Chapter 39: Metal Madness.

In the middle of a forest, Sunset was suddenly thrown through some bushes, rolling painfully in the ground before flapping her wings to recover and slide to a stop, shaking herself. She's covered in mud, dirt and some branches are on her mane. She even had to spit a leaf that accidentally got in her mouth.

"Ugh... gross..." Sunset groaned, before hearing an engine approach that made her frown again. "You've got to be kidding me..."

And then, not so far from her, landed an almost identical robo-copy of herself. It was a metallic yellow robot, alright, but with fake metallic mane that matched the same colors than hers, as well as a single screen as her face with a pair of red eyes that stared in anger at the real Sunset.

"Alright, Can-set Shimmer... This ends now!" Sunset declared in anger, boosting towards her robotic self.

The Robo-Sunset's engine roared once more as it extended its wings and boosted to collide against Sunset, but just as pony and copy were about to clash, everything stopped.

"Yup, that's me. Sunset Shimmer. You know, after everything I've been through ever since I came back to Equestria and helped to restore magic, I thought that nothing could surprise me anymore, yet here I am, literally fighting against a robot that looks just like me... Oh, and how did I got here? Well, that's definitely one hell of a story. It all started about 10 minutes ago..."

Literally 10 minutes ago...

In the Boardtrot, Sunny and Comet were attending their Smoothie Stand as usual, with Sunny delivering every order as smoothly as usual.
"Here you go, Thunder: Banana smoothie as usual!" Sunny said with a smile as she gave Thunder his smoothie.

The pegasus grabbed his smoothie and sipped it with a smile, finding it great. "Thanks, guys!" He cheered, paying over and then taking flight.

"Woo-hoo! Another great day at the Boardtrot!" Comet said with a smile. "Ain't that right, Sunny?"

"Great indeed, Comet!" Sunny agreed with a bright smile. "The sun is shining, everypony's laughing and having a good time, and all seems to tell that's gonna be a great day!"

As Sunny and Comet exchanged a cheerful high hoof, Sunset and Twilight approached the Smoothie Stand.

"Twilight! Sunset!" Sunny called out, her voice tinged with excitement. She stepped out from behind the counter, greeting them with a warm smile. "What brings you two here? Don't tell me you've finally decided to try one of Comet's special smoothies!"

Comet beamed at the suggestion, waving enthusiastically. "I've been saying it for months! Twilight, you need to try the 'Twilight Twist!' Named it after you—blueberries and a swirl of magical mango syrup!"

Twilight chuckled, shaking her head. "That does sound tempting, but not today. We're just here to check on you two and see how things are going before we open our magic stand."

"Yup. Plenty of unicorns are joining us today," Sunset added with a smile. "Seems like our classes are finally paying off!" She then turned back to Sunny and Comet. "So? Has there been any sight of you know who around?"

"Nope!" Comet replied quickly with a smile before Sunny had the chance to, knowing that talking about a certain snow leopard got into her nerves. "But we'll be on high guard for any signs of her!" He stated with a salute.

"That's good to hear," Twilight smiled. "So, any big plans for today?"

Sunny finally decided to speak, thanking the change of subject. "Oh, not really. Just another normal day at the Boardtrot for everypony!"

Literally after stating this, a loud explosion was heard as something landed a few meters away from the Boardtrot's Smoothie Stand, making everypony else either panic or look at the place of the explosion with concern.

"Aaaand I jinxed it..." Sunny groaned as she rubbed her face with a hoof.

"Uh, what the hay is that?" Sunset asked confused.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good..." Twilight muttered in concern.

Meanwhile, as the dust of the explosion dissipated, it revealed... a robo-pony. The robot was metallic orange, with the lower part of what would be its hooves painted magenta; a metallic tail and mane of the same magenta color, a single screen on its face that was currently off, and at least three closed "doors"; two on its sides and one on its forehead.

As the robot started to turn on, its screen only showcased a pair of red eyes that looked up in an eternal frown, since it seemed like if the screen was built in such a shape that the robot would never stop frowning.

"Uh... am I going crazy, or that thing looks just like you, Sunny?" Comet asked confused, also hiding behind the stand's counter and only popping out his head.

"You're not crazy," Sunset said, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer to get a better look. "It's almost a perfect replica of Sunny."

The robot's screen lit up brighter, and it scanned its surroundings before locking its "gaze" on Sunny, its eternal frown somehow deepening. Or rather, its pupils contracted slightly, as if it glared at her, while the engines of its hooves started to roar.

