Out With the Old...
A lavender unicorn mare gaped at just how many ponies could fit into the seemingly compact building that was called Town Hall. It seemed like everypony in Ponyville was there and there was still open space for more. Granted, fair amounts of the town’s Pegasi seemed to be flying in the air above her and her assistant, and some ponies occupied the various balconies along the walls.
A bright pink pony, the one she had the displeasure of meeting back in her library, ran up to lanvender mare’s open side and began jabbering, “Isn’t this exciting? Are you excited, because I’m excited. I’ve never been so excited; well, except for the time that I saw you walk into town and I went *gasp*, but I mean really, who can top that.”
A butter yellow pegasus mare directed a flock of birds to sing, beginning their fanfare as a tan mare with a graying mane and bright blue eyes, wearing a pair of glasses and a white shirt collar with a poofy tie, her Cutie Mark being that of a scroll tied with a blue ribbon, began to speak. “Fillies and Gentlecolts: as Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration.” The lavender mare tuned the pink mares rambling out to focus on the mayor’s speech to the public, “In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this, the longest day of the year. Now, it is my great honor to introduce to you,” The lavender mare look out one of the upper windows, her eyes widening as she saw a group of stars collide with the moon, causing the distinctly horned-horsehead pattern to disappear from its surface, “The ruler of our land,” Visible worry began to play upon the lavender mare’s face as she recalled a particular name from the book she had read earlier. In all honesty, it was the reason she had wanted time to herself in the first place, to prevent what might just be happening.“ The very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day: the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria, Princess Celestia!”
Many things happened in the span of a few moments: curtains were drawn, the avian choir sang, and a spotlight shined...
...on an empty space.
The lavender mare cowered low as she began to speak to herself, “This can’t be good.”
As the crowd of ponies began to whisper in worry, the Mayor attempted to regain control of the situation, “Remain calm, everypony: there must be a reasonable explanation!”
The pink one spoke up once more, “Oh, I love guessing games! Is she hiding?”
A white unicorn with a curly purple mane emerged from the room behind the opened curtain, “She’s gone!”
Horrified gasps from every pony in the room.
Except the pink one. “Ohh, she’s good!”
The lavender unicorn eyes bugged at the ethereal mist gathering upon the balcony that the princess was supposed to be on. After becoming extremely dense, it scattered, revealing a pitch-black horse: taller and more slender than every pony within the room wearing a smooth lavender helmet from which a black Unicorn horn protruded from. On either side of the creature’s torso were dark wings, reminiscent to those of a Pegasus. On its flank was a splotch of purple, a crescent moon upon it. The horse’s mane and tail resembled a field of stars, flowing in a nonexistent wind. Around its neck was some sort of regal breastplate, bearing the same mark as on the flank. A cyan eye with a slit pupil gazed out upon the collection of ponies.
“Oh, no…” The lavender mare said softly. “Nightmare Moon.” A little purple and green dragon that was upon her back fainted with a swoon.
The dark equine, Nightmare Moon, spoke with a regal tone, “Oh, my beloved subjects: it’s been so long since I’ve seen your precious little sun-loving faces.”
A cyan mare with a rainbow mane demanded, “What did you do with our princess?!” She attempted to confront the new arrival head-on, had it not been for an orange pony with a stetson clenching down on her tail with her teeth to hold her back.
Nightmare Moon chuckled malevolently, “Why? Am I not royal enough for you? Don’t you know who I am?”
Inappropriately cheerful, the pink pony spoke up again. “Oh, oh! More guessing games! Um, Hokey Smokes? How ‘bout Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty! Black Snoot-” She was cut off when the orange one shoved a cupcake in her mouth.
“Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?” The lavender mare watched as Nightmare Moon was terrifying the butter yellow bird director. “Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?” Her gaze shifted as Nightmare Moon flicked the white mare’s chin with her star-field mane, apparently more prehensile than she had thought.
Having had enough her taunting the lavender unicorn called out to her, “I did! And I know who you are: you’re the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!”
More gasps from the other ponies.
Nightmare Moon seemed impressed, “Well, well, well: somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I’m here.”
The lavender mare began to falter, “You’re here to... to...!”
Nightmare Moon began to chuckle, “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, The night will last FOREVER!”
Her mane extended and spiraled throughout the room, producing both darkness and bolts of lightning as she laughed evilly.
“I won’t let you!” Said the lavender mare. “I know who you are! And I know how to stop you! Just give up now or…or...” Her brave bravado faltered at the gaze of Nightmare Moon. She backed away slightly as the dark unicorn mare smiled wickedly down towards her.
