Way Past Equestria

by Onomonopia

The Chaos Source

"We're here, everypony. Keep your hands to yourself and no touching," Discord instructed as the group reached their destination. He snapped his fingers and a shirt with the words "tour guide" appeared on him.

"So where have you taken us, Monsieur..."

Antoine, along with the rest of the group, found that words failed them as they gazed at where they were. They were standing on a platform made of pure light that hovered about what looked like...universes. Multiple universes that expand out as far as the eye could see. The bluish blackness of space rested in-between each universe, with stars of all colors and sizes resting within them.

"Where...are we?" Rarity managed to ask.

"Above. Above the universes of our realities," Discord explained. He then doubled over and wheezed heavily, swallowing the pain with a snarl before he stood up straight again. "But we're not here to take pictures of the pretty scenery..."

Rarity's camera clicked.

"But to take a look at...that..."

The sound of Discord's voice turned the groups eyes towards the heavens, where the majesty of the universes was completely eclipsed. Floating above them was a...sea of energy, a mass of power and strength that shifted, moved and warped in ways that they couldn't comprehend. Neither Freedom Fighter nor Element of Harmony could look upon the sight for long, having to look away before they went mad. Only Discord could look upon the force, and he didn't like what he was looking at.

For in the center of the sea of energy, was a large, black crack...one that was slowly expanding.

"Oh this is not good. Not good at all," Discord muttered.

"What's the matter?" Applejack asked.

"Do any of you now what that is up there? That is the Chaos Force, the source of power for all beings or objects that draw upon the power of chaos...such as moi," Discord said.

"Does that include the Chaos Emeralds?" Bunnie asked.

"That would include them. But you see that crack? That's not suppose to be there...and it's the reason for everything," Discord continued. "The reason all the worlds are being mashed together, the reason for the team up between villains...and the reason that I'm in such a sorry state."

"Wait a moment, worlds? You said zat ze worlds are being mashed together?" Antoine asked. Discord's response was to snap his fingers and bring up images of different realities, all of which had worlds that looked like there's. Mashed together. "Oh zat...zat is not good."

"No...no it is not," Discord muttered. Bunnie walked up next to him and forced her gaze towards the crack for a moment.

"So ah kinda know of that...power from our Chaos Emeralds and the like, but yer saying that the Chaos Force even reaches out to yer world?" she asked.

"The Chaos Force spans a large number of multiverses. The only realities where it doesn't appear are ones that have something similar or stronger in them," Discord replied. "Of course, not all chaos comes from the Force, but my power does and so does those emeralds...along with him."

"Him?" Bunnie asked, but Discord didn't respond. "Alright, but if the force is so powerful, what in tarnation could do that to it?" She pointed at the giant crack as she said this.

"That I don't know. There are very few forces in the infiniverse that can match the power of the Chaos Force. The forces of harmony and order can do it, but something like this isn't their style. They generally don't destroy. Generally. Then there's the Speed Force, but I don't see anypony in red running around. Sonic gave me pause for a moment. Toon Force gives even me a head ache, but I know Pinkie didn't do this..."

"So yer not sure?"

"What I'm saying is that if it was any of those things I mentioned, I would know it immediately. The fact that I don't know what did this...has me worried." Discord looked down for a moment, lost deeper in thought that he was known for. Then he shook his head and sighed. "Well, no use getting all worked up over it. If I know Twilight and her friends, she'll find a way to fix this and save the world. This isn't her first rodeo with chaos and so long as I'm around, it won't be her last."

"So what you are saying is zat we should worry about Sombra and Eggman for now?" Antoine asked. Discord and Bunnie both turned to him, only for their eyes to go wide. Standing across from Antoine, Applejack and Rarity was Sombra, as mechanical as ever, and Eggman, who was in a giant, four armed monstrosity of a mech that towered over all of them. Antoine had his blade out, Applejack had her lasso and Rarity's horn was glowing, but all of them knew their weapons were pointless. Bunnie rocketed next to her husband and their odds improves, but considering the heroes all had looks of concern and the villains were smiling...it didn't look good.

"How did you find this place?" Discord asked.

"Wasn't too hard. Just follow the moron who clearly isn't at one hundred percent," Sombra replied. "But wow oh wow, look at this place. All this power in one place...it's dangerous. Too dangerous."

"Agreed," Robotnik said from within his mech. "I've dealt with this force before and no good can come from it in the hands of fools." Then Sombra and Robotnik both smiled at the same time. "Then it is a good thing we are not fools. This power will serve our plans well."

"You're the biggest fools here if you think that I will allow you to damage the force even further," Discord snarled as he appeared in-between both groups. His hands crackled with chaotic magic, but neither Robotnik nor Sombra lost their smiles.

"Oh look at that. An old timer that thinks he can keep up with us," Robotnik cackled. "I've been fighting chaos for well over a decade. You are impressive, but you're no Sonic."

"Please old man, don't embarrass yourself. Unlike Celestia, you've managed to hold onto some of your dignity over the years, but look at yourself. Teleporting, warping: all of it should be so easy for one such as yourself, yet you can barely call upon your power, even so close to the source."

"I still have more than enough power to deal with the both of you," Discord snarled.

"Perhaps. But do you have enough power to fight us...and protect them?" Sombra asked. Discord glanced over at the others and knew Sombra was right. Bunnie was a powerhouse, but Discord knew it took more than power to beat Sombra. And from what little he knew of Eggman, the man was a genius with machines. Which Bunnie was half of. Antoine was a skilled fighter, but he was out of his depth. AJ was tough, but this wasn't a fight she could win. And while Rarity had her Element, it wouldn't be enough.

"Of course, if you show us how this power source works, then we wouldn't have any need to kill them, would we Robotnik?" Sombra asked.