"I... do not like the sound of that..." Sunny said with a nervous chuckle. "Um, excuse me? Strange robot that looks like me... Can we help you on anything?"

The answer came as the robot suddenly boosted towards Sunny, using all its hooves to fly towards her.

Sunny yelped in panic and by instinct made her Alicorn form appear, then teleported out of there, which in consequence caused the Robo-Sunny to crash against the stand.

"Hey! What the hay is that thing doing?!" Sunset asked in a mix of anger and confusion.

Meanwhile, Sunny reappeared in the sky, now flapping her wings and forcing herself to stay up in the air. However, her robo-copy suddenly boosted from where it was and launched against her, colliding with Sunny in the sky.

"Sunny!" Sunset yelled in panic, but as she prepared to launch to save her sister, she was suddenly pushed away by something that tackled her to the ground.

Turns out, it was another robo-copy, but this one looked like her; with metallic yellow skin, red hooves, mane and tail in the same colors than hers, a pair of wings and a horn on its forehead, with its head shaped just like Sunny's robo-copy: an eternal frown built into it and a single screen with red eyes, no mouth on sight.

"Sunset!" Twilight exclaimed, but then she felt the urge to fly up and dodge a massive purple electric laser, and when she turned around, she found herself facing her very own robo-copy.

This one was metallic purple with pink hooves, the same metallic mane and tail styled like hers in the same colors, wings attached to it, a horn on its forehead, and the same shape of head as Sunny and Sunset's robo-copies.

Before Twilight could say anything, her copy launched against her, but Twilight dodged and then started to fly across the sky to dodge her attacker, whom simply followed along and tried to destroy her.

Meanwhile, Sunset struggled to get off her own copy's hooves. "Who are you? Where did you came from?!"

The robot, due to a lack of voice box and a mouth, did not respond, and instead, charged its horn to attack her. However, Sunset was faster and blasted it off with her magic, making the robot step back and shake its head, while Sunset sighed relieved and stood up, but still frowned at the copy.

Speaking of it, the robot glared at Sunset and quickly retracted the destroyed horn before bringing out a new one, as it then proceed to charge against Sunset, who not only decided to let the robot charge, but she also started to fight against it, with both copy and OG hitting each other as they went to the air.

That's what finally made everypony at the Boardtrot to panic and start to run around as they screamed, while Comet remained hidden behind the Smoothie's Stand counter.

"I knew this was gonna happen someday!" Comet exclaimed in panic. "Oh, I shouldn't have read that book about a robot invasion... Why does Twilight even have a book like that?!"

As the chaos unfolded, Sunny struggled to keep her robo-double at bay in the sky. The machine mirrored her every move, mimicking her flight patterns and even her magical attacks. But what unsettled Sunny the most was the eerie precision of its counterattacks—it wasn't just reacting; it was predicting her.

"This thing's learning from me!" Sunny realized with a gasp, narrowly dodging a beam of orange light that singed the tip of her ethereal wing. She spiraled away, conjuring a shield of golden magic just in time to block a follow-up strike.

She then proceed to fly straight towards her copy with her shield still up, blocking another beam as she then proceed to push the robot towards the ground, as it landed on the beach and rolled in the sand, landing in such a strange position that its hooves ended up twisted in all directions and its head was facing away.

"Okay! That should give me some time to think on some kind of plan..." Sunny breathed with a little smile.

But said smile faded away when the robot slowly and creepily stood up, all its hooves gong back to their original position, and it ended with its face facing at her once again.

"Why do I keep opening my mouth?!" Sunny groaned.

This was followed by the Robo-Sunny's side doors opening and extending a pair of golden painted metallic wings, then the door on its forehead opened as well and pulled out a golden painted horn, as it simulated that it also activated its own Alicorn form.

"Seriously?!" Sunny groaned again, and then she was taken to the sky once more by her copy, whom also used a pair of engines on its wings to move even faster than before.

Down below, Sunset and her double clashed in a whirlwind of strikes and blasts. Each hit she landed only seemed to momentarily stun the robot, which quickly adapted, shifting its tactics. Sunset growled in frustration as she conjured a fiery barrier around herself, buying a moment to breathe.

"Okay, think, Sunset," She muttered, glancing at the robot, which was now circling her like a predator. "It's fast, it's strong, and it's relentless... but it's still just a machine, right? There has to be a way to outsmart it."

Sunset's eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings for anything she could use to her advantage. The beach provided little in terms of cover, but the nearby boardwalk was dotted with lamp posts, market stalls, and plenty of wiring.

