"You're just turning your back on him?" Blade asks, looking at Rage with a look of disbelief. The two were standing near a river that divided a clearing within the Whitetail Woods.

"Yes." Rage replied in a scornful voice. The crimson alicorn's gaze was ablaze with a deep seeded hate for the hedgehog they had just met. "After everything I…no all of us…have been through?! Why should I even give him even so much as a sliver of my time?!" He shouts. "He abandoned us Blade! He gave us up and ran here! He didn't even consider trying to see if we were okay!"

"I'm not saying what he did was right!" The dragon shouts. "All I am saying is maybe you should have listened to him…at least have heard him out."

"I heard enough." Rage scoffs. "He got rid of us because of this curse. He should have known Icezer and Xage were safe…he has the same curse…"

"That may be but-" Blade tried arguing but Rage walked past him.

"Enough. I have enough to focus on as is…that…hedgehog is the least of my concerns." Rage orders as he continued walking.

Blade looked at Rage and frowns but said no more. He knew that continuing on this would only make things worse. The two continued in silence until Rage stopped. He heard a gust of wind and the rapid sound of footsteps.

"Is something the matter?" Blade asks Rage. Swiftly Rage leapt into the air and used the head of an incoming Sonic to gain more height and consequently force Sonic into tripping.

"Too slow." Rage comments with a sly smile as he landed and looked at Sonic who was standing up with a smile.

"I thought I had you that time." Sonic chuckles.

"You need to work on your approach." Rage replied as Sonic got next to him. "What are you doing out here though?"

"I was looking for you." Sonic replies as Rage continues to walk now with Sonic at his side.

"What for?" The crimson alicorn asks curiously.

"I want your help." Sonic says in a more serious tone clenching a fist.

"With?" Rage pressed Sonic on what he wanted. "It must be serious if you tracked me all the way out here instead of waiting for me in Ponyville or Canterlot." He comments.

"Rage, after those battles on Dark Mobius I realized that if I am going to be strong enough to protect everyone I need to become stronger." Sonic says gritting his teeth. "I've never fought against anything like Nix…the closest was Nazo…and I had to combine myself with Shadow for that."

"Okay? I fail to see what I have to do with this." Rage replies.

"Rage, I want you to train me to use Chaos like you can!" Sonic requests.

"Sonic…" Rage says in a gentle tone "You know I can't do that…putting the whole Chaos Guardian stuff aside…I am no good at teaching people!"

"Rage, please!" Sonic begs "I can't keep being left behind and the threats we've been facing have only gotten worse!"

The two took a few more steps before Rage stopped. His face turned sour and Sonic looked at him with worry. "Hey…is something wrong?" Sonic asks

"You can come out now." Rage says, turning his head to the trees behind him. A rustling was heard and out came…Twilight.

"Twilight?" Sonic asks in confusion. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Hello, Sonic. Rage." The purple alicorn says. "What a coincidence, running into you here."

Sonic walked forward with a hand up in greeting "Yeah! Long time no-" he started to greet her but stopped when Rage put a hoof out to stop him. "…see…Rage what gives?!"

"That's not Twilight." Rage says with an angered tone.

"What are you talking about?" Sonic asks "That's very clearly her!"

"It may look like her but that's not her." Rage says as his horn glows.

"Rage…" Twilight whimpers.

"I don't know who you are but cut the act!" Rage shouts. "You may look like her but your magic is nothing like hers…"

"Hmph…guess the rumors are true." 'Twilight' says with a frown as a sinister green fire burns at her hoofs. The fire burned upwards and as it did the pony in front of them changed.

Now what resembled an alicorn stood in front of them. However they had holes in their legs and insect-like wings and instead of fur, a black carapace covered their body. "You seem to be much more perceptive than the average pony."

"Ewe." Sonic gags "What are you?!"

Rage looked at the creature in front of them and narrowed his gaze on it. He thought back to one of the many times he and Twilight exchanged stories. The creature standing in front of them matched the description of a changeling perfectly.

"I should be the one asking that!" The changeling scoffs "What in Equestria has such bulbous eyes?!"

"Judging by your appearance you're a changeling," Rage spoke up.

"A what-ling?" Sonic asks.

"Changelings…they're creatures who feed off of love and affection by disguising themselves as people that are special or important to whoever they are targeting." Rage says "Twilight warned me about your kind. She told me about what happened during Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding. Your disguises are nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing."

"Awe you flatter me." The changeling chuckles.

