My Little Pony: A Race Against Time

by CJ Esmerio

Things Get Worse, Part 2

Author's Note:

"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" belongs to DHX Media and Hasbro, while the OC known as Stardust Balance belongs to the Warrior of Twilight.

Limbo

Laughing in what he felt was complete victory, Miles said, "This is way better than I planned... he's actually not going to help him at all."

Well, to be fair, there is no need for him to help Twilight and the others.

He has his own problems in the world that he lives in, and he's not exactly fond of anything that occurs in Sunset Shimmer's world.

"Really? Huh..." The cloaked pony gave a shrug. "Ah, well, what matters is that once Midnight Sparkle retrieves the staff for me, I'll be able to unleash all of my dark magic, and send Stardust Balance to Hell!"

Or he could do to you what he's done to everypony else that he's fought in his world.

Miles gritted his teeth in frustration, and muttered, "I'd rather have Sombra in my damn head instead of you."

Then that would be copying someone else's work.. and that someone could probably file a-

"Shut up!"

---

Stardust's World

"For the last time, love, I am not... repeat, not... going over there."

Twilight sighed, and she said, "Okay, fine... you don't have to go..."

"Thank you," replied Stardust, glad that she accepted his answer. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a pillow that has my-"

"But I need you to do something else instead," added Twilight, walking over to stand in front of him, so that he couldn't leave.

Knowing that he wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon, Stardust let out a sigh, and asked, "What exactly did you have in mind?"

With a serious facial expression, Twilight replied, "I want you to start spending a little more time with Rainbow Dash... starting today."

For a moment, Stardust remained silent, and then, he asked, "Why would I do that?"

Twilight just raised one of her eyebrows. "Because she's your friend?"

"Yeah, but so are a lot of other ponies," pointed out the young pony. "And besides, I'm sure Rainbow would just want to fly around, talk about the WonderBolts-"

"You don't know that, for sure," said Twilight, who was seeing that he wasn't getting it. "Tell me, when was the last time you and her spent some one-on-one time together to hang out as friends?"

Stardust opened his mouth to respond, but Twilight cut him off. "Besides you comforting her when she was worried about Tank."

"Okay, fine, I can't remember exactly when right now," replied Stardust, who was starting to get slightly irritated. "I still don't get why-"

Twilight stopped him by holding up one of her hooves. "Let me finish... when was the last time you spent time with Rarity?"

"Well, there was the problem she had with Sassy Saddles..." said Stardust.

The young alicorn nodded her head. "And Fluttershy?"

Stardust thought about it for a moment, and said, "I helped convince her to not be so scared during Nightmare Night..."

"And Applejack?"

The golden-colored pony smiled as he answered, "I helped her out with some chores at the farm, and I even got to play around with Applebloom.

"And before you ask, yes, I even spent a day baking sweets with Pinkie Pie."

"Uh-huh," agreed Twilight, sensing that he was almost getting it now. "Now, let me ask you this - who was your least favorite pony to be with when we first met you?"

"Well, that's an easy one... Rainbow Dash," replied Stardust. "But that was a long time ago, Twi-"

Twilight held up her hoof again, saying, "I know, but let me finish... when you were, um, taken over by..."

Way to keep things subtle, princess.

Not now, Sombra, thought Stardust.

"... do you remember what you told Rainbow?"

"Unfortunately, yes," replied Stardust, even though he preferred to not think much about that day.

Twilight nodded her head. "Ok, great... now who was the one pony that you had trouble with, in regards to remembering a special time or day?"

Rolling his eues, Stardust scoffed, and replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "That one is easy, as well... it's Rainb-"

But he then started realizing what Twilight was trying to say to him, and the young pony now had a sheepish expression on his face. "Ohhhh... right."

Twilight sighed, and placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder. "Look, Jack, you know how grateful me and Spike are for having somepony like you in our lives... but there are other ponies that we know who want to show you their gratitude, as well."

Instead of giving a response, Stardust kept quiet as he let Twilight continue her friendship lecture.

