin your futile effort to defeat me or will you just surrender now and save us all some time?"

"Well Eggman, my answer is-"

Twilight's horn flashed once more and her magic wrapped itself around Shadow, Blaze and Eggman, sealing them in place. Cadence's horn only began to glow before Sonic was on her, sweeping out her legs and dropping the mare to the ground as gently as he could. Twilight then turned her magic towards Spike and used her magic to rip him out of the mech suit, levitating him gently over to her.

"It's okay Spike, I've got you. You're going to be okay now," Twilight promised.

Only for a blade of dark magic to tear her words apart. Twilight screamed in pain as the dark magic imbedded itself in her shoulder, breaking her concentration and getting her to drop Spike. Sonic tried to race to Twilight, only to take a blast himself that nearly knocked him off the pier. Only Antoine was able to deflect the magic cast his way, though the result was him getting hurled into a post and getting knocked for a loop.

"Tsk tsk, princess, did you really think it would be that easy?" Robotnik asked. He snapped his fingers and dark chains wrapped around Twilight, while Sonic managed to avoid them. "My magic may not be on par with yours, but you can't use your full might against me without killing your precious dragon. But go ahead and attack me, princess. I would love to hear more dragon screaming."

"EGGMAN!" Twilight roared. Eggman laughed at her pain, only for that joy to be smacked off his face as Sonic smacked Eggman in the back of his head just hard enough to get his attention.

"Rodent," Robotnik snarled.

"Come on Eggman, share the love. You're spending so much time tormenting the princess that I'm worried that you've forgotten all about me," Sonic said.

"Do not worry rodent, nothing will ever rid me of my hatred for you," Robotnik snarled. "Shadow. Blaze. Cadence. All of you kill Sonic. And know this Sonic, should you try to fight back in any way, I have installed shock collars on all of your friends. You fight, they suffer and Twilight's family will suffer."

"Keeping it interesting for me? Well, I can't say no to a good challenge," Sonic replied. He stared down the three as they approached, starting to formulate a plan, only for the inevitable fight to be halted as a tiny voice called out.

"Um, excuse me?"

All eyes turned towards Fluttershy, who was now standing next to Eggman and looking up at the doctor.

"I'm going to have to ask you to stop this. My friends are getting hurt and you're scaring the animals. So please stop."

"...you're being serious. You're actually asking me, politely, to stop," Robotnik muttered, shaking his head. "Pony, since you have clearly the dumbest creature on your planet, I will spell this out once for you. I am going to kill you. I am going to kill your friends. But only after making them all suffer first. So no, I will not stop because you asked nicely. Now I'm going to use my dark magic to tear you apart. But as I was raised with manners, I will ask that you please stand still."

"So you won't stop? Alright, guess I'll have to stop you," Fluttershy said.

"Really? And, even though it's overused, how will you do that?" Robotnik asked.

"Like this."

Golden light erupted from Fluttershy as her Element roared to life, getting Eggman to roar as his dark magic vanished before the light. Fluttershy hurled her arms to the side and her magical aura encompassed everyone there. Her allies and her allies turned enemies. The darkness was banished, freeing not only Twilight, but Shadow and Blaze dropped to the ground as well, while Spike and Cadence powered down.

Then Fluttershy turned all of her Element's magic, the very essence of kindness upon Eggman. And for the first time in his life, Eggman not only felt kindness and compassion for his foes...he also felt all of the guilt from years of hurting them. For being so cruel. He had to change-No! He was Dr. Robotnik! He was evil! He was-sorry for everything he had ever done...

"Stop this! STOP IT!" Robotnik roared in agony. He fell to his knees, clutching at his heart in pure suffering. His brain told him to destroy Fluttershy, but his heart wouldn't let him. How could he? They had done nothing wrong. He was the evil one. He had to make it up to them, not hurt them. He would never bring himself to hurt the pony, or the princess, or the swordsman or even...even... "METAL! HELP!"

Sonic caught movement and moved Fluttershy out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by his metal duplicate. Metal fired a laser blast at Fluttershy to force her back before he grabbed the doctor and took to the skies, activating a device that tore open a portal that the pair flew through. For a long moment, everyone just stared at the spot where Eggman had left, before Sonic turned to Fluttershy.

"What was that?" Sonic asked.

"Oh, I used my Elements power to share my kindness with Eggman," Fluttershy said. "I was just trying to get him to stop. I had no idea that it would cause him so much pain or free the others from his grip. I thought that maybe if he could see how much pain he was causing. He might stop."

"Spike! Spike!" Twilight called out off to the side. Sonic looked over to see that Twilight was holding her brother close, while Antoine was checking on the others. He glanced to his other side and noticed the Element they had come to get off atop a crown shaped rock. Then he looked back at Fluttershy, who hid behind her mane.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

"Wrong? Fluttershy, you might have just broken Eggman at the very core of his being in a way that he might never recover from as he has to learn to deal with his newfound understanding of morality."

"You might just be my hero."