"Except for one thing…" Rage continued. This got a intrigued look from the changeling. "…it seems you can't mimic their magical signature."

"What do you want with us?" Sonic asks in a defensive tone.

"It's not very often we get fools like you who come prancing through our territory." The changeling scoffs. "And you both seem like perfect meals…I figured by mimicking the one you care about most I could make this easy for you. No matter."

"So you chose to mimic…Twilight…Rage are you…?" Sonic looked at Rage as he spoke still trying to comprehend what was happening.

"No." Rage denied shaking his head. "She is a dear friend and nothing more."

"Mmm I dunno…" the changeling chuckles. "You sure seem to be pretty defensive."

"Enough." Rage spits. "I don't have time to entertain you. Get out of my way."

"I don't recall giving you a choice…" the changeling chuckles. "I have been feeding on random strangers ever since I was forced to run from Canterlot…now though the two of you could keep my brood well fed for a long time…"

"Canterlot…?" Rage asks as his eyes lit up, he remembered the story Twilight told him about Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding. "Don't tell me…you're-"

"Queen Chrysalis…that is correct." The changeling laughs.

"You can go back to whatever hole you crawled out of then.." Rage scoffs. "I have important things I need to tend to. So you'll have to find somepony else."

"I don't recall giving you permission to leave." Chrysalis chuckled.

"Oh come on!" Sonic laughs. "There's two of us and one of you! You're not only outmatched but outnumbered as well!"

"Is that so…?" Queen Chrysalis chuckled darkly as she spoke. This was followed up with a whistle. Then tens if not hundreds of changelings emerged from the trees and brush of the forest surrounding them.

Sonic looked at the changelings and then to Rage who seemed unfazed. "Rage…this doesn't look good." He says.

"What do you even hope to accomplish with this?" Rage asks Chrysalis. "You think we'll replace a ton of ponies? You're as dumb as he is."

"Hm?" Chrysalis looks at him "Look around you stupid pony! You're surrounded!"

"Rage…" Sonic says in a worried tone looking at the crimson alicorn. The look of defiance on him was moving. Sonic grits his teeth and clenches his fists.

"Sorry Queen Chrysalis." Rage says defiantly. "I made a promise and I intend to keep it…so if you're so determined to turn Sonic and I into your little meal bags…" he glowed and dispelled his illusion magic. He flexed his wings and looked at her with disdain, "we won't go quietly!"

"Yeah! You'll have to take us kicking and screaming!" Sonic exclaims.

"Impossible!" Chrysalis exclaims looking at Rage's wings. 'He's an alicorn?! Celestia crowned a prince?! No wonder things have felt off for so long…' she thought.

A few of the changelings hissed and lept from the trees towards Rage and Sonic but Chrysalis extended her wing and a hoof in a halting motion "Hold!" She ordered the drones. She looked at Rage with malice and clenched her teeth. "Listen here Prince…I'll let you and your furball go this time. However, if you ever come here again I'll have you both strung up and-"

"Wise decision." Rage interrupted her. "Now if you'll excuse us." He stated as the Changelings made room for him and Sonic to pass.

The two continued and Chrysalis looked at them in anger. However she knew she was not powerful enough to take on an alicorn right now. "I will get my revenge…sooner or later…" she hissed under her breath.

After a few minutes of walking Sonic broke the silence; "So…how could you tell she wasn't really Twilight?" The blue hedgehog asks Rage curiously.

"You mean aside from her magical signature being so different?" Rage sighs "Because, the real Twilight is still locked in the dungeon back in Canterlot…"

"What?!" Sonic exclaims. "You're kidding right?" He looked at the crimson alicorn with a look hoping it was a joke but Rage continued walking with his gaze set straight forward. "Of course it isn't. Nothing can be light-hearted with you can it?" Sonic sighs

"I wish it was a joke, Sonic…" Rage sighs. "You can thank Nix for this one…"

"When?" Sonic asks "Did he sneak a spell on her when we were on Dark Mobius?"

"That's what I believe, yes." Rage answered with a nod of his head. "I think it was when he attacked her while we were fighting him in the Dark Citadel."

"So…how do we help her?" Sonic asks, crossing his arms.

"If all goes well…the girls and I are gathering ingredients for a potion that should cure her." Ragis says.

"Alright, what can I do to help?" Sonic asks with a determined look on his face.

Rage looked at him and tapped his chin. "I suppose you could help Rainbow Dash out…we need a flower from the Everfree Forest. Beyond that…the only other thing we need is demon blood…but I wonder…"

"You have an idea?" Sonic asks.