"Time to get creative," Sunset muttered, her horn glowing brighter. She shot a blast of magic into the sand, creating a smokescreen as she darted toward the boardwalk. Her robo-double wasted no time in following, engines roaring as it tore through the dust cloud in pursuit.

As she reached the edge of the boardwalk, Sunset's horn flared with magic. She fired a concentrated beam at one of the overhead wires, causing it to snap and spark. The live cable whipped downward, striking the wooden planks and sending a shower of sparks in all directions.

"Come on, you bucket of bolts," Sunset taunted, waving a hoof. "Let's see how you handle a little electricity!"

Her robo-double hesitated for a split second, its red eyes flickering as it recalculated. Then it lunged forward, engines at full throttle, straight into the electrified wire.

The result was immediate. The robot convulsed as electricity surged through its metallic body, its movements jerky and uncoordinated. Sparks flew from its joints, and its screen flickered wildly. Sunset smirked, but the moment was short-lived.

The robot suddenly ejected the damaged wing engines, landing heavily on its feet with a new set of smaller, sleeker boosters deploying from its legs. Its horn, previously sparking and cracked, retracted and was replaced with a fresh one.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Sunset exclaimed, her eyes widening as the robot slowly advanced, seemingly unaffected by the damage it had just sustained.

Meanwhile, Twilight was in a mid-air dogfight with her copy, who had unleashed a barrage of projectiles from compartments in its wings. Twilight deflected them with elegant shield spells, but the strain was starting to show.

"I could really use a deactivation button right about now!" Twilight grumbled, weaving through the sky as the robot pursued her with unyielding determination.

Twilight's horn glowed brighter as she summoned a field of translucent shields around herself, blocking another wave of projectiles. She darted to the side, her wings flapping furiously as she dodged a concentrated energy beam that cut through the sky like a knife. Her robo-double was relentless, its precision making it difficult to get an opening.

"This isn't just a fight," Twilight muttered to herself. "It's a battle of endurance. But I don't think I can outlast it!"

Twilight's mind raced. If these machines were designed to replicate their abilities, then perhaps their strengths could also be their weaknesses. She glanced at the robot as it prepared another attack, noting the way it moved, the pattern of its strikes. It wasn't random—it was systematic, predictable even.

"Gotcha," Twilight murmured. She angled her flight downward, leading the robo-Twilight toward the beach. As she approached the sand, she suddenly veered up, her horn glowing as she fired a concentrated magic beam directly at the ground. The sand beneath exploded upward in a massive, blinding cloud.

The robot hesitated for just a moment, its red eyes flickering as it tried to process the sudden disruption. That moment was all Twilight needed. She teleported behind the machine, firing a precise beam at the hinges of its wings. The attack struck true, and the wings sputtered, their boosters failing as the robot began to plummet.

"Let's see how well you fight grounded," Twilight said, landing lightly on the sand as the robot crashed into the dunes with a heavy thud. But she knew better than to celebrate; it was already rising again, sand cascading off its metallic body as its wings retracted and its horn glowed ominously.

Nearby, Sunny's struggle escalated. Her robo-double had fully activated its "Alicorn form," and the golden-painted wings and horn made it faster and more aggressive. Sunny fired a barrage of magic blasts, but the robot dodged them effortlessly, countering with precise strikes that forced her to stay on the defensive.

"I can't keep this up!" Sunny thought, her wings aching as she maneuvered to avoid another incoming attack. She glanced toward the beach and saw Twilight and Sunset locked in their own battles. "We're not going to win like this. We need a plan!"

Sunny's eyes flicked to the robot's exposed compartments. The doors where its wings and horn had emerged still glowed faintly, the mechanisms whirring as they adjusted. An idea struck her.

"If it's copying me, maybe it can't handle something unexpected," Sunny muttered. She banked sharply, diving straight toward the robot. At the last second, she veered off to the side, her horn glowing as she fired a blast—not at the robot, but at the sand below.

The explosion of sand and light was blinding, even to Sunny, but it served its purpose. The robot faltered, its sensors clearly overwhelmed. Sunny used the opportunity to close the distance, aiming a concentrated blast of magic directly at one of the robot's wings.

The impact was catastrophic. The robot shuddered violently, sparks flying from the damaged wing as it staggered backward. Sunny didn't wait for it to recover. She fired again, this time at the horn, which shattered under the force of her attack.

