The Emerald Spider was keeping a steady enough pace with Defender Nyx that he could tell that she was heading in a straight line towards the location of this "Castle of The Two Sisters". While gliding he was thinking about his discussion with Dusk Shine on the mirror portals, and remembered he forgot to ask about what Sector he was in. Obviously that was a question for another time. He had to admit there was something about this place that felt... content. It was like the very atmosphere of this universe was different, and for all he knew it probably was, both literally and figuratively.
~~~~~~~~~~
Nyx was the first to reach the castle, and went through the top of the place through one of the many holes in the roof. She started making her way towards the looking glass room, if there were any mirror portals still left in the castle they would be there. She moved cautiously checking all her surroundings as she moved towards the room she was looking for. She didn't like this place, in brought back certain memories she had wanted to put behind her.
"Ahh... There you are...", A voice from a dark corner said, as Nyx then prepared herself for what was about to happen.
The source of the voice walked out and revealed itself to be the cloaked figure they had been after, but what was off putting about him the most was his eyes. They were like Nyx's eyes except they were orange.
"No...", Nyx said shocked, "That's impossible! You were destroyed years ago!"
The cloaked figure laughed. "I think you mistake me Dark Nexus. A shame... He was a very willing one."
Nyx then tried to blast him with directed energy, but it was casually brushed to the side. She then tried a more direct approach by trying to charge him only to be caught and thrown back the opposite direction through a wall. She then opened her eyes and noticed they were in the room that held the Elements of Harmony. The place had long been abandoned and many of the stained glass windows were shattered.
"Hmm... Now this seems familiar... However unlike your so called father I will end you here." The figure said as his horn glowed orange preparing to attack.
As the cloaked figure leaped through the air coming down on Nyx he created several spears made of pure energy with the intent of impaling Nyx. It would have likey happen if it wasn't for...
"Hey!", Was the only thing the figure heard before he was kicked in the face by whatever came through the window.
The spears had shattered and disappeared into nothingness. When the figure looked up he saw the Emerald Spider and was surprised he had followed him. But that wasn't all, when he lifted his head up to look at the Emerald Spider, the hood of his cloaked had come off his head.
"What?", The Emerald Spider said in shock.
"Can't be...", Nyx said perhaps even more shocked.
The face they saw was that of Shadow Flare. He then smiled and laughed.
"Yes. This one was also very willing. He understands what it means to wield true power, unlike your pathetic excuse like yourself, mother, and brother."
Nyx then realized this was not her Shadow Flare, but rather an alternate one. It did give her some relief, but it didn't make the threat any less real.
"I am the power of the dark and the Shadow is my wielder. We are Black-Out."
He was about to laugh again when he got a face full of hoof.
"You really like the sound of your voice don't you?", The Emerald Spider said.
Black-Out then growled and engaged the Emerald Spider. The fighting style the Emerald Spider was using was unfamiliar to Nyx. Although he was fighting well incorporating heavy acrobatics and using his web lines to smash loose bricks and stones into Black-Out then following up with a hit/kick, the fighting style seemed like it would be more effective for a more humanoid form.
Their fight then became somewhat airborne going into the upper part of the room.
"I have to say Spider, I thought all the stories about you were fa-AHH!"
Black-Out had taken a hit to face, which only enraged him more.
"Tell me. When you bond with a host 'Power of Dark', do you also absorb their egos?" Emerald Spider taunted as he was on the side of a wall.
Black-Out was about to strike again when he was hit from below from an energy blast by Nyx.
"You couldn't have done that before?", The Emerald Spider questioned.
"Needed a clear shot.", Nyx replied.
"It would seem I overestimated myself.", Black-Out said picking himself up off the ground and spiting out a tooth, "That is a mistake I shall not make again."
Both the Emerald Spider and Nyx moved to charge and tackle him only to be met with a bright flash and a loud bang.
"Urg... What was that?", Nyx said shaking off the effects.
"Flash bang. Military equipment that is pretty standard where I come from.", The Emerald Spider said recovering himself.
"Why did you follow me?" Nyx demanded to know.
"You're welcome.", Emerald Spider responded.
"I want an answer!", Nyx demanded once more.
"In case you forgot, this "Black-Out" is my problem too."
"You have no idea what you are dealing wi... Wait did you hear that.", Nyx said hearing hoof steps.
Nyx then reluctantly motioned for the Emerald Spider to come along because it would be likely she would need his help again. She peaked around a corner and saw a hooded figure.
Without thinking she tackled the figure holding the figure down by the neck. However the figure turned out not to be Black-Out.
"Chrono!?!", Nyx said releasing her.
Chrono stands, grumbling in annoyance,"Yeah, that's me. Hi Nyx.", She looks around, revealing her left eye that was replaced by a clock. Her eyes stop on Emerald Spider and she glares deeply at him.
"You're uhh... Really looking into my soul there. Um... You two know each other?"
"Nyx... You know how my world feels about things like him",She states, glancing at the Emerald Spider then looking to Nyx.
"You're acting like I brought him here. Why are you here at the Castle of The Two Sisters anyways?", Nyx asked.
"The fact you're with him should tell you.", Chrono states flatly. A small robot then flies up and begins scanning the Emerald Spider.
"Um... What is this thing doing?" The Emerald Spider started to question, "What are you like some kind of interuniversal police officer? Because if you are that would be the weirdest coinciden..."
"Shut up anomaly. You do not ask the questions here!" Chrono interrupted.
The Emerald Spider's lenses peel back and he gives Chrono a stern look, "Chrono is it? I'll have you know that I am an officer of the Amazing Sector Defense Force, and there is a reason why I'm considered their best officer."