"I'm curious if it has to be demon blood, as in an actual demon or if blood of someone who's native to a Dark World would work." Rage says.

"Is it worth a gamble like that?" Sonic asks and Rage shrugs. "Because I don't know if this is worth a gamble. It may be in our best interest to follow it to a tee."

"As much as I agree with you Sonic, there is one flaw. Do you know any real demons?" Rage asks. "Because I don't."

Sonic paused to think. He couldn't think of any either. At least not that would be easy to get to. "Aside from the demons I fought in that storybook, one time you have a point." He sighs.

"Excuse me?" Rage asks, looking at Sonic in confusion.

"Oh, right. I never told you." Sonic chuckled "One time I got pulled into the world of King Aurther and fought a whole army of demons. I wielded a sword and everything!"

"Is that right?" Rage asks skeptically. "Any idea how to get there then?"

"Nope. I had to defeat the witch who brought me there. Turned out she was evil." Sonic shrugs. "Sorry."

"Hmm…" Rage hummed in thought. "I know summoning them is possible but that's dangerous…and I doubt Equestria has any running around."

Sonic looked ahead and crossed his arms as they continued their walk. He wasn't completely sure about all of this but nonetheless he wanted to do everything he could to help. "What about your family?" Sonic asks

Rage looked at him surprised. Sonic mentioned his family which was a shock to him. He said nothing to see what Sonic's reasoning was; "Your family has that demon curse right? Maybe that would work? You know you all have those demons inside you right?"

Rage was surprised by Sonic's reasoning. It made sense on the surface if you were unaware of the ins and outs of such a curse. However, Rage knew full well the truth. He shook his head and sighed. "I wish it was that simple but it's a figure of speech..." He says with a soft chuckle. "There's not really a demon inside of me...but it sure feels like it sometimes..."

"It was worth a shot." Sonic shrugs. "So do you have a plan?"

"Can't say that I do." Rage sighs moving some brush out of their way. "If it was just someone with Dark blood that's easy...but the mixture specifically said demon..."

"Why does it even need that kind of stuff?" Sonic asks. "This sounds really archaic."

"If I had to guess, Chaosblood is linked to Light, Demon blood is linked to Darkness. It balances the two out...and both are known for holding onto latent power even when...well you know." Rage explains.

Sonic didn't say anything in response but his face was enough for Rage to know that Sonic understood all too well. The two continued until the reached the road that led back to Canterlot. The moon was high in the sky by now.

"Wow. I had no idea the night sky here was so beautiful." Sonic says looking up to the moon and stars in awe. He never got to see so many stars a majority of the time due to the city light pollution on Mobius.

"Yeah. Princess Luna works hard to keep it that way." Rage says as he stopped. His horn glowed and Sonic stopped next to him.

"Rage?" He asks before with a flash of light they were back in the Palace of Friendship. Sonic was disoriented for a second before he regained his bearings. "Warn me before you just warp up with Chaos Control!" he shouts to Rage.

"Sorry." The crimson alicorn apologized. "I figured it'd be better than walking all the way to Canterlot then waiting for morning until the train is running."

"Right...except where am I going to sleep?" Sonic asks.

"You can take the guest room." Rage says. "It's empty right now."

"Guest room?" Sonic asks "I thought you had been staying in the guest room." he states sternly.

"I was. However this palace has a lot more rooms and Twilight gave me one. So I have my own room now." Rage says as he leads Sonic to the guest room. "We can talk more in the morning."

"I thought you said you'd take me to see Twilight..." Sonic crossed his arms as he spoke to Rage in a frustrated tone.

"Sonic...you don't want to see her as she is now..." Rage says gently. "Trust me...it's not pretty...we can go in the morning."

Sonic looked at Rage with a frown but it faded away after a moment as he accepted what had been said to him. "Alright, but I am going to hold you to that."

"Don't worry Sonic." Rage says with a smile before he yawns. "Anyway I am gonna head to sleep myself. I've been running around all day..."

"No wonder you look like a mess. Get some rest." Sonic says as he opens the door to the guest room and enters it. Rage waved to him as he turned and walked back down the hall. He passes Spike's room and he peers in to see the young dragon sleeping. He'd flinch occasionally and Rage could tell that he was fast asleep and dreaming.

With a soft smile he walked down further to his room where he opened the door to his room. He closed it gently behind him before he climbed into bed and yawned before he too slowly drifted off to sleep.