MLP: A Battle Through Time

Chapter 2 - Time to Play the Game

Disclaimer: Hasbro/DHX are the rightful owners of this franchise. I just own this story, my OCs, etc. and the character "Stardust Balance" was created by the Warrior of Twilight.

Before things could get more out of hand between Casey and Jack, a certain alicorn cleared her throat loudly and waited until all of the guests were looking at her. "I know most of you are not exactly pleased with this current situation, but if everyone would like to take their seat so that I can continue my explanation as to why this is happening."

After Twilight said those words, Crescent released Jack from her hold and EG Stardust led Casey to the pair of chairs farthest away from the one that Jack chose to sit in. Just as the lavender alicorn sat in hers, Stardust looked over at Pinkie who was still enjoying some popcorn. "If you don't mind, Pinkie, this is kind of a delicate situation and not exactly the type that needs amusement-"

"Oh, right! I'll just, uh… go ahead and do something with Spike. Bye all you guys!" Pinkie hopped out of the chair that Stardust began to sat in while she followed the young green dragon out of the throne room. Once the doors were closed, he nodded over at Twilight and the Princess continued with her explanation from earlier.

"To unfortunately make a long story short so we don't end up with another possible brawl occurring in her…" She then looked over at Casey with a regretful expression. "You may have put an end to Xenos several years ago but that only temporarily halted what he had actually set out to do."

The orange stallion returned his friend's look with one of confusion. "Forgive me for asking this but what exactly are you talking about? I knew what his plan was - use that gauntlet he created with the magical stones in my universe to change it all in his image." He then gestured a forehoof between her and Stardust. "You two helped me stop that from happening, and the weapon itself was destroyed after Xenos got taken care of. Do you mean to tell me that what I went through for that to happen was pointless?"

Twilight let out a sigh, the alicorn having expected this kind of reaction from their friend. "That is not what I am trying to say at all… you saved your universe that day, but we had no idea how dire the actual situation was until-"

"I can handle this part, Twilight." Everyone looked in the direction of Crescent, who took a deep breath before she continued her story with a tone of despair. "Anti-Stardust and everyone else thought the same as you did, Casey, when we learned about Xenos being defeated once and for all… but a couple of days ago, everything changed when we were introduced to… him…"

Then, the dark pink unicorn powered up her horn in order to aim a magical beam at the Cutie Map table, which began to show a memory projection of what Anti-Starlight was talking about and Casey's eyes widened with shock as he watched the tragic events unfold. "Ohhh… Oh my goodness…"

################

Anti-Equestria (A few days earlier)

"The six of you have all had the honor of being shown mercy by the Great One," spoke Darkshade as he walked across the Throne Room, the only part of Midnight Sparkle's castle that now remained since everything else was now rubble. The skies were covered in smog and small hints of flame surrounded the entire field of where the prestigious castle once stood. "You may think that he is leaving you to suffer… no. This is all for the greater good."

The anti-versions of the Mane 6 were currently lying in the spots that their now-destroyed thrones were, with Twilight's alternate self and Anti-Rainbow being the only ones who were barely able to stay concsious whilst the others laid knocked out. Letting out a cough, Midnight lifted her head up as best she could in order to look at her special somepony. "Stardust…"

The scarred and also beaten-up Earth Pony was being dragged slowly against the ground by Darkshade's master, who shook his head before speaking to the exhausted alicorn. "I understand your pain, my dear. I truly do regret bringing destruction upon your beautiful castle… but it all could've been avoided had your beloved here simply given what belongs to me."

Feeling the strong hold on his chest be used to lift him up a little, Anti-Stardust glared at the menacing figure in anger and frustration. "I told you already that the blaster isn't here anymore. It got sent into dimensional limbo alongside that scientist guy who created it-"

"If I may, Ignus, sire…" Darkshade started to say to his master, but Ignus held up a gloved finger to silence him and then gesture over to the nearby fallen Blue Pegasus. "As you wish."

