Chapter 2-13: Into darkness

A/N: Alright last chapter before Christmas so now would be a good time to ask the cast any questions you have no matter how embarrassing or simple! Go ahead and ask things about their relationships, status in school, or even something silly or random! They will answer!

(POV: Rage)

You know it's funny how things never work out the way you plan right? Something always decides to screw with you? Ha ha ha well let me tell you I know that feeling as well. Everything planned and perfect then suddenly "BAM!" something goes wrong and now here I am trying to adjust. Somedays I just want to give up…others I won't but even in the face of overwhelming odds I still keep on going. Why is this important you ask? Well you'll be rather surprised about the answer…

(3rd Person POV)

A day had passed since the reveal of Dex being near Canterlot. Tension was high now with the friends. All of them knew from what Rage had told them that Dex was no small matter. After all he was from the world that Sonic, Shadow and Rage came from and the others knew just how powerful they were. The group was in the music room with Rage and Rainbow playing some guitar chords while the others were just talking about whatever. "So you don't really think Dex will try and fight Rage again do you Sonic?" XL asks

"Of course he will!" Sonic says as if it were obvious "I mean let's look at what we know, Dex hates Light and what is Rage but light? If you ask me Dex would try to destroy the whole planet just to kill Rage." He answers

"That sounds a little crazy Sonic." Twilight says "Why would he go to all that trouble just to get revenge on Rage?"

"Revenge can make you do crazy things." Sunset says "I mean look at me. I went way crazy when I tried to take the other Twi's crown to get revenge on the other Celestia."

"If Dex is as powerful as Rage claims we will have to watch ourselves as well." Shadow says "We have seen what Nix can do and from what I hear Nix is child's play compare to Dex." He warns.

"Well Rage is pretty damn mellow about all of this." XL says "I mean he's just up their playing guitar like nothing is wrong!"

"It's probably because he is trying to keep his mind off of it until the time comes." Applejack says "You can't really blame em'. After all he's got one heck of a doozy to deal with. Why I'll bet in the end he'll be as tired as an apple on pickin day."

"Applejack is right." Rarity adds "I mean he has got to be stressed with all of this."

"Right I mean think about it." Fluttershy says softly "He's trying to not only worry about Dex but all of us as well. I couldn't imagine being in his shoes. He has to be brave for all of us."

"I just hope he doesn't get hurt." Twilight says as Rage and Rainbow join them.

"So what's up?" Rainbow asks.

"Well we're all worried about you, Rage." Twilight says "You seem to be stressed but you're acting like nothing is wrong."

"Well that would be because I want to just keep my mind off of everything." Rage sighs "The more I dwell on it the more likely I am to just snap. You guys mean everything to me and I couldn't stand to lose a single one of you. Without you girls I'd never have learned to open my heart and make friends."

"What do you mean? How is it you couldn't make friends back home?" Sunset asks "I mean you're such a nice person!"

"Agreed, anyone would love to have such a gentleman for a friend." Rarity backs up with a smile.

"Well to Rage he never got to know anyone because it put them in danger. He had a close friend named Christina who was almost like a girlfriend but…she was killed by Nix." Sonic explains.

"So I have always feared that making friends would put their lives in danger." Rage sighs.

"But some of that excitement is what makes it so much fun to be friends with you!" Rainbow Dash cheers. "I mean it's not like CHS hasn't had its fair share of crazy stuff before you arrived. You just made more. I think I speak for all of us when I say being your friend is the best thing ever!" she looks at the others who nod and agree in some way.

"Thank you." Rage says with a smile "It means a lot to me knowing you guys are okay with what I've put you through."

"Hay guys I had a question for everyone." Sunset says "What are we going to do after high school?"

"Well I am going to College." Twilight says and the other agree.

"I dunno." Sonic says "I think I am going back to Mobius, Shadow for sure is."

"What about you Rage?" Sunset asks.

"I…dunno I might stay here and go to college with you or I might return home." Rage answers "But we're only sophomores we still have two years to figure it all out."

"Right." Rainbow Dash agrees "Man time flies. Feels like just yesterday we met."

"I know." Sonic chuckles "It's crazy."

"But no matter where we go and what happened we'll all be friends right?" Fluttershy asks

"Of course." Twilight answers, "All of us will be friends forever."

The group agrees and resumes their normal chatter before a large rumble shakes across the school. "What the heck is that?" Sonic asks. "I think I know." Rage says looking out of the window. "Dex…" he says grimly looking at the pure black character with beaming red eyes. Coming towards the school. "Guess that's my cue." He announces running to the front doors his friends not far behind. While they stay behind Rage runs out of the front door and stops about one hundred yards from the school in the large field before the entrance to the school. Dex soon approaches him.

"Get out of the way…" Dex says with an echoing growl.

"That's not going to happen. I am not letting you harm this place." Rage says extending his arms "You'll have to go through me first!"

"hmph…" Dex smiles amused "You're brave but foolish human. I will admit I am rather surprised to see someone stand up to me at all." He chuckles forming a ball of dark energy. He looked like he was waiting for Rage to turn tail and run out of fear but this never happened "Even now you stand there…perhaps you are much more foolish then I thought…" he scoffs firing the orb at a high speed. However right as it reaches Rage he deflects it with a backhand. "What?!" he yells "Luck chance!" he shouts firing beam. This time Rage puts an energy shield up and deflects it.