"Gotcha!" Sunny cheered, but her triumph was short-lived. The robot's remaining compartment opened, revealing a hidden set of smaller, more compact weapons. It aimed them at Sunny with terrifying precision.

As if that wasn't enough, the broken horn got replaced with a new one, as well as the damaged wing.

"Oh, come on!" Sunny groaned, preparing to dodge the compact weapons.

Meanwhile, Sunset's situation was growing dire. Her robo-double had adapted to her tactics, countering her every move with ruthless efficiency. The boardwalk was now a chaotic mess of broken planks and sparking wires, but the robot remained unfazed.

"I need a new plan," Sunset thought, glancing toward Twilight and Sunny. They were holding their own, but it was clear they couldn't keep this up forever. "We need to end this—now."

But before she could properly think of something, her robo-copy suddenly grabbed her from her tail and then twirled her around in the air before launching her towards a forest, then boosted straight to her.

Meanwhile, Sunset screamed in panic as she twirled in the air out of control, crashing against several three branches, scratching her body with brushes and getting covered in mud and dirt, until she passed through one last bush and rolled painfully in the ground, before flapping her wings to recover and slide to a stop, shaking herself.

She then spit a leaf that got in her mouth. "Ugh... gross..." She groaned, before hearing an engine approach that made her frown again. "You've got to be kidding me..."

The Robo-Sunset landed not so far from her, staring in anger into the real Sunset's eyes.

"Alright, Can-set Shimmer... This ends now!" Sunset declared in anger, boosting towards her robotic self.

The Robo-Sunset's engine roared once more as it extended its wings and boosted to collide against Sunset, but just as pony and copy were about to clash, everything stopped... again.

"Welp... Here we are again. If you didn't catch the memo: Yeah, we're being attacked by robo-clones, and we have no clue on how they did got here, why they're attacking nor who sent them... But one thing's for sure: We're not letting these baddies hurt anypony nor replace us, if that's what they want! And if they think they can outdo us, they've got another thing coming. Because the magic of Equestria isn't just in our powers—it's in our unity, our creativity, and yeah, our stubborn refusal to quit!"

Sunset's inner monologue faded as time seemed to snap back into motion. She and her robotic double collided in a fiery clash of magic and metal, the impact sending shockwaves that rustled the nearby trees. Sunset gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her strength into pushing back against the machine.

"You're not taking my place, you knockoff nightmare!" She growled, her horn flaring with a burst of intense fire that engulfed the robot's torso.

The flames licked at the robot's plating, causing it to stumble slightly, but its adaptive systems kicked in almost instantly. A compartment on its back opened, releasing a burst of foam-like substance that smothered the fire. Sunset leaped back, frustration bubbling to the surface.

"Of course, you've got a fire extinguisher," She muttered. But then an idea clicked in her mind. If this thing was designed to counter her powers directly, maybe she needed to think outside the box.

Sunset's gaze darted to a fallen tree nearby, its branches reaching out like jagged claws. She smirked. "Let's see how you handle some old-fashioned ingenuity."

With a burst of speed, she darted to the tree, using her magic to snap off one of the larger branches. As the robot advanced, she swung the branch like a bat, slamming it into the robot's legs. The force was enough to trip the machine, sending it crashing to the ground.

"You're not so tough without all your fancy tech, huh?" Sunset taunted, though she knew the fight was far from over. The robot was already beginning to rise, its red eyes glowing ominously.

As if that wasn't enough, she heard two screams get louder as they approached, and soon, Sunny and Twilight landed besides her, both Alicorns having scratches around their bodies and panting heavily, while the Robo-Sunny and the Robo-Twilight landed besides the Robo-Sunset.

"Well, this is starting to get ridiculous..." Sunny panted. "It feels like these things have no power button!"

"Say, doesn't that spiky blue friend of yours has a robo-clone as well?" Twilight asked, standing over to fight. "I think I read about it on that book he gave me a while ago."

"You mean Metal Sonic?" Sunset asked. "Yeah, Sonic says he thinks he's the real Sonic. If these robots are our very own Metals, then they must think the same, which is why they're here."

"So they wanna get rid of us because they think they're us?" Sunny asked in a mix of disbelief and panic. "They don't even look that much like us!"

"Agreed. The cosplay thingy is flattering, but whoever made these robots clearly got a fee details wrong," Twilight pointed out with a mocking smirk, while the pupils of the robots shrink in anger.

"Well, we shouldn't blame whoever's behind this," Sunset declared with a smirk. "Is hard to copy perfection."

