//------------------------------// // Their One Shot // Story: Way Past Equestria // by Onomonopia //------------------------------// The Master King thrust out his hand and instantly dragged the seven heroes into the air, dangling them before Eggmand and Sombra. The two villains smiled with glee at their helpless foes, who struggled to escape. The others tried to come to their aid, but with a wave of its hand the Master King blasted them back. "I love it when a plan comes together," Robotnik said. "Eggman! What did you do?!" Sonic demanded. "What did we do? It's simple, Sonic. We took our one win," Robotnik replied. "One win? What are you talking about?" Twilight asked. "What do you think, Sombra? Should we tell them?" Robotnik asked. "Why not? Nothing they can do about it now." "Very well. But first..." The Master King clenched his fist and the seven cried out in pain. "Ah, that's satisfying. Tell me Sonic, didn't it once cross your mind how...easy it all was?" "Easy? What do you mean, easy?" "Gathering the Elements. Gathering the Emeralds. The fact that you all made it through some admittedly deadly stuff without losing anyone? Not one of your merry band perishing where they should have?" Sombra added. The group shared a look. "Ah, so you did, but you didn't question it. Tsk tsk, that is a terrible way to live. The first rule of any scientist is to question everything," Robotnik continued. "Like, why would we just give you your artifacts? Why did the Egg Beater go down so easily? How did Shadow manage to get there in time to save Applejack? Wasn't it just a bit too easy? "Honestly, I was trying to kill at least one of you with the death laser," Sombra added. "But hey, it all worked out in the end." "Are you...saying you planned all this?" Sonic asked. "You planned to lose all those fights just to give us the Elements and the Emeralds? Why?!" "Because you're predictable," Sombra answered. The seven looked at him in confusion and he rolled his eyes. "Even now, after witnessing it happen, they still don't get it. Robotnik, if you would?" "Of course. Harmony and Chaos. When Sombra and I first met and explained each others foes, we came to the realization that not only did our foes each posses one of the fundamental forces of the universe, but that they were opposites. And we realized we could use that. Because sometimes opposites attract. But other times..." Robotnik motioned the spot where the Elements and the Emeralds had been. "You knew?" Rainbow asked. "You knew from the beginning we would use them together?" "You always do. That's the big disadvantage of sharing everything and working together. Sometimes you combine...elements...that just don't mix," Sombra smirked. "The Elements and the Chaos Emeralds. So many times they have stopped us and others from defeating you. They always let you turn things around, even when you don't deserve to win. Just like they would have done here...except, well, you tried combining them. And look how that turned out." "T-then why now? You've each held an Element and Emerald at the same time. Why not just cancel them out then?" Fluttershy asked. "Silly filly, it's because then you would know that could happen. And I wouldn't put it past you to forge a new Element or find another Emerald or something stupid like that," Robotnik replied. "But we knew with the right threat and enough of your friends in danger that you'd use them here and now, at the final battle, with everything on the line! So what a perfect place to both destroy the biggest nuisances we've ever faced...as well as redeem our win." "Ya said that before. Redeeming a win. What the hay does that even mean?" AJ asked. "Sombra, you want this one?" "The Egg Beater. The Crystal Empire. The one time both of us had you beaten, beyond any shadow of a doubt. It was the one time we could, without question, say that we had won!" Sombra laughed. Then his face grew dark. "But after that win, we just couldn't seem to do it again. Even with the Egg Beater. Even with stronger and darker magic. It was like...we're only allowed to win once against you rainbow pukes. No matter what." "So we took that into our hypothesis as we formulated our plan. And everything led up to this moment," Robotnik added. "So what if we lost numerous battles or failed to kill you? We weren't trying to win. It would be a waste to use our one, good win to kill one of you or maybe destroy a single Element or Emerald. No, we knew that if this was to work, we'd have to do it all in one grand moment." "Everything that you have done. All your victories and success...has been planned from the start. Pushing you down this path so that you could get to this, exact moment, bring the Elements and Emeralds together, erase them...and, only