"This is impossible just who the hell are you?!" Dex yells. Rage smiles "You really don't know?" he chuckles "Alright I'll tell you." He sighs summoning his sword and pointing it at Dex who looks with a shocked expression "That sword…" Dex says softly as Rage speaks "my name is Rage Chaotic, The Last Chaos Guardian but you knew that didn't you…"

"Rage…" Dex growls "I thought Vlagh took care of you but I guess if I need something done right I will have to do it myself!"

"Hold up!" Sunset yells as she, Twilight, Sonic, Shadow, XL and Rainbow Dash all run out and stand next to Rage.

"What's this? Sonic? Shadow? You are here too?" he asks

"You'll have to take us all on!" Rainbow Dash says glowing as she sprouts wings. Twilight and Sunset then 'pony up' as well.

"Sounds like more bugs have grown too big for their nests…" Dex growls charging a large beam and firing but XL leaps forward and throws his arm up deflecting it. However suddenly a large burst of metallic pieces flies back as XL screams and a metal arm flies off. "Well that was unexpected…" Dex says with a frown.

"Give it up Dex!" Rage shouts "We're not going to just back down!"

"Well then you will all die." Dex chuckles

"Burn!" Rage shouts "Bureijingukaosu!" he then is surrounded in a fire blinding him from view. When it dies down Rage's who appearance changed. His hair was long and black covering most of his head stopping just under the top of his eyes. His eyes were amber and his clothing was a back long coat similar to the ones worn by Organization XIII in size and shape. However on it was the kanji symbols "闇の光" (Light in the Darkness) on the right breast. Rage's sword was now a dragon wing like design as he announces "Ryuu Saishu Bureijingukaosu." This was the strongest form Rage could access with the exception to his Ultima Chaos Unleashed form but because that had a time limit Rage knew this was his only option.

"This can't be!" Dex yells "You learned the second form of that weapon something even its creator could not do!" he then changes to a more calm expression "I guess this was to be expected though…after all you never cease to surprise me Rage…"

"That's enough talk!" Rage yells "It's time we settle things!"

"Agreed…" Dex chuckles using a force to send Rage's friends back and he encases Rage along with him in a large energy dome. "Prepare yourself…" he chuckles making a blade of dark energy "For you will die in front of your friends, right here right now!"

"In your dreams!" Rage yells as the two both run at each other and swing. Their blades clash and energy is released from both swords. The two fight to gain an upper hand but in the end they both retreat. Then they start hitting and blocking each others attacks as they moved around the small battlefield. After a while Dex was fed up and fires a blast of energy at Rage but it was parried by Rage's own blast. Dex had dashed after the blast and once the cloud of energy vanished he hits Rage full force with a slash. Rage flies back but manages to land on his feet.

Dex laughs watching the blood flow out of the wound he had made "You are weak Rage even with that silly form!" he laughs watching Rage collapse "For all of these years I built up more and more power just so I could kill you! Now you lay like the others…you have failed and now Darkness will rule!"

"Not…so fast…" Rage says standing up slowly holding the wound as it heals over. "How can you still be standing!?" Dex yells in surprise "You should be dead!" Rage chuckles at his last statement as he stands up right again. "I won't just go down like that…I made a promise I intend to keep! I will protect my friends!" he yells as a flare of energy surrounds Rage as he leaps at Dex full speed and rams into him with his full body. Dex was stunned from this and Rage speaks "I made a promise to protect my friends. They have given me so much and thanks to them I am more powerful than ever thanks to them." He says then Dex speaks, "You don't know what power is…your power is yours alone…" he then stands up slouched a little.

"Wrong." Rage says again. "You treat others like more power for you. You have no care for what happens to others as long as you get what you want. But people are hurt just like you. I understand that and that is where my resolve was made. I will protect those weaker than me. Even now they lend me their strength in spirit. My friends are my greatest strength because they give me a will and purpose to fight! How about you Dex why is it you fight?"

"Simple…power!" Dex yells "That is all that matters!" he then leaps for Rage who side steps and hits Dex in the back of the head sending him flying into the dome and then to the ground. "A pathetic response." Rage scoffs "You have no will to fight…those with a will always come out on top because they are willing to put more at risk than those who do not!" Rage then begins charging energy as he extends his hand "What…what power is this?!" Dex asks "This is no Chaos power I've ever seen…" he coughs up some blood watching as Rage smirks "Harmonic Chaos Beam…" he says simply as a rainbow colored beam strikes Dex. All that could be heard was an agonizing scream as both the beam and dome slowly vanish Dex was gone, nothing was left. Rage then changes back and falls to his knees panting. His hands were bleeding from the use of his sword and the beam attack. His friends run up to him and help him up.

"You did it Rage!" Twilight says

"You shouldn't have done that though…you almost killed yourself." Sunset says looking at his hands.

"I'll be fine…" Rage smiles softly looking at XL who was looking at the robotic arm that was severed.

"Dammit!" he curses picking it up.

"Don't worry." Rage says keeling down and looking at it. "After my hands heal up I can fix it."

"R-really?" XL asks "But how?"

"I worked with Tails for a while I am sure if I can build a jet plane I can fix a robotic arm." Rage says

"We should get you fixed up." Celestia says walking up to Rage "Go see Nurse Red Heart that's an order."

"Yes Principle Celestia." Rage says walking inside the building.

"He is a real pain sometimes…" Celestia sighs "But at least he has good intentions with that power of his."

"Of course he does!" Sonic scoffs "Shadow and I have known for a while what he is capable of but he knows how to control it."

"Come on we should head inside." Twilight says "We still have to help finish the final touches for Rage's birthday party."

"Oh yeah." Pinkie says jumping "We need to make sure he doesn't find out!"

To be continued