But right after saying this, a bunch of red eyes suddenly appeared from beneath the forest they were in, and soon, an army of new Metals arrived, although these Metals were not more Metal Sunnys, Metal Sunsets nor Metal Twilights: They were Metals of everypony in Equestria.

There was a Metal Zipp, a Metal Izzy, a Metal Hitch, a Metal Pipp, a Metal Comet... Even a Metal Sparky! All these robots were here to cause trouble, and Metal Sunset looked around with satisfaction before looking back at the three surrounded Alicorns.

It could not talk, but one could tell it enjoyed how the tables turned.

"Well, this is just fantastic..." Sunset grumbled in anger.

Twilight's horn sparked with magic as she scanned the growing army of robotic doppelgängers surrounding them. "This isn't just an attack—it's a statement. Whoever built these things wants us overwhelmed, outnumbered, and questioning everything we stand for."

Sunny gulped, stepping closer to the others as her wings flared defensively. "Well, if they think this is enough to scare us, they've got another thing coming. We've faced worse—right?"

Sunset smirked, despite the odds stacked against them. "Worse? Maybe. But we've never had to fight twisted robot versions of everypony we know before."

Before they could strategize, Metal Zipp shot forward, her jet-like wings slicing through the air with a shrill whine. Sunset barely managed to throw up a shield as the robot slammed into it, the force rattling her bones.

"Okay, okay!" Sunset shouted as she pushed back. "Plan B—improvise!"

Metal Izzy galloped toward Twilight, her horn glowing with a crackling blue energy that looked disturbingly like Izzy's magic. Twilight dodged to the side, but Metal Izzy's horn discharged a blast that scorched the ground inches from her hooves.

"These things can use magic?" Twilight shouted, her voice a mix of awe and frustration.

Sunny ducked under a swipe from Metal Hitch, his hooves gleaming as they shot little missiles shaped like flowers. "Is not magic. It seems like simple energy, modified and amplified to be as close as possible to our magic!"

For a very brief moment, Sunny considered the possibility of using dark magic and just destroy all the robots at once with a killer move, saving the three of them and pretty much everypony in the process. She may get scolded for using dark magic, but they'll probably overlook that and praise that she saved them, right?

However, Sunny's statement made Sunset gasp as she dodged a blast from Metal Pipp and Metal Misty alike. "Wait—that's it! We cannot use our magic to destroy them, but maybe we can use theirs!"

"Huh?" Twilight asked confused as she blasted Metal Posey away. "What do you mean, Sunset?!"

Sunset leaped over a fallen log, dodging a combined assault from Metal Dahlia and Metal Thunder as she hastily explained. "Think about it! If these things are built to mimic us, then their 'magic'—or whatever it is—has to be a copy of ours, right? Which means they've got the same weaknesses!"

Twilight's eyes widened in realization. "Of course! Like how magic can be countered by the right spell or frequency... If we can redirect their own energy against them—"

Sunny lit up, dodging a kick from Metal Alphabittle. "We could overload their systems! Brilliant, Sunset!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a genius," Sunset quipped as she threw up another shield to block a blast from Metal Sparky. "But how do we do that without getting obliterated first?"

Twilight looked around, her analytical mind racing. "We need to create a feedback loop! Something to channel their energy back into them... Sunny, do you remember the energy net spell I taught you last month?"

"Kind of?" Sunny dodged another missile-flower from Metal Hitch, her horn sparking as she deflected it into Metal Izzy. "You mean the one for stabilizing erratic currents?"

"Exactly! Only instead of stabilizing, we'll amplify and redirect!" Twilight replied, her voice full of determination. "If we coordinate, we can weave an energy net around them and force their own power to destabilize their systems!"

Sunset grinned as she blasted Metal Pipp into a tree. "I like it. Let's fry these phonies!"

The three Alicorns formed a triangle, their horns glowing as they synchronized their magic. Metal Sunset and the rest of the doppelgängers seemed to sense the change in tactics and surged forward, their attacks coming faster and more ferocious.

"Hold them off for just a few seconds longer!" Twilight shouted as she began weaving the intricate spell, glowing strands of magic forming between her and Sunny.

Sunset gritted her teeth, deflecting a flurry of attacks from Metal Zipp and Metal Comet. "No pressure or anything, but faster would be great!"

Sunny's brow furrowed in concentration as she added her magic to the growing net. "Almost there!"

The metallic doppelgängers charged, their glowing eyes and weapons creating an overwhelming wave of light and sound. Sunset summoned a burst of flame, driving them back just long enough for Twilight to shout, "Now!"