“My, my, my…it seems we have a hero here…I can't let that go…unpunished…now can I?” With a flash of her horn, a beam of dark magic blasted towards the lavender unicorn. In a desperate attempt to deflect the beam, the lavender mare’s horn began to glow with energy as well, calling upon her own power. She had wanted the beam to deflect away from her, but due to extreme stress of the situation, her magic flared more then she had expected, causing it to do something more then she had wanted.
A hole opened up in front of her, shooting onto the floor two screaming objects she had never seen before. One, a thin blue creature with spikey hair, and the other, a round and chunky maneless thing wearing shades. Both of them were yelled at the top of their lungs, even after they landed upon the floor. It wasn’t until they both noticed that they were on the floor when their yells died down just to very awkward expressions. The blue one instantly sat up, pushing the round one from him and adjusted a red scarf it wore around its neck before coughing into its oddly shaped foreleg.
“Heheh…” The blue one chucked nervously. “Well…that was unexpectedly helpful.” He looked about, finding more than a few eyes staring straight at him, all of them by technicolored equine like creatures. “Um…ok…I’m in a room full of horses… just as unexpected but not the strangest day that’s for sure…”
“What is the meaning of this!? Who are you?!” Nightmare Moon demanded, stomping her hoof into the ground below her.
The blue being looked up at dark mare, raising an eyebrow.
“Wow…ok…Now it’s the strangest day…” He said with an amused look. He looked back towards the maneless creature with an annoyed look. “So what did you brake this time Eggman?”
“This wasn’t my fault you upstart of a hedgehog!” The round one said. “If anything it’s yours and your constant need to get in my way!”
“Don’t ignore me cretins!!” She demanded, her horn lighting up to shot towards the blue being. The lavender mare, with wide eyes, gasped out loud before even thinking.
“Look out!!”
The blue hedgehog jumped to the side just before the beam struck, his eyes widening as he looked upon the scorch mark it made upon the floor. “I’m guessing we came at a bad time eh?” He said as he stood up once more, a smirk upon his face.
“Answer me demon…” Nightmare said as she charged up her horn once more.
“Hey no need to get violent, and absolutely no need the name calling...” The blue being said, adjusting the cloth around his arms. “Asking nicely goes a long way you know.” He began to stretch his legs, never taking his eyes off the black furred pony. “If you really must know. I’m Sonic the Hedgehog!” He smiled before shifting to a readying pose. “And something tells me you’re not the nice type, if the reactions these horses are giving you are any indication…So…How about I stop any evil, malevolent, malicious or wicked plan you have and be on my merry way back to where I came from. Sounds good? Good!” He smiled brightly. “Show me what ya got! I promise I’ll go easy on ya!”
~
Some time earlier...in another world...
The bright sun cast his overbearing heat upon the waste land below. A generic tumble weed bounced in the unbearably hot wind. The trees that dared to grow there were left bare, no sign of any leaves in around the tree branches. A lone lizard peaked its head out from under a rock, looking for nourishment. It cringed at the feel of the sun’s rays already burning its leathery skin. It did not care however. Food was more important. It slowly crawled form under the rock, making its way to an unsuspecting fly that was nearby. It licked its lips in anticipation, a hungry look forming in its eyes. Before it could act out nature’s way, something shot past it, causing its would-be food to be blown away before it could even react. The lizard shot a glare at the gray beast that passed it, waving a small fist in its direction, curseing in its animal tongue.
It turned back to its rock only duck as a blue blur shot above it, a trail of wind picking up threating to blow the creature away. It hung to its rock for dear life as the wind past, letting go once it finally did. It turned to look at the blue being as it followed the gray beast, the lizard’s eyes narrowing. With a deep sigh it shook its head and made its way back to its crack in the ground. Some days, it pays to just not get up in the morning.
~
“Running away Egghead?!”
The voice ran through the mustached human’s ears, causing him to cringe. The human turned back to shake his fist at the blue hedgehog, angrily proclaiming, “IT’S EGGMAN! DOCTOR EGGMAN! STOP MESSING UP MY NAME SONIC!!” the overweight man looked back, finding his longtime nemesis trailing behind his Egg-hoverer. The blue speedster had a sad look upon his face as he spoke up again.
“Really Egghead,” Sonic called contentedly. “I have no Idea what you’re talking about. Maybe you should go get your ears cheeked. You aren’t getting any younger ya know.”
“Shutup! Shutup!! SHUTUP!!” Eggman yelled as he kicked his ride into a higher gear.