"In regards to Rainbow, I have a feeling that you're avoiding time with her subconsciously... sure, there have been some wonderful moments that you two have probably had together, but it's been a while since you and her have spent a day to hang out."

Stardust found himself lowering his head in slight disappointment (with himself), but Twilight quickly brought it up so that he could see her smiling face.

"You're a great person, Jack, and I'm glad that you're my special somepony... but others need to know themselves how great you could be.

She's right, you know.

Stardust chucked as he listened to his elderly friend, along with finally understanding what Twilight meant. "I'll work on it..."

Oh, I'm sure that you will, boy.

And before she could argue with him, Stardust added, "And yes, starting today, love."

"Good," said Twilight, stepping aside a little. "Remember, Jack, you're special to a lot of our friends, including Sunset and Starlight... but it's your job to show them yourself... understand?"

Stardust nodded, and he started to head out of the castle. "Loud and clear, Twilight... guess I'll see you later, then?"

"Uh-huh," replied the Princess of Friendship. "Have fun!"

Stardust chuckled, and he replied, "I'll try to, love..."

Kissing her on the cheek, the young pony walked away, and once he was gone, Twilight began to remember something.

I wonder if I should tell him about the dream I had.

---

World of "Equestria Girls"

As Casey stepped out of the portal, he began to speak at a fast pace. "Sunset, it's an emergency, Twilight and I..."

However, he stopped after seeing - and realizing - that Celestia's former student was not there... instead, Casey found himself meeting two other humans instead of Sunset Shimmer.

"Who exactly are you supposed to be?"

That reply came from one of the teenage girls, whose white-and-blue hair was in pigtails, and she also had on a pair of orange-colored sunglasses.

Casey gulped, and he said, "Um, well, I..."

"Oh, don't mind Sugarcoat," replied the other teenager, who had her rose-colored hair in a ponytail, along with a few aquamarine streaks. "She was just born that way."

Before Casey could reply, she had a sour-like expression on her face as she asked, "What do you even want with Sunset Shimmer anyway?"

"That's Sour Sweet," replied Sugarcoat, who had her arms crossed. "You came from the pony world that Princess Twilight lives in?"

Nodding his head, Casey replied, "Yes, and I need to bring Sunset back with me so that she can help us-"

"Oh, well, why didn't you just say so?" Sour Sweet replied, her tone back to being sweet and innocent. "We were just headed to her house ourselves... come on, I'll give you a ride."

As she started walking towards her car nearby, Casey looked at Sugarcoat, who said, "I'd hurry up and accept that offer before she decides to change her mind, and take it back."

---

"Uh, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said, as she dodged another one of Midnight Sparkle's fireblasts. "How long do we have to keep her away from the castle?"

"Just until Casey comes back here with Sunset Shimmer," replied Twilight, who shot her own magical blast at the dragon's chest. "He should be talking to her already by now."

Whoosh!

Pushing Twilight and Fluttershy out of the way, in order to avoid a giant fireball, Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "Well, I hope he hurries it up cause we're not exactly stacked with time here."

"You foolish ponies," cackled the alter-ego of Sci Twi. "Not even that pathetic human can stop me from getting that staff, and bringing it to-"

"OH, GIANT SPARKLE MONSTER! OVER HERE!"

Midnight Sparkle growled, and turned around to see Pinkie Pie a few feet away, with a tuba in her hooves.

"Uh, what is she doing?" Rainbow whispered to Twilight, who shrugged her shoulders.

The purple dragon landed in front of the party-planning Earth Pony, and asked, "What in Equestria do you want?"

Pinkie Pie shook her head, and replied, "First of all, you have no idea how to be a real villain, do you?"

"What?!" Midnight Sparkle yelled, her eyes glowing with anger. "I could roast you right now like a turkey."

"Oh, I've had to deal with worser things," replied Pinkie, a smirk on her face. "And I could probably teach you a thing or two..."

Up in the sky, Fluttershy flew over to be next to Twilight, whispering, "I think she's giving Casey more time."

"All right, then, pony, what is it that you could teach me?" Midnight Sparkle said, looking at Pinkie with a non-amused facial expression.