The magic net snapped into place, its glowing strands encircling the robots like a web of crackling energy. The metallic copies thrashed and fired wildly, their own energy bolts striking the net and being absorbed into it. The net pulsed, brighter and brighter, as it fed their attacks back into their systems.

Metal Sunset's red eyes flickered as sparks began to shoot from her joints. One by one, the robots froze, their systems overloaded. The clearing was filled with a deafening hum before— BOOM! —a cascade of small explosions rippled through the robotic army.

When the smoke cleared, the three Alicorns stood amidst a heap of sparking, motionless robots.

Sunny let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "We... we actually did it."

Twilight, panting, managed a small smile. "Teamwork always wins."

Sunset smirked, brushing soot off her mane. "And a little ingenuity doesn't hurt either."

As they surveyed the aftermath, Sunny's eyes narrowed. "But who sent these things? And why did they attacked?"

Sunset approached a peace of metal from of the robots and turned it around, finding a round face with two eyes, a long mustache and a creepy smile. The sight alone made her frown.

"I think I know who might be behind these..."

Without knowing, the head of Metal Sunny remained active, as its eyes faced the three mares...

Universe 160521

In a computer room, is revealed that someone's watching the three mares as they discuss among them, surrounded by the destroyed army of Metals.
"Hmph. Those Alicorns are truly powerful," A male voice spoke. "Even though they lack hands and fingers, they could still take on those Metals with barely any inconvenience..."

"What does this mean for the Twilight and Sunny of this universe, doctor?" Another male voice spoke, standing next to the man in front of the computer.

"It means that they think alike," The doctor replied. "And that I may have the upper hand against them in the future." The doctor then picked from the table in front of him a Multiversal Watch, identical to the one that Sunset has. "We'll keep sending Metals to other universes. I want every single movement studied down to a T. And when we're done... They'll regret the day they got in my way!"

Universe 010921

Meanwhile, Sunset and Twilight were telling Sonic from Universe 220822 about their encounter with the army of Metals, as Sunset handled Sonic one piece of the scraps that they picked up.
"Huh... I sometimes forget that even though my Eggman's on vacation on Prison Island, there's still plenty out there that still have this whole 'conquer the world' complex," Sonic grinned as he put the piece of metal on his quills. "I just came over to give you something and now I'm leaving for an Eggman hunt! I can't ever get tired of being me!"

"Oh, trust me. We've been having a lot of action lately, and I need a break," Sunset said with a tired look, then she grinned. "But of course, you simply love any excuse you can get to simply run into the next adventure, don't you?"

"I declare myself guilty!" Sonic raised his hands in surrender, though his grin remained. "And don't worry, I'll make sure Twilight leader of SS gets the memo. I'm sure she'll track down the sign to the universe's route before this guys chooses to send another Metal or army of such to a defenseless universe."

"We're everything but defenseless, Sonic," Twilight smirked. "We could've take care of those things with a simple beam, but we like some face to face action from time to time as well!"

"You said it, girl!" Sunset boosted, high-hoofing with Twilight.

"Whatever you say, Princesses," Sonic mocked over, before pressing a button on his watch and open a portal to leave. "Welp, better get this to the other Twilight before I forget." He was about to cross the portal, but then stopped as he remembered something. "Right! Speaking of things I gotta do before forget them..."

Sonic then approached Sunset and handed her a pink envelope, sealed with a stamp that had Sonic's face and Pipp's cutie mark on it. On the other side was written Sunset's name, indicating that this is for her.

"What's this?" Sunset asked, taking the envelope with her magic.

"Open it yourself, Bacon-head," Sonic told her with a grin, then he started to walk away with his hands on his back.

As he did so, though, she and Twilight noticed that a Sonic was wearing a ring on his right ring finger, and that already gave Sunset an idea of what might the invitation be about. She quickly opened the envelope and read through the wedding invitation, her eyes widening as soon as she did so.

"YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED?!" Sunset shouted to Sonic with shock and wide eyes.

"Yup!" Sonic said. "Anyways, gotta go!"

"Sonic, wait—" Sunset tried to say, but it was too late.

Sonic already jumped through the portal with a cheer as it closed behind, with both Sunset and Twilight still processing the whirlwind of information.

"Did he just—?" Sunset began, still holding the invitation with wide eyes.

"Yes, he did," Twilight nodded, although a little smile creeped through her.

End of Chapter 39.