when you're greatest deus ex machina's were gone...would we cash in our win. And we're cashing it in...NOW!" The Master King slammed his hands together and the seven screamed in agony. The machine charged power along its hands and fired at the seven, only to watch as the blast was directed away by someone else. With a laugh the villains looked to the side, to see the Freedom Fighters and ponies allies standing against them. "Well, just because it's our free win doesn't mean it's going to be easy," Robotnik chuckled. "But it will be fun," Sombra finished. Silver grabbed the king with TK and held him in place, giving Blaze the chance to throw blasts of fire at the machine. The Master King broke free with ease and deflected her attacks, before conjuring a meteor of black magic over their heads. Silver and Blaze hurled themselves out of the way as the meteor came down, just barely missing them. The Master King didn't let up and fired another beam at the pair...only for this beam to strike Omega as he threw himself over the both of them. "Omega!" Blaze cried out as the robot was blasted to bits. His head landed on the ground and flickered, before it was lifted into the air by the Master King's power. "One," the villains said before crushing the head into nothingness. Blaze bellowed as she charged the Master King, but with a flick it rocketed her through a boulder. Silver raced to her side and threw up a barrier around the both of them, getting the Master King to chuckle. As it raised a hand to the pair, Knuckles slammed a fist into the side of its head. "No! No one else! You may have taken the master emerald, but I am still it's protector! And I won't let you abuse it's power any more!" Knuckles bellowed. The Master King swatted Knuckles to the ground, kicked him across the field, teleported behind him and fired a blast of pure dark magic into his back. Knuckles didn't make a sound as he crumbled away, leaving nothing where he had once been. "Two," the villains continued. "Knuckles..." Sonic whispered. "What did you two do to him?" "What was it that giant raisin said? Oh yes, that's right. He's gone. Reduced to atoms," Robotnik chuckled. "We'll do worse to you." The Master King fired at Sonic and the Elements this time, forcing them to move. Sonic grabbed Fluttershy and Twilight, dragging them out of the way while Rainbow grabbed AJ and Rarity and rocketed them back. Pinkie did her thing. "Trying to run? Oh no, we all know you won't do that," the Master King said, before aiming at the rest of the heroes. "Especially when there are so many targets to choose from!" "Everyone, run!" Twilight called out. The Master King fired on the rest of the heroes. Sally tackled Tails out of the way while Big Mac got struck in the chest, blasting him apart. "Three." "BIG MAC!" Applejack screamed. Her cry gained the attention of the Master King, who fired at her. Rainbow Dash tackled AJ out of the way and flew her back, while AJ cried out for her brother. The Master King aimed at them, before a sword struck it in the side. The King swatted away Antoine, who collapsed next to his wife. "Antoine. Let's see if you can survive this time," Sombra said. Bunnie grabbed hold of Antoine with her good arm and took to the skies, the Master King tracking her as she did so. It took aim, only to be staggered as Sonic slammed into its side. "No more, Eggman! You won't take anyone else!" Sonic roared. The Master King slammed its fist into the ground to rocket Sonic back, before it took aim behind it and blasted Amy to dust. "Four." Sonic roared and threw himself at the Master King, only for the machine to use its magic to grab Sonic out of the air. It hurled the hedgehog straight up, before teleporting up into the atmosphere and spiking Sonic back down to the planet below. Twilight and Shining Armor used their combined magics to catch Sonic, stopping him from cracking the continent in half with his fall...before a blast struck Shining and he disintegrated. "Five." It was Twilight's turn to go into a frenzy as she unleashed all of her magical might against the Master King, blast with the force of a supernova. The Master King held out a hand and the beam of magic crumbled away. Twilight had only a moment to stare in disbelief before the King fired on her. She was only spared by Rainbow Dash knocking Twilight out of the way. Rainbow blitzed the King and struck him at every angle, but her attacks were as effect as a breeze against a mountain. The Master King electrified the air around itself and fried Dash, who collapsed at the King's feet. The King took aim at Rainbow. "Si-" Every single fighter left piled on the Master King, attacking it from all angles with whatever they had left. The King snapped his fingers and the fighters