Pinkie Pie waited a moment before she took a deep breath, and cried, "A five, six, seven, EIGHT!"

As she began playing the musical instrument in her hooves, the rest of her friends watched with confusion, and then, Pinkie started to sing a song that was now keeping Midnight distracted, for the time being.

"Well, I still hope Casey hurries up over here," whispered Rainbow, with Twilight letting out a sigh.

---

The World of "Equestria Girls"

"Midnight Sparkle?" Sunset Shimmer said, who looked shocked and afraid.

"B-but that's impossible," added Sci Twi, who was standing next to her friend. "I was her, and I'm standing right here."

Casey nodded his head, and replied, "Yeah, I know, but that's what she called herself, and she sounds a lot like you... and the other Twilight..."

Sunset looked at Sci Twi, and she asked, "Should we use them?"

"Yeah, we definitely should..." replied the human version of Twilight.

"Uh, who's we?" Casey said, confused.

Sunset gave the young teenager a serious look, and said, "You and Princess Twilight won't just need my help, Casey... you'll also need her help, and the others, too."

"What about us, then, huh?"

The three of them looked at Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet, who had now switched over to her "sweeter" side. "You weren't planning on leaving us here, were you?"

"Um, no offense," replied Sunset, while Sci Twi nervously chuckled. "But I don't know how much help exactly you two could give or do for us."

"Well, that's just great!" Sour Sweet exclaimed, no longer sounding like a kind person.

As for Sugarcoat, she simply said, "You'd better let us help when the next story comes, then."

Casey looked at Sunset and Sci Twi, who both gave him a shrug.

---

Stardust's World

I would rather find out whatever it is that Casey is having trouble with than spending the rest of today listening to that pony with a giant ego.

"Hey, suck it up, Sombra, I promised Twilight I would do this," said Stardust, who was currently in search of Rainbow Dash. "And besides, she's right... I haven't been a really good friend to Rainbow ever since-"

I almost had your body in my full control?

Don't worry about him, Jack, just focus on making Rainbow Dash smile and feel like you care about your friendship with each other.

Easier said than done, elderly one.

Stardust just rolled his eyes, and said, "I'm positive that Casey and the parallel versions of the others can handle whatever situation is happening to them right now... and it's probably not even that big of a deal."

---

The World of "Equestria Girls"

"You know, it's a good thing you didn't ask Stardust Balance to help out," said Sunset. "He hates this world with a passion..."

"Hey!" Sour Sweet yelled, now looking annoyed.

The five of them, along with everyone else (Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy) were now by the Canterlot statue that held the portal to travel to Twilight's world.

"Well, aside from us and Sunset and our Twilight," replied Applejack's human counterpart. "But I don't really know myself what he thinks of those two."

"Hey!" Sour Sweet repeated, although this time, she said it with a sad and hurtful expression.

Sugarcoat blinked her eyes a few times before saying, "He probably thinks that characters like us don't deserve to even exist."

Casey looked at Sunset, who replied, "You'll have to ask him yourself."

---

Discord was currently in Twilight's library, pacing back and forth as he continued waiting for Casey to return.

Then, he stopped moving after noticing that the portal was opening itself up.

"Took you long enough," retorted Discord, as he watched Casey step out of the mirror.

"Well, there was a little, um... discussion that needed to happen," replied Casey, and Discord watched with surprise as Sunset Shimmer stepped out, as well, now back to her old unicorn self.

Then, it took only a few more seconds for Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Sci Twi to step out, which shocked Discord even more.

"You brought over all of them?" Discord exclaimed.

"Well... yeah, but it was something that I had to do," replied Casey. "And they have a plan on stopping Midnight Sparkle."

Discord raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Oh, they do, huh? Well, this ought to be an interesting battle then..."

Taking a look at the necklace around her neck, which contained a red-colored geode, Sunset said, "Oh, trust me, you're going to enjoy this one."

With a snap of his fingers, Discord had on a dark pair of sunglasses, and one of his arms was holding onto a bag of popcorn.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?"