A few seconds later, Anti-Stardust cringed as he heard Anti-Rainbow's cries of pain from Ignus applying pressure with a hoof to one of the young mare's wing and it wasn't long until he found himself shaking his head before exclaiming, "Okay! Ok, I'll give you what you want… just please make your servant stop hurting my friend."

With a single motion of Ignus' hand, Darkshade moved away from Anti-Rainbow and the scarred gold Pegasus felt his eyes water up at how damaged she looked. "Alright, then… Star? Give it to him."

BOOM!

A blast of white and electric energy came towards Darkshade, who was sent flying into a nearby pile of rubble whilst a smirking Anti-Starlight undid her invisible guard spell and turned the silver gun-like weapon that her forehooves were holding onto in Ignus' direction. "You're going to pay for what you've done today."

Unfortunately, Ignus just scoffed at the pink unicorn and to her shock, the device swiftly flew out of her grasp to now be in his own. "I may have to disagree with you on that, Miss Glimmer… also, what I'm about to do now is because of your actions."

Seeing the weapon be aimed now in the scarred Earth Pony's direction, a horrified Anti-Starlight began to try stopping Ignus but instead found herself in Darkshade's tightened grip whilst tears started to come out of Midnight's watery lavender orbs as she mouthed I love you to Anti-Stardust, who did the same before looking up at Ignus. "You won't beat him. He'll stop you."

"Oh, I am well aware of his chances but you've just ran out of yours," replied the sinister figure, and he fired the weapon before Anti-Stardust could say anything else.

################

Then, the projection came to an abrupt end and a heavily saddened Anti-Starlight hung her head in despair whilst the other three guests were shocked and at a complete loss for words.

Casey was the first one to speak a few silent moments later. "So… w-when exactly did the stuff with the stars and such start happening?"

Twilight and Stardust both shared an uncertain look with each other before the lavender alicorn turned back to the young Earth Pony. "For the last three weeks… but we have a strong suspicion that it's been 3 years your world's time."

EG Stardust nodded, mouth hidden by hands - one of which bared a glinting silver ring holding a violet gem - and glancing over to Stardust with faint concern, perking a brow. "So any lead as to where this Ignus guy is now?"

The lavender royal looked to the clear floor in contemplation, frowning much softer herself. "Well... There has been something. Reports of odd sighting distinctly related to these bizarre occurrences-"

"Twilight...?" Their heads turned to the glaring gold stallion, whom kept his gaze fixed upon the nearby windows. "Rainbow didn't mention the weather having dark clouds today, did she...?"

Twilight slowly followed her husband's stare, frowning in confusion herself. "Not that I can recall...?" Venturing over towards the closed pane itself, taking a peek to the outside world and her lavender color slowly started to pale.

"Uh, Star? Twilight? Is the map supposed to be doing that?" The couple turned back in Casey's direction, with the brown-orange stallion pointing a trembling hoof at the Cutie Map, which now showed a blinking red dot hover above the area where Twilight's castle was at.

"Hahahaha!" Then, a sinister laugh echoed across the halls of the throne room that made an already pale Anti-Starlight lose more of her color as Ignus' voice spoke to the group. "Now that all of the players are here, I can finally begin the game…"

Whoosh!

A black-and-white swirl of magic suddenly began to quickly make its way around the room, and Jack's eyes grew wide as he cried, "Guys! This was like I saw back in my world before-"

However, his sentence got cut off by the young man vanishing in the blink of an eye, which caused both Casey and EG Stardust to hop out of their seats. "What in the [BEEP]-"

"NO!" Casey yelled when the same thing happened to his friend, and he looked over to Anti-Starlight but she suffered the same fate before being given a chance to speak.

"And you lucky three get to start at the 1st level," bellowed Ignus' voice, with the room now turning brighter and brighter. "Which means that you won't have your 'extras' with you. You'll have to earn them."

Before being engulfed completely by the light, Casey started to ask what Ignus meant but his question was answered after looking at his two close friends. "G-guys, your wings! You're changing back to-"