The blue hedgehog just shrugged, smiled, and began to speed up, keeping pace with the human easily. The two ran through the caverns of the dusty wasteland, the twisting and turning of the caverns pathway prevented the blue hedgehog from kicking his speed into full gear. He was content with just tailing Eggman however, and messing with him was just absolutely enjoyable.
“You know Eggy! One of us is gonna run out of gas soon, and I can assure you, that one will not be me! Why not just give up now and save the ozone layer eh?” He mused. He perked his ears up, waiting for a reply, none came however. Pouting he called out again, “Hey Egghead! Your hearing loss kicking up again?” No reply again, but he heard a distinct laughter coming from in front of him. “Ah…Eggman, mind shareing the joke with the rest of the class?” The hedgehog called out, tilting his head to the side.
Before he could hope for an answer the cavern pathway opened into a large clearing, the rock formation around it forming an inescapable barrier. The only way out being the way the Sonic and Eggman had come in from. Sonic stopped midway into the area, and looked around, his eyebrow rising in question.
“Olly, Olly oxen free Egghead!” He said, cupping his hands round his mouth. The laughter sounded again, causing the blue speedster to look upwards. Above his sat a smug looking Eggman, his glasses shining due to the sun overhead. “Oh! There you are Eggy.” Sonic quipped. “Thought for sure you hightailed it outta here the second I lost track of ya.”
Eggman smirked. “Now why would I want to leave. When you demise will be so entertaining…” Eggman smiled as he pushed a button upon his ride’s control panel. The earth beneath Sonic began to shake, causing the hedgehog to lose his balance and fall on his butt.
“Wha…What’s going-!?” He barely opened his mouth when something had erupted from beneath him, causing the hedgehog to make in unwanted flight straight up into the air. He turned as he reached the apex of his height, gravity once again kicking in. His eyes widened when he came face to face with a wicked looking slimy monstrosity. Worm like in nature, the dangerous looking beings maw was opened reveal twisting and turning blades and teeth, ready to dismember the hedgehog without a second thought. Before he could meet his fate however something caught him by his flailing arms, hovering him just out of reach of the monsters maw. Looking up, he smiled brightly.
“Way the go, Tails!”
A light orange fox looked down at the blue hedgehog, his twin namesakes spinning them towards an overhanging ledge. The fox smiled as he landed them both to safety. “Heh…Happy to help Sonic.” The fox said, rubbing a finger under his nose.
They couldn’t celebrate however, as they felt their rocky surface blasted apart causing both fox and hedgehog to jump out of the way for safety. Landing on the rocky walls. Sonic kicked his feet into high gear, allowing him to glide along the walls smoothly. Tail’s settled for floating in midair, his twin tails spinning once again.
“Woah!” The fox exclaimed. “It’s an Extarian Worm! But…there’s no way it could have grown to this size. The largest in recorded history was only two stories long! This is a new scientific discovery!!”
“Less gushing, more helping!” Sonic called out to his friend, narrowly dodging as the worm in question slammed into the wall, nearly making him stumble. The hedgehog cocked an eye towards the Eggman as he smiled gleefully.
“OH! OHOHOHOHOH! Looks like it’s over sonic! You lose! You can’t stop running less you fall to your death, and even if you survive the worm will finish you off! I WIN SONIC!”
The blue hedgehog rolled his eyes. “Blah, blah, blah. Yada, yada, yada. Gloat when you actually do win, not before Eggy!” He angled himself upwards, running at full speed towards the blue sky. it wasn’t long before gravity began to take its effect he jumped off the wall with smile on his lips. Eggman raised a shaven eyebrow as he watched the hedgehog. Curiosity turning to shock, and then into fear as the hedgehog landed on his Egg Hoverer.
“Ehhh…What’s up Doc?” He said, with a cocky grin.
“What? Get off you fool!”
“Why?” Sonic said pouting. “You were all safe before? Why are you so scared now Eggy?”
The worm shot up towards the two enemies, Eggman barley dodging it as he did so.
“Woah!” Sonic exclaimed. “So it’s only to go after me? Sweet plan, Not well thought out but hey you tried you best right?” He looked the scientist in the eye. “Call it off Eggy. Or do you want to be worm food?”
Eggman began to panic. “I-I can’t! The chip I placed into it only registers with your body signature! I can’t stop it!”
Sonic was about to say something, more than likely a few harsh words, when the worm lashed out from beneath them with its tail, knocking both hedgehog and scientist out of the vehicle. Clinging to each other, they both screamed bloody murder as they fell to the worm’s opened maw. Before either of them could become to worm food however, something opened beneath them, hole of some kind swallowing them both up before closing, leaving a very confused fox and a very hungry worm.