She takes a deep breath, her eye glowing gently. "You are not in your world. Not even your own universe. Your title means nothing here. I am Chrono Shift." She turns to him, glaring, "And you will not threaten me" The robot then floats next to her and the lights on it go from green to red, a lazer appearing to be armed.
"You're right, I'm not in my own universe, heck I don't even think I'm in the same sector!", He then takes the defensive stance he usually takes (or at-least as close as he can get to it in this form), and his hooves glow with bio-electricity, "But combat skill means something everywhere."
He was suddenly held in a red field, unable to move. "I know. That's why D-bot here can immobalize." She looks to Nyx, silent.
The Emerald Spider smiled under his mask, "Tell me, can that little robot's field deal with 60 tons of force and electrical impulses?"
Her ears flatten. "I'm not looking for a fight. Really. But you are endangering this world."
"Enough both of you! The real threat is not here!", Nyx, yelled, "We just fought the real threat not too long ago!"
Chrono scoffs and D-bot releases him. "Any anomaly is a threat. I can see him ruining the flow already."
The Emerald Spider then landed in a fashion he liked to call a "super hero landing" an asked, "What do you mean exactly?"
She sighs. "D-bot, diagram 23", a diagram of a world appears with arrows going in one direction. "This is a worlds flow. Like a waterfall or stream."
The Emerald Spider rubbed the back of his head, "What exactly is this flow? And how is me coming here, well bad? Because I travel through universes on a weekly bases. It's part of my job."
She sighs. "It's like a river. Which means when you throw a rock in... " a red spot appears and the flow goes around. "The smooth flow is interrupted. The mirrors aren't universal. Their dimensional. That's why this happens. "
"Wait, what are you saying exactly? That I've not only entered another universe, but another multiverse entirely?"
"You're from a different Multiverse? " she looks to him, rather shocked.
The Emerald Spider nodded, "And I wasn't always a pony either. (Which is weird to me by the way). How does that happen?"
"Somepony must've brought a mirror to your multiverse... I had my suspicions because of your peculiar behavior but I doubted it was true..."
The Emerald Spider tilted head and cocked an eye brow, "My "peculiar behavior"? You've been watching me?"
"Yes. My clock eye can watch any anomaly from wherever I am. I've watched you since you stepped foot in this world."
"Well trust me Chrono.", Nyx said, "There is a bigger threat here. You remember Dark Nexus, and how my father defeated him all those years ago?"
"Yes, I do. And yes, I saw him as well. The other threat"
"I'm afraid this is worse.", Nyx hung her head, "This one goes by the Name Black-Out. And... And he is another version of Shadow Flare."
"This must be hard on you... "
"He has also made use of military equipment from... Where I'm from.", The Emerald Spider chimed in.
"Thanks for the input." She retorts. "I'm tracking him. "
"So... Am I under arrest or something?", The Emerald Spider asked.
"No. I will send you home when we arrive in Limbo."
"Chrono. I know you are good at your job, and I mean no disrespect, but he is from another multiverse entirely. How do you intend to get him home?", Nyx asked.
"He has a mirror. He can get home."
"Not just yet...", a voice said as it flew through the window.
It was Dusk Shine and he had come to see how things were going.
"Hello, Chrono. Always a pleasure." Dusk said with a smile as he landed.
She smiles and bows slightly. "Hello Prince Dusk Shine."
"Chrono, I think we know each other well enough that we can skip all of the formalities."
She nods. "Sorry. It's priority to respect royalties and rulers in any dimension."
"There you go with that again. Ha. Well there is a reason you can't send him back just yet."
"Why is that? ", Chrono asked, her whole demeanor changing in the appearance of the prince.
"Because his entire multiverse is out of sync with ours. The mirrors leading to our multiverse are open from his side but not vice versa. We will have to wait till the ones leading to his side are open in our multiverse."
"Oh..." Her smile drops. "That is a problem... "
"Which is why until the the mirrors leading to his world open, I am making the Emerald Spider a royal assistant to me and High Princess Luna."
The Emerald Spider was unsure what to think of this, and Nyx was smiling thinking of the Emerald Spider running errands for her parents.
"That is not something I can agree with!", Chrono said furiously.
"Well tell your superiors if they have a problem with it, they can take it up with me. Until his portal back home opens, he is under royal protection."
She grits her teeth and takes a breath, smiling. "Al-alright..." her ear twitched.
Dusk put his right front hoof on her shoulder,"I know you are just doing your job, but where are you going to take him if you can't get him home? Lock him up? I believe he can be of help us in the mean time."
"I've seen him in action. He went hoof to hoof with our hooded outlaw... He's... An alicorn." Nyx informed her father.
Nyx did not want to tell her father the whole truth just yet. She knew her father might take it harder than her.
Dusk almost looked surprised and almost broke his usually warm and welcoming demeanor, "This is definitely a issue worthy of our concern. Is there anything else I should know?"
"Yes." Nyx said, "Remember the energy that Spell Nexus accepted and turned him into Dark Nexus... It's returned, and that hooded figure is its host. He goes by Black-Out."
Dusk was shocked, but had expected this to some degree years ago.
"Chrono.", Dusk said, "Can we count on your assistance in this?"
She sighs. "Yes. I guess my stay will be longer than expected."
"I apologize for your inconvenience. Would you like to join us for dinner?" Dusk asked in a warm manner.
"Uhh... Dad. Isn't a crazy all destroying force running loose out there?" Nyx said.
Dusk laughed, "Well then it would be a good thing to be well nourished and keep up your energy in that case wouldn't it? Come on, we'll worry about this Black-Out when that time comes."
Dusk then turned back to Chrono.
"Would you like to be our guest?" Dusk asked Chrono again.
Chrono smiles. "Yes, that'd be lovely."