"Of course not. We are only interested in beating those that are a threat to us. Right now, that's all of you. But with that power, none of you would be a threat and therefor, no reason to crush you all. Sound fair?" Robotnik asked.

"You must be thinking us ze idiots if you think we will trust a single thing you say," Antoine snarled. "You would kill us regardless if we gave you ze power or not."

"So you're the brains in the relationship, eh? He's right. You're all dead either way," Sombra promised. "But depending on how painful it will be depends on what you do now. Show us how the power works...we'll make it quick. Try to fight us? Well, you know how that-"

Steel flashed and Antoine's blade slashed across Sombra's face. While it didn't cut his metal body, a sword slashing across your face would still make you jump back, regardless of body. Sombra let out a yelp as he leapt back, touching his face to make sure there was no damage.

"Zat is my answer, you fiend," Antoine replied.

"That's mah man," Bunnie said as she stood beside him.

"Impressive display, the both of you. Come Applejack, we cannot let them out do us," Rarity said as she stepped up.

"Fer once we can agree on something," AJ said.

"Fools. All of them," Robotnik said with a shake of his head.

"We try to be nice and they just spit in our faces. Well then," he muttered. Then his eyes snapped open and dark tendrils of magic erupted around his body while Robotnik's giant mech rose to it's full height. "I guess we're doing this!"

"Applejack and Rarity, can you handle Robotnik?" Antoine asked. "Ma cherie and I know zat we cannot take him, but we stand ze chance against Sombra."

"Well I know my magic is no match for Sombra, but perhaps against Eggman..." The group all shared a look before they separated, the ponies rushing Eggman while the fighters rocketed towards Sombra. Both genius's smiled at the plan.

"Antoine, Bunnie, how nice to see the two of you again!" Sombra cackled as he leapt back, sending blasts of magic towards the pair. Antoine blocked the attacks while Bunnie straight up punched them out of the sky. "We really didn't get a chance to get to know each other the last time we met. How's your marriage? What's it like having a wife who's half dishwasher? Can you two even have kids? Actually curious on that last one."

"SILENCE, VILLAIN!" Antoine roared. He slashed at Sombra with a flurry of strikes, but Sombra simply smiled before he barrier of darkness stopped Antoine cold. "Do not dare mock my wife!"

"Sure. Having you for a husband is mockery enough," Sombra snarked. Then a fist slammed into his barrier and sent him skidding backwards. "And speaking of wife, here comes the dishwasher!" Bunnie answered the insult with a volley of laser blasts from her left arm, yet Sombra's barrier held strong. "Oh please, the last time we fought I had just become a toaster. But now, not only can I toast both sides perfectly, I can also do this!"

His legs sprang open to reveal an impossible amount of missiles within them, which he then unloaded against the two fighters who had to take shelter under one of Bunnie's shields to stay alive.

"HIDDEN MISSILE'S!"

Rarity fired a blast of magic at the four armed mech, yet four sets of energy barriers easily deflected the spell. She then tried creating gemstones and firing them at the cockpit, but with a laugh Robotnik spun his machine so fast that the gems were powder within moments. He began to march towards the mare, until a lasso grabbed hold of one of his legs. Applejack then raced around the legs, entangling them in her lasso.

"Well done, pony, that might be the best show of intelligence that I've seen from your species," Robotnik said with a gold clap. Then fire erupted from his robot's legs and the rope was burned to ash. "Sadly, that doesn't say much. But at the very least it show's me there are brains in there. It's a nice change of pace."

Rarity and Applejack backed away from Eggman while Antoine dragged his drained wife away from Sombra. Discord watched all of this and let out a sigh.

"Alright. Fight's over," he said as he held a single hand in the air. Then he snapped his fingers.

The next thing the heroes knew, they were back at the castle. Discord crumpled to the ground and the group ran over to check on him.

"Discord! Are ya okay?" AJ asked.

"Manage...to get everypony...back home," Discord wheezed. "Even weaker...than I thought...if that's how little strength I've got..."

"What about Eggman and Sombra?" Antoine asked.

"Could only...put them back...couldn't do anything else," Discord replied.

"Ya saved us," Bunnie said.

"Barely. The Chaos Force is weaker than I thought...and that doesn't bode well for us. Gonna...be a while...before I'm of any use to you guys...sorry..."

"You did all you could. We are grateful for that," Rarity gently replied with a kind smile. Then two separate flashes of light went off and the other groups returned, each holding the spoils of their trip high.

"Hey everyone, we got the..." The two groups looked at the fallen Discord, the wounded fighters and the disheveled ponies.

"What happened?"

Author's Note:

"Toon Force, Speed Force, Chaos Force, Order Force...how are zer so many forces and why do zey all have ze same name?"

"Similar names, sugah."

"My first guess is that they are all branches of a higher power, one that resides over all the realities and sectioned off it's power into smaller forms. My second guess is that all the writers copy each others homework and then just change the names."

"Ze...writers?"

"Pinkie would get it."

Comments

[MLPMekarm]

(sighs and pulls out a roll of duck tape) 4th wall brakers never make it easy.

[badninja]

Ok Discord what is your real plan? I wonder who else is picking up on all of this, because if Discord can sense all of those other powers when they affect reality, hard, I wonder if some other powerful entities will be showing up to see what is going on. I think a certain member of the Qtinumium is probably aware and if these two numb skulls set foot in his favored universe he will sick a certain vessel at them, one that Fate itself loves and always gives the best odds to.

[Omegamorph]

Well according to one possible feature, yes, Bunnie and Antoine can have kids. They never explain now but apparently they can.

[Bluebottle27]

10863985
I haven't kept up with the Archie Comics Sonic for several decades now, but if it was only Bunnie's arm and legs that got roboticized, then everything...in between...shall we say, would still be biological and still function normally.