were all blasted off. With another wave of its hand it gathered up the fighters in front of it, pinning them to the ground at its feet. "Even with your friends united, your skill and all your talks about how you prevail...it all meant nothing," Sombra scorned. "Because when we get our win, we win. The end." "We seem to have been cut off there while you were counting. Would you like to try again?" Robotnik asked. "Why thank you. Now Rainbow...no," Sombra corrected with a smile, aiming at Applejack this time. "You should be dead three times over at this point. Well it's time to remedy that." "Don't you dare!" Rainbow roared, straining with all her might. When she found she couldn't break free, Rainbow hung her head and begged. "Please. Take me. Destroy me or whatever, but don't take her. Please." "Rainbow, no!" Applejack cried out. "Loyal to the end, Rainbow? How sweet," Sombra gagged. "But I am not Shadow. Please does not work on me." "How about burn?!" Fire consumed the Master King and forced it back for a moment, freeing the heroes. They looked up to see Blaze burning in the sky over them, with seven gems floating around her. Her might made it seem as if the sky itself was on fire, Blaze being the lone light in a sea of darkness. "The Sol Emeralds...Blaze, what are you thinking?!" Sonic asked. "GO! Before-" Burning Blaze was blasted back by a blast of dark magic that hurled her through a mountain. "There are more emeralds?" Sombra snarled. "Blaze risks destroying her dimension the longer she uses them! She won't hold out for long!" Robotnik roared. Blaze came rocketing back and slammed into the Master King, the power of her burning form able to push back the Master King. "What's going on?" Twilight asked. "Blaze...we have to help her!" Silver cried out. "You have to come with me!" The heroes looked behind them to see Discord standing next to a portal, hand outstretched. "Blaze is buying you time. We need to go! Hurry, while she can still hold them off!" "What...no..." "Die here fighting or live to avenge those you lost! Those are your options. Now let's go!" Discord yelled. The remaining fighters looked from Discord to Blaze, who was still battling the Master King. But her form was starting to flicker. "She's running out of time," Silver whispered. "Then don't let her sacrifice be for nothing. Let's go," Discord begged. "We're not leaving her," Sonic said. "Come on, we've come back from worse. We have to-" Sonic was cut off as he and all the others were lifted into the air by TK power. Before any of them had the chance to say anything, Silver threw them all through the portal. Discord held out his hand to Silver, but Silver smiled and shook his head. "Don't be a fool. You'll only be going to your death," Discord said. "If our roles were reversed and it was Fluttershy out there, would you leave her?" Silver asked. Discord smirked and shook his head. "Give em hell, kid." Discord went through the portal and it closed behind him, leaving Silver to turn back towards the battle. With a scream Blaze crashed into the ground, panting heavily as she struggled back up to her feet. The Master King slammed to the ground in front of her, laughter coming from within. She pointed a hand at the Master King, only to watch as her blazing form came to an end. With a bitter smirk she used what little power she had left to tear open a portal to the Sol dimension, throwing the Sol emeralds through. "Well that was a waste of time," Robotnik said. "You do realize that once we've killed Sonic and conquered the worlds, we'll be going after your dimension next?" "You bought them time. It won't matter. They can't win now," Sombra laughed. "You always say that. Yet they always do." "Cheeky, huh? Well, as I was saying earlier, si-" The Master King was knocked back by a blast of TK. Blaze looked to her side with shock to see Silver standing beside her. "Silver? What are you doing? You should have gone with the others! You-you can't-" "Blaze, don't try to convince me to leave you. It's no use," Silver said as he extended a hand. Blaze teared up slightly before taking his hand, being helped to her feet and leaning against Silver for support. The two glared forward as the Master King regained its balance, glaring down at the two. "You're annoying, Silver. Has anyone ever told you that?" Robotnik asked. "I might have heard it once or twice." "Not going to run, huh? Commendable. Stupid, but commendable," Robotnik said. "Sombra, would you like to do the honors?" "Oh yes, I would love to." The Master King aimed both hands at Silver and Blaze, and Silver threw up a barrier in response. "Please, to take a page out of your book, it's no use. Now, where was I earlier? Oh yes, that's right." The Master King fired. "Seven."